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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



Obama NC backer 'appalled'

Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2008 1:57 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann
RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina reporters got a taste of conference call campaigning this afternoon, with Team Obama getting Carolina backer Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-1) on the horn to slam Hillary Clinton over her reported exaggerations of the perils of a trip to Bosnia in 1996. Butterfield, the only member of North Carolina's Democratic congressional delegation to have endorsed a candidate, said he is "appalled" on behalf of his constituents over the claim. Calling the misstatement "a strike against" the New York senator, he added that she owes the citizens of his state -- and America -- an apology for it.

Butterfield also expressed doubt that Clinton's tenure as First Lady has uniquely readied her for a position at the helm of America's foreign policy. "And now that she has missrepresented and exaggerated her trip to Bosnia," he argued, "[that] really leads me to the conclusion that she not only lacks the qualifications but that she doesn't see the importance of being accurate in making statements regarding her qualifications."

The call assures that Clinton's "minor blip," as she has called the incident, will be on the news media's radar in the Tar Heel State. New polling shows Obama bouncing back from deflated  numbers last week to regain a substantial lead after his recent visit to the state. (Note: this from a new PPP poll) 

In a conference call to national reporters yesterday, Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson accused the Obama campaign of capitalizing on the Bosnia story "because they have nothing positive to say about their candidate."

To hear Butterfield's baritone tell it, the key sticking point is trustworthiness. "That's not what we look for in elected officials in North Carolina," said the two-term Democratic congressman of Clinton's "sniper fire" embellishments. "I dare say that's not what we look for anywhere in America."

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So...let's see.  Our First Lady and the President's daughter came under sniper fire and it didn't make the news?  It's just another snippet in the long list of items entitled, "Say Anything, Do Anything to Win".  Hillary is either delusional or so psychologically damaged that she literally made this story up.  Do we want a delusional President or one who just makes things up?  Isn't 8 years enough?
I am sooooo tired of Hillary and her insanity. It's exhausting. I remember a time when I respected this woman. As someone stated - the most bothersome aspect of the lie ws how well it was executed. Literally rolled off her tongue, effortlessly. She's such a darn good liar, how will I ever know when she's telling the truth? CONCEDE already Hillary please. I'm tired of you.
Hillary brought peace to Northern Ireland and it is true she was under sniper fire.

oups!!! Sorry, I just "Misspoke". But well no big deal. It is just a "minor blip."
HRC's Top 5 new campaign slogans:

5) 27 Years of Voyeurism!

4) If you think I blew $120 million quickly, just wait until I get my hands on a few trillion!

3) Meet Me In O-Lie-O!

2) Dodging Sniper Bullets...as far as I know!

And the #1 new HRC campaign slogan...

1) Ready to Lie on Day One!
THERE IS NO WAY HILLBILLY CAN WIN
I am amazed that so many respondents are so cynical and petty.  We are not electing a god; we're electing a human being who brings ideas regarding the future of the most powerful country in the world.  If you've voted in a previous election, you have cast you support for a person who has exaggerated the truth and falsely criticized the opponent. Put the small stuff behind and Vote for the candidate who most closely matches your view of the future of the USA.  I will vote for Obama or Clinton because I don't want more war, I want less.  I will vote for Obama or Clinton because I want our citizens to universally have affordable health care. I will vote for Obama or Clinton because I do not believe the government has a right to tell a woman she must give birth to a child she does not want. However, if I decide in the next 6 months that I want more war, more Americans without health care, and more orphans, I will certainly vote for McCain.
"Mommy! Please don't make me go first-I'm scared!
Shut up Chelsea and get your skinny little butt off of the Damned plane!"
The She-Weasel is a pathetic slimy odious lying piece of used up botoxed oxygen wasting crap!
Why would this women lie about her name, something as basic as that?  She must be a pathological liar or so insecure that she has to create a life of interest. Why not run on her own merits?  I just feel sorry for her daughter who has to back up her mother's lies. I had always thought that she was the more stable parent. Guess not.
"transparent effort to distract attention away from the story she made up about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia." Obama spokesperson

LOL! I really, really, really hope that since delusional Hillary has opened up her mouth to talk about Rev. Wright after at first saying she had 'no comment' that Obama brings out in his stump speech that Hillary Clinton is an 'embellisher of the facts.' Not only that but maybe now her cult-like Fellowship Church, who caters to only the elite will be brought to light. I'm sure the folks in PA would love to know that their Queen Bee is an elitist socialite who wouldn't know hard work if it slapped her in the face.

