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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 News Political Reporter



Clinton: Monster's ball

Posted: Friday, March 07, 2008 9:05 AM by Mark Murray

The cover of the New York Daily News: “Monster Bash.” The sub-headlines note, “Obama aide calls Clinton a ‘monster,’ then apologizes. And, “Hil’s camp: Barack acts like Lewinsky prosecutor.”

The New York Post: “Hil launches Starr wars: Aides whine: Obama acts like Bill’s 90s nemesis.”

The Post’s Charles Hurt’s take on the Starr comments: “[I]t didn't take the Clinton campaign long to run wildly off track, by returning yesterday to the sort of sloppy and absurd criticisms that have only backfired on it thus far.” 

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Hillary thinks it was a mistake voting for Iraq war. That tells how dishonest she is. She did vote for Iraq only for the sake of returning to Senate seat, the way in which Sen. Libermann strongly advocated for the war, even now with Bush. If Hillary voted no, she would have lost senate relection. she is hypocritical.
Hillary thinks it was a mistake voting for Iraq war. That tells how dishonest she is. She did vote for Iraq only for the sake of returning to Senate seat, the way in which Sen. Libermann strongly advocated for the war, even now with Bush. If Hillary voted no, she would have lost senate relection. she is hypocritical.
THE ONLY THING MORE PATHETIC THAN THE CLINTONS AT THIS POINT IN MY OPINION IS THE FACT THAT THE TOP STORY ON MSNBC IS HOW ONE OF OBABMA'S AIDES CALLED HILL A MONSTER...EXCUSE ME...WHAT IS THE REAL STORY BEHIND CANADA & NAFTA AND WHO WAS REALLY BEHIND IT??? WHY DO THE CLINTONS CONTINUE TO GET A FREE RIDE HERE...SO WHAT IF SOMEONE CALLED HER A MONSTER...LAST WEEK THEY WERE ALL PRAISING TINA FEY FOR CALLING HER THE B WORD?  LETS GET TO THE REAL NEWS, PLEASE!!! SHE IS NOT A VICTIM...SHE IS A COLD CALCULATING PERSON!!  I THINK IT IS TIME THAT I AM SWITCHING OVER TO CNN TO SEE IF THEY ARE ANY BETTER AT REPORTING/INVESTIGATING THE REAL NEWS LIKE JOURNALISTS ARE SUPPOSSED TO!  I'M BETTING THEY WILL BE NO BETTER BECAUSE HILLARY HAS THE MEDIA IN HER BACK POCKET.  HAS SHE BOUGHT YOU ALL OFF?? AND PAT BUCHANAN...THE ONLY REASON YOU DEFEND HILLARY IS BECAUSE THE REPUBLICANS WANT HER DESPERATLY TO BE THE NOMINEE BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY CAN TAKE HER DOWN. ENOUGH OF THE "SILLY SEASON"  GET TO THE REAL NEWS.  WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW ABOUT NAFTAGATE & THE STATUS OF HER TAX RETURNS.  MARK MY WORDS...THAT $5 MILL "LOAN" SHE GAVE HER CAMPAIN WILL SOMEHOW BE FINIGLED SO THAT WE THE TAXPAYERS PAY FOR IT. DON'T THINK FOR ONE SECOND THAT SHE WILL ACTUALLY "LOAN" THE MONEY WITHOUT A KICKBACK.  IT WILL BE AT OUR EXPENSE. MAYBE THAT'S WHY WE CAN'T SEE THE TAX RETURN...HMMMM??? I AM OFF TO CNN...MSNBC IS PATHETIC!!!  
Obama is a liar and associates himself with terrorists, racists, antisemitics, mobsters, and spin doctors. For all of you Obamicans that can't see through your hate for Bill Clinton's personal antics during his presidency to understand that Obama will be worse, Good luck to you and God help us...
First, I think it's unfortunate that Hillary will do and say anything to win the nomination, including dividing the democratic party.  It seems pretty apparent to me that since she has been unable to win primaries/caucuses based on her own experience and plans to restore the economy and provide universal health care, she and her campaign decided to engage in the kind of politics that turn off a lot of people.  Instead of answering questions posed to her, i.e., her national security experience, her tax returns, and giving the people a clear understanding on what it is she intends to do, she attacks, in a very nasty way, Sen. Obama and whines about the media.  The media fell for it and instead of letting the voters decide who they wanted based on the issues, the focus became poor Hillary---has the media really been unfair to her.  It has hurt the first female presidential candidate's feelings and the media better dig up dirt on Sen. Obama fast to make up for its actions.  I thought she was tough and a fighter?  I thought the media would be smarter.  The result--the March 4 elections turned into a vote based on fear and half-truths and not the candidates' positions on issues.  I am truly amazed that so many people buy into this kind of campaigning.  It's very sad.  

