Hillary Clinton dissed party activists and MoveOn.org

Apparently Hillary Clinton hasn't always been enamored with the rambunctious nature of the historic fight for the Democratic presidential nomination. Speaking to financial backers after Super Tuesday, she blamed the party's activists and MoveOn.org for her early primary and caucus defeats, according to an item over at The Huffington Post.

"MoveOn.org endorsed [Barack Obama] -- which is like a gusher of money that never seems to slow down," the item quotes Clinton as saying (there's audio on the site).

Her campaign, she continues, had been less successful in caucuses because those gatherings bring out "the activist base of the Democratic Party... [T]hey are very driven by their view of our positions, and it's primarily national security and foreign policy that drives them. I don't agree with them. They know I don't agree with them. So they flood into these caucuses and dominate them and really intimidate people who actually show up to support me."

Eli Pariser, MoveOn's executive director, defended the base: "Senator Clinton's attack on our members is divisive at a time when Democrats will soon need to unify to beat Senator [John] McCain. MoveOn is 3.2 million reliable voters and volunteers who are an important part of any winning Democratic coalition in November. They deserve better than to be dismissed using Republican talking points."

So much for party unity in the dash for the White House.

It was exactly ago a week ago ...

that another Huffington Post item unearthed a candid comment -- Barack Obama's now-infamous sociological assessment of the mores of small-town America -- and the reaction to it roiled the Democratic presidential race.

Clinton's comment won't kick up as much a fuss as Obama's, but she did poke a stick at a group that can be counted on to respond in kind.

Indeed, Pariser took particular umbrage to Clinton, in the comments to her donors, saying, "MoveOn didn't even want us to go into Afghanistan. I mean, that's what we're dealing with."

Pariser said: "Senator Clinton has her facts wrong again. MoveOn never opposed the war in Afghanistan, and we set the record straight years ago when Karl Rove made the same claim."

And you can be sure that many of its members will seethe over the Afghanistan matter.

The fact that Obama made his small-town comment in San Francisco helped give it particular reasonance. The new post concerning Clinton does not identify where she uttered her words; Huffington Post editors tell us that information was withheld to protect the source who provided the audio to free-lance journalist and author Celeste Fremon.

The event, we've been told, "was a small affair held between Super Tuesday and the Ohio/Texas primaries in a major American city."

There's irony in Clinton trashing MoveOn -- the group was formed, and its name conceived, in an effort to persuade the country that too much time and energy was being devoted to impeach and drive Bill Clinton from office because of the Monica Lewinsky affair.

-- Scott Martelle/Don Frederick

Comments

[Prantha]

OOPS! Hill "misremembers" facts again. I guess she is still angry at Moveon for NOT supporting her. What a jerk she has become.

[David]

How the hell do you know her comment wont kick up as much of a fuss? I didnt like Hillary to begin with for her tactics, but I joined moveon.org to defend Bill Clinton. This comment is beyond the pale!

[Catherine Mc.]

This is an orchestrated attempt by Hillary Clinton for a sister souljah moment. She has let this information leak out specifically to distance herself from the progressive side of the party to win Penn and Indiana working Blue collar workers. San Francisco and Moveon.org are "Code" for liberal, and Hillary wants to distance herself from these groups at the moment. Since much of that base is supporting Obama, she is not losing voters. But she does want to gain the more moderate voters still undecided. Notice that her 1995 comments when she said "Screw 'em" Rural White Voters is not getting any play.

Pread this around, and don't make a big deal about this silly stuff with this "audio".

[Truth Seeker]

I saw a video posted on youtube.

Hillary was right; the Obama supporters were rude.

[Matt]

Hillary needs to figure out which side of the aisle she's on. She's starting to make McCain look silly. Ouch, that vote for Iraq will cost a lot. Her family legacy.

[Deefromtx]

Does Pennsylvania use electronic voting?

What measures will be used to prevent tampering or manipulation of votes.

Does anyone know the answer?

[Adam]

So she doesn't like the activist base of the party, the one that gets out and knocks on doors and donates money? And she doesn't agree with the activists? Why? Just where do they disagree? This would be important to know? Just how far right is Hillary? Does she secretly oppose things that we don't know about, like with NAFTA? I can guess, with Nader running, that there could be a shift of people voting for Nader instead of Democratic if Hillary is the nominee. Without the activists, there will only be labor unions to get out the vote. This was a very stupid thing for Hillary to say. She should know she needs activists to win a general election. Why would she trash them?

[Oregon4Obama]

WoW hillary you sure say lots of weird crap when you are not winning huh?

She was mad at party activists and moveon.org, so she was mad at democrats for organizing, looking at the candidates, assessing them and then chosing her rival over her.....so she's mad at democracy????

Hillary you are un-freaking-believable....and UN-freaking-electable

[John]

Clinton stomps Obama to a pulp and leaves him for dead in Wednesday's debate and then she gets endorsed by Maya Angelou. But all we get is some minor dustup about Moveon.org and Huffington. It's always been death by a thousand cuts from the media for Hillary. No wonder she struggles so.

[tlsmith1963]

I am so sick of "turncoats" like Hillary. I don't want two parties that are Republican, but she seems to want it. I want a choice between conservative & liberal, because that means that voters have a choice, which is what democracy is all about. I guess, like Bush, Clinton doesn't believe in democracy. I am so glad that I voted for Obama in our primary.

[Judyplace]

HRC is lucky that the story about her comments have not hit the press like she made sure Obama's did. Even as her canpaign took the words out of context. She would be out of the race if she operated with any since of morals. The press would not give her so much attention. The press likes the messy approach she uses. Keep up the good work MoveOn.org.

[Judyplace]

HRC comment need to be pasted all over the new kit the press has dealt with the now :bittergate".

