Clinton wins on Russia

Posted: Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:24 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
For the second time tonight, Obama has used Clinton as cover on another issue. He appears a bit wavering on foreign affairs. He didn't cite any details on Putin's successor and didn't appear to have a real solid grasp. Think about, for example, how Biden might have answered this question. And Clinton deserves points for attempting to say the successor's name. She clearly at least knew who he was.

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Comments

Exactly. Which begs the question, who will he defer to when in office? The buck stops there.

Dennis Flannery, Richmond, VA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:32 PM)

i dont thats true if you listen to both their respones it would seem they generalized, for what its worth i knew his name had an m in it

michael,ca (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:32 PM)

She clearly at least definitely knew he is. From NBC's Domenico Montanaro

So, she won by knowing his name?

Okay, she won.

T Terry (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:33 PM)

Obama is clearly unprepared. His rep in the Senate has always been that he's intellectually lazy.

John/DC (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:33 PM)

Great. So when did becoming president become a pop quiz? That was a ridiculous line of questioning.

Scientific, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:33 PM)

Yep.. Biden would have been a great choice for the dems. Certainly better than these two.

Rhj (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:33 PM)

Come on now, do you need to know his name to be better, i think Obama takes credit for not talking about someone whose name can't be mentioned but Clinton went M- ed-... whatever, that where i'm from is not very nice.

Gerald, Saint John, New Brunswick (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:34 PM)

Give up Domenico, go home and sleep... :)

VJ (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:34 PM)

Thank You! I'm glad you msnbc people see this. You have such a love affair with Obama.

Laurie Philadelphia, Pa. (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:34 PM)

Here ls the problem with Obama, his weakness in foreign policy....we cannot affort this. I want to be able to travel abroad and be proud of my president, I was not able to do this the last couple of years, CLINTON is the one.

Louisa (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:34 PM)

It seems to me Obama ALWAYS looks at Clinton before answering any question.. Always agreeing with her plan, ideas etc..Repeating what she says everytime !! I am yet to hear an ORIGINAL idea/plan from Senator Obama.. Substance please Senator Obama!

Corinne Allen (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:34 PM)

why do you keep trying to find a mistake in obama afraid of snl skit?

bradley (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:35 PM)

Clinton did not win on Russia, were you watching the same debate. Obama dominated every question graciously.

David A (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:35 PM)

Don't you think that Senator Obama's foreign policy team briefed him on this? I'm sure that Senator Obama knew just as much as Senator Clinton did about the question except she got to answer first. You guys sometimes understate both candidates knowledge of the issues.

Nick Rabago, Morgan Hill, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:35 PM)

So...when the question is asked to Clinton first, and Obama answers second, that's him taking cover huh?

clarence, atlanta, ga (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:35 PM)

yes, as a matter of fact, it made me wonder if she was asked to answer first and i just didn't hear it!

B. Newman, Cranston, RI (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:35 PM)

Obama made one important point - and that is that he would look to NATO and other international bodies in any response to a Russian offensive in Kosovo.

And with regard to Putin's successor, it is important to note that Putin will remain in charge of the government as Prime Minister and therefore Obama's response to Putin's record was appropriate.

Sarah George, Blue Jay, CA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:37 PM)

That's ridiculous. Just because Hillary got to answer first, she got to share her knowledge, first. What would you have had Obama do? Regurgitate what Hillary had just said? Exclaim, "Hey i know the guy's name, too!" Or what?

And...Hillary's Iraq blunder says enough about her foreign policy cred.

julie, slc, ut. (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:37 PM)

Questions tonight finally forced Obama to display is total lack of experience in foreign policy. No idea who the next president of Russia will be, his relationship with Putin and what Russia is on track to accomplish.. Our next President? I hope not!

Corinne Allen (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:37 PM)

Obama does not waver on what's most important. There will be plenty of advisers and state department officials to advise the president. Obama understands that in order to get anything accomplished internationally we need support from our allies. He will be able to gain support from foreign nations more effectively than Hillary Clinton, just as he is able to unify our nation more effectively. This is why he will make a better President than she. Nothing will get accomplished without the ability to inspire and persuade.

Kyle Mabbott, Portland, OR (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:38 PM)

nonsense and a bit quick on the draw if not planted, even the Russians are tentative, particularly this week, yes if you're looking for a quick-draw response w/no Plan B, Clinton's response seems apt, except it seems far more likely that a guy as adaptable and quick to learn as Obama will actually surround himself w/the best and brightest including Richardson, Dodd, and Biden-types, maybe even bringing back Wesley Clark or Colin Powell - more demonstration of why governing is nothing like a debate.

KC Cress, albuquerque NM (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:38 PM)

I've known his name for 2 months, since Putin was named Time's Person of the Year! It's not a hard name to learn. M-E-D-V-E-D-E-V.

Tom, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:38 PM)

CIC is the most important part of being President. Obama loses this element in a landslide.

TeBuckey Jones (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:39 PM)

Big surprise thatr Tim "Gee, Let's Bash the Clintons" Russert didn't ask Obama first.

David Frank, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:39 PM)

Barack Obama. Ready day #673.

Eli M., NY (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:40 PM)

CLINTON WINS ON "ALL" FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES. OBAMA IS NAIEVE, ROOKIE.

TIM RUSTY,CINCINNATI,OHIO (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:41 PM)

Who really cares about a name? C'mon guys.

Ken M., Mpls. , MN (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:42 PM)

I think Obama uses Clinton to cover on a lot of issues. Many of the things he says mirror Clinton's comments.

Ruthetta, Somerset, KY (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:43 PM)

This is where I wish the the world would have seen the greatness of Biden.