Second, although Sen. Obama has tried to stay on his message of change/hope, talk about the issues and has tried to stay above the fray, if he doesn't return fire in a real way, Sen. Obama will lose the nomination.  If I were Sen. Obama's campaign, I would say unfortunately I have no alternative but to raise certain questions regarding Sen. Clinton's ability to be Commander-in-Chief because she has chosen to take this campaign to a lower level.  Instead of campainging on the issues, Sen. Clinton has chosen the path of fear and smear.  I cannot let these unsubstantiated attacks go answered. Unfortunately he may have to be more like the Clintons--seek and destroy anything in the way on the road to whe White house and worry about picking up the pieces later.  Let's face it, if the democratics want change, we will ultimately vote for whichever candidate becomes the nominee and that is exactly what Sen. Clinton is banking on.  
By the way, besides praising Sen. McCain above Sen. Obama, did anyone catch Sen. Clinton stating that the general election will be about national security?  If that's the case and she is the democratic nominee, what is the fate of the economy and healthcare?  She's a hawk.  
You know, it every campaign surrogates make gaffes, blunders, misstatements, cheap shots (to borrow Abrams' term).  Ninety-plus percent of the time is nothing but a distractor.  A surrogate blows off steam, vents.  Just like we all do.  Its unfortunate but it happens in very campaign.

The trick is to understand when it becomes a pattern or otherwise indicative of something of substance with the candidate (i.e., something you can reall link back to the actual person running for office).

I don't think her remark was well-advised.  But she realized she had inappropriately vented and apologized.

I think we can move on from there.

The Starr remark was curious to me, just what was he trying to do there?
Carson,

You are exactly what is wrong with this country and why our culture has become immoral and indecent. If you think that your are representing Obama in a positive light, you are mistaken. You are proof that Obama has done nothing but attract gutter trash.

Regards,
Michael Hicks
Wolfson said that Obama is like Ken Starr; Powers said Clinton is a monster.  It is really the same statement - Ken Starr is simply a specific monster rather than a generic one.

Powers has apologized, will Wolfson?
WHOSE DESPERATE NOW?
AFTER READING THE BLOGS ON HERE I AM FEELING AS I USUALLY DO WHEN READING THEM THAT MOST OF YOU BLOGGERS ARE MORE INTERESTED IN GETTING RID OF HILLARY THAN YOU ARE OF ELECTING OBAMA.  IN FACT I'LL BET MOST OF THEM HAVEN'T GOT A CLUE ABOUT ANYTHING HE STANDS FOR.
I THINK YOU ARE KENN STARR CLONES.

I AM 100% FOR HILLARY.
THE BEST ONE FOR THIS IMPORTANT JOB.
HEY SUPER DELEGATES--GET SMART--- YOU NEED TO CHOOSE THE ONE THAT IS THE BEST QUALIFIED.
THIS JUNK TALK THAT SOME IN THE MEDIA ARE SAYING ABOUT THE YOUNG VOTERS BEING DISCOURAGED IS CRAZY.  MAYBE THEY NEED TO FACE THE REAL WORLD.  THEY WILL HAVE TO SOONER OR LATER.  GET REAL YOUNG VOTERS.
LISTEN TO THE CANDIDATES SPEAK. MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON FACT.

THIS COMMENT ABOUT HILLARY BEING A MONSTER IS MORE OF THE KENN STAR TRASH TALK.  IT SEEMS TO ME OBAMA IS TAKING THAT ROAD.  IF HE WANTS TO KEEP HIS HANDS CLEAN HE NEEDS TO FIRE THE PERSON WHO SAID IT.  HE DIDN'T EVEN COME OUT AND DENOUNCE OR REJECT IT HIMSELF.  HE IS A COWARD IN MY OPINION.
I DON'T THINK ANYONE COULD CALL HILLARY A COWARD.
ON THE CAMPAIGN McCAIN HAS ALLOWED ANOTHER NAME TO  GET BY HIM UNREJECTED.  NOW THIS FROM OBAMA'S SIDE ALONG WITH THE WIMPY WAY HE ALLOWED THE CLINTON'S TO BE CALLED RACIEST AND NOT REJECT THAT.  HE KNOW'S THEY ARE NO MORE RACIEST THAN HE IS.  OOPS!  MAYBE HE IS.