[Harley]

What MoveOn forgets is they are going to need people like me (Hillary Supporter) to contribute and vote for Obama in the fall. The way they have acted toward her and they way there members did act at caucuses (I had first hand knowledge) really pissed us off to the point we are willing to take a chance on McCain instead of going with the ugly far left of our party. I'm to the point now that I don't care if Nader wins, just as long as it isn't Obama.

[Alex]

Moveon.org will become a problem for the democratic party. They are the extreme left wing such as the extreme right wing religious right of the Republican party. They should volunteer to be the first to have their taxes raised.

[Tim]

Hillary will diss everyone who doesn't support her in the primaries. But she forgets that these are also fellow democrats, whom she can't afford to lose in November.

I don't know what her chief strategist is telling her, or what Mark Penn is telling her now, or what she's telling herself, but she certainly not making her prospects any clearer and brighter later in the year, by dissing so many stalwarts of the Democratic party.

She's only creating massive potholes for herself to fall into come November. She's actively pressing her own self-destruction button right now.

[concerned]

Why is it that someone motivated to assertively speak their position should be looked at as a negative? Of course, none of us in society are rising up with torches and pitchforks to storm the castle, but those who have the commitment to stand up and fight for what they believe in should be heard. If someone has a problem with it, stand up yourself. Maybe it's not enough just to vote, although most Americans don't bother to so even that.

[Ernette S.]

Hillary Clinton is one of the most hypocritical politicians to come down the pike ever. Her tactics of twisting and lying (Bosnia) are disgusting. I believe she'd use anything turn on anyone and fabricate whatever she could to get the nomination. Why is she so surprised that Senator Obama has so much support from those tired of the same old Washington hypocrites? Maybe you shoul temporarily rename you organization "MOVEOVERHILLARY.ORG

[Peter]

Another Clinton act of desperation.

One wonders why the Clinton's never blame themselves, never really accept responsibility for their mistakes. It is always someone else that gets the blame.

[Marian Williams]

Obama and the Country of Doom

Obama spells doom for this country. Not only because of his dubious affiliations with mob members like Rezko and criminals like Auchi, but because of his lack of experience and bias education especially his bizarre religious affiliations. He is like silly putty; able to change his ideas for the public as needed so as to achieve his goal as supreme leader.

His intentions are unclear, but his affiliations are clear. Being surrounded with people like the violent Ayers, or the Hiteresque Wright, or his American hating wife Michelle, or his Kenyan half brother Islamic Jihad terrorist Abongo “Roy” Obama, or his Jewish/Israeli hating best friend Rashid Khalidi, or his close advisor Robert Malley who advocates supporting and helping the terrorist group Hamas, or Mr. McPeaks, Obama’s military advisor who open believes American Jews are the "problem." and “Christian Zionists were driving America's policy in Iraq to benefit Israel,” or Obama’s super delegate and major long term supporter Senator Meeks who openly hates and distrust all whites and gays or Obama’s most dangerous affiliation to Mr. Auchi who was Saddam Hussein right hand man and made billions in Iraq and has been a important supporter and behind the scene man throughout Obama’s rise to power.

And besides all this questionable laundry in Obama’s life, another serious question is why is Obama protected and promoted by the media? Is this also being directed from behind the scenes? The American public has been fooled before and I guess those in power know we can be fooled again. (Kennedy’s assassination, Martin Luther King’s assassination, the invasion of Iraq…).

The fact that Obama has made it this far demonstrates the collective lack of discriminative intelligence and education of this country. And nothing demonstrates this better than how well Obama plays his black card; which plays on our fear of being labeled a racist.

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

Dignity. The lady is lacking dignity. If you put her in office, you are no better than those who put George W. Bush in office. Restore the office of the president to a dignified level. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush have devastated the office of president of the United State. Electing Hillary would be rubbing salt into the wounds. There is only one candidate who can restore the presidency to something the world should expect from us. Vote for Barack obama

[Sue]

I wonder how this will play with the Super Dupers? Not all that well, I suspect. They aren't stupid. A successful candidate cannot throw 3.2 million MoveOn members under the bus and not expect blow back.

MoveOn spent $500 million on the 2006 Congressional elections, and was instrumental in getting the House and Senate back for the Democrats.

She also did exactly what she just stomped Obama for doing: saying one thing behind closed doors and something else in public. This is what she said about MoveOn a year ago:

"You've been asking the tough questions," Clinton said in April of last year at a MoveOn-sponsored town hall event. "You've been refusing to back down when any of us who are in political leadership are not living up to the standards that we should set for ourselves... I think you have helped to change the face of American politics for the better... both online, and in the corridors of power."

You can hear the audio here: http://youtube.com/watch?v=iFtHoNu-2Pc

[The Oracle]

It's not over until Rosie O'Donnell sings...

[GS]

She's right! Obama supporters are "bullies"! Even when they post their comments, they make crude and rude remarks. Pretty radical for liberals eh?

They can't admit when they've been whooped, they make excuses, they side-step the issues... oops, sound familiar? Just like their candidate!

I agree with John... The "Media/Press" just glossed over Maya Angelou's endorsement of Hillary. Maybe CNN and MSNBC are scared African-Americans may "notice" and follow her to Hillary.

[DEMS WANT OBAMA OUT NOW]

RIGHT ON HILLARY!!! SHE HAS THE BALLS THAT OBAMA S MISSING

OBAMAS AGAIN NAMED IN FEDERAL Rezko trial!
Obama needs to tell us more about his relationship with Ayers. It’s important because voters might well wonder whether that relationship, coupled with Obama’s longtime relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is the beginning of a pattern, a pattern in which Obama seems quite comfortable with people who really, really, really don’t like the United States of America.

