Hmm, Hillary Clinton ducks chance to attack new GOP star Sarah Palin

A very interesting thing didn't happen Saturday.

Appearing at a labor rally and stumping for congressional candidates in New York, Sen. Hillary Clinton uttered her most popular line from the recent Democratic National Convention in Denver: "No Way. No how. No McCain." This time she added, "No Palin."

But despite some soft lobs by media with her, that's as far as the female candidate who got closer to a major party's top nomination than any other in American history would go in criticizing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the first female top-ticket member in Republican Party history.

Despite continued grumbling among her supporters about a less than diligent effort by the Barack Obama crowd to help the New York senator retire her immense campaign debts, Clinton has been living up to her promise to fundraise and campaign for the Democratic ticket all over.

She has repeated the "No way. No how" line about John McCain many times and warned against four more....

...years of a Bush-like administration.

But she's been very careful to avoid saying harsh things against her good friend from Arizona, who was among the first to welcome and show the former first lady around the old-boys club of the Senate on her arrival in 2001.

In fact, during last winter-spring's Democratic primary campaigns, Clinton lavished considerable praise on McCain for the lifetime of experience he would bring to the White House while Obama, she said dismissively, only "has a speech he gave in 2002."

On Saturday in New York, reporters eager for a story about a fight between the two female politicians set Clinton up several times to take easy swings at the 44-year-old reform governor, who blew away the Republican National Convention crowd with her speech Wednesday night about her running mate, her own life and some mocking views of Obama.

But Clinton would not bite. Or swing. Not once.

"This election is about issues, and that’s what’s going to matter to people at the end of the day," was all that Clinton would say. This despite the obviously powerful fears that Palin has engendered among many Democrats conducting nonstop, massive behind-the-scenes efforts to smear Palin's reputation and plant negative stories in the media, with some success.

Intriguing to wonder why Clinton wouldn't say more.

Why do you think? Gender solidarity? Friendship for McCain despite their disagreements? A sign of waning enthusiasm for her own party's ticket? So much joy over the New York Giants defeat of the Washington Redskins in the NFL opener Thursday night?

--Andrew Malcolm

Photo credits: Associated Press

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Comments

[jaleh]

I think Republicans will win once again based on lies, lies and more lies. They don't know how else to do it since they can not win based on issues...Another four years of disasterous policies. More wars, more debt, more God, less health care and more of the same of the last eight years....Scary thought?

[Tom J]

Why should she jump in immediately? She's giving the media a chance to do some vetting as well. Such as the special section the Anchorage Daily News has now set up:
http://www.adn.com/sarah-palin/

[Liberal Lady]

Ducks a chance? What a title! It would read more kindly and ture to form had you said instead: Hillary keeps to the moral high ground by refusing to attack Sara Palin.

"Ducks a chance" is clearly male imagery.
Get a woman for this blog!

[S Muler]

Hillary is disgusted by the sexist character attacks being launched against Sarah Palin - the same type of attacks used against Hillary by Obama supporters. Hillary also knows the candidate qualified to lead & protect America - according to Hillary it's John McCain.

[Boubakar Fofana]

Hillary is Mc Cain's silent partner. She is praying that the republican wins, giving her a chance to confront Palin in 2012.

[toddsputnik]

OBAMA owes the Clintons (and their proxy-Republikkkan org DLC) NOTHING.

With friends like Hillary, who needs Bush?

[david oxtoby]

This is a total non-story, needed by the media to create hype.

over time, it's amazing how little the 'media' does to respond to criticism, other than make note of it on occasion.

[Daniel Smith]

What do I think? I think she did the right thing. Hillary did not fall into the trap of being sucked into the "Sara Palin reality show" and tried to steer the discussion back to the actual issues. What an idea, huh?

[Lopho]

Hill didn't mention alien abductions either - does that mean she is one of them? C'mon guys - non-story. Why don't you better spend your time giving us some substantiated facts about Snow-job's past "executive experience"? At this point, any real information would be welcome...

