Clinton admits lying about Bosnia?

Only two things really matter about last night's debate. First, it was probably the worst performance by "moderators" in a presidential debate. Ever. It really was that bad, and we cannot let that happen again where Democratic positions are under relentless attack by the moderators without a Republican candidate on stage. It wasn't a debate, it was an interrogation. The only difference between the ABC interrogation and an interrogation perpetrated by the Bush administration was that ABC probably never considered waterboarding.

As for the Democratic nomination, here's the only exchange from last night that mattered:

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me pick up on this. When these comments from Senator Obama broke on Friday, Senator McCain's campaign immediately said that it was going to be a killer issue in November.

Senator Clinton, when Bill Richardson called you to say he was endorsing Barack Obama, you told him that Senator Obama can't win. I'm not going to ask you about that conversation. I know you don't want to talk about it. But a simple yes-or-no question: Do you think Senator Obama can beat John McCain or not?

SENATOR CLINTON: Well, I think we have to beat John McCain, and I have every reason to believe we're going to have a Democratic president and it's going to be either Barack or me. And we're going to make that happen.

And what is important is that we understand exactly the challenges facing us in order to defeat Senator McCain.

He will be a formidable candidate. There isn't any doubt about that. He has a great American story to tell. He's a man who has served our country with distinction over many years, but he has the wrong ideas about America. And those ideas will be tested in the cauldron of this campaign.

But I also know, having now gone through 16 years of being on the receiving end of what the Republican Party dishes out, how important it is that we try to go after every single vote everywhere we possibly can to get to those electoral votes that we're going to need to have the next president elected.

MR. STEPHANOPOULOS: But the question is, do you think Senator Obama can do that? Can he win?

SENATOR CLINTON: Yes. Yes. Yes.

Hillary Clinton and her surrogates have petulantly claimed that the reason why she should stick around after it's clear that there's no way she'll overcome Barack Obama's lead among pledged delegates is that the superdelegates could decide to go with her instead of Obama. The superdelegates' rationale for doing so would presumably need to be based on questions of electability. Hillary Clinton, in the exchange quoted above, said there is no electability argument that can be used against Barack Obama.

The voters have demonstrated a clear preference for Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton. She cannot overcome his lead. Hillary Clinton acknowledges that Barack Obama can beat John McCain. Thus, she's lost, and she has no argument that it's a threat to Democrats to have Barack Obama as our nominee. Therefore, there's no reason for Hillary Clinton to continue her campaign.

Hillary misleads voters. Hillary Clinton has made statements unequivocally trumpeting NAFTA as the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Buffalo News reports that back in 1998, Clinton attended the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, and praised corporations for mounting "a very effective business effort in the U.S. on behalf of NAFTA." Yes, you read that right: She traveled to Davos to thank corporate interests for their campaign ramming NAFTA through Congress. On November 1, 1996, United Press International reported that on a trip to Brownsville, Texas, Clinton "touted the president's support for the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying it would reap widespread benefits in the region." The Associated Press followed up the next day noting that Hillary Clinton touted the fact that "the president would continue to support economic growth in South Texas through initiatives such as the North American Free Trade Agreement." In her memoir, Clinton wrote, "Senator Dole was genuinely interested in health care reform but wanted to run for president in 1996. He couldn't hand incumbent Bill Clinton any more legislative victories, particularly after Bill's successes on the budget, the Brady bill and NAFTA."

Who is the elitist? Hillary cares more about the health care industry than the health of people. Nobody can argue that the biggest problem with health care in the United States are pharmaceuticals and insurers. Hillary Clinton became the second largest recipient in the Senate of health care industry contributions. "As she runs for re-election to the Senate from New York this year and lays the groundwork for a possible presidential bid in 2008, Mrs. Clinton is receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from doctors, hospitals, drug manufacturers and insurers. Nationwide, she is the No. 2 recipient of donations from the industry, trailing only Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, a member of the Republican leadership." Raymond Hernandez and Robert Pear, "Once an Enemy, Health Industry Warms to Clinton," New York Times, July 12, 2006. Lastly, her vote for the Iraq war was the greatest error in judgement for the health of thousands of U.S. men and women in uniform. Not to mention the health of millions of Iraqis.

So Mr. James, you state "thatWhen you make statements you KNOW not to be the case, isn't that the same as telling a straight-out lie? If that isn't lying, then what is?" Therefore does the same standard apply to Obama who stated that he only knew Tony Rezko from 5 hours of legal work done for Rezko's realy firm when it has now been revealed that Obama's relationship to Rezko was greater than Obama admitted to?

I'm sorry to say it, but I think that the bar has sunk so low for Hillary, that it wasn't a surprise to anyone when she finally admitted that she lied...repeatedly. With her negatives rising and time running out, I believe that she is now playing the role of sparring partner to prepare Obama for the GE. It's not over and it might even not be decided until June, but it appeared that the moderators were pushing Obama hard because he will be the one in a hard debate with the Republicans.
The bad part is that there is no upside for the Democrats with this race getting brutal, but we can only hope that the Democrats are working the steel and getting Obama ready for the fall.

Of course it is a lie, Frank. I'm wondering, though, if you would point that out in regard to many of Obama's statements?
But getting back to The Queen B. She didn't say she lied. She used statements in the usual Clintonesque way. Sort of like "it depends on what is is." Or "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky." Or "There was no legal controlling authority" in regard to illegal campaign tactics, etc.
Us folks with a clue have known about the Clintons being serial liars for two decades now. It's only since the Left and media like you, Frank, that fell in love with Obama that you folks bothered to open your eyes and brain to reality regarding the Clintoons.