PA - DON'T BE FOOLED LIKE OHIO. HILLARY CLINTON AIN'T NO GOOD!!
If Hillary says she 'misspoke' {lied} about Bosnia because she was sleep-deprived, In an interview with a Pittsburgh newspaper - how the hell can we expect her to make sound decisions in the event of a crisis when she is awakened at 3:00 in the morning to answer that phonecall??  Go away Hillary.
Obama is held responsible for what someone else speaks.
Clinton is held blameless for some she reads from a prepared script.
What a long strange trip it has been.
I'm from Canada and I do not gain anything by supporting any of the cadidate's but truth be told. Obama representing the US is like light shinning in a dark room. The world is lossing repect for the US faster than you know and when a rose that grows out of a rock like Mr Obama shows up, you better embrace it, or you all lose. "A prophet is never respected in his own country". Just like Jesus was not. If fault is your main goal, then fault you will find.
Did Hillary Clinton’s embellished statement about the trip to Bosnia have drastic consequences for our country?  George Bush,  Dick Cheney and other members of the Bush administration misrepresented the truth to take us to war with Iraq.  

What about Obama?  He embellished his resume as a community organizer. People who worked with him during his community organizing days remember it quite differently.  He told some “whoppers” in his book.  When is the media going to scrutinize him?  Oh, that’s right scrutiny only comes in one color:  Hillary Clinton.
I will not vote for Hillary Rove Clinton if she is the nominee.  I didn't feel that way 2 months ago, but I sure do now.  If American politics is reduced to this, with all hope stripped away, then I will just try to save myself.  Another chunk of the Antarctic is gone and no one seems to give a rat's ..ss.  Obama gives me hope for something better.  It's him or nothing.
At least Hillary has been to Europe, that beats school yard diplomacy in Indonesia. Her record is stronger than Obama's hot air.
She might have not remembered this correctly but she was there.
This is who they want for President.

This will not be the last lies that come from her or her camp.

OBAMA 08
Hillary supporters, have you even done any research on this candidate you support so strongly? If you have you are either sleep deprived or mis-speaking.
Educate yourself before pulling the lever and not FOX research
from Chip Collis (Huffington Post)

How do you misspeak about something like that? What were you getting mixed up over?

"Oh, no, it was the OTHER war zone I flew into and ducked sniper fire and ran to the cars. I misspoke."

"Did I say sniper fire? I meant mosquitoes. Huge mosquitoes in Bosnia. I misspoke."

"Did I say I only got sent to countries that are too dangerous, too poor or too small, thereby implying that I was an inconsequential and expendable member of the Administration? I meant that I was VERY important. I misspoke."

"Wait, did I say that there are countries too poor for the President to go to? I meant that...um... Leave me alone, I misspoke!"

This unfortunate episode joins a cavalcade of other statements in which Hillary has been caught misspeaking like a rug. And the most prominent of these statements have been those that were used to pad her resume so much that you'd need an oversized pantsuit coat to hide it.

"Did I say I was instrumental to peace in Belfast? I mean that I was instrumental to TEAS in Belfast."

"Did I say I always disliked NAFTA? I mean I couldn't stand ASTA - stupid little terrier."

"Did I say it was an honor to be here with Barack? I mean I'm gonna rip his lungs out! And we'll still be friends."

All these are part and parcel of a broader pattern of what begins as self-deception, where previous goalposts cease to be operative, where people who dare to cross you get labeled as "Judas," and where by some weird transference, you not just accuse, but actually BELIEVE that your opponent is guiltier of all your sins than you are.

Some people are mistakenly equating Hillary's growing credibility gap with what happened to Al Gore. Leaving aside that Gore was unfairly smeared, while Hillary is self-inflicting these wounds, it's more accurate to equate her with Richard Nixon.

Nixon destroyed himself because he obsessed over what the Kennedys had "done to him." He went nutsy-commando with the Plumbers, with the Ellsberg break-in and the enemies list and, of course, with Watergate, because he rationalized that it had been done to him, and everyone else was doing it, and so he had to do it to protect his Presidency because he was what was best for - and about - America.

Hillary Clinton has become Nixon.

the clintons have been fabricating the truth for years and years. her whole electability argument is based on a lie that will be called out by McCain who will eventually become the president if Hillary were to strongarm the nomination using her husbands connections.

I had a lot of respect for Hillary and her accomplishments. But there is a line I will draw - integrity is an important attribute in my president.

Women for Obama.
Billary all over again.  Thank God for the Internet and cable records of past historical moments, otherwise, We the People would have been HOODWINKED again.

Why must they keep playing games with us like we don't matter enough to tell us the truth, or act in a civilized manner.  Lies before the world, do they care?  Hell no!

It's an obsession with her, to be the First Woman in History, even if she has to make the story up.

