Hillary dodges question on outburst

Posted: Thursday, August 13, 2009 12:55 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Andrea Mitchell, State Dept.

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell and Mark Murray
In Monrovia, Liberia today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked by a New York Times correspondent about her well-publicized reaction to a question she thought she was getting on husband Bill Clinton's views on a policy matter.

But she gave a NON-answer.

Question from the NYT reporter: "Can you reflect on what you have accomplished, and how you measure that. And then the second part of my question is connected, and maybe I'm asking it at my own peril, but I'd like to bring you back to the comments you made in Congo, 'My husband is not the secretary of state, I am,' that has gotten more attention than anything else you've said here. What was going through your mind when you said it, and do you regret it?"

Here was Clinton's full answer: "Well, first of all, let me say that this has been an absolutely wonderful trip. I'm grateful to all of the countries that received me and my delegation. This was a very important trip that both President Obama and I wanted to make early in the administration -- to send a very clear message that the Obama administration is committed to developing an even stronger and closer relationship with not just the governments but also the people of Africa. We are near the end of this trip and it is only appropriate to be here in Liberia, where our relationship goes back so many years. And at every stop we have emphasized the importance of fulfilling what President Obama said in his historic speech in Ghana, the future of Africa is up to the Africans, just like the future of Liberia is up to the Liberians. But all of us know that given the conflicts and the challenges that have often prevented the African people from realizing their full potential, the U.S. stands ready to be a partner and a friend in helping to overcome the obstacles and create the environment for the kind of development that President Sirleaf is working on so hard here.

She continued: "So I've had a great time on this trip. I opened this newspaper, and I think it looks like she's having a great time and from my perspective the most important part of this trip are the relationships that we have built, the commitments that we have discussed, the problems that we have honestly explored. We have not shied away from raising the difficult problems that exist and stand in the way of the people of Africa realizing their potential. Uh, and I think that will stand the test of time, and I'm very proud of the trip that we have made together."

Meanwhile, when the New York reporters asked Bill Clinton about his wife's reaction from earlier this week, he replied, "I haven't seen it," the New York Post reports. (Hat tip: JMart.)

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Comments

Hillarycare was a failure just like Obamacare will be.

Rahm it through Congress. neither the repubs or dems can fix Medicare or any other government medical welfare plan already in place but they think they can create an even bigger more encompassing plan to help more people?

Come on, get real. Do the Obama supporters really believe the government can run a huge healthcare program on budget and without fraud when they cant even fix the ones they have now?

Clinton and Gore droned and droned over and over again during their campaign "MEDICAID, MEDICARE, EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT!" Remember that commie slogan they played ad nauseam???? Did they ever fix MEDICAID, MEDICARE, EDUCATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT when they had this so called huge surplus you Dems keep saying Bush squandered?

NO is the answer. Even when there was an imaginary surplus, Uncle Sucker could not pay for the huge welfare state giveaways promised by previous Democratic administrations. What makes you think they can pay for it now during the worst economy in half a century??????

House of Lies, 1600 Pennsylvania Av. Wash, DC (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:00 PM)

blah blah. We don't care about this kind of drivel. Thanks for the non news FR

Faux News Talking Head (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:02 PM)

Here comes the big money to try and defeat the real democracy that's occurring in this country. Due to Obama's sweetheart deal to Big Pharma, they are pouring millions into the campaign for this failed bill.
DG, Houston, TX (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:29 AM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

But you’re okay with the Insurance Industry spending over 1 MILLION dollars a day to keep the system broken?

Did you really expect the majority to ‘ROLL OVER’ and continue to allow the Astroturfers to dominate the discussion?

Sorry but I guess I missed when the minority party became the ‘real democracy’…

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:04 PM)

