(Hillary) Clinton Slams Bush, White House in Harlem

[sabra]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns...

Clinton Slams Bush, White House in Harlem


NEW YORK -- Sen. Hillary Clinton on Monday blasted the Bush administration as "one of the worst" in U.S. history and compared the Republican-controlled House of Representatives to a plantation where dissenting voices are squelched.

Speaking during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day event, Clinton also offered an apology to a group of Hurricane Katrina survivors "on behalf of a government that left you behind, that turned its back on you." Her remarks were met with thunderous applause by a mostly black audience at the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Harlem.


The House "has been run like a plantation, and you know what I'm talking about," said Clinton, D-N.Y. "It has been run in a way so that nobody with a contrary view has had a chance to present legislation, to make an argument, to be heard."

"We have a culture of corruption, we have cronyism, we have incompetence," she said. "I predict to you that this administration will go down in history as one of the worst that has ever governed our country."

[babylonsister]

1. Props to Hillary, and it's about time! nt

[Old Vet]

4. Gonna be hard for her to stay in the middle of the road-

Shes trying to play both sides-Sorry hillary-Too little to to late

[babylonsister]

6. It'd be nice if she finally realized it's in every Dems' best

interest to pick the righteous side.

[Olney Blue]

2. Is this the beginning of a revolution

to take back the country?

[rodeodance]

43. start buying orange clothes. (well, one outfit at least)--hunters clothes

will do fine.

[spindrifter]

3. FINALLY!

What in the world has she been waiting for? This has to be on the lips of every Democrat in the country. It needs to be said so often we get tired of the corruption, cronyism and incompetence.

[neverevergivein]

5. Sorry, I don't buy it.

She'll be kowtowing to the right in three days. Give me Dean or Kerry anytime.

[babylonsister]

8. Welcome to DU. I'm not saying I'd endorse her, I just think

it's a good move.

[xiamiam]

11. me either...nt

[jsamuel]

18. she is a "social democrat" - that is why I can see her doing this, but...

that doesn't mean she isn't like Republicans when it comes to issues of governing, war, and presidencial powers

[VegasWolf]

26. LOL! Actually a "social democrat" is an oxymoron,

she seems to be a "social republican".

[km1550]

58. Exactly!

She's been riding both sides of the fence for far too long.

While I applaud her finally speaking up -- it's too little, too late.

There should be no lightening up in this type of forceful and truthful addresses.

Let's get it going!!

[MissWaverly]

33. Bring back Gore

I never realized until today how much I miss a leader that can speak English w/o problems,
that is just 1 small thing I like about Al Gore. I liked how he jumped in and helped during
Hurricane Katrina/how many DC Beltway leaders did????

[Voltaire99]

50. Agreed. He's to the left of the pro-war, pro-corporation Hillary...

...who is not nearly different enough to Bush. No votes for DLC Bush-appeasers here!

[MissWaverly]

76. I really admire Gore & I believe he won by a substantial margin

what happened, he ran against the son of a president and the brother of the governor
of Florida, when the question of a recount came up, there was no possibility that it would be handled in an impartial way; also I believed votes for Gore were deliberately squashed, etc., etc.

[karynnj]

56. Not to slight Gore, but I assume far more of them did than we heard about

As a Kerry fan, the only way any of us knew that John and Teresa Kerry helped out was that Trent Lott thanked them in his Senate speech and metioned it in an interview. They had called Lott within days of the hurricane to see what was needed, and to find out where they could land a plane- Lott's staff then worked out the distribution.

Kerry, who was in Iraq (as a member of the SFRC) when the hurricane struck - he had a statement on his Senate web site that included links to organizations helping. There was a joint Teresa and John letter on the johnkerry site. More importantly - he and his staff wrote the small business relief amendment in about 2 weeks or so- later merged with some Snowe provisions. This passed 96 to 0 and the comparable bill by similar margins in the House, but is on hold because the crony heading the Small Business association wants it to be. Kerry went to LA (not NO) to meet with small businessmen and left Boston with relief supplies donated by MA companies.

