Hillary Doesn't Want to Talk About Walmart --->>>

[Stephanie]

I'm voting for Tasini. I'd like to see a real primary election, not a coronation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060310/ap_on_el_se/hillary...

Clinton Quiet About Past Wal-Mart Ties
By BETH FOUHY, AP Political Writer 23 minutes ago

NEW YORK - With retail giant Wal-Mart under fire to improve its labor and health care policies, one Democrat with deep ties to the company — Sen.
Hillary Rodham Clinton — has started feeling her share of the political heat.

Clinton served on Wal-Mart's board of directors for six years when her husband was governor of Arkansas. And the Rose Law Firm, where she was a partner, handled many of the Arkansas-based company's legal affairs.

Clinton had kind words for Wal-Mart as recently as 2004, when she told an audience at the convention of the National Retail Federation that her time on the board "was a great experience in every respect."

***

"That was a long time ago," she said recently when asked if she had done anything about the company's health care policies while she served on its board.

That comment was met with disbelief from Jonathan Tasini, a longtime labor organizer mounting a longshot challenge to Clinton in New York's Democratic Senate primary.

"Voters would find it a strained argument to believe that the senator who prides herself on intelligence and knowledge of detail can't recall any details in this case. It just strains credulity," Tasini said.

[underpants]

1. Ican't believe she didn't run out to bash Walmart and its customers

My god what kind of a politician is she anyway? She should run out and give nice short eltitist sounding bashing of the 1 in 4 Amercians who will at least go by a Walmart this week. Yeah that is what she should do to placate a part of the Democratic party she is taking for granted anyway.

[onehandle]

2. Wal-mart was different back then and Dupe

See this thread for details.

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

[meegbear]

3. I thought today was hate the DLC day ...

would you people please send me schedule so I know who or what I'm supposed to rant and bitchslap on which day?

Thank you.

[ronnykmarshall]

10. Didn't you get the memo?

Friday is bash Hillary day.

Oh wait, that's EVERYDAY.

Never mind.

[AtomicKitten]

20. ok, this seems to be the way it goes

DLC, Hillary, DLC, Hillary, Bill Clinton, DLC, DLC, Hillary, Hillary, DLC.

But I could be wrong.

[NoPasaran]

25. Unless it's a month with two full moons

Then it's DLC, Hillary, DLC, Hillary, Bill Clinton, DLC, Harry Reid, DLC, Hillary, Hillary, DLC

[AtomicKitten]

26. crap, I forgot about Harry Reid

I forgot this wasn't a leap year.

[Connie_Corleone]

27. Everyday is Bash HIllary Day on DU. I thought you heard.

[Stephanie]

28. Why is it bashing? This is in the top stories at Yahoo & it's news to me.

I didn't know it was hands-off on Hillary.

[madinmaryland]

4. Did you read this part of the artical?

..snip

Bob Ortega, author of "In Sam We Trust," a history of Wal-Mart, said Clinton used her position to urge the company to improve its gender and racial diversity. Because of Clinton's prodding, Walton agreed to hire an outside firm to track the company's progress in hiring women and minorities, Ortega said.

"These were things the company was not addressing and wouldn't have, had she not pushed them to do so," Ortega said. "She's somebody who could definitely get things done."

In fact, Clinton proved to be such a thorn in Walton's side that at Wal-Mart's annual meeting in 1987, when shareholders challenged Walton on the company's lack of female managers, he assured them the record was improving "now that we have a strong willed young lady on the board."

Clinton was particularly vocal on environmental matters, pressing the company to boost its sale and use of recycled materials and other "green" products.

Garry Mauro, who served with Clinton on a Wal-Mart environmental advisory committee, pointed to many successes, such as persuading the company to establish recycling centers and sell products like recycled oil and long-life light bulbs.

"Hillary had real impact — when she had an idea, things got moving," he said. "When she resigned from the committee, it stopped having any innovative ideas and stopped being effective."

..snip

Is this bash Hillary day?

[ronnykmarshall]

11. EVERYDAY is bash Hillary day.

Didn't you know that?

[400Years]

16. as it should be

[ronnykmarshall]

17. Oh but of course .....

[400Years]

18. when do you ship out?

[ronnykmarshall]

19. ooooooo nice come back.

[400Years]

21. yeah, oldie but goody

[Stephanie]

29. Did you read the successive paragraphs?

Still, critics say there was little tangible change at Wal-Mart during Clinton's tenure, despite her apparent prodding.

"There's no evidence she did anything to improve the status of women or make it a very different place in ways Mrs. Clinton's Democratic base would care about," said Liza Featherstone, author of "Selling Women Short: The Landmark Battle for Worker's Rights at Wal-Mart."

[NYC]

5. Thanks, Stephanie.

I didn't know about the Wal-Mart connection.

[AtomicKitten]

22. of course you didn't

The Hillary haters - on both sides of the aisle - are excavating ANYTHING to give her a black eye, regardless of whether or not the "dirt" is fresh or even relevant.