There is something that is increasing becoming too obvious with these so called “right wingers”. At first, I thought about their philosophy and to a degree I felt anyone can have the right to their opinion no matter how misinformed. But then it occurred to me that to look deeper about what they stand for especially when accused on bigotry and outright hate. It comes down to hunger for power over someone else. It has absolutely nothing to do with desire for a better society; they just want to feel powerful over someone else at any issue at any time. Now, before all you “righties” hop on your defense, I will like to point to some evidence that you may not be aware such as always calling Obama and “HIS” cronies as if he is that powerful to have bought a bunch of people willing to listen to him bring down the United States Of America. You righties also point to his absolute “POWER” of being able to catastrophically change EVERYTHING within his reach to make sure he destroys this country. This desire for such power you wish for yourselves is now “IN YOUR MIND” being accorded to a black man of whom you think should be last on the list when it comes to deserving such power. This has now bred jealousy and you attempt to point out how powerful he is and how powerless you are and how angry you are at this underserved position because let’s face it, you would rather have wanted to become the President before this N-word named Barrack Hussein Obama. This rattles your being and you lash out at anything that remotely resembles exercising this perceived power when in all clarity Obama is not that powerful, he is just your average ordinary human being who ran for the Office of the Presidency and won. He cannot destroy you and does not possess the ability to turn this country into whatever he wants. The more you liken him to Hitler and Messiah, the more you make it clearly evident that you are racist and I believe it is time you just spell it out. That way you can breathe a little easier without trying to hide behind TARP, Stimulus and healthcare and all that other crap you think you are against. I would just love for someone to BOLDLY straight up and say it. That way we can better shape our debate with you because at the very least you have every right to be racist. Any takers?

C, in PA (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:04 PM)

What's the obsession about over what she said? It was a mistake of translation. She said what she should have said had the actual question been what she thought it was. Get over it. Good grief.
---------------------------------------

To: New Independent
Hey Anita, I usually agree with you, but I disagree that an independent is a republican. I, and most people I know definitely lean towards the democrats. I question all the polls. I have yet to EVER be polled, and no one I know has ever been. I'd like to see the poll from that kid that figured out the sports scores, I can't remember his name. What also bothers me about the polling, is they keep saying the majority of Americans are against Obama's handling of healthcare. But that DOESN'T mean they don't want it. A lot of democrats are against the bipartisan effort and watering down of the healthcare bill and possibly no public option. So they would probably vote saying they don't like the way Obama is handling this. I wish the polls would be more specific.
New Independent
----------------
I stand corrected and you are right. I should have clarified that statement better. The far right “Conservative leaning Independents” has a tendency to sympathize with those that are like minded. Independent, I have yet to be polled as well and that’s why I don’t believe many polls. Too many special interest groups involved with attempts of swaying public opinion.

Let’s face it…they are still trying to control the public’s opinion. Didn’t they get it wrong during the campaign and the election? That’s way I have little faith in them. I’m with you…if they are going to conduct polls and these so called report cards (like children in school, so tacky) then I wish that they were more through in their reporting.

To Feisty:

Feisty, Keith Olbermann noted last night of Countdown that sponsors for Glenn Beck's trash rag is withdrawing.

They should, after all he is too stupid to realize that the people he is insulting are the people that buy the very products that pay money during the airing of his show.

Fox is running out of viewers...the right wing nuts aren't enough to keep them floating in the ratings or to command enough sponsorship. They’ve forgotten that without sponsors, they don’t exist and there are many that work for those corporations that are being insulted.

There are more of us than there are of them!

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:05 PM)

I am glad that Mrs Clinton did not respond to the last part of that reporters question. I understand her frustration with always being compared to her husband. She is her own person, and she is the Secretary of State. It was unfortunate that the translator mixed up the question, but she personally went and talked to the person who asked the question and made up for her "short" answer to the wrong question. I applaud her, I guess I am not one to cast stones since i know that I too have been tired and upset when I have heard questions that seem to be rather putting down women.
Can the media just get off this?

kathy, eau claire, WI (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:07 PM)

I, and any honest person, have no problem with what Mrs. clinton SAID. The problem was with her tone. However, I imagine that she, herself, would like to have that moment back. Moreover, there is not one person on this planet who has not had a moment where we do not wish that we had a 'do-over'-not because we regret what we said, but we do regret the tone in which we said it. She's human. Let it go.

What I do take exception to, however, is Mrs. Clinton's likening our election system to some of the more corrupt election systems in Africa. I get that we are building relationships; however, we do not shoot voters of the rival parties here.

no joe,no bo, nj (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:08 PM)

Hillary is not ready for prime time. She never has been, she never will be. Can you imagine if Condi Rice had had a similar response? The press would have been relentless in destroying Rice for that kind of behavior. And now, rather then being a Senator, she's been marginalized to running around Africa while others, like her husband, take care of the real problems, like in North Korea and in the Middle-East.

