Clinton to call for 'poverty czar'

Posted: Friday, April 04, 2008 9:47 AM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Andrea Mitchell

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
NBC News has learned that in her remarks today, Clinton will call for a cabinet-level "poverty czar," apparantly similar to what the King family has been requesting.

Here's an excerpt from Clinton's expected remarks:
"When I say solutions, I mean finally addressing the scourge of poverty that continues to afflict so many of our families in this country. I mean appointing a cabinet level position that will be solely and fully devoted to ending poverty as we know it in America, a position that will focus the attention of our nation on this issue. That's the kind of solution I'm talking about, a solution for which Dr. King's son, Martin, has been such a passionate and effective advocate."

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Comments

An obvious attempt to gain Edwards' endorsement.

If hillary has ever had a thought or empathy for anyone other than her...may I be struck dead by lightning.

Oh well...I'm still here.

Typical white male (48) for Obama!

Chris, Dorr, MI (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:51 AM)

Isn't that what Bernanke is?

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:51 AM)

That is an interesting idea . . . seems like a certain Mr. John Edwards might be a good fit for such a position. . .

However, I'm sure that Senator Obama will consider implementing such a position shortly after he is sworn in, got to get of of Iraq first though . . .

Obama '08

Nashville_fan (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:53 AM)

Ugh. Do we really need to further expand the bureaucracy? What would the poverty czar do that the HHS secretary now isn't?

This is just more of that bi-partisan trend toward stupidity by ignoring all history and empirical evidence to the contrary and assuming the government will work better if we can just add a few more layers...

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:54 AM)

I honestly think that that notion is a good idea if you can get behind rhetoric and make the position EFFECTIVE.

I actually think all the campaigns have to shore up the middle class (especially the middle and lower middle class) and that that will help those in poverty see advantages to lifting themselves up. (And yes, I continue to support a lot of programs designed for people in poverty too).

However, I am wary that something called a Poverty Czar could be something that is pandering. Each candidate needs to make a concrete pledge (have the mindset) to address the issues of poverty and the struggling middle class.

BTW, if you don't address the problems of the middle class you give people in poverty no incentive to move out of poverty. They just struggle more as lower middle class people because they lose assistance and then can't afford necessities. I suspect many of us see that happening in our towns and suburbs and rural areas.

Obama 08

Lisa, New Britain, CT CT for Obama (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:56 AM)

What pandering. I just knew she'd try and politicize today.

and...

Edwards also declined to say if he would endorse Obama or Clinton. Thompson joked he would say who he was voting for if Edwards revealed his choice. He responded, “the only thing I know for sure is we’re not voting for the same guy.” After a long pause, he added, “or woman.”

Looks like Edward's is going to vote for Obama.

BL, Cincinnati OH (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:57 AM)

Hillary understands the problems of the disadvantaged. She also cares that the great middle class in on the verge of being the former great middle class. She is prepared to deal with this.
It's the economy stupid. Of all the candidates she is best equipped to deal with the economic woes of our Nation. We need a strong leader to see us through the tough times that will effect us all.

Delores Rose-Kennedy@comcast.net (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:58 AM)

Please tell me she's really not going to call it the "poverty czar".

This is how she makes her move to get John Edwards' endorsement.

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:58 AM)

HRC, appoint Bill as your poverty czar. That way he can use all of his millions (which he refuses to show where he got them from) to end poverty. Oh, and the 5 million your campaign borrowed from you - when the campaign pays it back, give it to Bill so he can give it to the poor.

Poverty Czar? How ironic.

Ismael, Weslaco, Texas (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:58 AM)

what are we russia? enough with a czar as the solution to every problem! =

RPC (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 9:59 AM)

Isn't Bush the Poverty Czar? Doesn't he oversee all the poverty he's caused?

