Dodd uses NIE to blast Hillary

Posted: Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:03 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: 2008, Clinton, Dodd

From NBC's Mark Murray
This New York Times article today telegraphed it, but Clinton's rivals are now using the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran to blast her for her earlier vote in favor of designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization.

"As was the case with Iraq, the latest NIE makes it clear that this President is offering another false bill of goods to Congress and the American people in an attempt to build the case for war with Iran," Dodd said in a statement. "Our experience should have shown us the danger in trusting this Administration as it marched to war. That is why I and many of my colleagues -- at least many of those who bothered to vote -- opposed the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment. Unfortunately, Senator Clinton instead chose to lend credence to the Administration's position." (Note Dodd's subtle dig at Obama, who opposed the measure but didn't vote on it because he was campaigning.)

Dodd concludes, "It's easy to say 'fool me once, shame on George Bush,' but when she's been fooled twice, shame on her."

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Comments

That's a great line!

Joy (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:12 PM)

Dodd concludes, "It's easy to say 'fool me once, shame on George Bush,' but when she's been fooled twice, shame on her."

Depends on if she sctually read this one, unlike the first one that she apparently never bothered to look at.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:17 PM)

Dodd is 100% correct. The Hillary campaign tried to one-up everybody and dodge the NIE-Iran issue by being the first one to release a press-release. Unfortunately, their press-release contradicts their earlier statements.

Clinton flip-flops on Iran
---
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s national security director, Lee Feinstein, said the report’s findings “expose the latest effort by the Bush administration to distort intelligence to pursue its ideological ends.” He added that the report “vindicates” Mrs. Clinton’s approach, which he described as “vigorous American-led diplomacy, close international cooperation and effective economic pressure, with the prospect of carefully calibrated incentives if Iran addresses our concerns.”

In fact, in September Mrs. Clinton, Democrat of New York, voted in favor of a Senate measure declaring the Iranian Revolutionary Guards “proliferators of mass destruction,” a vote that was condemned by her rivals in the Democratic field. After the vote, her aides issued a statement saying, “The Revolutionary Guards are deeply involved in Iran’s nuclear program.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22091449/

Ron, TX (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:20 PM)

It is about time he stand up to Senator Clinton

Bee (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:20 PM)

This will definitely come back to haunt the Clinton machine... http://enewsreference.wordpress.com/2007/12/04/clinton-needs-a-victory-or-for-edwards-to-win-in-iowa/

eNews Reference (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:31 PM)

This is just another reason to NOT elect hillary as the Democratic nominee.Listening to GWB has been a recipe for Disaster & she listened to him ALL TO WELL.This is just another nail in coffin of the Clinton dynasty of democratic politics.

Rick,ky (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:33 PM)

Let's see how Hillary will spin this one.

Monica L. D.C. (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:36 PM)

Hillary. Can she ever get her story straight? First she votes to go to war against Iraq. Then she says she didn't know that vote on going to war meant that we actually would go to war (Naive? Just a little.) Later she votes against funding the war. Then she votes for saying Iran's guard is a terrorist organization. Now it turns out the Iran guard is no more of a threat then your local PTA. Hillary is for this war, then against that war, and then she asks you what do you want to hear next because she'll tell it to you.

It's all catching up to her now.

Lucas Taylor, Brunswick OH (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:37 PM)

Twice is nothing. Dubya's Oracles, 'fooled' everybody in Politics every day. Of course with the Reperpetuating Virginity of Politicians, they have the ability to act astonished, wisened, and fresh, every new day. Outside of the Beltway, the number of the fooled dropped constantly, till we are where we stand now. 24 per cent of We the People are Reperpetuated Virgins, foolishly flitting about Dubya, Vestal-like. The rest of us, aren't fools, though some, especially Democrats, took him at his word more than once.

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:43 PM)

If you liked Bush, you'll love Hillary.

Monica L. D.C. (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 2:47 PM)

Godd job Chris. I won't vote for you, but thanks anyhow. Another NIE he should bring up, is the NIE during the run-up to Iraq that I believe 3 senators read before voting o go to war in Iraq. I know Hill wasn't one of those few that actually read it.

Jimmy Chicago IL (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:16 PM)

'....Our experience should have shown us the danger in trusting this Administration as it marched to war. That is why I and many of my colleagues -- at least many of those who bothered to vote -- opposed the Kyl-Lieberman Amendment....'

so, what exactly is the value of Hillary's 'experience' ?
She DOSEN'T LEARN FROM HER MISTAKES
How does being the 'face of the Clinton Administration' make her any wiser ?

'...Unfortunately, Senator Clinton instead chose to lend credence to the Administration's position."...'

Hillary was trying to look 'strong'
Why choose someone who NEEDS to look 'strong'
Was hse in 'primary mode' or 'general election mode' when she voted.......
'General election mode' according to her campaign

(Note Dodd's subtle dig at Obama, who opposed the measure but didn't vote on it because he was campaigning.)

Dodd concludes, "It's easy to say 'fool me once, shame on George Bush,' but when she's been fooled twice, shame on her." ....'

