Clinton Planted Iraq War Question on April 2

[DrFunkenstein]

Hillary Clinton’s Iowa campaign confirmed to Fox that one of its staff discussed questions with Geoffrey Mitchell before the senator’s April 2 event near Fort Madison, but denied atempting to plant a pro-Clinton question.

Mo Elliethee, spokesman for CLinton, told Fox that Clinton staffer Chris Hayler talked with Mitchell before the event bcause the two knew eaach other from previous Democratic activities.

Mitchell told Fox he knew Hayler because Hayler had once been with Indian Sen. Evan Bayhn’s campaign. “They had a previous relationship and were talking before the event and the topic of the senator’s position on Iraq came up, and Geoffrey said he had some questions,” Elliethee said. “Chris suggested Geoffrey ask a question.”

Asked if the Clinton campaign denied Mitchell’s unequivocal assertion that Hayler tried to plant a quesiton about Clinton trying to stand up to Bush on Iraq war funding, Elliethee declined.

“I’m not going to comment on what he said,” said Elleithee, referring to Mitchell. “They had a previous relationship, the subject came up and there’s nothing more to it than that. It’s not newsworthy. It’s inocent. It’s not yesterday.”

That was a reference to Clinton’s campaign admitting, first to Fox, that it planted a question on global warming at a Newton, IA event on Tuesday.

http://cameron.blogs.foxnews.com/2007/11/10/another-question-planted-by-team-hillary/

Yes, I know its Fox News (courtesy of My DD, who also cites a story about Clinton planting questions at YearlyKos).

Here's a blog posted April 3 on the event:

On a two-day swing through eastern Iowa this week, Clinton has put the idea of a confrontation with Bush on Iraq – and the implicit distinction between her and Obama – at the heart of her stump speech. One local Democratic Party official told The Politico that a Clinton aide had also suggested that he and other audience members ask questions about the confrontation. Clinton’s focus on the issue reflects her campaign's preoccupation – expressed openly by her husband in conversations with donors – with presenting a muddier and more nuanced view of the politics of Iraq than the narrative embraced by some political observers, which casts Obama as an opponent of the war and Clinton as a supporter.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0407/3414.html

[ixion]

1. Notice how they're all over Clinton about this, all the while ignoring BushCo's practice

of doing the very same thing every time little lord pissypants appears in public.

[DrFunkenstein]

2. You Are Right to Compare The Two

I only wish there was some way we could choose another candidate. I suppose that's the problem with dynasties. When's the coronation?

[Bitwit1234]

4. Just getting ready to say that

bush did this with his "groupies" for the last seven years and yet Fox ignored it. The fact that the audience were given pre selected questions that bush already had the answer to.

And in this speech and preaching to the minions in Indiana he is doing it again..you have to be approved to get in. So why are they not telling about that...oh...because a republican can do what he wants, but a Democrat has to do what Fox wants.

[DrFunkenstein]

3. Apparently, She Also Announced Her Senate Bid With a Planted Question

Thanks to DUer geek tragedy for spotting this one:

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): Brian, today's events were as carefully choreographed as the New York City Ballet.

(voice-over): Under pressure to either get in or get out, Hillary Clinton finally makes it official by answering a prearranged question from a friendly union leader.

QUESTION: So, is it yes, or is it no?

HILLARY CLINTON, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe that if we work together, we really can make a difference for the children and families of New York. So the answer is yes, I intend to run.

-MSNBC, November 23, 1999, THE NEWS WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/12/clintons-planted-questio_n_72294.html

"This is not standard policy and will not be repeated again." - Clinton on planted question about climate change.

[Bitwit1234]

5. Get that dig in on Clinton...get that dig in....

[maddiejoan]

6. If the plant had said.

"please Mrs. Clinton --we are begging you to run --oh please run. Say you will? Pretty Please?"

then I'd agree that this would be an issue.

She didn't do that --she just had someone ask a question so she could announce.

Big fucking deal.

Nothing to see here.

[Phunktified]

7. Saw the bit on Drudge

What's silly about the whole thing is basically someone from Hillary's campaign asked this student if she'd like to ask a question, when she said yes, the campaign aid asked what she planned to ask and the student responded that she wanted to ask about global warming and how HIllary's plan differs. What apparently slightly offended the students was that Hillary's staffer then suggested she ask the question differently because Hillary might not know much about rival's competing plans. The Hillary staffer then actually opened a binder with suggested questions under the tab "college students" and suggested a different wording. Perhaps this is where the staffer went to far. Certainly Hillary could have pivoted from the student's question to simply a discussion of her own policy. But I fail to see how this is akin to Bush's raw-raw townhalls where people ask things like how can he be our president for another 8 years...

[Phunktified]

8. Funkenstein...re; your postscript

Just want to point out, that Galo-Chasanoff told CNN today she wanted to ask about global warming and the campaign staffer suggested a slightly different wording so Hillary's point is still valid.