NO MORE CLINTON DRAMA, VOTE FOR CHANGE, VOTE FOR OBAMA

DON'T EVER LIE TO US AGAIN, GET OUT THE RACE.

You are an embarrassment before the world that is depending on honest, TRUTHFUL judgements and decisions for US.

We the People have too much to do, to play the DC hookwink game.  Schisters.
I guess Hillary forgot to add liar to her experience that qualifies her for the next President of the USA. She definitely has that ability.
Hillary is a liar and we can't trust her!
Check out Hillary's religious history:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/hillarys-nasty-pastorate_b_92361.html

Obama '08
Jason
For all you Clinton apologists who seek to dismiss this as a minor issue, wake up.  Every candidate misspeaks from time to time.  Not every candidate runs on the argument of experience and then exaggerates the extent of her experience time after time after time.  

It isn't just Bosnia.  It is bringing peace to Northern Ireland ("a wee bit silly" according the Nobel laureate who actually DID negotiate the accord); opening the Macedonian border (despite arriving a day after the border was opened) or any one of countless other examples.  

These are intentional exaggerations designed to mislead voters into thinking she did things she didn't actually do.  If that were Bush, you'd rightly excoriate him.  For Hillary, you offer excuses?  Are you serious?  You people are sick.
She even had little Chelsea admitted to same lie Hillary told and Chelsea talked about how proud she was of the way Hillary handled things in Bosnia. Hillary wrote this fairytale of Bosnia in one of her books. People Get Real. THE ENTIRE CLINTON CLAN ARE DANGEROUSLY LIARS.
Was Hillary Clinton ever shot at by a sniper? Did she ever have to run from her plane to a waiting car because of sniper fire? If not then it's a bold faced LIE!
Only a compulsive liar would lie when there's absolutely no reason to.  
Anyone who votes this fall will have to overlook some character flaws in their candidate of choice, and focus on the strengths that they exhibit.  Obama is my pick, based on his stance on open-ness, bottom up democracy, opposition to the Iraq War and thoughtful approach to issues.
Clinton a liar?  You mean this is actually news to some people?  Heaven forbid we list every slimey thing and lie she has done since starting this campaign.  I don't know why people have chosen to overlook it.  
Did anyone read Obama's Selma speech last year?  He said many things in the speech which weren't true if you do the math.  I don't see all the indigation over his pattern of misstating the facts.
Afrobaby needs to get facts checked. The people in Ireland seem to have appreciated Hillary's support and help in resolving their problems.  George Mitchell said she was of great value.  She did make an historical speech in China. And so on.
"Typical" politicians, and a lot of people, embellish stories to put it politely.  The real issue is why and for what reason and what they were embellishing, not just how often. Read Obama's Selma speech and do the math, he is playing games in that speech.
PLEASE!  This Congressman was just looking for an excuse to back Obama....

It's no coincidence that most of Obama's votes are from African-Americans
i am so sick of everyone casing on hrc. so sick of criss m. keith o. she can't expell gas, cause they'll talk about the smell for mths. all i can say hill did not sit in a church for 20yrs, where the rev spit out hate for america. obama did, oh but its okay, he doesn't share those beliefs. :(?. yep, parents should not teach their children to lie, but again they can sit and listen to sermons that spit out hate against our great country. this is a campaign, let the canidates have their freedom of speech. i agree hill did lie about that bosnia thing. they are both very tired. more power to j. carville, he couldn't of said it better. richardson better not ever run for office , this chicana will never vote for him. if obama wins it,i will support the high office of the president, but i will not vote for him. yea, my vote may go to a liar, but not to a hater. i rest my case.
This is America, "LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT"  HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!!!
Why are almost no reporters talking about the virtual impossibility of Clinton getting elected.

Even her campaign admits a less than 10% chance of winning,
and
THE ONLY WAY SHE CAN WIN IS BY GETTING SUPER DELEGATES TO SUPPORT HER AND OVERTURN THE PLEGED DELEGATES THAT HAVE BEEN ELECTED!!!

Look to politico.com for more info.

CLINTON CAN"T WIN!  She can only divide the party even more.  
At least the Clinton's are proud of this country and do not listen to racist preachers (guess only whites can be racist huh).

I am appalled at my fellow Democrats for being STUPID enough for falling for all this obama crap.
Look at everyone ready to jump on the bandwagon to attack Hillary when she misspeaks... Boy oh boy... I don't think this is any worse than sitting in a Church listening to anti-American sermons for TWENTY YEARS (20 years)....  This is sick...  This is another Hillary supporter who will NOT vote for Senator Obama.  

