ABOUT FIRST READ

First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Be careful what you say?

Posted: Friday, August 24, 2007 4:38 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: , ,

From NBC's Mark Murray


At last weekend's Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton once again made this argument in criticizing Barack Obama for saying that nuclear weapons should be off the table when dealing with Al Qaeda in Pakistan: You need to be careful what you say. "We shouldn't use hypotheticals. You know, words do matter. And this campaign just like every other thing that happens in the United States, is looked at and followed with very great interest."

So given those remarks, it's striking that she made this hypothetical yesterday: "It's a horrible prospect to ask yourself 'What if? What if?,'" she said. "But if certain things happen between now and the election, particularly with respect to terrorism, that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again, no matter how badly they have mishandled it, no matter how much more dangerous they have made the world. So I think I'm the best of the Democrats to deal with that as well." Clinton's comment came as she was touting her experience and how that would benefit her in a general election.

Her Democratic rivals weren't too pleased with the comment. Said Chris Dodd in a statement, "Frankly, I find it tasteless to discuss political implications when talking about a potential terrorist attack on the United States."

Asked for a response to Dodd's charge, Clinton spokesman Isaac Baker tells First Read, “Sen Clinton was making clear that she has the strength and experience to keep the country safe.”

MAIN PAGE

Email this EMAIL THIS

Comments

Strength and Experience? Give me a break! This was a ploy by the campaign to make sure they crossed the t's and dotted the i's incase an attack came on the homeland. Disgusting politics!
Great point!!

It was absurd for her to say it to begin with.  It is impossible to think you can discuss foreign policy in any substantive way without discussing hypotheticals?  
The other dems should break out a copy of The Looming Tower, and ask her just what she's basing that claim on.
What a dumb move to so blatently reinforce a GOP talking point.  She believes Republicans will get an advantage on terrorism if we're attacked, no matter how badly they've mishandled it?  You know, I think the word "defeatist" is just a red herring when it comes to war policy (because any idiot knows that no one supports losing wars), but this quote by Hillary Clinton is the definition of defeatism when it comes to politics.

Apparently, Clinton thinks we will always live in the 2002 political climate, and she clearly has no faith that a Democratic candidate could simply point out that Republicans have decimated our military and our treasury only to enact policies that our intelligence agencies tell us each year are increasing the number of anti-American terrorists.  There's no doubt in my mind that Obama could make that case effectively to the public as a nominee, and Clinton has, with her statement, given me every doubt that she would be capable of doing the same.

Here's one independent that's hoping that Democrats are smart enough to nominate somebody other than Hillary Clinton, and her apparent Stockholm Syndrome regarding the GOP noise machine.  
It sounded to me like she was saying she would be the best candidate to keep Republicans from making political hay from a terrorist attack. Isaac Baker's explanation doesn't ring true and is unfortunate because I saw nothing wrong with the comment itself except for it probably not being true (i.e. I think other candidates could also deal effectively with political opportunism). It would have been better to not bring it up and I don't think Dodd should have made an issue of it.
Too bad Dodd and the rest of the wannabees have to constantly pick at Hillary.  They are desperate and hard up.  It won't do any good - they are also rans and she is the champ.
The photo above which one is Clinton and which one is Obama ?
She can't keep her own husband from sodomizing interns.
She voted for the Iraq war. I feel safe.
Dodd's right...it is poor taste to politicize the safety & security of this country, and it's citizenry.
Too bad he didn't choose to speak out agianst that sort of thing when the republiCANTS were doing it last year, and the year before, and the year before, and..........
Gosh, Monica in DC, shall we blame Laura Bush for being unable to keep her husband from sodomizing countries, coastal cities, and the Constitution? To stay on point, though, Hillary is pointing out a painful truth. With Repubs in the White House, a new terrorist attack would be one big smarmy photo-op and saber-rattle from the bully pulpit. It has nothing to do with defeatism; it has to do with who has the microphone.
Thank you Mark Murray for writing this! Can this please become a story featured on one of your news shows? She was all over Obama for speaking common sense and now she 's creating a fear tactic to win not cool! The DNC should speak about this in a responsible way not a presidential candidate who should work with all not divide the country even more.
I think Ron Paul was quoted as predicting the possiblity of the Bush regime 'allowing' a terrorist attack to occur before the election.
It's what they used to call the 'October Surprise', a dirty trick by the outgoing President to swing the election in his party's direction.