FEDERAL COURT | The Obamas lied about attending bash for Iraqi crook Nadhmi Auchi. BY NATASHA KORECKI, CHRIS FUSCO AND TIM NOVAK

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama was again drawn into Tony Rezko's corruption trial when the prosecution's star witness placed Obama at a party for an Iraqi-born billionaire who was barred entry to the United States. Stuart Levine testified under cross-examination that Obama and his wife, Michelle, attended the reception for Nadhmi Auchi.

An Obama connection court testimony have linked presidential hopeful Barack Obama with Iraqi-born billionaire Nadhmi Auchi and Rezko. Obama met Middle Eastern bankers at the Four Seasons hotel in Chicago hosted by Rezko, who was courting potential investors for a 62-acre South Loop development. Auchi later took control of that project. Later Auchi attended a dinner party at Rezko's Wilmette mansion. Obama and his wife, Michelle, also were there, according to federal testimony at Rezko's corruption trial. The Obama campaign's responsed that Senator and Mrs. Obama have no recollection of attending the event.

Jan. 28, 2008 Rezko was jailed for withholding details of his finances -- including a $3.5 million payment from Auchi convicted of fraud in France in 2003. After visiting Chicago and Detroit in 2004, he wasn't allowed back into this country, according to a prosecution filing in the Rezko case gathering for Auchi took place at Rezko's mansion in Wilmette, with Mr. and Mrs. Obama there. Monday, Obama camp said Obama does not recall meeting Nadhmi Auchi but Obamas attended the Wilmette reception, which came less than a month after Obama's Democratic primary win for his U.S. Senate seat. Rezko had been a key fund-raiser for Obama with Auchi. Obamas relationship with Rezko who is accused of demanding kickbacks from people seeking Illinois government business is now under a federal microscope as he seeks the presidency. Obama particularly has drawn fire for buying property from Rezko's wife a strip of land adjacent to Obama's Kenwood home at a time when both Obamas knew Rezko was already known to be under federal investigation.

Gov. Blagojevich hosted a separate dinner party for Auchi two days earlier, at the Four Seasons hotel in downtown Chicago, the Sun-Times has reported. Auchi was named by prosecutors in the January court filing that led to Rezko's bail being revoked and his being jailed. Last April, an Auchi company wired Rezko $3.5 million in connection with a valuable 62-acre South Loop site, which Rezko didn't disclose to authorities. Auchi's General Mediterranean Holding now controls the land at Roosevelt and Clark. Prosecutors said Rezko appealed to the State Department in November 2005 to allow Auchi to enter the United States, after Auchi was unable to do so.

Huffington Post-William Ayers, in the age of terrorism, is Obamas Willie Horton said
Former counterterrorism expert Larry Johnson,
There has been sudden information linking Obama to a former member of the radical Weathermen Underground group that claimed responsibility for a dozen bombings between 1970 and 1974. The former Weatherman, William Ayers, told the New York Times. I don't regret setting bombs...I feel we didn't do enough. Obama and Ayers were members of the board between 92-02. In addition, Ayers contributed to Obama's election to the Senate. They lived within a few blocks of each other in the trendy Hyde Park section of Chicago and moved in the same liberal-progressive circles. Larry Johnson, a former counterterrorism official at the CIA and the State Department, predicts Republicans would seize on the Ayers case, and again raises questions about Obama's judgment. WHERES MAINSTREAM MEDIA LIKE CNN & MSNBC WHY ARE THEY HIDING THIS MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM VOTERS??

[Mike - WA]

I attended the Caucus in Washington State and it was overwhelmingly for Obama. There was no intimidation. A few people spoke about about what they thought about their candidate but there was no intimidation or pressure for anyone to change their vote. These Clintons are sick, sick people. If they win the Democratic nomination, I look forward to seeing them wiped out of politics in the general election.

[swuzy]

True of False? Was Hillary Clinton Fired from Watergate Investigation for Unethical Misconduct and Then Lying About It?
.
Did her boss in the Watergate investigation fire her, refuse to give her a letter of recommendation and said she was a liar who did highly unethical things?
.
Does her boss say that she conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality, that she was an unethical and dishonest lawyer; that he should have reported her to the bar association for disciplinary action; that she wrote a fraudulent legal memorandum which if submitted to a judge would have gotten her disbarred; and that he could not recommend her for any subsequent position of public or private trust?
.
http://www.jzeifman.com/
http://www.aim.org/aim-column/hillarys-crocodile-tears-in-connecticut
.
Check it out, what do you think? If it is not true, wouldn't the Clintons' have shut these sites down?
.

[allison]

Don't expect nice politics coming from the Obama campaign. they wont get far bragging about Obama credentials and accomplishments.

McCain is smart, recognize that early .

[Move-OnMember]

Well, Move-On, there was something VERY FISHY about your so-called vote for your members to see which candidate a majority supported. Several women I know, who all support Clinton and who are all Move-On Members, DID NOT receive your emails for their votes on who they supported. Then, with less than a 10% response, you said that your members endorsed Obama. This is not real, and it is misleading and dishonest. I was very disappointed in the lack of integrity demonstrated by your organization.

[Casey]

I would very much like to know precisely what is her disagreement with MoveOn with regard to foreign policy and Iraq. I mean, she said she'd end the war in Iraq, right?

Maybe she is lying about that too.

[Midwest Mark]

Its time to MoveOn beyond the politics of the 1990s - Monica, Hillary et. al. Our nation needs a healer, not a street fighter.

[mary saunders]

I agree completly,That Hillary has been kicked around to long now! We know her much better then we know Obama, If you believe Obama wont bring all his american haters into the white house then your being fooled again! This man nose is up to high! like Black is better then Whites, the rv Wright believes are comeing trew Obama"s speach'es loud and strong, I would'nt trust Obama with my dog , never mind being my president. I see what kind of CHANGE he is headed for And it's not pretty, It's gonna be pay back for all of AMERICA!

