Obama Camp: Clinton's 'Character Gap' Hurts Electability
In a conference call just now, the Obama campaign tried to use a Clinton-campaign line of attack on Hillary Clinton, saying she is an untrustworthy candidate who has not been sufficiently vetted—and who suffers from a "character gap" that would hurt her electability in November.
"She would be a deeply flawed nominee," said campaign manager David Plouffe.
Echoing Mark Penn's assertion on a recent conference call that Obama "really can't win the general," Plouffe said that Clinton's chances in a general were very slim because of what he called her lack of trustworthiness.
"Obviously she needs to make some progress on those character traits," he said, citing polls that showed many voters had reservations about Clinton's truthfulness. "She does have these issues around trustworthiness that are really going to give her no margin for error."
And Obama foreign policy adviser Greg Craig, while arguing that Clinton has vastly exaggerated her foreign policy experience, used a line of media criticism almost identical to the one used to good effect by the Clinton press shop, saying, "I have been disappointed that the American press has not been sufficiently industrious [in examining Clinton's record]."
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First of all, setting aside for a moment snarky remarks, so-called "Character issues," and the usual-right wing rants.
This country is more than ready for a woman president.
But Hiliary ain't it. Here's why.........
1) I suspect if you're reading this, you've probably watched as many of the Democratic debates as I have. Edwards spoke in platitudes that I'm not absolutely certain he believes. Richardson did everything he could not to offend anyone. Dodd was as eloquent as always. Obama improved and gained national exposure experience as he went along. Joe Biden nailed nearly every question thrown at him with dignity, humility and the right amount of self-deprecation. And on most points, HE WAS RIGHT. (i.e. pointing our attention to PAKISTAN while everyone else was discussing Iran). While Hiliary (who, as you heard, said "Joe's Right" so many times they made a YOUTUBE clip of it) spoke in broad strokes (as did Obama, granted); her answer to fixing Social Security was to create a bi-partisan commission? That's the best she had?
2) I've read the voting record also for Hiliary (as well as Obama's); I'm not gonna call her out on anything there; that is what it is with most Senators. Being a Senator's a tough, tough racket. Sometimes you have to vote one way on something not very substantial to garner support for an issue you hold dear. To me, it's very often a lose-lose ballgame, as most of those throwaway votes come back to haunt you. With that said, if you're going to tell me she's better than Obama, I need hard reasons, outside of her gender.
3) Think back now, to all of the moments where Hiliary had a chance to step up and make a prediction, take a stand, make a statement where she turned out to be right. NAFTA? She was all for it, if her own schedule records indicate. IRAQ? She was wrong (and so was I, by the way, but then I didn't get a look at the National Intelligence Estimate, so.....) She said she would bring 350,000 jobs to NY State? Okay, 9/11 happened, our economy took a hit, that's fair.....but honestly, she was winning the Senate hands down. Lazio was pretty much a useless sack of potatoes. A smart candidaet would not have made such a, we'll say, "needless" campaign promise, especially with all the chatter at the time regarding the wilting Dot-com-ecomony. Taking all that into consideration, if she was so blantantly wrong (whether it was her fault or otherwise), it's fine, but then are you really allowed to run on your ability to turn the economy around and be intellectually honest? I mean, am I wrong? Of course, a person is allowed to be wrong a couple times and change their viewpoints; nuance and flexibility in that regard is quite admirable, in my view. But Hiliary's been wrong quite a few times. Quite a few....
4) In terms of her management acumen, one only needs to see the chaos surrounding her campaign staff and their gross mismanagement of funds. The group has blown through over $100 million dollars. Amazing.
Look, this is most certainly a historical race. Our next president will be facing issues we right now have no idea about coming down the pike. Is Obama the right candidate for the job? You know, I'm not sure yet. What I am sure about is that this country IS ready for a woman or an African-American to lead us into the next decade.
I think Barrack Obama might possibly, might possibly be the right African-American.