Prior to the 2000 election, Bush's minions (Wolfowitz? Perl ?) were urging the Israelis NOT to agree to a peace agreement with the Palestinians, that Clinton was trying to broker to prevent a possible Democratic victory.
"that will automatically give the Republicans an advantage again,"
I hope she is wrong and that the intelligent but gullible American voters have wised up to the scam. But I also believe that she should not be re-inforcing that mis-perception in the voter's mind.
Gosh Matt in Chicago,

Yes, we should blame Laura, for standing by her man as he lies and murders his way into history. George's lies are certainly worse than anything Bill did. But saying she's better than George is hardly a ringing endorsement. We all know that Hillary will say and do anything for power. Why not try Barack, As far as I know, his wife Michele hasn't sodomized any interns.
Osama already knows that terrorist acts benefit Republicans. He obviously would like another Republican in the White House. Look how helpful George has been. He let Osama escape tora bora. He attacked Iraq, which had nothing to do with 911. He's been the best recuiter for Al Qaida ever. In fact, the classified part of the NIE says that Osama is sending agents to America; not to plant bombs, to vote Republican.
I wish the Obama campaign would do more to publicize the hypocrisy of much of Clinton's criticism of his foreign policy statements.  I also can't believe she can get away with making statements like she did at the AFL-CIO debate: "you should not always say everything you think when you are running for president, because it can have consequences."  There should be political consequences for NOT SAYING WHAT YOU THINK.  If Obama had said that there would have been sensationalist headlines and much criticism from his rivals.  If Obama makes a comment, Clinton's campaign manager chastises him for forgoing the "politics of hope."  It's infuriating.  I think we SHOULD be allowed to know exactly what a candidate thinks, and I guess one can infer that Clinton doesn't believe we need or deserve to know.  And, of course, she only says what she thinks she needs to say to be elected and it never seems sincere anyway.  Everyone I know who has seen Obama in person comes away believing that - finally - there is a politician who actually is involved in politics to serve rather than to rule.  Clinton can't project that to any voters other than the most die-hard Democrats still longing for some nostalgic return to Bill's administration (something many of us don't remember so fondly) or those who are not informed or educated enough to see beyond headlines that misconstrue Obama's positions and ignore Clinton's blatant hypocrisy.  
Hilary is highly over-rated as a politician. Obama is outflanking her from all sides. Her greatest suit is national-security / foreign-relations. But here again she over-reached in order to define Obama as naïve and irresponsible with limited experience for prime time. Hence, she unintentionally defined herself as establishment candidate who cares more about status quo than new ideas. Here are few of her missteps.

The reason why she upbraided Obama for staking his position that under his administration, if there is actionable intelligence on top leaders of al-Qeeda and Pakistan does not act, that he will. Hilary disagrees; she contends that President Musharraf is in a very precarious position and could be easily undermined by his adversaries.
Hence, Hilary wants US foreign policy to be based on an individual’s whims and caprices. So, what happens if Musharraf were to die a natural death? But Obama only echoed what has been part of US law for the past three years. Just for Hilary’s bag of experiences.

Hilary jumped all over Obama for accepting to meet with rogue leaders without preconditions. Hilary’s reason was that there must be spadework before US President meets with foreign leader. Hilary could not make the distinction between “precondition and preparation”. Official meetings always have terms of reference or agenda. That is the details of preparing for a meeting. Precondition in this context means the principal issues that led to breakdown in diplomatic relations with these rogue countries.

Now, Hilary has descended to the level of scare tactics. This is even when she has the entire Democrat establishment in her pocket. Obama has cleverly boxed her in and she cannot climb out of it.

Sierra: This,of course,is unfactual.[Indeed,Clinton himself never alluded to this lie in his ''My Life''autobiography].

It was Arafat who torpedoed the talks. Not ''Perle''or ''Wolfowitz'',who,allied with the Gingrich bloc until his resignation,demanded only that the upcoming Wye Agreement hashed out as a Clinton-brokered scheme,included the recognition of ''Israels right to exist''[ which has still gone unacknowlaged unto the extant hour,even with a Republican president]. Almost immediately,HAMAS launched six separate attacks in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem killing mostly school-aged children and the infirm.[The two most infamous,in Tel Aviv where a HAMAS terrorist aimed his bomb-laden vehicle at a bus packed with children and another where a bomber struck a childs birthday party killing 21 members of the family and wounding over 100].Enough was enough and while the outgoing Netanyahu backed out of Wye,the incoming Sharon took office just in time for Arafat to launch the Second Intifada. Nobody but the Palestinians were to blame for this failure. Had Arafat stopped HAMAS,which he had the power to do,the Wye Agreement would have gone forward. Even Bill Clinton acknowlages this.

