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Clintons Bosnia Myth -- Just the tip of the Iceberg
Well, the Obama campaign and others questioned Clintons quite astonishing claims regarding her bravery in Bosnia for weeks, but the Media covered it up-- even ones actually on the trip with her . Now the truth is out and its not a " blip" or casual misstatement-- it was a whopper which the campaign ran with even after Sinbad and others on the trip disputed the account. Just as with NAFTA, the campaign tried to blur the facts by getting slightly different descriptions from other former Clinton people, pilots, etc. The plausible deniability defense broke down under the light of day. Perhaps ones dreams in the middle of the night, say 3am, tell a different story, but the reality is undeniability.
NAFTA was another Whopper, the campaign knowingly pushing false positions when they knew Senator Clinton supported the Administrations NAFTA policy. Remember Senator Clintons " Shame on You" moment mocking Obama for saying in a leaflet that Senator Clinton supported NAFTA and the false charges regarding the Canadian Government assurances when it was actually the Clinton campaign giving the wink and nod to the Canadians.
The Bosnia story is one from which Senator Clinton cannot recover in the long run as it undercut the frail example she cited to bolster her foreign policy credentials and seek to diminish Obama's in the public eye. And it is more than merely a misstatement or blip, its a story which was continued to be supported and backed up by the campaign until it simply could not anymore.
I can only imagine the Republicans campaign ad juxtaposing John McCain in prison and leading his unit with Senator Clintons picture with a little girl and her unequivocal statement of Sniper fire and a canceled greeting ceremony. Just like her White House NAFTA " drop by" was not a meeting she led in support of the NAFTA policy. Numerous credible sources at that meeting state without reservation what that meeting was about--- it was a Pro Nafta pep rally.
Unfortunately, Senator Clintons campaign, led by the Senator, have no problem promoting myths and sticking with them until caught red handed video in tow . I think you will see many more myths exposed as a complicit media ( Andrea Mitchell who purports to cover the campaign and is married to Alan Greenspan who Senator Clinton just suggested solve the foreclosure crisis ) cant afford to lose further credibility by ignoring whoppers and myths.










Comments (10)
A bit over the top.
The relevant fact is that she went there. That says something about her qualifications re foreign policy. She would have formed some impressions and since then has learned from seeing them confirmed or not.
Her courage under fire would only be relevant if she were campaigning for a combat position.
Pity she embellished the experience in retrospect but the phrase campaign exaggeration is tautological.
OBTW I voted for Obama and would be delighted to see him become president.
March 25, 2008 3:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for that quick synopsis and your honesty. I figure everyone spins their resumes a bit (I've posted more than a few on Obama), but there's a distinct difference between some 80 state visits and 1 or 2 trips abroad. (Plus Hillary did do the Green Zone in Iraq a few Thanksgivings ago). And we seem to judge candidates much more on how they spin themselves than what they did or believe, so why should we expect them not to spin?
March 26, 2008 10:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
It says something about access more than it says anything about qualifications.
Let's not forget that we're the folks who grant our pols their access to federally-funded flights. Oddly enough, we're the ones who get to decide who gets to enjoy the experience that such access brings. At the least, as a voter, I'd appreciate a modicum of respect in return.
March 26, 2008 7:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a voter I'd appreciate a modicum of competence in return. But Hillary was working for free for us, the US Government, promoting the American people, because her husband had a job that paid a whopping $200K/year plus $50K expenses as President.
Can we get you a pillow?
March 26, 2008 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Des,
Which is it? The 'Oppression Olympics' or the 'Competence Olympics'? Your posts and comments have left me downright confused.
In any case, what part of 'I paid for the trip that she used to embellish her CV' don't you understand? I haven't enjoyed it with Cheney or McCain, and don't ask me to abide just because it's a Democratic First Lady pulling the same stunt. I'm cool with any First Lady jetting off to wherever in the name of promoting we, the people of that exotic land called 'USA', but please spare me the duty to then genuflect when they return in all their taxpayer-funded glory. Especially if they're gonna lie to me about what actually transpired during their ever-so-critical sojourn abroad.
Some of us work in the private sector and are responsible for travel budgets. If someone comes back from a trip and proceeds to blow smoke up my *ss, have I no right to wonder WTF they were doing traveling in the first place?
March 26, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Gee, I volunteered for the Peace Corps but because I put it on my CV that means I'm really getting paid?
March 27, 2008 3:38 AM | Reply | Permalink
Saying that Hillary was working for free is bending the truth ever so slightly. She got to use it in a speech during her presidential campaign after all.
The fact of the matter is that she used this line about being under fire numerous times, and when her story was refuted by some, Sinbad for example, she defended it. She could've said, at that point, that she didn't recall exactly, but she chose not to. That is, until the video showed up.
I think that is where the line was crossed between misspeaking and purposely misrepresenting the truth.
March 26, 2008 12:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
Give me a break - Chino Blanco is making some statement about how Hillary owes us for her great vacation to Tuzla, Bosnia - please don't step on the landmines and have a great time.
What was Michelle Obama's last salary - $280K? And that's low for what she could make in non-public work. So Hillary as a highly qualified lawyer with good connections gives up lots of potential earnings for free public service and she gets bitchy comments like "Let's not forget that we're the folks who grant our pols their access to federally-funded flights". Love or hate Sinbad, he went over there to do something nice for free in a pretty crappy location. Same for Hillary. Did Bob Hope and Marilyn Monroe owe America for all those free rides to USO shows in Korea and Vietnam?
March 27, 2008 3:45 AM | Reply | Permalink
Let's take a simplified look at the totally of this Bosnia issue...
If I had a successful and well respected company and I am interviewing 2 replacements for my CEO who has for the last 8 years ran the company into the ground, virtually ruined my brand and my investors are about to bolt in droves...
...Both candidates interviewed are well qualified but I found out that one of them lied when he/she told me as well as three other execs in separate previous interviews that she/he had landed by helicopter at a burning manufacturing plant owned by his last employer to help rescue employees when all he/she really did was a fly by after the fact. Then a video appears proving that it was in fact just a fly by ...guess who does not get the CEO job.
March 26, 2008 3:50 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let's say I put the 2 candidates in a room and encourage them to brag about their accomplishments and belittle the other's, and set the ground rules - "please don't use the word 'woman' while talking, experience at the state level and federal level will be considered equal, talking about foreign events will be considered equal to travel, talking about voting will be considered equivalent to voting, anything you claim while a spouse was President will require 400,000 pages of documentation, while anything you did more than 25 years ago will not be considered unless you were under the age of 10, now go at it and make your case, and may the best man win".
March 27, 2008 4:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
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