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:00 AM)

Course he will Nashville_fan....It's his favorite quote "I agree with Hillary"

Alan, NJ (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:01 AM)

http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
How about a freaking Job Czar! They could explain why all the lying dirt bag CEO's are allowed to ship in slave labor from India with the HI-V visia program while 80,000 people lose their jobs this month!

twocanpete (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:02 AM)

Please John Edwards give your endorsement to Hillary already, so you may go home to pasture. Obama doesn't need someone's endorsement who is looking for a favor.

sozzi, mamaroneck, ny (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:03 AM)

Another goofy idea from a goofy woman....

Maybe we need a....

stock czar
social security czar
police czar
Rock czar

more tax and spend ideas from the lberals in this country....

no wonder libralism is a disease

jerry/corpu christi texas (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:03 AM)

To all the "Typical White Voters"...Do you scared when you see a black man on the street just like BO's "Typical White Grandmother"?

This is from the guy who says he doesn't stereotype people by color..BO on Hardball 4/2/08

Alan, NJ (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:04 AM)

What a hoot. The Democrat party that just increased the taxes on the working poor wants to create a poverty czar. HarHar... This will be someone who makes 6 figures a year minimum... HarHar. If Hillary wasn't so dangerous for America she would be funny. She should be on the Oprah circus with the mutilated sheman that got preggers...
America has hit a new low. No wonder the religious people of the world think we are the pit of depravity and should be wiped out.
End of rant. Where's my meds?

Disgusted in America (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:06 AM)

God bless Hillary and her solutions for our country!

Hillary 08

Peter, CA (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:12 AM)

How about a "Czar" of gtting the Government out of peoples' business? The "Great Society" and "War on Poverty" have sent poverty and drop out rates through the roof over the last 40 years!

As for Bush "Creating Poverty" this is from the same Democrats in government that say the economy is so great and there are so many jobs we need to import illegal immigrants just to fill them all! Charade, they are.

David Powell, Ocean City, New Jersey (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:13 AM)

Hillary at her best...pandering and doing anything to win. What a way to politicize King's death. This woman will do anything to win. She has very little credibilty left after the sniper lie. I've gotten to where I can't stand to see her fake smile or hear her voice, and that's bad for this lifelong Democrat. Please put us out of our Clinton misery and send her and Bill into the sunset soon.

Stewart Lowery Charlotte, NC (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:13 AM)

That was a good one Alan, NJ! Why wouldn't Senator Obama agree with Hillary - she is a fellow Democrat, right? Or is that a lie too?

Obama '08

Nashville_fan (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:15 AM)

Once again, how can anyone believe anything she says? I still want my vote back! Obama is proving himself more and more as the only candidate telling the truth. Even if the truth hurts.

Mary, Ohio (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:17 AM)

Jerry - aren't most of the government-expanding 'czar' offices actually Republican creations?

Its like fiscal responsibility. Careful throwing rocks, because your party lives in more of a glass house than do the Democrats.

That said, do we need a Czar Czar, just to manage all the new czars that are running around doing... well, not much, because our over-layered bureaucracy so full of czars actually doesn't allow anything to be done. But the Czar Czar could provide oversight of all that bureaucratic stagnation.

You know, so the president doesn't have to provide that oversight. After all, Bush has set the precedent. Shouldn't all future presidents also be on virtual never-ending vacation at their ranch of choice?

Paul Miller, Woodbridge, VA (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:20 AM)

Dumb idea - these czars never did squat - and for that matter, weren't czars the reason there was a Russian revolution?

Jim, Santa Cruz (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:21 AM)

I think Edwards has agreed to endorse Hillary and she is now attempting help justify his endorsement. Hillary seems willing to accomodate Edwards moreso than Obama. I hope this helps Hillary in North Carolina. Maybe a Clinton/Edwards ticket or Edwards in her cabinet. I hope so. Obama cannot win a general election.

William, Alabama (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:23 AM)

Hillary and Bill Have had the opportunity to appoint a czar for over 15 years now!!

With all her EXPIERENCE.....she just now came up with an idea!

Maybe we can place this office under homeland security!