Also see: The Middle Eastern Review of International Affairs:''US Policy Towards The Middle East In Clintons Second Term'' www.meria.idc.ac.il

Clinton,Bill -''My Life'' Knoph Publishers[Random House],2004.
I didn't realize that Rove was now actually helping Clinton craft her mesage.

When it comes to her own history, the record will indicate that at a time when Osama bin Laden was preparing to murder thousands of American citizens, Mrs Clinton and her husband were both focused on trying to hold on to the Presidency, all of the tumult the result of the fact that her husband couldn't keep his unit and an intern from getting acquainted.  The fact that she has no ability to recognize the grotesque nature of her husband's time in office and her own dismal record when it came to health care reform ("well, we tried" just doesn't cut it, sorry), shows the country everything they need to know about HRC.
nuanced, ayep.
Monica in DC is Jerry again. He can't decide on a gender. Repubs LOVE that word sodomize.
This has been nothing but a scam from the start and to think our presence in Iraq is what prevented another terrorist criminal act in this country only highlights how naive americans are. attacking Iraq had nothing to do with keeping americans safe. But insisting how dangerous they were was necessary in playing the fear card and the patriotism card, something numerous dictators in the past used to gain control.
Amber Vessie, Fargo, N.D. said "The photo above which one is Clinton and which one is Obama ?"

-- I believe Obama is one with the bigger ears.
my bad for taking you to task on another post about not saying anything about her flip flop on hypotheticals.
so sorry.
Monica makes a good point. Why hasn't Laura Bush gotten George psychiatric help, drugs, counseling, intervention, spoken out or done whatever is needed to stop her husband's bloody rampage that has devasted millions of lives.  Really he is the sick one, the psychologically damaged dry drunk, the one who enjoyed branding his frat brothers with a glowing coathanger, who probably doesn't have enough grip on reality to see that he needs help; but she has no excuse whatsoever. Her guilt and culpability is greater.
Rupert Murdoch's Fox News was the biggest seller of the war - and now he's bought Hillary and selling her - while bashing Edwards 24/7. Fox News even lied about the number of supporters at an Edwards event in New Hampshire today!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbjaD3T4_4o
Didn't realize Clinton was still using that nuke argument. So, she didn't learn from that mistake. She still doesn't understand U.S. nuclear policy.
Hillary just made her biggest gaffe!  What a stupid thing to say!  Obama is proving to have the vision, and wise judgement neccesary to inspire America's confidence in itself as the world's beacon of hope, not fear.
Does anyone else see a problem with the phrase "just like every other thing that happens in the United States, is looked at and followed with very great interest."?  As hard as it is for some people to believe, most people of the world do not sit around wondering what's going to happen in America next and how they can use it to their advantage.  The phrase shows a certain lack of humility, which some might call hubris, that does not address the need for American policy to become less aggressive towards the rest of the world.
Hillary with another flip flop. So she bashes Obama for supposedly using hypotheticals, then she uses a hypothetical....
eh...ok Hillary.
If y'all vote Sen. Clinton into the Oval Office, you won't believe what happens next  --  but you'll deserve it. She will betray Liberals and Moderates the way Shrub has betrayed Conservatives and Moderates, using the exact same play-book.

She represents Corporate America. Period. Not you. Not me. Not common sense, or the American Ideal, or our fighting men and women  --  just The Bottom Line as it is envisioned by the same financial interests that have repeatedly used our love for the United States to feather their own nests at our expense, and who laugh behind closed doors at our gullible and easily-employed patriotism.

Who glibly mouth all sides of any issue secure in the knowledge that an American public hungry for change will assume that they are just "playing the game"  --  that their public votes stances are simply forgivable little white lies and clever dodges absolutely necessary to secure election; after which they will reveal themselves to be the very personification of each individual voter's highest ideals and aspirations.

(In other words, they're always lying [and forgivably so] except when they say something you agree with  --  THEN you figure they are telling the truth. One born every minute, I guess ... )

Anyone who voted to give Bush the authority to cut Congress out of its Constitutional duty as the one public organ deputized to commit the nation to war knew EXACTLY what he or she was doing  --  and cannot be trusted ever again to place the principles on which the entire real-world success of the United States AS A WHOLE has always been based above petty personal ambition and transitory corporate interests.