I find it appalling myself that the major news groups aren't talking about NAFTA.Most of them are Republicians and would love for The clinton machine to win. Hillary and Bill was totally behind the NAFTA smear and the public should know so that we can make an informed decision. I feel sorry for Ohio being lied to about a very sensitive topic. I also feel sorry for the news groups who are trying to elect the clintons. Hillary wanted the newsgroups to focus on Obama so that she could steal the election. GOOD JOB!
I'm curious:  Would a white person who had only 2 years in the Senate - 1.75 years of which has been spent campaigning for president - and 8 or so in a state legistlature, with no military knowledge or experience, and no achievements anyone can name be viewed as qualified to be president?    
if any of you would take the time to read about how women ffinally managed to get the right to vote---you will learn it is not a pretty story.Women defied their families,were thrown into the streets,went to prison,died from malnutrition,disease and starvation.Do you know they fought with every tool at their disposal,they did not shrink from sight when they were called viscious names and told to shut up.Hillary reminds me of these women----so go ahead and call her names,sully her reputation,blame her for her husbands failings,make yourselves feel good because you bring back history into the fold.I have not heard Hillary call Obama names that hurt--she is fighting like a man ---he is fighting like a woman with the monster names,and the claws out remarks.Will he threaten Mccain with claws if he wins the nomination.He is a whiner and I do not need a whining president--we need somebody that will fight just as Hillary is doing.I trust her to fight for me---but I do not need Obama to whine for me.
Hillary supporters, are you OK with your candidate winning at the expense of the election and the reputation of the Democratic party? Is Hillary that important to you?

For pete's sake look up a few things. Hillary's 8 years in the senate is a joke. She only sponsored 2 pieces of legislation that made it to the president's desk and that was to set up a historical site and name a fricken post office. By your standards any first lady who had a prior law career would qualify as president.

The  one thing she does have is experience at manipulating and intimidating the media and we all know the electorate is basically controlled by the media. I'm pretty frustrated that as a culture we have devolved to this level: choosing presidents based on whether or not you like their middle name.

If we take a pass on Obama and go with Hillary I will get the pleasure of posting "I told you so" here every day for the next 4 years.  
HEY TREV IN SC
OBAMA IS A HUSBAND AND A FATHER WHO IS LOVED AND SUPPORTED BY MILLIONS ALSO...WHAT ABOUT THE GAMES SHE IS PLAYING WITH HIM.  SHE SET THE WHOLE NAFTA THING UP AND PLAYED THAT HUSBAND & FATHER AS A FOOL IN HER SICK GAMES.  TO THE UNDECIDEDS...PLEASE LOOK AT HER RECORD...LOOK TO THE REAL STORY OF NAFTAGATE...LOOK TO THE DISGRACE AND EMBARASSMENT THEY BROUGHT TO THE COUNTRY THE LAST TIME THEY WERE IN POWER...YOU ONLY NEED TO READ AND INVESTIGATE TO SEE HOW DISHONEST THESE PEOPLE ARE.  OBAMA IS THE "HOPE"  HE DID NOT START ALL THIS STUFF...BILLARY DID BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSING.  WIN OR LOOSE, OBAMA CAN COME OUT OF THIS WITH HIS HEAD HELD HIGH...HE HAS HANDLED HIMSELF WITH CLASS, COOLNESS AND GRACE.  IF HE HAS TO GET TOUGH WITH HER, THEN SO BE IT.  HE IS NOT THE ONE POLARIZING THIS PARTY...TAKE A HARD LOOK PEOPLE...INVESTIGATE HER, READ UP ON HER & BILL.  IT IS NOT A PRETTY PICTURE. HILLARY=JOHN MCCAIN AS PRESIDENT!
Say NO to Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton.  USA is not a monarchy!

Go Obama '08.
Oh, boo hoo.  She's a monster.  No matter how bad you think she is, this is child's play compared to what the republicans did to THEIR own party in 2000, let alone what they did to Al Gore and John Kerry - who were both much more savvy politicians than Barack.
So this makes you ready for the republicans - let alone the rest of the world - because.......?
Oh, boo hoo.  She's a monster.  No matter how bad you think she is, this is child's play compared to what the republicans did to THEIR own party in 2000, let alone what they did to Al Gore and John Kerry - who were both much more savvy politicians than Barack.
So this makes you ready for the republicans - let alone the rest of the world - because.......?
look at all those latte drinking BO suppoters !!!!!

House of Politics of Hope Card is crumbling !!!!!