I think there may have been many other leaders who mobilized what they could and tried to help - with no fanfare or publicity.

[MissWaverly]

75. I agree there has been much courage shown during this crisis

but we need to praise the good and encourage more be done, I believe Kerry, Murtha,
Dean, Reid and Gore have spoken up, we need to keep the pressure on.

I think Kerry is a good man, he earned his medals and I think that he genuinely cares
about this country.

[angryxyouth]

71. It was great to hear someone speak like a real statesman!!!

It gave me hope.

[MissWaverly]

73. Gore is the real thing

and he's still my president.

[cosmicdot]

79. as predicted ... actually, it only took 2 days ...

Clinton Calls for Sanctions Against Iran
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060119/ap_on_go_co/clinton...

[tinrobot]

7. Me too! Me too!

Sorry... but after seeing Gore's speech, Hillary's rings a little hollow.

I do hope she speaks out more often. We need everyone to get on board this bus.

[Placebo]

9. Hillary '08

[mdmc]

35. "and I will support them with all my heart"

"We have a culture of corruption, we have cronyism, we have incompetence," she said. "I predict to you that this administration will go down in history as one of the worst that has ever governed our country."

[Placebo]

39. And she is absolutely right about that.

In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is the worst administration of all time.

[Jacobin]

10. oh, and let's send 80,000 more troops to IraqNam

smarmy crap

[longship]

12. Keep it up, Hillary.

I may have to change my opinion of you. That would be a good thing. I do not like not wanting to support you. Now, all you have to do is turn the corner on Iraq and I'll be with you 100%.

So, keep speaking out, Hillary.

[rodeodance]

13. thanks Hil. you done well today.

[0007]

24. I'll second that. Don't top punching and keep it simple and more

the left.

Bring the fucking troops home, Now!

[Hardrada]

34. Go get 'em, Mrs. Clinton.

[cali]

14. Can you spell opportunist?

And I hate the congress/plantation comparison. At this point, Hillary just enrages me. She's supporting a huge tire burn in upstate NY that will spew pollutants across the lake into Vermont. Even my repub Governor's been fighting to make sure that doesn't happen. She's supporting legislation to criminalize flag desecration, she hasn't taken a stand against the war. She's completely unprincipled.

[merwin]

20. Well, actually she's supporting legislation to criminalize burning other

people's flags, as well as using flag burning to incite a riot. You can burn your own flags in protest to your heart's content.

Yes, it's a redundant law, but it doesn't make anything illegal that wasn't already illegal.

[liberalcanuck]

57. I agree. The plantation metaphor made me cringe. It comes off

as a cheap attempt to play to the crowd. For me this is way too little too late. She's been wrong on the major issues from the beginning.

[bee]

80. Im with you on the whole plantation statement.

What poor taste. Made my stomach turn.

[CoffeeCat]

15. She's right...

...but if she truly felt these things--and cared about the horrors of BushCo--she would say this more than once a year.

Does Hillary think she can throw scraps out to every point on the political spectrum--and win EVERYONE over? One minute, she's pandering to the anti-choice brigade. The next, she's aiming down the center. Now, after notable silence--she's throwing some red meat to the progressives.

It's good news when anyone speaks out against BushCo. However, we need people who talk the talk AND walk the walk.

Our democracy is at stake. I don't have time for hollow rhetoric and no action to back up those words.

[AlGore-08.com]

29. To me the issue is that she didn't just vote for Chertoff, she praised him

As this paragon of competence who would keep the people of New York safe.

Even if Chertoff hadn't been another incompetent Smirk crony, the money and resources still probably wouldn't have been there - - because of the treasury draining war HRC voted for.

She makes all these horrific votes, and when the chickens come home to roost, she shrugs and says "ooops, somebody else's bad"... and that's supposed to be enough?