[sparky]

The Clinton comments are not surprising to anyone who has followed this year's campaign. Deceit and disingenuousness have always been a part of Hillary Clintons tactics. For a good example, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exsmFDYyK4U and forward it to others you think might be interested.

[Fran]

Why are people dissing MoveOn.org? I am a member and I am not an extremist or left-winger. I focus on the issues MoveOn fights for and that is the needs of middle and lower income citizens who have been forgotten continuously. When she was lobbying MoveOn for their endorsement she LOVED them. It is only after we endorsed Obama that she now disparages them, just as in Richardson's and others who have endorsed Obama. And she continually spouted that small states and caucus states weren't important. Who told her she gets to decide what states and what citizen's votes are important and not important. Being from New York she used this same tactic to gain the Senate seat, attack anyone who doesn't support her. Who annoited her to decide which citizen's vote was important and which were not? And what gives her the right to attack anyone who endorses Obama? She attacks him on having a slight association with someone who did something illegal 40 years ago (now a highly respected Professor)through the assistance of ABC and Georgia boy (her lap dog) yet God forbid anyone bring up the fact she worked in a law firm for Robert Truehaft the attorney for The Communist Party USA (even mentioned in his obitutuary) which was 30 years ago. She wants people to count her 35 years of experience, let's discuss all her donors who have been endicted. But no, if you bring all this up you are talking about the past and beating up on poor Hillary but it's okay for her to attack Obama and any politically active group who do not fall in line with her.

She is pathetic.

[Chelsea]

I guess I'm not blue collar, but I make about 26,000 a year, which isn't much. I'm 27, one of those people Hillary condescendingly said thinks they're "immortal" in the March debate. I'm hopeful, which she and Bill have said means I'm living in a fantasy world. And I'm a MoveOn member, which means, now, apparently, that I'm some overbearing ultra-liberal who hates her and throws money at defeating her.

MoveOn's made up of a lot of pretty normal people. I'm more liberal politically than Clinton is, which is why I'm not supporting her... not because I hate her or my gender!) The MoveOn endorsement of Obama came about after they sent an email survey to members asking their preference - that's pretty democratic I think. More than the messed up caucus format, which I think should be eliminated, but I didn't hear anyone calling caucuses unfair until they lost one.

I'm not a registered Democrat. I have volunteered through MoveOn and on my own to register people to vote, to explain to them the confusing "Texas Two-Step" process, and to check people in at my Texas county convention last month, where the caucus votes were finally counted. All of these involved trying to help people vote, regardless of who they'd vote for.

I've never given a dollar to a political candidate, not directly, through a political party, or through a PAC. But I will keep spending my free time trying to affect this election, and there are lots of people doing that, within and without MoveOn.org. Hillary Clinton, please don't tell me my influence is untoward just because it's not helping you.

[Mary LB]

I voted in Move On dot org's poll on who they should endorse. I do not recall any Afghanistan petitions; most likely she misspoke and meant Iraq. She told Code Pink she gave the matter (Iraq) careful study and would like to agree with them, but could not.

That is why I did not vote for her in Move On's poll. She seems not to understand a government "of, for and by the people". It is a president's job to work for us; we pay their salary. We are allowed to "redress government" for wrongs. They are to do our bidding, not force us to vote for them, when they do not agree with our core values.

She now admits "we acted on faulty intelligence"; there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The only thing I wrote to Bill, during his terms in office, about was air strikes in no fly zones. I suggested we start lessening our nation's dependency upon oil, rather than start yet another war.

He did not agree with me either. Maybe he should have listened; because we are less safe now. A Marine Iraqi vet summed it up: for every 2 or 3 enemy we kill, we wake up 10 or 12 more. Iraqi Vets Against War, Veterans for Peace are other citizen groups that do not agree with Hillary.

Of course, like Neil Bush, Bill profits from the Iraq war via Dubai. The Bush/Clinton monarchy do not want to give up their seat of power in DC. That is why she lies so much about Obama and pretends that she is going to fight special interests. She vowed in an earlier debate that she would continue to take lobbyists money.

I guess she banks on people misremembering. She forgot that this is not yesterday. We, the people have instant access to information and yesterday's news at our fingertips. "a gusher of money" is questionable. She has more large dollar donors than Obama. His ave. contribution is $109.

Her assumption seems to be that Move On dot org members are middle or upper income folks. Maybe they are. But I have signed many of their petitions and I most definitely do not have spare change to gush.

[cbl]

I was a member of Moveon and moved out the moment they endorsed Senator Obama. I agree with the assessment of the caucus'. In Texas at our precinct, there were Obama supporters trying to intimidate and take over. Remember the news? We also had a lawyer flown in that was telling us how to do everything. I kept trying to find our why he was there and who brought him in. He was not from Texas, I absolutely believe that they were at caucus' all over Texas that night.

[Mariano]

Comment by John: Maya Angelou endorsed Hillary almost a year ago now, what does that have to do with this issue? What does McCain, both Bush's and both Clintons not wearing flag lapel pins have to say about their patriotism? (Debate or plain old silly?) I wrote Maya then, telling her I feel Hillary has become what Maya cautioned woman about: forgetting values; favoring power and money over values of love and life.

My PA family members are voting for Obama. I was surprised by the pro-war, Marine vet Republican's switch. My son-in-law and I butt heads more than once on the issue of Iraq. They are more citizens that do not agree with Hillary. He most especially would not be a Move On activist.

What makes Clinton think citizens want a Bush/Clinton monarchy in DC? She will blame anyone and anything on her lack of majority support, but never face facts. Lie upon lie. Not just from Bill, but from her throughout the campaign. Must say, she is good at selling her lies to gullible people. I see their comments all over the web. Even on this blog post.

