Clinton reaches out to the centre ground

[emad]

Hillary Clinton has called in recent weeks for Americans to find 'common ground' on abortion and said she is a 'praying person'. Is this all a pitch for the 2008 presidency?

Monday January 31, 2005
The Guardian

What did she say?
On the eve of the presidential inauguration, US Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton embraced an issue some pundits say helped seal a second term for George Bush: acceptance of the role of faith in addressing social ills. In a speech at a fundraising dinner for a Boston-based organisation that promotes faith-based solutions to social problems, Mrs Clinton said there has been a "false division" between faith-based approaches to social problems and respect for the separation of church and state ... Mrs Clinton invoked God more than half a dozen times, at one point declaring, "I've always been a praying person."
Michael Jonas in the Boston Globe, January 20

What about abortion?
Mrs Clinton said on that the opposing sides in the divisive debate over abortion should find "common ground" to prevent unwanted pregnancies and ultimately reduce abortions, which she called a "sad, even tragic choice to many, many women". In a speech to about 1,000 abortion rights supporters near the New York State Capitol, Mrs Clinton firmly restated her support for the supreme court's ruling in Roe v Wade, which legalised abortion nationwide in 1973. But then she quickly shifted gears, offering warm words to opponents of legalised abortion and praising the influence of "religious and moral values" on delaying teenage girls from becoming sexually active.
Patrick D Healy in the New York Times, January 25

http://www.guardian.co.uk/editor/story/0,12900,1402035,00.html

[bowens43]

1. Hillary is losing it.

Trying to play all sides makes her look like an idiot. Let's hope that this isn't the future of our party.

[wtbymark]

2. Hillary is just trying to look centrist

...because she thinks she has a chance in 08'. she has lost it - her support that is. Give up the dream Hillary, it aint gonna happen. Thats why she's opposed to Dean, because he doesn;t think she has a snowballs chance in hell either.

[MisterLiberal]

6. No way! She's playing the game!

That's what we HAVE to do; use the language to our advantage.

If that's what the corn jerkers need to hear, let her talk up a storm.

As long as she doesn't start to really believe it.

[CWebster]

9. Rather than play on wedge issues

The Democrats could have a powerful economic message to appeal to those "corn-jerkers - who may not be as stupid as Washington insiders must believe they are. Hillary is trying to position herself in the center based on the Right's view of the field, but all she succeeds in doing is alienating all sides.

She ain't fooling anyone.

[MisterLiberal]

10. You don't get it!

Do you really believe she's a moderate? I guarantee you that she's got a lot of votes out of these appearances.

If we just don't self-destruct over this, we have a good chance Hillary will be in the WH in 2008.

The only danger would be if she started believing what she's saying, but I can't see that happening.

[IrateCitizen]

18. Yes, she IS a centrist-moderate...

Liberals and progressives don't vote in favor of bankruptcy reforms that benefit Wall St. at the expense of working families and single mothers. Hillary did.

Liberals and progressives don't vote for measures that allow a President to attack a country that has not threatened us, and then speak glowingly of the overall military effort. Hillary did.

Hillary is NOT a liberal. Most important, she has NEVER been one. How many times do we have to see this kind of consistent behavior before we stop expecting the "bait and switch" that is never going to happen?

Hillary is an opportunist corporatist centrist. Her record is that of one. She'll campaign in 2008 as one, if she runs. And on the snowball's chance in hell that she actually IS elected, she'll govern as one.

[MisterLiberal]

22. I disagree.

Hillary knows the power of words, that's all.

If you're in front of a bunch of polka lovers, you tout your love of polka. If you're in front of a bunch of anti-choice people, you don't aggravate them and make sure they don't vote for you; you throw them a bone. But it doesn't matter because she will govern from the reasonable left, which is what we need.

[IrateCitizen]

23. Is she your Senator? Do you follow her RECORD?

I only ask this because she IS my Senator, and I DO follow her record.