[richardinla]

It's not that the Clintons do not owe Obama anything, it is that they owe American citizens and the Democratic party their full out efforts to win the election this November.

Sarah Palin has been brought in to stir up hatred. Her coded claim to “small town values” is an appeal to underlying racism and sexism that threatens not only black people and a major segment of women but everybody of a different color or ethnic background or non-Christian belief or philosophy. It is malicious and sheer evil.

Palin and the GOP intend to appeal to the lowest common denominator that pulls together the uneducated, the radical right wing evangelicals and those who seek to manipulate the masses to energize their own power and contribute to their own wealth.

The GOP has chosen to continue their insidious and deceitful tactics of intimidation and ridicule for anyone with whom they disagree and anything that is in opposition to their own beliefs and intentions. We cannot afford to allow this infection to run our country and ruin our lives unless we are willing to sacrifice our own liberties and those of future generations. A lack of ethics runs far deeper than a few politicians in Washington who have made it an acceptable standard to lie to achieve their personal goals by any means they can get away with.

The Clintons and everyone in the Democratic party owes this country the hardest fight we can muster to return to decency.

[richardinla]

It's not that the Clintons do not owe Obama anything, it is that they owe American citizens and the Democratic party their full out efforts to win the election this November.

Sarah Palin has been brought in to stir up hatred. Her coded claim to “small town values” is an appeal to underlying racism and sexism that threatens not only black people and a major segment of women but everybody of a different color or ethnic background or non-Christian belief or philosophy. It is malicious and sheer evil.

Palin and the GOP intend to appeal to the lowest common denominator that pulls together the uneducated, the radical right wing evangelicals and those who seek to manipulate the masses to energize their own power and contribute to their own wealth.

The GOP has chosen to continue their insidious and deceitful tactics of intimidation and ridicule for anyone with whom they disagree and anything that is in opposition to their own beliefs and intentions. We cannot afford to allow this infection to run our country and ruin our lives unless we are willing to sacrifice our own liberties and those of future generations. A lack of ethics runs far deeper than a few politicians in Washington who have made it an acceptable standard to lie to achieve their personal goals by any means they can get away with.

The Clintons and everyone in the Democratic party owes this country the hardest fight we can muster to return to decency.

[San Francisco]

Can you give me a reason why Hillary has to attack Palin? Why all of a sudden, Hillary becomes a major role in this Obama-Biden election? What a joke!

Obama made a decision in selecting Biden casting Hillary aside. Ever since Palin surfaced, Obama realizes how Important Hillary is! He should have change his VP now in order to have Hillary Stump hard for him.

He should have share his ticket with Hillary to begin with. Instead of thinking that he can pull this election on his own.

Another dump thing that he did on the Oreilly factor that he conceeded it that the surge is successful beyond our wildest dream. What does he try to tell American People? Is he trying to tell people that my judgement is alsway wrong?

[Linda Smith]

Why would Hillary attack another woman (even if she is a Republican) the same way she has been attacked over the years? She is doing what she can for the Dem ticket and I'm not sure why so much is expected of her considering the way she was dumped by many in the Dem party during the primaries.

[jerry f.]

"This despite the obviously powerful fears that Palin has engendered among many Democrats conducting nonstop, massive behind-the-scenes efforts to smear Palin's reputation and plant negative stories in the media, with some success."

Where's the evidence for this assertion? I've seen many factual stories about Palin's very questionable record. Is this what you mean? Or are you saying Democrats are behind rumors about her pregnancy? If so, you should put forward some evidence. You can't just attribute everything you don't like to a smear campaign. This very assertion of yours is a smear against the Democrats--one that seems to be part of a larger campaign on the part of the Republicans to accuse the media of being biased every time they report facts that upset them. My evidence--every speaker at the RNC, this blog.