Gary T, Illinois (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:11 PM)

Anita: right on!!

My sister, unemployed, off and on welfare, no health insurance, no money, facing forclosure watches FOX all the time. She loves Glen Beck and is so against everything that this president is trying to do. The people that should be most infavor of this health care reform or the stimulus money seem to be the most against it....I think because of Fox news.

kathy, eau claire, WI (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:13 PM)

But you’re okay with the Insurance Industry spending over 1 MILLION dollars a day to keep the system broken?
Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:04 PM)
------------------------------------------------------Take your red-head out of your white-heinie for five minuted and look up how much the TRIAL LAWYERS ASSOCIATION, the malpractice, doctor-suing, ambulance-chasing lwayers make.

Trial Lawyers- the ones that form the second largest source of funds for the Democratic party after the syndicate controlled trade unions.

Democrats need to clean up their own corrupt house, you should know if you say you are from Illinois!

Dirty Dems and their backroom deals just like Chicago (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:17 PM)

Hey Chuck, maybe NBC can donate some of it's "Yes We Did" merchandise to these outfits pushing for socialized health care. :-)

Jo, Glens Falls, NY

===========

Just saw those outfits in the discount bin at Target. People where buying them to use to soak up oil stains on their garage floor.

K. Martz, Murdo SD (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:18 PM)

Fox is running out of viewers...the right wing nuts aren't enough to keep them floating in the ratings or to command enough sponsorship

You really need to check out TVNewser.com sometime, Anita. Fox destroys the other cable news networks every single day.

But that would require you getting a clue (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:21 PM)

Too bad Hillary wasn't so adroit when the question was asked. Let's see: A student posing a question in her native language that is translated in a way that really should ring some bells (like maybe it's an honest mistake)and the response is all about her.

Really, it's a faux pas worthy of George Bush.

Richard, Washington State (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:22 PM)

I was watching CNN last night, and low and belold an add by the wing nuts came on defending their stand and telling everyone else the system is just fine, what a load of balogna! I watched for about 30 more minutes and never saw a counter add for health care reform (I guess the health insurance companies have deeper pockets to purchase adds for these idiot wingers than the rest of us do), so I turned off CNN - may be awhile before I watch them again. I've worked a little in the ad business, a station can refuse the ad and payment if they want to - so CNN, you better either make equal time available, take down the winger ads, or get ready for a massive turn off by those of us who support health care reform.(really i support health insurance reform, or more to the point health insurance company bankruptcy and unemployment for all who work in the health insurance industry)
Union Baby, Tennessee

The left wingers really can't stand the fact the People are against the government take over of health care. It bugs them to no end. You won an election wingers, you didn't win the right to destroy the country.

H Brand, San Diego Ca (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:22 PM)

Get over THAT
FR is just doing high scholl gossip
Get some news on here

I thought you were taking off on Fridays
You seem to be taking off on Mondays and Tuesdays, too

Well at least J Merle won't be posting for a while...

FUX NOISE 'Democracy'

From HuffPost:

'...
Your request is being processed...

'Death To Obama' Sign Holder Detained In Maryland

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Secret Service is investigating a man who authorities said held a sign reading "Death to Obama" outside a town hall meeting on health care reform in western Maryland.

Barbara Golden, the special agent in charge of the agency's Baltimore field office, says an investigation is ongoing but declined further comment.

Washington County Sheriff's Capt. Peter Lazich (LAWZ'-itch) says the sign also read, "Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids."

He says the sheriff's office turned the unidentified, 51-year-old man over to Secret Service agents Wednesday after deputies detained him near the entrance to Hagerstown Community College.

Maryland Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin was hosting the meeting, but President Barack Obama was not there....'

Is there a limit to the IDIOCY of these people ??
What goes too far ?
Wearing gunis on your thigh ?

Where are our Democratic 'Leaders' ??

MSierra, SF (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:22 PM)

Health care reform has absolutely nothing, and I literally mean nothing, to do with helping people who need it. This is factually a program that Congress is rushing down the American people's throats to offset the impending flipping of revenues exceeding payouts from the Social Security and Medicare programs. Congress (Dems and Repubs) have never had any moral authority to tax the people for what they spend. So they borrow from abroad and at home. In order to keep interest rates manageable, the government loots Medicare and SS, by forcing these programs to buy government treasuries, so they have buffered the budget for 70 years (SS) and 40+ years (Medicare). Now the recession has pushed up the timeframe whereby these programs will pay more money than they take in, so the general taxes from the budget will need to pay towards these programs instead of the other way around. The Democrats and the Republicans need HCR and Cap and Trade to plug those holes, because they sure as hell don't have the moral decency to raise taxes or cut government spending. It's just borrow, borrow, borrow. Democrats and Republicans are both anathema to the American Dream.