[rodeodance]

16. nominate for a SWEET day!--Gore and Hil. Any other Dems speak out?

[blm]

17. And will Bill Clinton come out on Larry King and say he doesn't agree with

her the way he did to every other Dem who spoke against BushInc the past 5 years?

[firefox]

22. If there were real reporting someone would ask Big Dog about speech nt

[tuvor]

23. You mean if the media weren't so liberal?

/sarcasm

Of COURSE someone will ask the question.

[stillcool]

19. Anyone...anyone at all...that has access to the...

Microphone...and uses it...to draw the teeniest bit of attention to the crisis this nation has entered...has done good in my book.

[occuserpens]

21. Ungrateful Hillary

Sen. Clinton makes a right point. GOP certainly runs a plantation - with Clintons for house servants.

Clintonian pathos

[WI_DEM]

25. I hope she will start to be consistent and not pander a liberal

line to one audience and a DLC line to another.

[occuserpens]

27. Why Clintons would change their way of life?

[Libby2]

28. Alright Hillary Way To Go !!

She's damned if she does and damned if she don't.

[ronnykmarshall]

65. Ain't that the truth?

Gore/Clinton '08 !!!

[The Backlash Cometh]

30. Damn. She just described my local government.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

31. Thanks Hillary!! We needed that!

While hubby may not have been perfect, he spoke of ideas with vision. He spoke of the ideals
most of us hold dear.

And it is really good to be hearing this from Hillary as well.

[VegasWolf]

42. Humor, your handle is great. Very punny.

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

32. Maybe Gore was the "keynote" speaker of a new era?

I hope so. And Hillary's speech was a part of the new offensive.

She was one of the Democratic Senators I sent a fax to re Alito last week. I also referred to the illegal spying, in mentioning we've had enough already.

[Triana]

36. "culture of corruption"....

GREAT to hear this being uttered more and more often and openly. Heard it on NPR the other day. EVERY DEMOCRAT ought to be using that phrase EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY when referencing bu$hco.

'cause it's true and 'cause it needs repetition in order to register with people.

[rodeodance]

41. that term is registering with people and glad to see Hil. use it.

[leesa]

37. Only if you guys let it honey. Have you called the Iraq war illegal and

immoral yet? I thought not.

[VegasWolf]

38. Yes Leesa!

[fshrink]

53. Easier to "apologize"

for what the other did than for what you did... It's all about minimizing risks.

[rodeodance]

40. see this thread also

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[rodeodance]

44. and makes a prediction of how History will grade Bush---I agree.

"We have a culture of corruption, we have cronyism, we have incompetence," she said. "I predict to you that this administration will go down in history as one of the worst that has ever governed our country."

[onehandle]

45. Good for her. nt

[cosmicdot]

46. did she bring up election fraud and stolen/usurped power

which is illegitimately stealing/tainting the Federal courts, hijacking our destiny, delivering disastrous bills into law, empowering corporations, wrecking the economy; and, essentially, destroying our country???

No?

I'm sure it would've brought the house down.

Calling for Alito's filibuster and not another life-time appointment for the corrupt squatters in the White House would've likely, too ... use of the word 'treason' would've blown off the roof.


Al Gore stole the day.

[loudsue]

47. Bingo! And why don't the Dems appeal to the sheeple TAX DOLLARS

in all of their rhetoric? If Dems really want to make a splash, they should start telling the people how much this "culture of corruption" is costing us, and why we don't have schools, roads, and other essentials that we used to have.

But the bottom line is, that without fair elections, all of this is an exercise in futility. Democracy will return, with a vengeance, when we get the consters out of the election machine business!!!

[goforit]

48. OMG......WTF???....Not kissing his ass any more?

[obxhead]

49. Thats why she keeps backing them right?

[allisonthegreat]

51. Hillary you Rock!

I agree it is about time, but then it is all about timing and Bush's many blunders are getting even harder for his die hard supporters to swallow!