Stu Stow, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:44 PM)

How does Clinton saying "Medvvvv whatever" constitute her knowing the name of Dimitri Medvedev? I knew the name, why didn't she know it if she's the "foreign policy candidate"?

David McWilliams (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:45 PM)

Ohioans are not interested in who knows the name of Russia's future prime minister. You guys are being childish even debating something that trivial.

Ike (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:45 PM)

So Biden would have been a better nominee. But he would have plagiarised more of Neil Kinnock's speeches to augment his command foreign affairs.
Get real folks, Barack Obama will win the democratic primaries.

Mags, Orlando, FL (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:46 PM)

Come on folks, he has been spending the last few days preparing how to defend himself against Hillary. I am sure that his camp believed that the Russia issue would not be that big. And maybe he did study it, but just not enough. I will give this one to Clinton

Adam J, Chicago, Illinois (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:47 PM)

If Sen. Obama is looking to Hillary concerning Russia. We are in Big trouble.

JJ Greensboro NC (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:48 PM)

It actually IS important to know the names. Bush had the same problem. If you are going to be dealing with all these foreign leaders, you need to know names, places, situations, etc., to be able to speak intelligently about them.

Tom, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:49 PM)

I recall that George Bush could not respond to fairly simple references to foreign countries when he debated Al Gore. He also stated that he did not read history. After seven years we have suffered first hand, the consequences of his ignorance. I do not want to repeat it with another trainee in the White House. I am voting for Hillary Clinton.

E. DeWitt, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:49 PM)

She did win, definitely, but it was still sloppy, and she needs to do her homework. With an answer like that, she wont win against McCain. They both can use a course on foreign current affairs.

Nick Tucci, Butte, MT (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:50 PM)

Tim Rusty,
They both are naive, Clinton couldn't even name Russia's next president,

Clinton:"Mend... Mendev.... whatever"

Are you kidding me?

Stu Stow, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:51 PM)

I agree with Ruthetta!

Janet, Alexandria, VA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:51 PM)

I don't think that was the case at all. If I am correct, Obama had the last question and he was being polite and letting her answer. It seems Hillary got a little testy when Obama gets too many questions in a row and so I don't think it was that he didn't want to answer but was rather just being nice and letting her take her turn. That is my opinion.

Carl, Philadelphia, PA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:51 PM)

I want to know exactly where this Foreign Policy Guide is available in print. The one that Hillary is supposed to know about. I saw in another Blog that she only sponsored 20 bills in six years and Obama sponsored 820 in his first eight months as Senator

Eagle Bear, Tombstone Az (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:52 PM)

Hillary voted for the Lieberman/Kyl amendment in 2007 and to me this is an indication of incredibly poor judgment on her part. She has had a piss poor foreign policy record since being in the Senate. This debate has done nothing to dispel that notion. Obama has been right-on in terms foreign policy and has made the correct choice from the beginning of this debacle.
Obama '08

Mitchell Feldman, Vestal, NY (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:55 PM)

Neither of them won on Russia . . . both answered the question in the most extreme generalities . . . I figured Obama would have done better considering some good comments he made regaurding policy towards eastern europe

Nicholas Corsepius, Vienna, VA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:56 PM)

"Who really cares about a name?"

Are you kidding me? How can the US president know nothing about what's happening around the globe?

ho tc (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 10:59 PM)

Senator Clinton said he is Putin's hand picked successor. I could have told you that, just as Senator Obama could. Quit trying to prop up Senator Clinton's "credentials". She doesn't get brownie points for reading the paper. You can't assume that Senator Obama wouldn't have answered the same way or better just because Senator Clinton went first. Give me a break!

Nashville_fan (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:00 PM)

Clinton supporters keep imagining Hillary great experience. It just is not there. She cannot even run her campaign so how can we trust her to run our country and foreign policy. Probably by poll numbers because that is what she does like her vote for the Iraq War and the Kyl/Lieberman bill. Those were horrible foreign policy votes.

Rick, Providence, RO (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:01 PM)

I thought they both blew it. Neither seemed to be prepped properly. I recently read his profile either in the WSJ or NYT. That article would be a good piece to carry in the briefcase or breast pocket. Deer in headlights seemed to be a good profile for both of them on this subject.

Gene (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:03 PM)

As telling as this is about his lack of working knowledge of foreign policy, the most revealing moment was when Clinton stated, as I have on this blog on several occasions, that he has not convened the sub committee on European Affairs once since being made Chair. His excuse is that he's been running for President.

So when given the opportunity to have an impact on how we are conducting our policy in Afghanistan vis a vis NATO, a matter of grave national security, Mr. Obama felt it was more important to campaign to be President.

That's "change you can believe in"?

He had an opportunity to show us leadership in crucial areas of our foreign relations. Instead he says he's been going around the country telling people what he would do in Afghanistan. Makes the words versus action argument sound pretty damn valid.

What will be his excuse for not dealing with these issues as President? WIll he be busy telling people about how cool his Presidential Library will be?

This man has no business running for President when he can't even take the time to convene his sub committee.

Great choice people!

Shtuey (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:05 PM)

Problem with Clinton is she mirrors other folks than ran for democrats nomination. I can't tell who the real Hillary is anymore. At least Barack is consistent.

Cedar Falls, IA (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:05 PM)

There is no question as to which candidate will be strong in her ability to deal with foreign policy. we have had enough during the last seven years of the 'bumbling of GeorgreBush'.
If she is liked and respected as well as her husband, our credibility will finally be restored.

L. B. Cocoa, Fl. (Sent Tuesday, February 26, 2008 11:06 PM)

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