Andrew, Denver, CO (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:24 PM)

Fox is running out of viewers...Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:05 PM)
-------------------------------------------------
Better double check your "facts" Anita, as usual you are wrong again.

After FOX won over most of the viewers from CBS,CNN ABC, I guess you, Feisty, Jawillie, Nashville, Salinas Eric and Boston Pat, Immelt and Soros are all NBC can count on.

You are right, FOX has nothing left.

Nothing LEFT, get it!

C. Montgomery Burns, Springfield USA (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:27 PM)

House of Lies:
And did the repugnants make aboriton totally illegal
when they held controll of all three branches of government? no, I did not think so, go back in your corner, suck your thumb or toe, and try reading and educating yourself - you'd be so amazed at what you might learn that the rest of us remember.

Union Baby, Tennessee (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:32 PM)

C in PA, great post, but you won't have any taker's. These people are the very ones that reagon, Bush Sr. & Chicken George LIL Bush in office. They won't admit that Bush SR. signed legislation about "End of Life" procedures, i.e. Advance directions, living wills, etc. I call it, "convienitly Forgetting what they wanted when the GOP was in Power. Now, even tho Susan Collins wants this socalled "Death Panel" included, because she's a Moderate, they will say it's coming from President Obama.

Nothing will get thru to them now or ever.The Democrats are gonna havta Shove it Down thier Daum Throats & letem deal with it. Just like Tax Cuts for the rich was when America was at WAR. Stupidity loves Stupidity, Ignorance breeds Ignorance, & we're seeing a lotta both coming from the RightWing Bible Thumping Taliban.

In the end, President Barack Hussein Obama will Shove it down thier Daum Throats because the rhetoric does'nt faze Him. He is a silent assassin,, letting them all get thier Frustations out, just before he goes in for the Kill.

Have No Fear Democrats, Our Leader is Not Fearfull, he is Fearless !

Take it to the Bank !

Rick,Ky (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:33 PM)

What happened to civil discourse and speaking at the polling booth?
J. Richter
-------------

I am with you when you're right. What is being witnessed all over the world is an embrassment to this Nation and poses a SERIOUS threat to our National Security.

The polls are apart of our democratic process and any dislikes of parties or representatives of any one party should be decided at the polls and not in uncivilized discourse.

What is happening now is blant disrespect for the office of the President and has nothing to do with our democratic process.

Those that condone it have forgotten that the lawmakers were elected to represent all people and not just a band of thugs and those people that are attending town hall meetings for information and to voice their personal opinions in a civilized manner should have the opportunity to exercise their rights to do so. What is taking place is shameful.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:33 PM)

RE: House of Lies

It is funny that you mention Medicare/Medicaid. Go ahead and ask seniors, most of those who are "frightened" by this Health Care plan what they think of Medicare. Better off, propose eliminating Medicare entirely and see their reaction. Truth is, Medicare, despite its flaws, is a government run health care program that is widely approved of. Yes, it may need tweaks here and there to keep it afloat, but nobody is daring to propose the government-run health care plan that is Medicare. It's like I've heard before, these "protesters" are saying, "NO to government run health care!! But don't touch my Medicare!!!" It would be ironic if it weren't so idiotic.

Truth of the matter is, many other countries enjoy government run health care. Go ask citizens of Canada, Great Britain, and France if they'd like to trade their government-run health care for our private-run insurance based system. Chances are, despite some flaws in their own system, they will gladly take the public system.

sick of this nonsense (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:34 PM)

Another poster (Alan ?) today mentioned Nashville_fan as being alone in taking the MSM to task for not criticizing the storm trooper like tactics at the town meetings. With all due respect to my friend Nash, with whom I overwhelmingly agree, I think the media is intentional in playing down the roughneck methods. I think the MSM is under reporting the issue, allowing it to grow in scope in the hope that it becomes a juicier issue to cover.
Ratings are the goal of all forms of media today, not just Fox Screws. The more violent this situation becomes, the juicer the telecasts will be. What better photo opportunity than a pie in the face or a well thrown egg in an eye.
Oh, Walter and Tim, never have we needed you guys more than we do now. The gatekeepers are leaving the doors open to invasion of the coop. We need cooler heads to prevail, or true tragedy will result.