[Merry]

Her comments are much more noteworthy when you hear what she said to move on a year ago.
Praising them in hopes to get their endorsement. Perhaps printing both statements in one article will give everyone a good view of the real Hillary Clinton
It show, once again how untruthful she is and how good she is at lying.

[Kevin]

I really am suprised at this nonsense the media keeps trying to poison people with. The Clinton's are not dishonest in anyway. I think there is no doubt that Obama and the Republicans have united media-wise because they both fear the support the Clinton's have will defeat them. It's the persecution from the ridiculous Lewinsky Scandal all over again.

[Anee]

Harley is right every time Snobama ridicules voters or flips off our candidate is just another reminder for us why we can't vote for him.
With the moveon.org radicals in my party I feel like I am IN the wrong party and this makes McCain a very viable choice.

[girladvenger]

Good they should be dissed. Never in my life as a democrat have I seen this kind of behavior from so-call democrats and the reason is because they are not democrats but anti-american, anti war of any kind and anti democratic.

Some of the tactics use came out of 3rd world MARXIST dictatorships.

Obama, no thank-you...this black women is not drinking your kool-aid. You're just like Jim Jones and the People's temple here in Los Angeles that killed so many people.

All talke and nothing else...Chicago politics 101 are dirty, corrupted and useless.

[nooptee]

I can almost predict what she is going to do.. She will do a Lieberman. And this is how this will end. She has too much at stake to lose the nomination. Atleast she will make sure it doesnt go to someone like Obama who will shut down the kind of crony capitalism/politics in action now under bush and will continue under clinton. What a shame.

[Michael Richey]

The Democrats have given the GOP an early Christmas gift. Hillary (like Bill) is a pathological liar. She will say, or do, ANYTHING in order to get elected. It's about power, not serving the people. Admit it to yourselves, Hillary supporters. More and more people who can actually think for themselves are seeing right through this candidate. She and her husband are, without doubt, political prostitutes.

As for Obama, again we must be honest with ourselves before we can properly critique him. His voting record in the senate demonstrates a pattern of wishy-washy - don't dare take a stand LACK of voting that should, by itself, show he is not a leader! He has abstained from so many votes that he should be ashamed to refer to himself as a senator. He was elected to represent his constituency and has failed miserable every time he declined to vote on an issue. What kind of leader does NOTHING in order to "not make a mistake that could come back on him"? Furthermore, and again this requires one to be honest with ones self: he has involved himself for decades with a radical sect of "Americans", if they can call themselves that. Separatists are probably a better word. His wife is more racially biased than anyone in mainstream politics could ever get away with. Why is she allowed to do this? Are we afraid to call an African American a racist? Pathetic. Wake up Americans!

John McCain is by no means a perfect candidate. He does, however, often buck the entire system and refuse to toe the party line. He has his own ethical standards and sticks to them more than any other candidate we've seen in quite some time. He is experienced in life, politics, and war. He has seen the worst war has to offer. Again, be honest: would this man subject so many people from so many countries to the horrors of war without reasonable cause? No matter who takes over, they will have to deal with extremism and our security and make decisions about how best to use or not to use our military.

Appeasement has been shown throughout history to be an unlikely resolution in the long run. We don't speak German and live under tyranny because of the blood of millions of brave souls in the 20th century. Don't stomp on their graves! Our military is based on a volunteer army. Don't join without considering the chance of being deployed in a deadly situation. If all you want is free training and college money, but don't want to offer your life, potentially, for the security of your country STAY OUT OF THE ARMED FORCES.

Admit to yourself one last thing: it is not, and has never been, humanly possible to peacefully coexist on this planet. Think about it. I certainly don't have an answer to fix it. I do know that large portions of our national treasure are given out as aid to many, many countries around the globe. America is not a bad country! People didn't cry about our involvement around the world so much when the big bad Soviet Union posed a threat. If a nuke of any size gets detonated in New York, or most places in this country, you can say goodbye to the American way of life as our financial system will collapse like a deck of cards. We will be worthless. Try and get some money from your investments or bank accounts when the system collapses. No commerce, no money to buy food, looting, bare cupboards and fighting among ourselves for the Darwinian right to survive. Do you think it can't happen? Just wake up and be an American who supports America. That is the best we can do. Then, together we take our chances living in a dangerous world.

Michael Richey
Pasadena, CA

[Kim in Islesboro, Maine]

First, what exactly has Hillary "whooped" Obama at?! He has more popular votes (even counting the non-vote in FL), he has won twice as many States (and yes we in those other States think we actually count even if Hillary doesn't think so), he has more pledged delegates, and more elected official super delegates. Who's the loser?? She is not going to get this nomination -- deal with it. Second, the reason no one covered Maya Angelou endorsing Hillary last week is because Maya Angelou had ALREADY endorsed her last year. It isn't actually news worthy for the same person to repeatedly re-endorse the same candidate. It is true Hillary has lost so many super delegates (which Maya is not) that I guess she needs to gin up fake news (like fake sniper fire) by having her people re-endorse her again and again. But it isn't actually NEWS if you go to your supporters birthday celebration and they say they are STILL for you. Here is the link since I am sure you won't believe me -- a mere rude Obama supporter and MoveOn member --
http://www.blackvoices.com/blogs/2007/12/12/maya-angelou-endorses-hillary-clinton/

[Mrs]

here's what Hillary said about MoveOn just last year.

