Fellow Bloggers,
I believe we have some very intelligent postings here.  I whole-heartedly feel that Sen. Clinton stands taller than anyone else in any room filled with physically taller people.  She has experience, tenacity, guts and spine; unlike the current "Commander-in-Ignorance".  Personally, I would like to see a Clinton-Obama (or vise-versa) ticket in 2008.  We would show the world that we, as a united people, have faith in the leadership qualities of those representing our nation, no matter what color or gender.
In addition, the other candidates would make great cabinet members, i.e.: Joe Biden Sec. Def., Gov. Richardson Sec. Interior, Sen. Edwards Sec. State, Sen. Dodd Sec. Homeland Security.  Just a thought on a good lineup.

Wow, Not so bright Albright and the Clintons did such a great job with North Korea. They fed the North Korean Army which gave them more free time to work on killing their own people and building nuclear bombs.
Yes we sure could use some more of this type Albright/Clinton diplomacy.

So many folks seem to think that it has to be a choice between experience or "intellect"(?). Since when are these mutually exclusive?  All the candidates are intelligent; each has some level of experience in government. For me, it comes down to which candidate is best able to organize, LEAD, and represent the United States of America to both our allies and enemies.

Obama is simply not ready to be Commander-in-Chief and I say that as someone who has not yet decided who I support in the Dem primary.

Obama is NOT ready.  Watch him.  Listen to him.  Analyze his responses.

Please American.  You can love Barack Obama, but please don't elect him Commander-in-Chief.

Please.

"Did anyone really believe Albright WOULDN'T praise his former boss's first lady?"

And really, why does any one care what this never-was thinks?  I still see her running shoeless to kiss Arafat's butt because the terrorist didn't like the deal the US was offering at a "peace conference".  She followed that with her great win along side Jimmy Carter in North Korea.  

Oh jeeez!  Hillary used a strawman - and tried to make it appear last night that the OTHER candidates would meet with national leaders regardless of the situation, but only Hillary would assess all the conditions before making a decision.
Helllooo!!  sometimes it not necessary to state the obvious!  The point is that Bush has REFUSED to meet with world leaders - and would Dem candidates do it?
But - the media would declare Hillary the winner if she'd picked her nose throughout the debate.

you cant talk to terroist they only understand one thang viloence listen to these guys talk how they want to destroy the united states.

Steve Meyers- I'm with you.  Just look at what 'rather green' got us last time!  To quote one from "State of Denial", page 6:  "'I don't have any idea about foreign affairs' Governor Bush told Rice.  'This isn't what I do'".  

Obama answered the question put forth...would he talk to parties that our existing president and his administration refuse to talk to. Unfortunately Clinton put a spin on it by saying she would send in other people first to test the waters, which made Obama's answer seem too simple and quick. Quite honestly, her actual reply was kind of vague. Her if this, if that, criteria made it a non-answer. But it played well. I still think Obama is on the right track and both are good candidates for president.

Jim, in Washington.

Albright is not a "he".  Madeleine as a first name and the photo should have given you a clue.

Eman,
Why do you think the people that watch MSNBC watch MSNBC, because they like what they see and hear, I'm sure the same it true with FOX Noise and Saturday morning cartoons.

Anyone, Anyone, will be better than that cowardly, lying little traitor who's killing American kids everyday.

If Senator Clinton's response had come before that of Obama, I am sure he would have framed his answer differently. Tell me, which (American) President would want to meet with another President without a "high level" talk preceding?

Al Sharpton would walk on any of the dem candidates in any debate.  Just another bunch of scripted mumbo jumbo vote for me bs.

US credibility is down the tube. Hillary Clinton's slow but steady approach might have been a normal and correct way to handle international politics for a pre-war era. But the US had changed the playing field. In the eternal chess match that the world is in the US has lost all its pawns. We don't have the luxury nor time to take a slow approach each day that goes by enemies get stronger and America is getting weaker. We  won our independence through 'new" and "dirty tactics" in war at the time. The insurgents\terrorists are only playing the same card, find a weakness and exploit it , if we don't change NOW then victory is just a dream, not an option.

Experience does not equal understanding.