Keep it up BO supporters, the more venom you throw the more folks will like HRC and vote for her. With such high Negative ratings she still wins BIG in big states and with so much of Money in banks BO can't get one !!!
Why isn't there more airplay about the latest information around Canada's Naftagate investigation, and the alleged comments by Ian Brodie about the Clinton campaign? Fair is fair--there was plenty of reporting on  the Obama campaign's alleged involvement before the March 4 elections and despite questions about the accuracy of the paraphrased comments in the memo.  If you choose not to wait until Canada's investigation is complete before reporting possibly inaccurate details about one candidate, the same should apply to the opponent.
Talk about NAFTAGATE. Harper is sorry, he didn't mean to get involved in our primary elections with the leak on Obama's advisor. He wanted to get involved in our general election by also leaking the story about Clinton's NAFTA contact. See, both Democrats are hypocrits. The Canadians probably also contacted  McCain about NAFTA, but he probably thought it was an ingredient in naphthalene and refered them to the EPA, so he's not a hypocrit. See how that works? Harper gets his digs in while appearing to be fair. I can hardly wait for the next Canadian election; payback time.
Wait a minute - Muslim, Monster, Muslim Monster - No apology required - Obama's response should be - She's not a Monster "as far as I know" -
Wait a minute - Muslim, Monster, Muslim Monster - No apology required - Obama's response should be - She's not a Monster "as far as I know" -
Howard Dean needs to do the job he was hired to do - stop this bickering. Make a CLEAR decision on Michigan and Florida. Rules are rules. Someone earlier said the delgates should be split 50-50% I agree. A re-do is against the rules!
Imagine if Sen. Obama had said the following:
"..And I know one way we could make a real statement for Mississippi and that is for Mississippi to vote for a Black man for president on Tuesday."

Do you think he would be taken to task by the supporters of the MONSTER?

I have the perfect solution to both states. It has been proven that ALOT of people for both Hillary and Sen. Obama did not vote because they did not believe that their votes would count. Since it is a record of the people who cast a ballot in both states simply allow the voters who DID NOT VOTE TO VOTE IN FL. AND MI. ALSO ALLOW THE PEOPLE IN MI WHO WAS TOLD TO VOTE UNCOMMITTED TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE TO EITHER CANDIDATE. Now this should appease all parties involved and should be more cost prohibitive than a complete re-vote.
Obama supporters rejoice!!  Hillary has finally shown her true colors.  Her supporters are showing us all how desperate they are to vindicate the fact that they have been supporting a viper all along!!  Many Hillary supporters like to point out that the Obama campaign is acting "like" Hillary.  Wow, has it not occured to Hillary supporters that the Obama campaign is based on moving on from the brand of politics invented by the Clintons.  I'm willing to forgive the tactics of her adversaries as long as she is defeated.  One or two negative comments by the Obama campaign do not even come close to the damage done to women's causes when Hillary paid for Bill's settlement in the Paula Jones lawsuit. That's an expensive price for her inability to keep Bill on a leash.  GROSS!!
Now all the Hillary supporters are complaining that Obama supports are throwing the "Kitchen Sink"... Sniffle, sniffle
I'm sick and tired of the Keith-Bashing here. If there is one good journalist in today's sea of tabloidists, one with the skill and integrity of Ed Murrow, it is my man Keith Olbermann. However, with the exception of him, I am disgusted by the media's ability to be manipulated by the Clintons over and over and over again. Mathews/Scarburger/the CNN cast should be stripped of whatever community college journalism degrees they have.
OK...
Obama has been rated better by the Children's Defense Fund, 4 women's groups such as FEW and Civil Rights groups higher than Hillary.

Yet Hillary sells herself as being for these groups and Obama is not...

And honestly, everytime HRC throws something at Obama it comes back and sticks on her.  For example, NAFTA...she said his camp contacted Canada when it turns out to be her camp and REZKO who she says has something to do with Obama yet Rezko contributed money to her campigns.

And she will be too busy in October to campaign for the White House because she will be testifying at a lawsuit involving BIll and Hillary (Chelsea is testifying too!)defrauding Peter Paul of money raised for Hillary's Senate seat race.

Knowing that...how can you NOT vote for Obama?
Obama supporters are a bunch of Fanatics because to this date they can not tell anybody what does Mr. Obama stands or his Clintonian agenda. It is obvious that most of these comments are from people with little regard for themselves and they rather hate Hillary than deal with their inadequacies; these are haters of anything and evereything that questions Obama's issues.  Get a life, get a job and start contributing to this economy rather that been expecting handouts out of the call Change. Change for what? duh....
I heard someone on the radio call Hillary Clinton a cockroach because she always comes back.
Obama is an egotistical maniac. But all presidential hopefuls are. His approach is unique though.
Please please please read this: The New Republic
The Audacity of Data by Noam Scheiber


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