Strange how much she loved MoveOn then...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iFtHoNu-2Pc

[Jim]

I am constantly amazed how Obama can have that kind of support money. They say he is supported by blacks and young people. Why aren't we asking where the money is coming from. Do you really think that blacks and young people have that much money. This is strange phenomenon that no media seems to care. Where is he getting the money. Blacks or college kids? Please give me a break. I would see the money trail. There is something wrong. Mathematically impossible for him to raise this kind of money and we just take it as is. Hillary had this kind of money pouring in, don't you think someone raised a red flag?

[Herm]

I am so happy to hear that Senator Clinton is coming back again and moving ahead of Obama on recent poll. I heard she is 19 points behind on Newsweek poll but Newsweek is strong supporter of Obama (much like MSNBC)and its samples may not be reliable. She appeares to be extremely knowledgeable on issues and a strong leader as she has been standing up fighting despite severe attacks from news/medias, party leaders, and some liberal democrats. Since Senator Clinton's supporters seems very loyal to her, Obama needs her intense help to get their votes in order to win the GE. However, Senator Clinton may not be so proud of you(Obama) for the first time in her adult life if you continue flipping your wrong finger on her.

[Cori]

She is right.

[Teri B.]

The division in the party isn't the candidates' fault - they're doing what candidates do. It isn't the voters' fault - they're allowed to be divided. Democracy is a good thing right? But too little in this primary has been about democracy.

The DNC has caused it, with not only this FL and MI nightmare, but what Dean is doing right now, in trying to stifle the voices of the remaining voters. The media is doing it, by taking sides, slanting coverage, and focusing almost exclusively on rubbish. And the powerful democratic political action groups and other organizations, like moveon.org, dailykos, democraticundergroud, etc. are doing it, by only furthering the agenda of half the party and spitting in the face of the other half. Folks, remember these are the very people who keep saying this primary is divisive and must be ended! NO, THEY DON'T DECIDE ELECTIONS, WE DO! If we give our power to them, we'll never get it back!

[Jim]

John, post at 7:12PM:

the reason there is no coverage of the "news" that Hill-Billy got endorsed by Maya Angelou (come on, this one is idiotic: but what does Maya Angelou know about politics that I don't??) is:

IT'S NOT NEWS!!

Angelou has been on Clinton's side all along. OLD NEWS is not really news, is it??

Before you bash LA Times for putting out another bad real news for Hill-Billy, check your knowledge. LA TImes is not responsible for your ignorance.

Meanwhile, what do you have to say about your losing candidate aiming another "SCREW 'EM" at people who happens to not want to support her, this time at Democratic activists?

MoveOn came about to support Bill in 1996. They recognized their mistake and just want to do the right thing now. Plus Obama has a real message and Hill-Billy is all about who's got more insider connections....

[Jim]

truth Seeker (athen why you'd like Hillary the LIAR??), 6:31PM:

How come Hillary supporters are so wimpy in their convictions that others can allegedly influence their votes so easily??

Did MoveOn members bring guns to the caucuses or what?

Did they hold knifes to the Hillary supporters and made them raise hands for Obama? Show me any proof of this on YouTube?

Of course you can't....it's all right. Everything Hillary says tends to be false these days. It's not your fault: it's your candidate who lied again.

[Jim]

Herm, 2:56PM:

that same "poll" place you so eagerly quote (the ONLY poll in past month with Hillary ahead, and now ONLY by 1%!!) also showed convincingly that

Hillary supporters are clearly far less educated, as she dominates the "HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION OR LESS" category.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/106360/Obama-Dominates-Clinton-Among-College-Graduates.aspx

If you love polls, EAT THAT ONE!! (IF you the Hillary supporter CAN ACTUALLY READ, that is....)

[Jim]

Cori, 3:05PM:

"She is right."

She is right about WHAT?

Bosnia?
Sniper fire?
NAFTA?
China?

Exactly WHAT have you heard from Hillary that is right and NOT A LIE these days....??

[Jim (NOT Hillary supporter)]

Jim, Hillary supporter, 12:52PM:

I am young, I made my own money, and I support Obama.

Thanks to paranoid post of yours, I just went and donated $200 to the Obama campaign.

What makes you think the youths have no money? And What is youth to you anyway: anyone before Medicare age?

By the way, it seems that Obama's appeal has more to do with education level than age, as even in the older group it is far more strongly tied to college education or higher education background.

Make your own conclusion based on that fact. I know what mine is.

Finally: Hillary's failure in fundraising now is that she alienated the small donors ("SCREW 'EM" and "I hate MoveOn and any Dem activists not supporting me" is really going to help her cause....NOT) and only banked on the big donors.

She also figured the campaign would be over by February, right? That's how she ran out of money with poor showing for fund raising in Jan and ever since.

She kinda ran her campaign the way Bush ran Iraq: "Mission Accomplished" 4 years ago??

[Janice C Rivera]

"Moveon.org will become a problem for the democratic party. They are the extreme left wing such as the extreme right wing religious right of the Republican party. They should volunteer to be the first to have their taxes raised."

If you don't think that a riff doesn't already exist within the Democratic party, that there is no difference between the DLC and the DNC, than I believe the only solution would be, if Hillary manages to get the nomination, to FORCE a third party.

I am a Democrat. I am sick and f'cking tired of being referred to as the "far left", the "fringe left", and being blamed for the damage done to my party.

"The essence of the Liberal outlook lies not in what opinions are held, but in how they are held: instead of being held dogmatically, they are held tentatively, and with a consciousness that new evidence may at any moment lead to their abandonment." -Bertrand Russell

[Herm]

Jim,
Are you a college graduate? I just wonder why are you so angry person? Did you take psychology 101 while in college? It seems that you are using some of Freud's defense mechanisms to rationalize your feeling of superiority. I am sure many of Hillary's supporters are college graduates and they know how to read polls, but they may not interpret them just the way you want them to do. Anyway, congratulation on you college degree and you sounds like a very educated person. Take care of yourself.