So, what's your answer Hillary ?
Why vote for war, again ?

To gain more 'experience' ?

Sierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:18 PM)

Why does no one point out that Obama left to campaign because he was told by Reid;s office that this particular vote wouldn't come up for a week. Cathy

Cathy, San Diego, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:18 PM)

Bush press conference today 12/04/07 at 10:00AM, just validated the saying of a London Financial Times reporter. "In America, it seems as though the INMATES are running the ASYLUM. What next is this country that has allowed the killing of 3,882 US Military. Another $50 Billion to build the sand castle in the middle east?

Bob. Lipsett Sr., North Attleboro, MA. 02760-4388 (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:23 PM)

This article in Boston Herald is truly brilliant!

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/opinion/op_ed/view.bg?articleid=1048581

Laying out the facts...

Dante (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:25 PM)

President Dodd...that's the best way to fix what's broken in America!

DesertStormVet, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:33 PM)

Sentor's Dodd and Clinton just do not want George W. Bush to do his job well -even when he does the right thing.To you Senator's, George W. Bush is your lacky for political fodder. Think about it. If he did not disclose this current USA intelligence that Iran is no immediate nuclear threat -he would be condemned for not doing so when discovered. Now, that he has disclosed it -he is condemned for doing so. What's a guy to do when it's damned if you do and damned if you don't? Which of you Senator's has called every shot correctly? And when you haven't, did you not ask everyone to understand that it was necessary to retreat to a change of heart -to a corrected position? I have no hope that President Bush will ever get credit for doing the right thing here except by conservative -no liberal will see any good in this development. Sorry state of affairs -don't you think!

Robert E Eldridge, Macclenny, Florida (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:42 PM)

Hillary took a position against terrorism, period.
I like Chris Dodd.
But he voted for the War in Iraq just like 76 other Senators from both parties did.
So, he really has no right to talk.
Just because Bush got Iraq wrong, doesn't mean we should cave in to groups or organizations that exhibit terrorist-like behaviors.
We can still keep a watchful eye on terrorist-suspect groups without invading a country.

J. Merle Stanley Westchester, NY (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:43 PM)

Voted for Clinton both times - but DO NOT trust Billary now!
Hillary says she will vote against the Colombian FTA but Clinton aides have been hired by the Colombian government to lobby Congress to pass Colombian FTA!!

http://www.credoaction.com/sirota/2007/05/ap_clinton_aides_being_paid_by.html

Margaret, NYC (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 3:49 PM)

BO supported the measure before he forgot to vote, then he decided he didn't support the measure, a version of which he sponsered.

but then again, HC sponsered a measure to bar Bush from attack Iran... BO didn't support that either.
better in barak's view to attack Iran than support a measure by one of his opponents.

BO, something stinks

Obamatactics,Ill (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 4:02 PM)

Chris Dodd needs to go back to CT. He only voted against the measure because of politics. He was too spineless and afraid of the very left leaning folks that vote in the Democratic primary. The only people to fault is the Bush admin and the incompetent people they appoint. If Hillary was fed bad intelligence that is hardly her fault. For Dodd and Obama to claim their vote was anything other than pandering for primary votes is disingenuous.......the Audacity!

Roger, Orlando, FL (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 4:46 PM)

It's a fair dig. Not that it means Clinton is just like the GOP candidates as some have maintained. Just that the "Republican-Lite" philosophy of the DLC compromises Democratic principles in the interest of "reasonable compromise". In the DLC model all of the compromise is on the Dem side which plays right into the hands of the Republicans.

John B, Des Moines, IA (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:07 PM)

Once again the NIE shows Bush misleading the American public and Congress on Iran. Hillary has more than justified her postion on the Kyle/Lieberman vote. She worked with other Senators (unlike some competitors)to change the languauge and pass a resolution that in no way gave the president authority to go to war.

Let us also remember that the main reason this resolution was passed was because of the fact (not disproved by the NIE) that the Iranian guard was funneling weapons and training terrorists to attack our service men in Iraq.

Of course MSNBC is already spinning this as bad for Hillary. At least she had the foresight to prevent this resolution from authorizing war in Iran and at least she had the courage to vote on it and not vote against it or not vote at all to please the far left of the Democratic electorate.

Greg, Palm Springs, CA (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 5:39 PM)

How did Senator Obama vote on Kyl-Leiberman?

Sam (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:25 PM)

How did Senator Obama vote on Kyl-Leiberman?

Sam (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:32 PM)

Dante

I read the "truly brillant" article you reference in THE BOSTON HERALD today.

The sources and quotes in the artical were from

1. N Gregory Mankiew FORMER HEAD OF PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH'S COUNCIL OF ECONONIC ADVISORS
Republican

2. FOX NEWS Need I say more

3. Jeff Gerth & Don Van Natta Jr. who wrote the
negative Hillary Clinton book HER WAY.

I, for one, would hardly take the word of the above as a brilliant source of truthful information.

Sam (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:39 PM)

Sam (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:40 PM)

Politics of Hoopla

Obama says he has stood up against the march to war in Iran.