[BJ]

Can you blame Hillary? Why should she put herself in the line of fire for Barack when all he has done is disrespect her and her gender! He got the 'ol boys at the DNC to grab the nomination away from her, then he passes her over for the VP slot, because "the one" thought he had it in the bag and didn't need Hillary to win this election! Let's see how far he gets!

Palin graciously honored her contribution to women's ascent into power by naming her in her speech.

I guarantee you... If John McCain wins the presidency, Hillary will be a part of his Cabinet!

[N.E. BodybutHillary]

There is no way Hillary would oppose her own gender regardless of political ideology. Her political base, People Without Penises, expect Hillary to support their demographic candidates.
It honestly is just a matter of what sex you are, not what you stand for.. All you have to do is ask Hillary's crossover supporters.

[Doktor]

Clinton is a hardcore politician. What she does is calculated - not even thoughtthrough- calculated - its natural and intuitiv. The fact that she will not go out on a limb for Obama to keep some chances for her in 2012 (in case McCain wins) comes natural as well.
Thats what hardcore politicans do - its even expected of them. Thats why we need a politician like Obama - no matter how unexperienced he might be - to bring some fresh wind to it. You cannot and should not expect this from guys like McCain or Women like Hillary. Difficult times need experiences politiciany. But if you are in very difficult and challenging times you need someone totally new.

[wanda]

perhaps mrs clinton does not want to lower herself to the new choice"s level

[Daniel Walker]

Johm McCain and his campaign will say or do anything to win!! With the GOP being the World Champion Mudslingers, they are doing all that they can to get the Obama campaign to come down into their realm of name calling and outright lies. They rule that world.

[CapC]

Well duh, what has Obama ever done for her? Why is it the media always so down on Clinton and up on Obama like she owes him everything and he owes her nothing? He had a chance to pick her as veep and by so doing to sew up this election in November. He didn't do it. He chose a male instead. Yet the media acts like Clinton somehow owes Obama carrying him bodily over the finish line. Whatever she does is not good enough for him. How sexist is that? Assumption is women do all the work and get no reward and that's ok. Obama is somehow owed it all by Clinton by virtue of genitalia. The media is far more sexist than the American people though. Maybe someday that will dawn on them. I'm sick of it. If the republicans win in November it was the blatant sexism of the media and Obama and the backlash against it that did it. Ironic that the republicans would benefit from it but they had the guts to put a woman on the ticket and the dems didn't. No I don't wan't the republicans to win, however I'm sick of this snide sexist implication that Clinton should do more for Obama. Stop it if you want to have a prayer of winning in November

[Liz Wetzel]

Oh, please, dont you pit Hillary against these "morally upright" FRAUD.

Thats exactly the reason why the Hillary supporters are Hillary supporters. Hillary got class, intelligence and real passion in changing the world for the better.

The Clintons are really good people. Only the sociopathich GOP attack dogs hates her.

We love you girl. We'll be here for you however long it takes to bring you and Bill Clinton to fight for us.

Thank you for that eight years of good times. We are hoping for more.

[Tom]

This is pathetic. If Hillary does too much for Obama, she gets criticized. If Hillary does too little, she also gets criticized.

Look, Hillary is not in the campaign anymore. This is Barack Obama's race now. She has already gone above and beyond for Obama and now you want her to start insulting people too? Hillary could save ten people from a burning building and you people would find another way to criticize her. WTF?

[Jon K.]

It sucks that there's a double standard. Palin can be as much as a witch as the Republicans see fit, but if anyone questions her abilities or veracity, then they're being sexist. It's disgusting.

[Calora]

Why wallow in mud?

[Johnny]

Heh. It's hardly a non-story. Hillary hates Obama's guts. I can't quite figure out why she's bothering to help them at all. especially after the middle finger team Obama gave Bill at the convention. After her treatment in the primary I'd expect her to just disappear and let the naked emperor burn. I'm guessing she either doesn't want to risk pissing off the Democrat establishment for her run in 2012 or the Democrat elders ordered her to at least pretend to support Obama or they'll make her disappear politically.