Just another platform to launch yet another HATE HILLARY day here at Democratic Underground.
I guess tomorrow is a HATE DLC day with a BILL CLINTON IS A WAR CRIMINAL day to shake things up.

If this schedule changes, please someone post it.

It's a pretty pathetic state of affairs when a Democratic discussion board spends so much time and energy trashing Democrats.

[Stephanie]

23. All Democrats are not equal

I would like a progressive Senator. So sue me.

[AtomicKitten]

24. as would I

but that doesn't excuse the gratuitous trashing of a fellow Democrat.

I try to be fair in my analyses. The trashing of Hillary Clinton by both sides of the aisle is disgusting and waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay over the top.

[Stephanie]

30. What constitutes "gratuitous trashing"?

This article is in the top stories at Yahoo, and it's news to me.

[AtomicKitten]

31. it isn't the article

it's the reaction to it. People always wanting to believe the worst about her, using random polls and quotes to launch their anti-Hillary agenda. I am fully behind justifiable and reasonable criticism, however, I believe and I'm pretty sure you are aware that the rhetoric against her here at DU goes waaaaaaaaay beyond that. It's just really depressing and grotesquely unfair to hear her getting it from all sides. Let the GOP dump on her as subterfuge while a real Dem candidate emerges, but it really is totally unnecessary for anyone to assist the GOP in any endeavor including annihilating Hillary. There is a faction of those on the left (don't believe they are even Democrats) that simply don't understand the concept nor the value of solidarity in election strategy. I am not nor have I ever said we should let stuff slide; I'm just saying let's not do the GOP's dirty work for them.

[Virginia Dare]

6. I'm not flaming anyone who likes Hilary...

she has her merits, however, she was and is firmly in the pockets of several major corporations. I'm not bashing her for it, it's the only way you're going to raise enough money to be a serious Presidential candidate in this day and age. She's not the only one. The bottom line is, she sat by and let Wal-Mart be what it is today. She did nothing to stop it. Anyone who says "Wal-Mart's changed, it was different back then" is not looking at the big picture as to how we got where we are today. That's just my opinion, of course.

[radio4progressives]

9. It's not just your opinion. n/t

[Rose Siding]

7. She's mum...except when she isn't

like last month. A couple of decades ago, didn't Wal-Mart market itself as "made in the USA"?

snip>
Clinton returned $5,000 to the political action committee of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., a company with long ties to the Clintons dating back to their days in Arkansas, where Wal-Mart is headquartered.

Clinton campaign spokeswoman Ann Lewis said the money was returned "because of serious differences with current company practices."

The senator served on the Wal-Mart board from 1986 to 1992, and was close with the Walton family that created the nation's largest retailer.

But the senator signaled a new stance on the company's business practices in a speech last week, when she told the U.S. Conference of Mayors that the company should provide better worker benefits.

"Cities and states are saying we can't keep holding the bag here," Clinton told the conference, citing a new Maryland law requiring Wal-Mart to spend 8 percent of payroll in health benefits or contribute to insurance plans.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1578195

[Stephanie]

8. good - she should return it

I'm glad she did.

[shain from kane]

13. She may have been so innovative and effective then, but

now it is the cities and states that are doing the battle. Where has she been lately? Returning $5,000, which is chump change to her and to Wal-Mart. Let's face it, she hasn't done anything, and I'm not afraid to call her on it. When she could do something for the workers at Wal-Mart even since 1992, she didn't do it. When she could do something for the American workers even since 1992, instead of transferring jobs to China and Mexico, she didn't do it. After Sam kicked the bucket, and she became First Lady, for God's sake, she was considered to be the Co-President, and later as Senator, for God's sake, one of only 100 Senators, she hasn't done anything. Big talk, no action.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

12. Wal-Mart has systematically, ruthlessly . . .

. . .destroyed the fabric of rural America. Especially the Great Plains.

She should be ashamed of her sycophancy to this thuggish corporation.

That said, if she's on the ballot, I'm still a dirty dog Dem . . .

[Stephanie]

14. Oh I will definitely vote for her if it's Dem vs. Rethug

But the NY senate primary is a different matter.

[CrazyOrangeCat]

15. Absolutely.

She is truly a do-nothing, from what I've read.

But then, I'm used to senators like Kit Bond, Roy Blunt, Pat Roberts, Sam Browneye . . . . sigh.

Can I come live on the east coast again? Jersey seems like such a civilized place, in retrospect . . .

[blondeatlast]

32. RW manipulation: Wal-Mart in the '90s under Sam Walton

is decidely NOT the Wal-Mart of today.

Sam Walton probably spins in his grave for what his heirs have done to the corporation.

Note that I despise Wal-Mart and am no big Hillary fan, but this is RW manipulation and nothing more.

[IndianaGreen]

33. Money corrupts, and Hillary loves money and power!

She is no reformer, that's for sure!