That's just the way it is. And a lot of wishful whining about a return to the Wonderful Clinton Years won't change that truth one iota.

The Clintons are no longer what they were then. You and I are no longer what we were then. The country is no longer what it was then.

We've gotten used to having a treacherous snake-in-the-grass fouling the White House, and some of us think we need to put a snake-in-the-grass of our own in there just to even things up.

But that New Snake-in-the-Grass won't care who it bites once it's in there, anymore than does the current Snake-in-the-Grass.

That is the nature of Snakes-in-the-Grass, and if you don't want one to bite you don't give it your trust, your hopes, or your vote.

Yeah  --  politics has always been a rough and dirty game. But, as with every other social endeavor, there are limits beyond which "rough" and "dirty" lead to national paralysis and the break-down of a healthy social order; and we are 'way past that point  --  just like we were at the turn of the last century, when a wave of reform and a strong renewal of the idea of The American Way were required to stave off our own self-destruction.

To save corporate capitalism from its own excesses, and our owns souls from its blandishments.

We were lucky back then  --  we got Teddy Roosevelt up there to be clean and forthright and, yeah ... "Green".

That job  --  the job of a true Moral Leader  -- (and TR proves you can play hard politics without breaking the whole system and the trust it's based on to pieces) is so far beyond the Hillary Clintons, George Bushes, and other riff-raff we have come to accept as our leaders that it would be better to elect None of the Above than to mindlessly continue down this sorry road we're traveling under their guidance.

Respect yourselves, Homeys. None of your current leaders do, not anymore, not after what you've let 'em get away with  --  and until they do you are cannon fodder and an increasingly-cheap work-force in their eyes, and nothing more.  




 
It sickens me to think that the main thing Hillary seems to be worried about in the event of another terrorist attack is the political impact.

Also, how many times does this woman tell us that she doesn't want to engage in hypotheticals?  Then, she starts theorizing on the hypothetical impact of an attack.  This one is even more blatant than her flip-flop on who to hypothetically nuke.

The Republicans certainly are the standard-bearers when it comes to the politics of fear, but Hillary's whole campaign is pretty much based on scaring people too.  That's really the lynchpin of the pitch when she tries to convince everyone that Obama is too inexperienced.  After all, if he had enough experience, he'd really be a much better candidate than HRC, wouldn't he?  

Well, guess what?  He actually does have enough experience: Obama has held elected office longer, has more legislative accomplishments and can work with Republicans instead of focusing exclusively on fighting them.

To top it all off, Obama has much better judgment and leadership skills than Hillary and without all the baggage.  The sooner people start realizing that, the better off we'll all be.

Zbigniew Brzezinski is absolutely right in saying "Being a former first lady doesn't prepare you to be president," and "There is a need for a fundamental rethinking of how we conduct world affairs and Obama seems to me to have both the guts and the intelligence to address that issue and to change the nature of America's relationship with the world."
Not with my vote. These guys need to be prosecuted.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/clintons/bodycount.asp
Now this stupid painted up paper hanging clown is useing the threat of doom and gloom , Which is all self serving. Will you let this goose stepping hemeroid hang on your A@@?? Her intent is to paint a picture which has fasle content! now see the real bull sh!t you will contend with!!!!

Her vote for war and her contiued support for monies to conduct war show how two faced this clown  will show her real self as a constant liar! One moment she is vowing to give new progress to health care and the next she is delighted our troops are killing off more Iraqis. Damn we have been shown she would deliver our troops up to her self serving agenda and have no guiltof how wrong her leadership!!

We are glad to see this fool expose what she realy is  ""an Idiot playing to a self serving agenda!!!!!

America is strong, get rid of this corrupted fool of yesterdays wrong leadership!!!  We want a leadership ""not a Paper hanger """
Wow. I thought the enemy was terrorism, not Republicans; I guess I was thinking of America's enemy, not the Clintons'. Measuring the impact of a hypothetical terror attack in political terms is disgusting enough, but she even claims a political advantage from it. How about a President this time around, not just another ruthless politician.
The Demos for the past decade have been trying to shove free medical down the throat of America, we under stand the self serving agenda, The is no way America wants to self destruct!! Now the promises and """I VOW""" """I WILL"""   !!!!!    I is not America!!!  """I""" is self serving!!!!  ""I is not America nor shall be controlled by an ""I""!!!
Like the comment made by Monica in DC.

Hillary could not keep her own husband from sodomizing interns. Now she wants to protect us from Osama Bin Laden

Always remember she voted for the Iraq war and I feel safe too.