Shirley, MI
The headline on this story is so misleading!  If you did not take the time to read the story, you would think this was a criticism of Barack Obama.  Come on Carrie, you know better than that!
Clinton, Once Again, Gets Biggest Northern Ireland Validation of All
by Diane Elayne Dees
March 22nd, 2008 @ 10:08 am

Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume, speaking on a nationally syndicated radio show yesterday, talked about Sen. Clinton’s work in Northern Ireland–her “people-to-people approach, her generous use of time in meeting with the various sectors of the region, her interest in the real concerns and needs of the people of Ireland, and her focus on peace.” He also talked about Clinton’s contributions through her lecturing at the University of Ulster’s Tip O’Neill Chair of Peace Studies on the subject of ‘Peace in the Modern World’. “I have no doubt, given Hillary Clinton’s commitment to peace in the world, as President of the United States, she would give such leadership,” Hume concluded.

In another recent interview, Hume said “I am quite surprised that anyone would suggest that Hillary Clinton did not perform important foreign policy work as first lady. I can state from firsthand experience that she played a positive role for over a decade in helping to bring peace to Northern Ireland.”

Recently, former Senator George Mitchell also validated Sen. Clinton’s claims that she was part of negotiating the peace process in Northern Ireland, after these claims were questioned. “She was helpful and supportive, very much involved in the issues, knew all of the delegates,” Mitchell said. “She accompanied President Clinton on each visit he made to Northern Ireland, made several visits of her own. Her greatest focus was on encouraging women in Northern Ireland to get in and stay in the political process, the peace process. And I have said publicly many times and wrote in my book, the role of women in the peace process in Northern Ireland was significant. It did make a difference in the process, so as I said I think it was a helpful and supportive role.”
Former Northern Ireland Ambassador Elizabeth Bagley

“As a former US Ambassador and Irish citizen, I wholeheartedly support Senator Clinton for President, she has the strength and experience to assume the Presidency on day one, but, also because she has the proven track record of promoting peace in Northern Ireland for more than a decade, through her advocacy on behalf of children damaged by the conflict and her encouragement and promotion of women in the political process.

Hillary visited Northern Ireland seven times between 1995 and 2004, where she brought together women from both communities, Catholic and Protestant traditions, to meet and work together toward a common goal of peace in Northern Ireland.

In September, 1998, she was keynote speaker at the first Vital Voices Conference on Women in Democracy in Belfast, which brought together 400 women to promote their leadership roles in the peace process. Hillary announced over $2 million in public and private partnerships to support community organizations, expand child care services, assist women in business and strengthen advocacy skills. She also pledged to them that she and the President would stand with them as they together took risks for peace and urged them to transform their ideas into actions, and their dreams of a peaceful Ireland into reality.

I serve on the board of Vital Voices International, which was founded by the then First Lady Hillary Clinton to promote political and economic empowerment for women, and which co-sponsored the 1998 conference with then First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Seamus Mallon, who praised the work of the conference. It is therefore, puzzling that Lord David Trimble recently referred to Hillary’s involvement in the Northern Ireland Peace Process as “a wee bit silly”, when his wife, Daphne, attended all the training sessions sponsored by Vital Voices and was actively involved in its’ reconciliation and development work.

Hillary’s passion and commitment to Northern Ireland not only contributed to the peace process and to the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but it continues to this day. As Senator, Hillary has visited both the Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland, where she met with all political leaders, including the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, whom she also meets with every year during this St. Patrick’s Day visits to Washington. In fact, when Martin McGuiness and Ian Paisley visited Washington as the First and Deputy Ministers of the new Northern Ireland Assembly, they met with President George Bush and then with Senator Clinton, to thank her for her contributions to the peace process. As Nobel Peace Prize winner John Hume stated, “Anyone criticizing her foreign policy involvement should look at her very active and positive approach to Northern Ireland and speak with the people of Northern Ireland who have the highest regard for her and are very grateful for her very active support for our peace process.”

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/article/view/?id=6506

This is just one statement from Irish leaders who have the highest regard and appreciation for Senator Clinton’s contribution to the political peace process in Northern Ireland. Now compare Obama’s involvement in Kenya to help his cousin who is a candidate for president.

http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/01/31/obamas-african-hubris-2/

…Leader of the Kenyan Orange Democratic Movement opposition leader, Raila Odinga, is Barack Obama’s cousin…wants to be president…two of Kenya’s tribes…are killing each other over a disputed election that Odinga, Obama’s cousin, claims was stolen from him…Former Clinton aides currently working for Obama…directed Dick Morris to Kenya to advise the Odinga campaign in November of 2007, shortly after Odinga visited with Obama in America. Morris was an extremely divisive factor in the Kenyan elections…Kenya currently teeters on the edge of political chaos and civil war…


Now which Democratic presidential candidate has positive and effective foreign policy experience?


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