The rest of the world saluted us for being such an open society that we elected a black man as President, women as Speaker of the House, Secretary of State and a Latino Supreme Court Justice. These are feats even a conservative(unbiased) could be proud of yet we are in danger of throwing it all away.

Please folks, you are within your rights to disagree with your President, but leave out the hate. Whatever your personal feelings are about President Obama, you must realize he loves this country and is sincere and genuine in his desire to make it even greater than it is. He has no sinister ulterior motive to destroy or tear apart America.

If you disagree with the policies and proposed programs of President Obama, you have the right to object, but leave hate and potential for harm out of it...

Tim Stocken, Highland Lakes, NJ (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:34 PM)

I imagine that Sec. Clinton was tired. Jet lag gets to you. I don't think it was serious, and I have not been her biggest fan. From an earlier post: MSIERRA: the drive to Civil Rights legislation was pushed hard by the Kennedy Brothers, especially Robert. I remember that time very clearly. If you recall, they pushed school desegregation to their great peril. The reason it wound up being LBJ ushering through the legislation was due to Kennedy's death. You are accurate when you say that LBJ did not brook any nonsense about any legislation that he wanted passed, and I do agree that we could do with a bit of that now. One must also pay tribute to Truman for desegregating the Armed Forces in a fearless way. He simply did not care what others thought, and that same attitude should be taken about "don't ask don't tell" now.

newdayDAWNING (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:35 PM)

I am going to swim upstream against my fellow libbies for a moment and defend a couple of Americans. I think Katy Abrams should not be vilified. I applaud her for getting involved. I think she very clearly admitted she didn’t know enough about the very complex issues. But it is a start and if EVERY American would make the first step; we would have a much more involved and representational government.
Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 11:29 AM)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I appreciate your thoughts Clara but have to respectfully disagree about taking the first step.
Yes every American should be involved beginning with VOTING but it is also their responibilty as an American LEARN what it is they’re getting involved in.

In other words they need to EDUCATE themselves PRIOR to showing up at these town halls. They’re doing nothing more than reading off the e-mail or whatever the manufactured talking point was she was holding.

Katy admitted her friends call her naïve. Didn’t know if her parents accepted Social Security or Medicare. Didn’t know how much her & husbands business makes. Didn’t have any opinion on the future of Social Security. And so on…

So when all was said & done she came across as willfully ignorant. Like the rest of the angry white mobs storming these meetings. **See Below**

HAGERSTOWN, Md. — The Secret Service is investigating a man who authorities said held a sign reading "Death to Obama" outside a town hall meeting on health care reform in western Maryland.
Barbara Golden, the special agent in charge of the agency's Baltimore field office, says an investigation is ongoing but declined further comment.
Washington County Sheriff's Capt. Peter Lazich (LAWZ'-itch) says the sign also read, "Death to Michelle and her two stupid kids."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feisty, Keith Olbermann noted last night of Countdown that sponsors for Glenn Beck's trash rag is withdrawing.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:05 PM)

Thanks Anita! I caught that and there needs to be many more that follow.

When 2 insurance companies pull out you KNOW you've got some problems!

I haven't been able to catch the MSNBC line up every night the last month or so, my daughters in town for the summer so I've been spending some 'quality time' with her!

Thanks though to all the FR regulars I've been able to somewhat keep up!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:41 PM)

I have a doctor appointment tomorrow and I am afraid!

How do I know that he wont cut off my foot or cut out my tonsils like Obama said he would.

I believe Obama - he would never lie.
And I am afraid of my doctor - I want to keep my feet!
How can I work if my doctor cuts off my foot?

The One legged Man (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:44 PM)

Doesn't Hillary deserve a break? She's doing a great ob in Africa...

http://www.political-buzz.com/

matt (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:45 PM)

This is gossip, not reporting. Hillary is trying to job and is working her butt off. She is human . Give her a break.

GW Vancouver, Canada (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:46 PM)

"I haven't seen it" -- I really truly believe that!

Dave Diamond (Sent Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:47 PM)

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