Is that experience or judgment!

We need a youtube video!
This woman is so dangerous, America has no clue what it is in for if she rigs and wins. She lies so often, she forgets the same lie she just told 24 hours ago. And where are her so-called smart advisors? where the heck is slick willy? Did she duck-tape his mouth? If the media did its job right, HRC would by now be burried under a pile of lies and contradictions. Instead, the media looks for non-existent inconsistencies from Obama.
This woman is so dangerous, America has no clue what it is in for if she rigs and wins. She lies so often, she forgets the same lie she just told 24 hours ago. And where are her so-called smart advisors? where the heck is slick willy? Did she duck-tape his mouth? If the media did its job right, HRC would by now be burried under a pile of lies and contradictions. Instead, the media looks for non-existent inconsistencies from Obama.
Actually, the statement she made is 100% true.  IF, god forbid, there was a terrorist attack, we all know the republicans would jump on that political advantage quicker than you can say "Osama Bin Laden"  Perhaps it was a poor choice of words, but it doesn't make them less true.  People hate the truth.
This isn't a game, this isn't about using your last name and connnections to win something that is so vital to the future of our country.  She is a liar, a flipflopper, devoid of any personal beliefs. That's why the partyliners and special interests love her.  She has no shame. Not even when it comes to the safety of this country.  I don't care if we have a democrat,independent or republican as long as they are honest, fair, and respect human life around the world.  Barack is the future.  This primary is a historical moment in history and I'm proud to work hard with everyone else for that future. Don't be afraid of thinking and change.  Don't let fear and complacency drive this country.  We have so much to do and we need to stand together and do it.  President Obama. Sounds pretty good to me.....
Here you go.... hillaryclinton.com
It seems this forum is dominated by Clinton haters.
Who knew the GOP hangs out at MSNBC forums.


...

There's a reason the GOP doesn't want Clinton as the nominee.
She'll win.
I agree with Hillary and Ron Paul---get it out into the open.Look at ari fleisher waving the bloody shirt of 9-11 again and also the republican candidates.This administration or regime is well known for their goody bag of tricks and really do not care if we die or not---collateral damage.Still trying to figure out how and why 9-11 is the cattle call of the republicans but they thought it was just super peachy for anne coulter to smear the 9-11 widows.
This is no surprise. Hillary is desperate and will say whatever.
Mark, you and Chris are doing a better job of reporting the truth to the american people than any of the other MSM journalist. It shows your courage and journalistic intergrity when compared to some of the other well known journalists who insult our intelligence with their bias pro hillary propaganda. You should be commended for that courage. I thank you for that courage and urge you to continue to be true to your profession and to the people. Well done!
I have no idea what in the world she was thinking when she said this.  Maybe she and her team are getting a bit cocky. I don't see why they should with this much time before the election.

If this was an ad-lib, her campaign manager needs to tell her to cut this kind of stuff out. It makes me think that she thinks the American public are just a bunch of sheep. I would think that if another terrorist attack happens, the Republicans would try to take advantage of it, but would fail because they have done this before.  

You know the old phrase, "Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on you."? (I know, George W. Bush mangled this quote. I thought that I would set the record straight.)
This was not the brighyest remark she has made, It was also made by Dukakis who said "One act of terrorism just before the election could scare people into electing another republican", and I agree that it could.
Off post I apologize for the post I made yesterday I was acting like a republican opposing free speech it just irritates me to see democrats bashing each other. When Reagan ran the first time he said "Remember the eleventh commandment 'Thou shalt speak no evil of another republican'". I have been looking at other blogs and have seen a few friends from here on them. but I still prefer this one.
What do you expect from MRS. Queen Bee? She tells every group what they want to hear. I admire her for her guts. I just think that as a democrat, I want to win and I strong do not believe that Mrs. Clinton will get us there. I want outsourcing to stop, want health and most of all an honest leader and that individual is Mr. Obama.
What do you expect from MRS. Queen Bee? She tells every group what they want to hear. I admire her for her guts. I just think that as a democrat, I want to win and I strong do not believe that Mrs. Clinton will get us there. I want outsourcing to stop, want health and most of all an honest leader and that individual is Mr. Obama.


SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=332286

First Read e-mail alerts


Sign up for First Read alerts
The first place for key political news and analysis

More First Read

Recent Posts:


Archives:


Topics:

Syndicate This Site

Add First Read to your news reader:
live.com xml
myyahoo msn
bloglines newsgator
google