This is sad, Obama should not back down from his comments, If Clinton thought that Obama was about to get on a plane and meet world leaders without the necessary groundwork, then she's dumber than she looks.

Until we have some new blood in the system, it will be a long time before a career politician does anything that isn't for their own benefit.  So Hillary answered a question right.  Who cares! Giving the correct answer and doing the correct thing are very different.  It's just like those psy tests; if you're smart enough to know what they are looking for in advance, the test doesn't work on you.  She knows how the game is played and gave the answer that everyone wanted to hear.  It's called manuipulation, and politicians do it all the time.  

"Madeleine as a first name and the photo should have given you a clue."

Probably scared him more then anything.

--> Anyone, Anyone, will be better than that cowardly, lying little traitor who's killing American kids everyday. <--


Jimmy Carter off his meds again?

I believe in my daddy, Poppi Georgie Bush.  He may be a spineless worm, but, he has Dickie Chenney, a person with a really tough exo-skeleton (like a roach) making his decisions for him.  Between the two of them, they are keeping me, and my sister, out of service in Iraq.  

Actually, I really don't care if the working class fights for our oil rights, just so I can aspire to Paris Hilton status.

Sorry, folks, but how in the name of mental health can you place any faith in the comments from THE UGLIEST WOMAN ON THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH?  Madeleine Allthighs has been beaten by all the ugly sticks known to inhumanity, and lately, I have begun to see her face in the jelly of my peanut butter sandwiches.  Just made an appointment with my veterinarian because she appeared clad only in a bustier in my scrambled eggs this morning.  Oh, I am so deathly sick.......Save me, Jesus, save me.

Clinton never said that she didn’t want to talk to them, only that she would not have direct talks with their heads of state in the first year, leaving open the possibility for low level talks.  There are very clear and important reasons for not opening direct talks between heads of state of countries with whom we have not had diplomatic relations in the past.  Low level talks play a critical role in opening diplomatic channels. They set a context for future talks and establish a framework which will lead to more stability down the road.  They are better at creating a sense of give and take that is below the media spotlight.  They provide the President and the foreign head of state an opportunity to reset the tone of the relationship if things start to go badly.  All experienced diplomats know this.  Politicians should understand this as well.  Imagine if Obama had an initial high level meeting with Ahmadinejad of Iran and Ahmadinejad went on tirade (as he is known to do) about Obama’s Christian values. A meeting like that, and the political repercussions that follow, would destroy any hope of a productive relationship with Iran until the leadership in that country or our country changes.  Obama is a smart man and I suspect that his comment was more about scoring political points than a policy statement.  However, if we take him at his word, and we should, statements like that make him look immature.   Someday he will make an excellent president.  He is simply not ready yet.

Crystal - How do you figure that Obama has more experience than Hillary in the Senate?  He was elected in 2004. She was elected in 2000.  That's 4 years yearlier.  Or, phrased another way, he is in his first term and she is in her second.  I don't get your math.

Crystal - How do you figure that Obama has more experience than Hillary in the Senate?  He was elected in 2004. She was elected in 2000.  That's 4 years yearlier.  Or, phrased another way, he is in his first term and she is in her second.  I don't get your math.

Mick, Hillary was first lady, not president.

As for your last line, if you can discount a candidate because of their gender, wake up, it's 2007.
and back at you.  (you're lacking in brains but life support for a penis)

Great Post James Vale, wow I could not read all the rest on this page, some I did. However, it is as, the Manipulators on these Message Boards, Arguing, distracted and confused. This is going to be the most important Vote I will cast in my lifetime. I never supported the War, or the Judicial Appointment in 2000 of the current Administration. I am not even going into 2004 election. The next Ballot I will cast she/he will have particular quality to be determined by the candidate’s experience, truthful and who will work hard to unite OUR country.  Protect OUR Country, from people trying to harm OUR Country from enemies both foreign and DOMESTIC. He/she will protect OUR Ports, borders, poor, sick, Environment, and Healthcare, Protect OUR Constitution, OUR Civil Rights. Speaks with Actions not Inaction or speak to what they think we want to hear. Youtube will expose the truth. I do not trust the Media, just this morning I listened to Super Tuesday until Amy...  said this, not verbatim, but was John Edwards comment on Hillary's Jacket Sexist. This I found very misleading, spin of a humorous remark to place Negative into question. Being humorous is open for cheap shots. However, I am not in the mood for cheap shots, diversion tactics.