What I am referring to are not public appearances, they're VOTES and comments ON THE PUBLIC RECORD.

If you want to see what a candidate will do when elected to a higher office, you do three things: look at their record, look at their record, and look at their record.

You're trying to refute my statement by comparing apples and oranges.

[bowens43]

26. Hillary doesn't have a chance.

She is the most hated woman in America. She would ensure the most massive conservative voter turn out in history.

I know very few Democrats who would vote for her.

[bowens43]

25. Sure violate our principles , become just another huckster.

No thanks. This isn't a game. We need to highlight the DIFFERENCES between us and them, not blur them into non-existence. Hillary is just giving us more of the same crap that got us where we are today.

If she is saying it and not believing it then she certainly doesn't deserve our votes or their votes.

[rman]

34. She's playing a repub game, they'll drag her down to their level

and beat her on experience.

Why play by their rules?

[Tinoire]

3. The Christian Right is now in the DLC & the PPI

Expect a rash of talk about God, God, God and more crap along the lines of the "Faith-based initiatives" they've suddenly started spouting. They just brought one of Ralph Reed's right hand men from the Christian Coalition, a PNAC signatory named Marshall Wittman on board and made him both a DLC and a PPI spokesperson/Sr, Advisor. He's listed right up there with Al From and Will Marshall. This is very scary stuff.

Reposting from an older post because this is damn important:

It is NOT by accident that the DLC and PPI are very close in philosophy to... elements on the other side. The DLC's latest acquisition from the neo-cons is a PNAC signatory named Marshall Wittman who was one of Ralph Reed's right hand men in the Christian Coalition. They think so highly of him that they made this "prodigal son" an official DLC spokesman and a Sr Advisor of the PPI (the DLC's version of the AEI). The gall.

The Christian Coalition is now in the Democratic Party courtesy of the DLC. It is little coincidence that we are suddenly hearing all this talk of "fath-based initiatives" in the party & politicians are mentioning "God" in every other sentence and letting us know how they just pray, and pray and pray several times a day.

We are in a fight for the soul of our party and they will stop at nothing. Big, big money at stake here. What we are fighting are the corporations, the Military Industrial complex, the National Endowment for Democracy, the neo think tanks, etc... Right now they're trying very hard to fracture the anti-war movement knowing full well that it's the glue holding many of us together because of our rage over Iraq and the political cohabitation that led to it. They will stop at nothing to divide us nor will they stop at anything to keep power.

We can't let them win. The stakes are too important.
==

Straight from the page of the DLC's neoliberal Progressive Policy Institute, they seem SO proud of their latest addition as they trumpet his "accomplishments":

PPI | Bio | September 22, 2004
Marshall Wittmann
Senior Fellow

Marshall Wittmann is a senior fellow at the Progressive Policy Institute. Previously, he was Director of Communications for Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Mr. Wittmann has served in various positions with the Hudson Institute, Heritage Foundation, Christian Coalition, and in the administration of President George H. W. Bush.

http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=87&subsecID=112&contentID=252919

*Here's the entire Staff list: http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_sub.cfm?knlgAreaID=87&subsecID=112


In order to find the right spokesperson, please contact our press office at [phone].

DLC Spokespersons:


Al From, founder and chief executive officer of the DLC.

Bruce Reed, president of the DLC.

Holly Page, vice president for strategic development for the DLC.

Ed Kilgore, policy director for the DLC.

Debbie Cox, chief of staff for the DLC.

Marshall Wittmann, senior fellow.

PPI Spokespersons:


Will Marshall, president and co-founder of the Progressive Policy Institute.

Rob Atkinson, vice president of the Progressive Policy Institute and director of PPI's Technology & New Economy Project.

Paul Weinstein Jr., chief operating officer of the Progressive Policy Institute and PPI senior fellow, covering issues of pension and tax reform, transportation policy, and corporate responsibility.

John Cohen, director of PPI's Community Crime Fighting Project.