[ERW]

Two separate and distinct things may have prompted Senator Clinton's condemnation of MoveOn.org.

(a) A petition circulated, that gathered more than 200,000 signatures, which questioned the conduct of the ABC Network moderators during last Wednesday's debate. Supposedly, this petition will be delivered on behalf of the members to the ABC Network.

(b) A new poll, taken by MoveOn.org. The results of which will soon be released, which shows that many people in this country equate our bad economic conditions with the Iraq war.
(That e-mail just showed up in my inbox.)

Senator Clinton voted for the war. It's a vote she cannot explain away.

As a MoveOn.org member, who joined when they were advocating for Bill Clinton and the battle cry was: "Censure and Move On", the position taken by Mrs. Clinton is a big dissappointment. But, not a big surprise.

She has shown total lack of respect for most of the Democratic Party base.

It shouldn't be a mystery to anyone why many of the people who worked with the Clintons, and who knew them best, are backing Obama.

[BooHooHill]

Hillary "forgot" that moveon.org was created to stop the attacks and impeachment of her husband, President Bill Clinton !!!! MoveOn totally supported censure and move on, not impeachment ,to focus the government back on the needs of this country and not impeach her husband. But now that they support future President Barack Obama, she is attacking them. What a liar she has shown herself to be. If she is the Dem nominee, I'll sit this one out.
McCain will need to reinstate the DRAFT since he will be in Iraq and Iran and other wars for the next 100 years, so he is not an option.
By the way, for pro life single focus voters, don't you care that millions of innocent people are being killed every day in america's wars???? That seems to be inconsistent don't you think? OBAMA '08 and stop being fooled Americans.

[Shima]

I think we(Clinton supporters) should start collecting signatures to protest the unfairness and injustice against her by liberal news/medias and party leaders throughout this year. News/medias have been trashing Hillary days & nights digging every little dirts they can find even though those dirts were already investigated by Republicans spending miilions of tax payers money during the late 90s. By the way, treating clinton inhumanly hurts party severely as most of us moderate democrats are already chipping away from the party base. A party that treats one candidate so harshly just to promote another of their choice is actually not a winning party to begin with.

[rosalind]

NAFTA: In January or February 2008, wasn't it released that Bill Clinton helped an American company to seal a deal with a foreign company for $32 million with the promise of another $100 million later? More jobs overseas? What is the truth about this? Why haven't we heard more?

[Frustrated]

This is a time for ALL people to wake up and consider our own political means. It's not about the incredible divisions that have been created over the last 30 years. It IS time for a full understanding of what we ALL want. We want a press that is not under some sort of influence and is not afraid to actually disseminate between 24 hours of constant, redundant oversimplification.

We want politicians to finally wake up and see why they were even elected and to not get confused once they finally fall into the pit of the capitol of the United States.

Remember Mr. Smith goes to Washington? Mr. Smith is YOU!

Maybe finally the masses will truly start and participate in the experiment (long as the experiment has existed) of government for the people.

If we could just spend the time and effort that we go to war with to adjust the publics general understanding of that our federal government is actually doing with its time and resources, there just might be a chance for real understanding change without rhetoric or outside influences. This country is not THAT big for it not to happen.

[Anitra Wheaton]

Obama supporters are angry? Yes, we're angry! Everyone should be angry! Don't you want a Dem in the White House? Because insulting the supporters of the one candidate who can expand the Dem base (the only way to win in November) and picking a fight with "Democratic Activists" isn't helping to unite the party!!! Hello???

If you don't know by now that Hillary Clinton is an evil, self-deluded, egomaniacal, self-serving, opportunistic, pathologically dishonest cheat, then YOU'VE BEEN LIVING UNDER A ROCK for the past 15-20 years!

Yes, she has her fans, but for everyone who likes her, 10 more can't stand the sight of her. SHE IS DESPERATE WITH A CAPITAL "D" and doing what she does best - fighting dirty. American is sick of it, and that's why she is LOSING!!!

Her campaign has been a joke, and her years spent "serving the public" have been even worse! She is no more "experienced" than Barack Obama (in fact, he has MORE legislative experience than she has) and her associations are far worse than his! No one gets to where these people are by only associating with girl scouts. Read up on PETER PAUL!!!

As for her "experience", it's all a big disgrace...

HILLARY CLINTON AS FIRST LADY / NY SENATOR:
Hillary Clinton often says that she should be President because of her experience, including 8 years as First Lady and 6 as NY Senator. This is her record for that period of time:

As First Lady, Hillary assumed authority over Health Care Reform, a process that cost the taxpayers over $13 million. She told both Bill Bradley and Patrick Moynihan, key votes needed to pass her legislation, that she would 'demonize' anyone who opposed it. But she couldn't even get it to a vote in a Congress controlled by her OWN PARTY at the time! (And in the next election, her party lost control of both the House and Senate, due in part to her nasty and divisive tactics.) Bill and Hillary Clinton failed miserably to rally others around their cause because they simply do not know how to bring Democrats and Republicans together! Lately, Hillary speaks of her "friend" John McCain, trying to compete with Barack on this issue, but those who know her history realize it's just "politics as usual"

Hillary assumed authority over selecting a female Attorney General. Her first two recommendations, Zoe Baird and Kimba Wood, were forced to withdraw their names from consideration. She then chose Janet Reno. Janet Reno has since been described by Bill Clinton as 'my worst mistake.'

Hillary recommended Lani Guanier for head of the Civil Rights Commission. When Guanier's radical views became known, her name had to be withdrawn.

Hillary recommended her former law partners, Web Hubbell, Vince Foster, and William Kennedy for positions in the Justice Department, White House staff, and the Treasury, respectively. Hubbell was later imprisoned, Foster committed suicide, and Kennedy was forced to resign!