I am so tired of all the Spinning of a person’s remark. Individuals that just come on certain programs to incite hatred, make entirely empty claims to sell books. I am being very generous with my opinion here. Maybe this change in format of these programs I once had some respect for enough to follow, and then facts check that information. Do not use the watchdogs they are all partisan tainted. It is time to get down and find facts, watch voting records.

Hannity, to try to attack Hillary Clinton, brought up the Suicide of Mr. Vincent Foster, again. Nevertheless, that came back just to show how far some of these “News Commentators" are willing to go. This Man's death was confirmed a Suicide, even after a note turned up. through Local Law that found Mr. Foster's body, through privately hired forensics ME's, FBI, CIA, all the way down to Kenneth Starr, who was the special Prosecutor brought in to destroy the Clinton presidency from prior Inauguration ruled that it was suicide. Abusive undisputed death of a man had to be at the hands somehow of the Clinton's.

Tired of Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton presidencies. That sounds no more than a cope out of doing your homework to put the most qualified, person in OUR White House. I am not being or trying to be sarcastic, I do not even know whom I am going to support. However, I can narrow the list from time to time. I find it ironically comical, that you can turn to comedy shows to hear the truth. No, I am 50 years old, 6 years of college. No, it was not grammar or English, it was Medicine, biology and Math. I Did take some public speaking and IPC courses to get around some English Compositions.  

It is time to stop hiding behind politicians, right, left; it is time to Take back OUR Country, OUR Rights, Who We are as a Nation.  Oh, I almost forgot, Mrs. Pelosi's Trip was in my opinion warranted, due to the secrecy going on. You may not like everything about your friends or neighbors however; you will try to talk to them. We cannot go around and just agree that this labeling of Axis of Evil, does not come without repercussions. As we have heard now for 6 years, it has been burned in our psyche that “If you are not with the President, then you are on the side of the evil doers. I know this country is much smarter than to continue staying the course.

Albright is one scary looking dude.

What people really need to start doing is listen with open minds to all candidates and stop the incessant bashing. We as a country have proven too many times that listening to the mud slinging and not the message is the perfect way to elect a moron. Stop the hate speech and listen to the message then make an educated decision. To the people who are hung up on Clinton for this or Obama for that are missing the point and creating a debate that does not help any of the problems get solved.

*** What people really need to start doing is listen with open minds to all candidates and stop the incessant bashing.  ***

A voice of reason.

Who let him in here?

Al Gore will step up later this year. A Gore/Obama ticket is a guaranteed winner in 2008.

With Republicans that have already gone off the cliff with Bush, the few remaining have a track record of supporting Bush they can't run far enough away from to save their political skins.

Of the 33 seats up for grabs, 21 of them are Republican seats. Already 6 of them are vulnerable. If Iraq keeps going bad, and it will, and congress doesn't rush to Impeachment until next year, the Democrats will have created yet another perfect storm in the election cycle.

Al Gore in the White House, Speaker Pelosi presiding over the House, and Harry Reid with a filibuster proof majority of 60 Democrats, and we'll run the Culture of Corruption right out of town an in to the federal penitentiary system.

Thank God for the wisdom of our liberal minded Founding Fathers!

Oh well, This country knows by now that Hilary Clinton has more knowledge in running this country than any other candidate be it Democrat or Republican. Obama on Monday night looked Hitleresque in my opinion. Talks both side of his mouth, has no experience he's in for what money he can pocket. Mr. Gravel was so right when he said Obama was getting money from wrong sources.

This country was founded on the aptitude to talk and overcome war or force with the rest of the earth.  I am for whoever wants to stop the war immediately.  We warred in Viet Nam for 10 years and pulled out in one week.  It has always been a womans perogative to change her mind and always will be.  Peace on Earth anf Good will towards all men. I'm LDS and absolutely will not be voting for Mitt Romney, he doesn't fit my ideals of politics these days.  Collatteral damage in this war has been far too great as has been the maiming of our own troops.  What happened to be humane and humble.    