Hillary's policy propaganda is why..Republican's slam democrats on thier big government stance.

How many special offices, groups, councils, committes and new appointments has this women created in her head during the past year?

Everybody duck!! Hillary has yet another incoming idea this political season.

Ideas flow when you will do or say anything to get elected!

kelly co (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:23 AM)

POVERTY CZAR???

I thought that is part of the responsibility of the President of the United States of America, the US House of Represenatives, and the United States Senate.

We all ready have 536 of them back there spending full time plus the cabinet level people and all their staff.

NO,NO,NO!!! What we need is just one, (Just one), Just One of them to step up to the plate. We Don't need new programs WE NEED NEW BRAINS or AT LEAST USE THE ONES GOD GAVE US.

BC in Idaho (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:24 AM)

Hillary,

How about a "Truth Czar"? This is the area of YOUR greatest need!

BTW, where would you have learned about poverty? At Wellesey? In the Governor's Mansion? In the White House? Or in the last 7 years when earning more than $50M?

Just wondering where in your 35 years of experience, this is covered?

Looking for the Truth Czar,

Gerald, Texas

Gerald, Texas (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:25 AM)

Why do we americans like the term Czar so much? Seems pretty unamerican and undemocratic. Maybe it just sounds powerful? How about a poverty Caeser?

Eric (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:26 AM)

Funny how a Senator can be in Washington for 7 years and never attempt to address poverty until now. I thought a Senator could write bills to change things they see as unjust. Where have you been and exactly what have you been doing Hillary? So much passion now is a joke. You had enough time to prove your worth... now your words a worthless.

Terry, Rome, NY (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:29 AM)

I move that we have an overseer czar to keep track of what all the other little czars are doing!!

Gosh darn, can't wait for my taxes to rise with the ascendency of a democratic President. Should such an occurance come to pass...

Phred, NH (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:29 AM)

Pretty soon we're going to need a Czar Czar.

As an aside, I wasn't aware New York Senators could appoint Cabinet Level positions.

Joe (NJ) (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:31 AM)

No surprise here. Again, Andrea Mitchell is promoting Hillary Clinton. Can't you give her an assignment where her personal life does not interfere with her objectivity?

Idaho (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:33 AM)

Sarge Shriver did well as a poverty czar, creating job corps and other programs that helped people get a step up without handing out money. He just didn't get the funding he needed to totally end poverty but he was well on his way. It's about time again to fix the problem.

Aaron Bozeman, MT (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:35 AM)

"Poverty Czar'

First Assignment:

Collect the millions in dead beat debt Hillary owes the Vendors. Her scorched earth campaign has left them, their employees, (and her employees), in a bad way.

Pulling for Obama '08

donna, pgh., pa. (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:36 AM)

Hillary, what you mean is appointing another of your corrupt pals, like our idiot NJ governor Corzine, to waste more taxpayer money while solving nothing.

GPH, Whitehouse, NJ (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:37 AM)

When the King family first suggested this, Obama was the first they heard from and endorsed it. He has always said that poverty would be addressed as one of his main issues. The King family hadn't even heard from Hillary on this issue until now and now she feels that it will be another "solution" for her.
The "proof is in the pudding", Obama was a community organizer in the poorer section in Chicago helping to end the problem while Hillary was with a law firm earning big $$$.

marcia, san diego, ca (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:38 AM)

In typical fashion, Obama will will likely come out tomorrow and call for a poverty czar as well. He's gotten pretty good at taking Hillary's positions.

Matthew, Phila, PA (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:40 AM)

Now she's really trying hard to get Edward support. But she have to let this come from her heart, not let it come when she's at a black event.

Keyon Marietta,ga (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:41 AM)

Wow, talk about pandering for an endorsement from a certain someone.

James, Minneapolis (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:43 AM)

This is an attempt by Hillary to turn the tables by making bold and empty promises. No Amercian is against elimnating poverty in this country but dreaming of doing so and actually finding the dollars to do so is another matter. Hillary comes out withthese wild promises but does not explain how the Poverty Czar is to eleimnate poverty in this country. What would such a Czar do, hold garage sales?