Hillary exaggerated the story to make herself appear more heroic. Real heroes generally tend to downplay their actions, saying that anyone would have done what they did. She has a vision of herself as a noble figure, but the reality is too far from the vision for anyone to really believe in her.

let us let billary - the future first wife handle this matter

"When you make statements you KNOW not to be the case, isn't that the same as telling a straight-out lie? If that isn't lying, then what is?"

billary; "that depends on what your meaning of the word "is" is"

"So I will either try to get more sleep, Tom, or, you know, have somebody who, you know, is there as a reminder to me"

billary; "I did not have sexual relations with that woman"

.

When Hillary misspoke a few weeks ago, all she did was prove that she, like her husband, will say ANYTHING to get elected. How can one forget, "I smoked it, but didn't inhale."

There is no question that she lied. However, with a Clintonesque reading of her being "embarrassed by it" begs us to ask her what the meaning of "it" is. I would proffer that her embarrassment "it" was getting caught - not the act of lying to the American people.

The whole event was an embarrassment!!
That the Clinton's lie is not a grand discovery. Bill lied to a whole nation and his wife remained with a lier...so much for an association. One does not chose one's parents or children but one does choses one's partner. But what can we do? Go a cook McCain's stolen receipts from the Cooking Network?
We need someone with some integrity here...we are desperate for it. But when we have it...We try to kill it.

I watched the entire debate and I thought Barack Obama handled the continual attacks from Hillary Clinton very well. He could have creamed her with the Bosnia comments she made up. I would have pointed out that making up stories about sniper fire is exactly the kind of thing that got us unneccesarily into the Iraq War in the first place. Instead, Barack Obama was a gentleman and kept a victory by the Democratic Party, regardless of who is nominated, foremost in his mind. He was also respectful towards the American people when he said the they are smarter than the media might think. He was absolutely right that the media can distract from the real issues. I was shocked that the moderators spent so much time pointing attack questions at Barack Obama but never once questioned Hillary Clinton's fickleness regarding NAFTA. The fact that ABC aired this on nationwide TV and used this forum as a means to attack Barack Obama continually has confirmed for me that those few individuals who do make multi millions and run this country, including our multi-media systems, deliberatly set the stage for this event. If Hillary wins the nomination and runs against McCain, the Democrats will lose. The Republicans will not be as kind as Barack Obama was towards all of her baggage. I found she was distasteful throughout the entire 'debate' if you could actually call it that.

I quit believing anything Clinton had to say LONG time ago.

Clinton, NAFTA lies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFuA0z4kKD4

Clinton lies about NAFTA while her campaign manager, Mark Penn, is working on a trade deal with Colombia"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ZbTM3QvV4

Clinton, campaign fundraising lies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPIt7Sv_blE

Clinton, healthcare lies:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A33DEl3y5Tg

Clinton lies about her role in the Ireland peace talks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBCmKkLdCuA

...and of course, Clinton lies about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=It6JN7ALF7Y

I love the way the Dems pummel each other..
Welcome Pres. McCain!!!!

reg. the Queen B...we got rid of royalty long time ago!!!!!!!!!!

Why would Hillary's admissions matter? Americans know beyond a doubt that she couldn't tell the truth if her life depended on it.

Last night debate was excellent! It is the responsibility of reporter to ask the hard questions and state the facts , so that Americans can discuss the answers and found facts, to make an educated vote on who should be President. Obama is a cry baby, first time he was actually called on some remades and facts surrounding him. Hillary admitted she lied, obama's to arrogant to admit he also has lied to the American people. We have an arrogant President now in the White House , we don't need another one! Go Hillary! 08

8 months ago I said it was going to get ugly, but I never imagined this. This is so much fun! They are both such liars, and now they are left resorting to lying about their lies!! Operation Chaos in full swing!!! The only one looking presidential at this stage of the game is John McCain.

I love the way the Dems pummel each other..
Welcome Pres. McCain!!!!
reg. the Queen B...we got rid of royalty long time ago!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by: frank | April 17, 2008 3:43 PM

Lil Johnny D,

I wouldn't get to comfortable if I were you, any day now we're going to turn our guns on Grandpa John W McCain and all of the nutty Wingnuts like you.

Americans aren't laughing with the Republic Party, they're laughing at you.

It's about Damm time the moderators asked these two bozos something besides what is your favorite color. You think the questions were tough last night wait until the general election starts.

So Hillary ( I did NOT have sex with THAT woman, Miss Lewinsky ! ) Clinton is a LIAR. This is NEWS ??? !!!

It depends on what the definition of is is. Dig?

The ABC Debate was a Sham and very one-sided.. ask Barack all the Got-cha questions and never questioned Hillary about Mark Penn and Columbia? What kind of fairness is that.

George must of owed Bill Clinton a big favor & Bill got it! Is that why he never once asked Hillary about Mark Penn and Columbia? Is that not pertinent to the campaign as he says? Yes. And, Obama was 8 years old when Ayers committed his offensive act, to try to tie Obama to that is ludicrous! If America is to get to a more Positive place, we will need a leader who is positive and inspirational, one like Barack Obama. Clinton in her willingness to lie, divide and conquer has wallowed in negativity and negativity begets negativity... we don't need that kind of personality leading America at this time or any time... that is if we want to get to a more positive place. Hillary's people going around knocking on doors spouting that she is likeable, truthful, WILL NOT MAKE IT SO! Obama, if elected, will be the People's President and much beloved!

When HRC says "I may be many things but I am not dumb" she makes it clear that:
1. she knew she was lying when she lied about Bosnia.
2. she was counting on the rest of us to be dumb enough to believe her.
This is how Her Royal Clinton shows she is "in touch" with average Americans.