This country was founded on the aptitude to talk and overcome war or force with the rest of the earth.  I am for whoever wants to stop the war immediately.  We warred in Viet Nam for 10 years and pulled out in one week.  It has always been a womans perogative to change her mind and always will be.  Peace on Earth anf Good will towards all men. I'm LDS and absolutely will not be voting for Mitt Romney, he doesn't fit my ideals of politics these days.  Collatteral damage in this war has been far too great as has been the maiming of our own troops.  What happened to be humane and humble.    

This country was founded on the aptitude to talk and overcome war or force with the rest of the earth.  I am for whoever wants to stop the war immediately.  We warred in Viet Nam for 10 years and pulled out in one week.  It has always been a womans perogative to change her mind and always will be.  Peace on Earth anf Good will towards all men. I'm LDS and absolutely will not be voting for Mitt Romney, he doesn't fit my ideals of politics these days.  Colateral damage in this war has been far too great as has been the maiming of our own troops.  What happened to be humane and humble.    

Last time I listened to Madeleine Albright she was saying the US should go to war in Iraq. I haven't listened since.

what a surprise: a Clinton appointee supports what another Clinton is saying.  The news is?

The question asked was do you promise to meet with rogue leaders your first year in office.

Obama said yes.

Clinton said she would not promise a meeting with them personally but she would engage in top level diplomacy. This is consistent with her previous statements.

This is how diplomacy is done.

Problem with Bush is when he came into office right away he said we will not talk to any of the bad guys. We will only talk to our friends.

Well, after 6 years with Bush we have fewer friends and more enemies.

Problem with Obama is that he is clearly not ready for the top job. He doesn't have enough national experience. Biden, Clinton, McCain talk with great ease about national issues. That comes from years of studying policy matters. You can't just have a crash course.

OK, you morons out there. I am writing this from a foreign soil. Ask the world especially the Muslim nations, China, Japan, and the foes of America or even friends of America, they can tell you US FOREIGN POLICY SxxKS!!! First, Bush wants to be "the police of the world". The downfall of Soviet Union has led to the glory of America. Then came mighty China and you and your Bush government fear of it and use every tactic to create feuds between China and Taiwan, or China and Japan. Then your Government meddles into Malaysia internal affair supporting the sacked ex-Deputy prime Minister party. Then you invade Iraq and caused infighting - the same way you did to the crumbling of Soviet union. America - the evil one is not just Osama but loook at your own mirror first!!!! Do you still want to go on with your stinking foreign policy and lost the respect you once earned after the WW2. Think about it!!! Do you need someone inexperienced and fresh like Osama - oops Obama, to lead??? Come on, he can end up making the world hate you even more!!!! Whoever sit on that president chair will have to do his or her best in winning friends and bear in mind, to fight terrorism, you need friends and not fight it alone. And to win friends, you need to earn respect from these friends. Right now, your image is at the lowest point. Time that you need a leader to eliminate these negative thoughts...who else can do a better job than the one who has the experience - HILLARY! American needs Hillary and not a freshman like Osama...oops, Obama!!!

Since Barack Obama is so into meeting face to face with the dictators he should also just meet with Osama Bin Ladin while he’s at it and solve those problems as well. Then we won’t have any terrorists.  He should say that at the next debate; I’ll send him the suggestion-since he apparently is so open to them!

Since Barack Obama is so into meeting face to face with the dictators he should also just meet with Osama Bin Ladin while he’s at it and solve those problems as well. Then we won’t have any terrorists.  He should say that at the next debate; I’ll send him the suggestion-since he apparently is so open to them!

I'm an Obama supporter and I must admit that on the surface it appeared that Hillary did one up him with her answer. This proves that she's well prepared for these forums.