He ignored the fact that Hillary went to the senate floor in February 2007 LONG before Obama decided to express strong feelings on something he didn't even show up to vote on. Hillary warned Bush that he could not take any military action without Congress approval.

Hillary co-sponsored legislation with Jim Webb that denies the administration any funds for military action against Iran.

Hillary Clinton joined with Senator Durbin from ILL on a resolition that denies the President uiilateral authority to use force against Iran.

Obama critized Clinton for support for a non binding resolution urging Bush to designate the Iranian Guards as a terrorist organization.

FACT...FACT...FACT

IN APRIL 2007, BARSCK OBAMA CALLED ON THE SEC OF STATE TO DO EXACTLY THE SAME THING.

While Obama says he opposed to the Kyl Lieberman Resolution, he did not even show up to vote. He was out campaigning and claimed no body told him about the vote, although his fellow senators DODD, BIDEN CLINTON did show up to stand up and vote and be counted.

If Obama felt so strongly about the resolution, why did he support the idea in April 2007?

If he changed his mind, then why did he not show up to vote?

Where was Obama?

Sam (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 6:54 PM)

If I were Obama, I know I would have raised holy hell that the reason I missed that vote was because Harry Reid told me it wasn't going to be voted on for over a week. When Obama then left to campaign, Harry Reid introduced the vote and said it was going to voted on in 15 minutes (yeah, that's enough time for Obama to get back to Washington). Should I also mention Harry Reid's son is the head of Clinton's campaign in Nevada. Seems a little suspicious, doesn't it? Yet, through it all, Obama never made any excuses. Imagine that, a President that is a leader and knows where the buck stops and doesn't blame everthing on everybody else even though in this instance, he could have easily (and rightfully) done so (Bush and Hillary, are you listening?).

As a Democrat, I am very disappointed in the likes of Hillary Clinton, Harry Reid, and Chuck Schumer. These guys have hijacked my party and I'm not going to take it anymore.

Obama '08

Jesse, Burnsville, MN (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 7:45 PM)

Why does no one point out that Obama left to campaign because he was told by Reid;s office that this particular vote wouldn't come up for a week. Cathy

Cathy, San Diego, CA

Because it may not be true. What's the source. Obama himself admitted it was his own mistake missing the vote (11/15 CNN debate) I've never heard Obama claim he was lied to, mislead, or mistaken. What is the source for this claim?

John, waterloo Iowa (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 7:58 PM)

Has anyone considered that Iran might have a hidden program? Like thatr place in Syria that got bombed recently by the Israelis? Iran is a big country and could put a complex somewhere secretly.

David Powell, Ocean City NJ (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 8:14 PM)

Obama was absent, but Clinton was gullible. Which one loses more points?

Oh wait, too early to tell. I hear Clinton found a poor grade on one of Obama's second grade math tests, lol. Kindergate is too funny. I'm always entertained by these campaigns but never thought it would get this good.

I'll give you Hillary guys your due. You have staying power.

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 8:24 PM)

Dodd has done a great job challenging Hillary, better and more effectively than anyone else. He's sharply revealed her weaknesses as a candidate today as he did at the Philaelphia debate re: the immigration issue. Why don't we look at him for President. He has a very broad but very substantive grasp of the issues, the Constitution and the nation. He's pragmatic but principled. I am voting for him.

Kevin Reynolds (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 9:54 PM)

The Kyl-Lieberman vote sealed the deal against Hillary for me. Originally I was bothered by the Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton seesaw of dynasties, then by the idea that the first woman president (something I hope to see in my lifetime) might get there because of her wedding ring, but I thought Bill was a good leader in most ways and was willing to give Hillary a chance. But her vote on the Iranian Guard resolution is defensible only in a crowd of Republicans who still believe in George Bush ... and that's what, maybe a third of the country right now? People are sick of the fear-mongering and the half-truths coming out of this administration. We have a chance to put a real progressive leader in charge this time ... Go Edwards!

Lisa from Ohio (Sent Tuesday, December 04, 2007 10:03 PM)

First of all the last word in the title of this document is ESTIMATE. It still says that Iran may not being currently working on something but we really don't know. The IRGC is a terrorist organization and should be classified as such. Does that mean we are going to invade Iran...no. Aren't Hamas and hezbollah classified as such so where is the liberal cry of stopping Bush from the invasion of Lebanon? I don't like anything about Bill or Hillary (it is a pacakge deal so I keep hearing), GO OBAMA!!!

Dan, USA (Sent Wednesday, December 05, 2007 7:32 AM)

Nice try, Chris. Especially after she included you as being an experienced politician.

Merlinaut (Sent Wednesday, December 05, 2007 8:53 AM)

DODD IS A JOKE LETS KICK HIM OUT JUST LIKE WE DID TO LEIBERMEN. THOSE 2 LITTLE JOKERS ARE NOTHINGS ANYMORE. THEY BELONG ON THE (GOPS) GUARD.. AND MSNBC ARE A JOKE

dnels14, high point, nc (Sent Wednesday, December 05, 2007 10:59 AM)

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