Hillary also recommended a close friend of the Clintons, Craig Livingstone, for the position of director of White House security. When Livingstone was investigated for the improper access of up to 900 FBI files of Clinton enemies (“Filegate”) and the widespread use of drugs by White House staff, both Hillary and her husband denied knowing him. FBI agent Dennis Sculimbrene confirmed in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in 1996, both the drug use and Hillary's involvement in hiring Livingstone. After that, the FBI closed its White House Liaison Office, after serving 7 presidents for over thirty years.

In order to open “slots” in the White House for her friends the Thomasons (to whom millions of dollars in travel contracts could be awarded), Hillary had the entire staff of the White House Travel Office fired; they were reported to the FBI for 'gross mismanagement' and their reputations ruined. After a 30-month investigation, only one, Billy Dale, was charged with any crime whatsoever (mixing personal money with White House funds when he cashed checks). The jury acquitted him in less than 2 hours.

Another of Hillary's assumed duties was directing her husband's infidelity and scandal defense. Among her decisions:
1. She urged her husband NOT to settle the Paula Jones lawsuit.
2. She refused to release the Whitewater documents, which led to the appointment of Ken Starr as Special Prosecutor.
3. After $80 million dollars of taxpayer money was spent, Starr's investigation led to Monica Lewinsky, which led to Bill lying about and later admitting to his extramarital affairs.
4. Bill had to settle with Paula Jones after all. And Bill lost his law license for lying to the grand jury.
5. And Bill was impeached by the House.
6. AND HILLARY ALMOST GOT HERSELF INDICTED FOR PERJURY AND OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE (WHICH SHE AVOIDED MOSTLY BECAUSE SHE REPEATED, "I DO NOT RECALL," "I HAVE NO RECOLLECTION, AND "I DON'T KNOW" 56 TIMES UNDER OATH).

*Many believe that the aforementioned scandals were, in part, what led to the up rise of the conservative evangelical Republican "Christian Right", which has hijacked our country for the past 8 years, cramming bad policy down our throats under the guise of "conservative Christian values" as a backlash against the embarrassing antics of the Clintons.

Hillary decided to run for the Senate in a state where she had never lived before simply because she thought it would be her best chance at winning.

Her husband pardoned FALN terrorists in order to get Latino support and the New Square Hassidim to get Jewish support. Hillary also had Bill pardon her brother's clients, for a small fee, to get financial support.

Then Hillary left the White House, but later had to return $200,000 in White House furniture, china, and artwork she had STOLEN!!!

In the campaign for the Senate, Hillary (as usual) played the 'woman card' by portraying her opponent (Lazio) as a bully who was picking on her. This is one reason she is so frustrated with her Presidential Campaign right now. She can't cry '’POOR ME’ against Barack Obama. He's black and the farthest thing from a bully. But she and her surrogates CAN try to make us women feel like traitors if we do not vote for her (which all women with a brain deeply resent)!

Hillary's husband further protected her by asking the National Archives to withhold from the public until 2012 many records of their time in the White House, including much of Hillary's correspondence and her calendars. (There are ongoing lawsuits to force the release of those records.)

As the junior Senator from New York, Hillary has passed NO MAJOR LEGISLATION! She has deferred to the senior Senator (Schumer) to tend to the needs of New Yorkers, even on the hot issue of medical problems of workers involved in the cleanup of Ground Zero after 9/11.

Hillary's one notable vote: SUPPORTING THE PLAN TO INVADE IRAQ, which she has since disavowed and twisted, but refuses to admit was a mistake. Barack Obama, however, is the only '08 Democratic Presidential Candidate who had the good judgment to oppose the war from day one!

[flcertifiedteacher]

Interesting article. Should have been titled: The Little People Don't Matter, Yet Again.

Earlier this year, I thought at some point, I would be paying a lot more attention to this
primary season, even though I am an independent voter, here in Florida. (I had been for Clinton.) However --

I found I lost interest a long time ago.

Now I don't care who wins the Dem primary -- or the general election. Just don't care at this moment. I find there is really just too much crap going on in the day-to -day life of most people, including myself.

Just for awhile today, I was able to laugh, with this parody site I made about the school district where I reside. But it's harder each day to laugh it all off, though I still try:

http://www.labbottsaysvisitrockford.blogspot.com

[justme]

She flips around to different sides when it is convenient... surprise! Desperation is a stinky cologne. She also invited Jeremiah Wright into her house for "guidance" after the Lewinski thing.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/20/photograph-of-bill-clinton-and-rev-wright-surfaces/

Oh, sucks to be a liar and have people call you on it, doesn't it?

[carmen]

Hillary has it in for anyone who sees through her extreme ambition.She is far from the good candidate so many talking heads crowned 6 months ago. She is beholden to every lobby and especially eager to appease aipac that's now bankrolling her.

As one columnist said aptly - Hillary is artifice personified. frankly there is nothing she will not do to get elected - any smear any damage to the party or the country. Does she even know the meaning of the word "patriot"? has she any allegiance to any principle other than her ego? do any of us care any longer?

Should she become somehow a candidate by destroying the country's best chance at competent leadership - she will end up taking the party down with her. I am one committed democrat who could care less if it's Billary or McCain. I am pretty sure she will not get us out of Iraq any sooner than Israel and the neocons want us to anyways. Should she be nominated - by stealing the will of the people and sticking it to the party faithful, including MoveOn.org, I will personally campaign for nader, who at least has some principles in addition to ego. Along with many more die-hard democrats who will feel too let down to care any longer.

Will that be good for the country - or the world? of course not. But countries get the leaders they deserve. We have a quacking duck-in-charge now. Maybe we need another 4 years of the same before people really wake up and get a life.