With that said, I still love the fact that Obama is a visionary. Someone who is unafraid to think for himself and to speak it out loud.  He's also someone who is not so ridgid in his thinking that he believes his is the only way. I suspect that had he been in his 1st year as president, having already surrounded himself with the best that American has to offer, he would have listened to all arguments for and against visiting these leaders and got it right. This is how it should work!  What a wonderful departure from "going it alone",  the hallmark of the Bush administration.  

Anyone else see an interesting comparison with this cycle's Democratic field and the 1960 cycle?

Then there was Adlai Stevenson who had been a candidate before and who still held a lot of sway over the party, with some hoping he would jump in (Gore). And there was a large field of declared candidates, but it came down to Johnson, who was seen as a controlling party insider (Clinton) versus Kennedy, who was new and inspiring (Obama). I've read that Johnson frequently attacked Kennedy's inexperience.

And then there was the Catholic thing, with some arguing that the country would never elect one for president.

I think that foreign affair is a key of sucess in politics, especially in American politics. It's Bill Clinton to open widely relationship with Vietnam. I believe Lady Clinton has a good work in this area.

its all really for the safety and security of the person or persons involved, i think having that percaution the first year is really a smart thing with all the craziness goin on lately.

Obama will never get elected. He is an X-Muslim and I don't think Americans will ever vote to put a X-Muslim or a Muslim in the highest office in the land. Especially since most Americans believe the Islamic faith to be no more then a backward 8th century violent cult.

I really liked Obama’s answer. Clinton’s response was one of those, ‘AN OLD WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE’. She prefers name calling diplomacy just like Bush; against us or with us etc. and wants to continue with the same old tricks which brought us where we are. On the other side, Obama shows a new leadership, new approaches, new ideas and a different vision of the world that Clinton seems not to be familiar of.

While Clinton wants to rely on the same old and outdated standards when dealing with rogue governments, Obama wants to bring new approaches based on the realities of the world we live in today.  Confrontational diplomacy never brought USSR down, only when companionate element was added in. What propaganda will any unfriendly leader/nation will benefit from, when talking to the ONLY remaining supper power? Most rogue leaders in the world wants to open their doors to the ONLY remaining superpower in the world, USA, but our past presidents, after cold war, kept them abay by using the same excuses that Hillary Clinton wants to continue with. Can’t we learn from our past failed diplomatic designs? Those who live with the old mentality are definitely not suitable to bring the changes we are looking for.  We need something new, we need new ideas, fresh brains and approaches, we need someone with guts to confront the distasted leaders face to face and help them change their ways not force them to their indignity, and definitely Obama brings that, a fresh air in diplomacy.

I think it was incredibly dishonest of Hillary Clinton to criticize Obama's willingness to talk with foreign leaders, when just 3 months ago in Iowa, she had suggested the same approach!

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/local_story_112220939.html

Clinton Blasts President Bush's Foreign Policy

(CBS/AP) DECORAH, Iowa Hillary Rodham Clinton on Sunday criticized President Bush's foreign policy, and said if she were president she would do things differently, including beginning diplomatic talks with supposed enemies and sending envoys throughout the world.

"I would begin diplomatic discussions with those countries with whom we have differences, to try to figure out what is the depth of those differences," said Clinton, who spoke to about 1,000 people at Luther College in Decorah in northeastern Iowa.

"I think it is a terrible mistake for our president to say he will not talk with bad people. You don't make peace with your friends -- you have to do the hard work of dealing with people you don't agree with," said Clinton, who is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination.

Opening talks with other countries doesn't mean the U.S. won't defend its interests whenever necessary, she said, "but what it means is that we should discuss other routes before we decide we're going to pursue military options.

"We cannot provide the leadership we need unless we are willing to try engage the other countries," she said,

She dished out plenty of criticism about the war in Iraq, and said when it comes to Iran, the U.S. needs to engage those with the real power -- the clerics.

Of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad she said: "He's like their front man, he's like their puppet. He goes out and gets people agitated and says things that everybody responds to, but he's not making the decisions. The decisions are being made within the alternative government of these clerics.

"We have no idea of how these people think, we have no contact with them," Clinton said, arguing that she's advocated for years to have a process of diplomacy with Iran.

"If we ever have to use force against any country, it should be seen as an action of last resort, not first resort," she said.

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