I know that Hiliary Clinton is not the right woman.
Way too long of a post, dude, for anyone to take the time to read. Less is best.
Hillary is the right female for President of the US and it's the right timing. Otherwise many of us will be forced to go with McCain and he's too old.
Thanks, Raging Centrist, for your cogent addition to the article. Insightful and cutting. The latest revelation in her First Lady notes showing her lobbying legislators for NAFTA is just more evidence of the shakiness of her argument to the people. The whole basis of her candidacy is a flimsy house of cards. In terms of actually running a large organization, I would not call her demonstrably gifted or even qualified for a state-level department (which by the way takes a great deal of business acumen and people skills), let alone a department of the federal executive branch, let alone the entire executive branch. In terms of your Point 4 above, her mismanagement of a campaign staff that is equivalent to a run-of-the-mill middle manager in an S&P 500 company is all the evidence we need of her lack of ability. It is frankly unbelievable that 25% of the American people (half the Democrats in America) think a person like her has the ability to do it. That is a testimony to the ignorance of the American people as to the nuances, pace, and criticality of executive branch senior management. Bush has far more skill than she, and he has the added bonus of decency and an unshakable moral compass. Those are his best traits, and without them he would have been swept away by the wicked undertows of the job. She is hopelessly ill-equipped for the job.
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Theresa Boulart - Political Analyst - info@KatrinaAlliance.org
Re: Hillary's 'Character Gap'
She is not . . .
"THE ONE"
Hillary's "Creditability Gap"??????????? This from an Arab-African who runs as a black man & uses racism to get elected. ***** The Kenyan Government documents the ENTIRE Obama family as Arab-African NOT Negroid-African.......Just one black ancestor among his Muslim Arab Slave Trader ancestry.(a great-great-grandparent).......is noone curious about this mysterious black ancestor's circumstances ...... during a time when Obama's Arab Slave Trader ancestors were commissioned by Queen Victoria to murder & enslave Negroid-Africans during their fight for freedom from British Rule????????....All his & his father's bios stop at the great-grandparents.......hmmmmmmmmmm?.....Why is this person's creditability questioned????????.....Blessings
hmm seems like politics as usual for the great "change" agent. Seems more like Obama is the agent of hypocrisy, bigotry and division who has a silk tongue and a turn on smile to herd the silly sheep with? Change? You are all sheep and I am moving to Canada. BYE BYE American Pie, and all your politicians lie and Obama will make you cry. Bye Bye
Obama is crap and will not win the election.
The raging centrist.........Thank-you.
A very thoughtful read!
Caroltate2.....Get over yourself! for I will not be moved by the politics of fear!
Anonymous.......say hello to my cousins while your there (Candada)...Hilliary has proven to be a liar...oh I'm sorry.."misspoken" laughable but, serious in the grand scheme of things....they have now threatend Pelosi! now that is AUDACITY! interesting that you should call those who want change "real" change..sheep! when HRC was leading immensely......were her supporters considered sheep??
Vangogh..........That's the problem now, no one "takes the time"...to read/investigate/verify.....as evident with the Rev. Wright issue......had the general population not just regurgitated the sound bites...they would have realized that not only was he quoting "Ambassador Edward Peck. And he is a retired, white, career U.S. diplomat who served 32-years in the U.S. Foreign Service and was chief of the U.S. mission to Iraq under Jimmy Carter -- hardly the black-rage image with which Wright has been stigmatized" but, it was all out of context! jeez people...get a grip!
Mark S....I concur
Mark S(2nd).....not so eloquent ...respectfully disagree
Avenell..........As a woman.....I am offended by HRC's campaign......there will be a "Great" woman President one day. A woman President at any cost is not the answer.
Apologies for the length! ;)
I enjoyed it...It, at least, made sense.
If you have nothing to say, other than a few words, then go to sleep and let the growns up talk...
Who is this idiot?
Is that you, Mark S.?
Shame...Shame.
You really need to grow and let adults talk on this site.