[flordehinojos]

52. i hate to say this because there was a time when i really admired hilllary

but more recently here she seems to go with the flow..the flow yesterday for hillary was coming from al gore's tide and she rode it like a wave...the ebb follows i wonder how her votes in the senate will speak for her.

[karynnj]

54. Hillary and Gore both gave their speeches yesterday

I don't know the timing of Hillary's, but I seriously doubt that her speech was influenced by Gore's. Many Democrats spoke up in December on the issue of the wire taps. (Feingold and Kerry are two who had Senate speeches and radio interviews.) Just because the media gave very little coverage, doesn't mean it didn't happen.

Gore's was a detailed speech that pulled together all these abuses of power and condemned them - this was a very important speech, but to say that it led Hillary (or any other Democrats) is pushing things.

[Fluffdaddy]

55. Way to Go Senator

[drm604]

59. Did anyone notice the Republican response?

RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt said: "On a day when Americans are focused on the legacy of Martin Luther King, Hillary Clinton is focused on the legacy of Hillary Clinton."

Typical; attack the arguer rather than address the argument. Why can't people see through this crap?

[superconnected]

60. so does this mean hillary will wake up?

Come on Hillary, without consistence and putting your vote behind your words, they mean nothing.

[brainshrub]

61. Easy for her to do this now.

When we needed a fighter, she sucked up to this Administration.

[AzDar]

62. Hillary is an 'Enabler'. n/t

[Lyric]

63. Hillary might get the nom, and if she does...

I would vote for Hillary if she gained the nomination. I'd vote for any Democrat who gained the nomination. Of course, I'd love to see Gore come back and reclaim his Presidency, so he can show the world how a *real* statesman runs a nation.

[sniffa]

66. hi oktoberrain

weLcome to DU.

[Sparkly]

64. I'm very glad to read this!!

[CHORONZON]

67. Always welcome sentiment however...

Coming from Hillary it stinks of opportunism. I highly doubt that she would be saying this if she felt that there was much political risk in doing so. That of course is a good sign in itself. Maybe now that the Murthas Gores and Reids of Washington have decided to lead an opposition, the other Democrats will at least have the spine to follow.

[huskerlaw]

68. Way to pull your head

out of your ass, Hillary.

Now quit voting with them!

[mvd]

69. Better late than never

But she still has to back it up.

"I predict to you that this administration will go down in history as one of the worst that has ever governed our country" - it's THE worst. But good statement.

[1620rock]

70. Stop the in-fighting!! Hillary is one brilliant politician ....

...and one tough cookie. She HAD to wait until the time was right or the RW slime machine would have destroyed her. She has always been on our side. Now the time is right! A two pronged attack on the same day! Striking while the iron is hot! Go Hillary! Let the revolution begin!

[TankLV]

78. Damned of you do, damned if you don't. She just can't win according to

some here.

It's pathetic.

I'm glad she's finally found her voice.

[HockeyMom]

72. Caste System

It isn't just blacks. Rich versus poor. Middle Class elimination. Subjugation of women. The controlling force will be a theocracy and FEAR.

I did agree with Hillary about the Right Wing Conspiracy. Time has proved that one, just as, unfortunately it seems, this one will be too.

[Libby2]

74. She's got them shook up

and she's got them talking.

Again, I applaud her.

[jsmithrn45]

77. I loved it!

I haven't been to happy with Hillary lately, but after that speech, I thought she was great. And I would vote for her anyday, we need a woman in the WH. Sick and tired of all these fat white men running our government.

[Nothing Without Hope]

81. Fine, But I do NOT support Hillary Clinton as presidential candidate

I agree with everything Molly Ivins says in her column on this, and I feel it very strongly:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
thread title (1-20-06 GD): Molly Ivins: Not. Backing. Hillary.