All programs proposed and promised cost money. If we are to elimnate poverty in this country the first thing we have to do is to stop spending billions in Iraq, stop shelling out millions to other countries or making trade deals with other countries that do not support our principles of human rights.

It is one thing to state you will appoint a Poverty Czar just as Bush appointed a Homeland Security Director, but if the Poverty Czar's role is to head a defunct bureaucracy that achieves very little just as the Head of Homeland Security has achieved very little in securing our borders then what is the point.

Reducing or elimnating poverty has to be a full-blown cooperative effort between and among all the American people and they have to be incited to want to take on this challenege. Obama has a better chance of incitinfg people to do so then Hillary has of eliminating poverty by appointing a poverty Czar. Just one more senseless high paying job for a political friend with no substance behind it.

C A, Tuscaloosa, AL (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:45 AM)

How in the world can McCain make a statement concerning the efforts of Dr. King, when he represents a state (Arizona) that does not even honor Dr. Kings holiday?

Charlie T., Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:45 AM)

people wake up. if she really wanted to do something about poverty she would have done it long ago. wasn't she in the white house for 8 years with her husband. she will do anything to get elected. she is a big fake. the bosnia lie was it for me. one of my family members had to protect her butt. what a lie she made about the military men and women. people need to wake up. bill and hill will do anything to get their way. she is only doing this to regain the black vote. this is one voter she won't get back. hopefully people won't fall for this.

sharon english, pgh, pa (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:47 AM)

In reading through the responses I notice that there are a lot of Obama 08 supporters, which tells me one of two things. Either you are over 35 with an office job where you can spend time on the internet or a college student. Either case you have no understanding of the plight of the middle class.

Poverty is a problem. The economy is a problem. There is no President that will sacrifice the defense of this nation and allow it to be overrun with terrorists. All candidates will be strong on defense. That leaves a domestic agenda, which if it doesn’t include help for the poor and the working class of this country they shouldn’t be on any ticket.

Let me give a scenario: a house on the market so one can buy a bigger home for a growing family. After finally receiving a reasonable offer, in today’s market, and accepting that offer, the new builder home that was to be purchased, with thousands in deposits made, decides to close down operations with no notice. Now tell me what’s Obama’s solution to help the working middle class?

Typical Hispanic male (33) with degree(s) for Clinton.

James, La Quinta, CA (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:47 AM)

This reminds me of when Kennedy made Maria Shriver's dad somewhat of a Czar for the poor back in the 60's. I think he did a lot of good empowering the poor, but politicians apparently weren't able to handle the poor people having a voice. Things were very different then though, maybe it could actually work this time.

Sherrie (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:47 AM)

How in the world can McCain make a statement concerning the efforts of Dr. King, when he represents a state (Arizona) that does not even honor Dr. Kings holiday?

Charlie T., Fort Worth, Texas (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:47 AM)

maybe she can devopte some of the $50 million Pres Clinton earned giving speeches since 2001 --

That would be a good start for a Poverty Fund

alison (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:49 AM)

Since we haven't eliminated poverty in over 200yrs...why does Hillary think one person will do it!

What a joke...this is as dumb as her freezing interest rate idea.

We have had enough of Hill and Bill

Obama, close this thing down in PA and let's get on with the general election

Maddog, Charlotte NC (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:49 AM)

What, do they think they're convincing Edwards that Obama won't have a cabinet position which is directly involved with that very issue? If Edwards falls for this he's more easily manipulated than Bush was by Cheney.

Dillon Orbon, Greensboro, NC (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:49 AM)

And the first job of that poverty Czar will be to find a way for Hillary to pay back all the small businesses she's screwing over by not paying her bills. Economic management-- like she's managed her campaign finances will be devastating to the whole country

Mary, Ohio (Sent Friday, April 04, 2008 10:50 AM)

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