Edward Gresser, director of PPI's Trade and Global Markets Project.

David Kendall, director of PPI's Health Priorities Project.

Jan Mazurek, director of PPI's Energy and The Environment Project.

Steven Nider, director of foreign and security studies.

Andrew Rotherham, director of PPI's 21st Century Schools Project.

Fred Siegel, PPI senior fellow, covering urban issues, smart growth, and transportation.

Marshall Wittmann, PPI senior fellow.

http://www.ndol.org/ndol_ci.cfm?kaid=86&subid=85&contentid=1238



Marshall Wittman

Marshall Wittmann is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and one of the nation's most quoted analysts on political and congressional issues. He specializes in the growing role of the independent voter.

Prior to joining the Institute, Wittmann held notable positions in government and private institutions. In the private sector, he served as the Heritage Foundation's director of congressional relations both for the U.S. House and Senate. Wittmann also served as the Christian Coalition's director of legislative affairs. In the Bush Administration, he served as the deputy assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services. Wittmann also was the legislative representative with the National Association of Retired Federal Employees and a public affairs specialist with the National Treasury Employees Union. He holds both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Michigan.

Wittmann is widely quoted on issues concerning politics, elections and Congress. He has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post.

http://pewforum.org/events/0410/wittmanbio.htm

You really have to get a load of this site!:

Bioethics
Death Penalty
Faith-Based Initiatives
Just War Tradition
Religion and Gay Marriage
Religion and Human Rights
Religion and Public Schools
Religion in American Public Life
Religion in Politics
School Vouchers
September 11 and Beyond

http://pewforum.org/issues /

====

At the Hudson Institute, he was the

Director, Project for Conservative Reform
Senior Fellow

http://www.hudson.org/learn/index.cfm?fuseaction=staff_...

(the page was recently blanked out now that he's had a miraculous transformation from neo-con to Dem but the links of his name still point there).

And when you research Marshall Wittman + Conservative Reform, you discover that he left that to go manage John McCain's campaign (oh yeah, Wittman had managed Alan Keyes campaign at one time)

Bill Kristol and Marshall Wittman- real tight buds there.

Really scary stuff...

[readmylips]

4. Hillary is finished...

she didn't fight the fight.

[Dr Fate]

5. "Flip Flopper"

Now I understand that the GOP/media will trash DEMS no matter what they do- but why make it so easy for them?

[MisterLiberal]

7. You guys don't understand

This is politics; you say what you have to in order to win.

The Repukes do it all of the time.

We need to take every legal advantage *wink wink* that we can. This is political WAR!

Why should we be playing by gentleperson rules when the Repukes street fight?

Hillary needs to tell each and every group what they NEED to hear. THink about it; which is more impressive; hearing a candidate with your own ears saying what you WANT to hear, or hearing about it through the "liberal media".

Get it? Hillary is making favorable impressions on groups that traditionally wouldn't vote for her. And the funny thing is that the Wacky Wingers have torn down the integrity of the national media to their voters that when they hear the "liberal news" say that Hillary is liberal THEY WON'T BELIEVE THEM!

[Dr Fate]

12. I get it- its the "Me too" strategy- it cost us the 2002 midterms & 2004.

We lost congress in 2002 b/c all the DEMS were running around saying "me too" on Bush's Iraq plan.

"Me too" was how Kerry got the "Flip-flopper" label in 2004- it stuck too.

No one will vote for a "me too" candidate when they can get the originator.

Yeah- I "get it"- and I've seen the "me too" strategy fail in 2000, 2002 & 2004.

[MisterLiberal]

14. One thing you left out

She's not making these actual campaign stands; these are single place treatments. Remember, she is talking directly to people who have been told she's Satan. When she shows up IN PERSON talking like them, they will have a much more favorable view of her.

Watch the 2008 campaign; this won't be a part of her campaign. It's about playing the stage you're on, that's all.

Patience, my friends, patience. 2008 isn't that far away.

My only question is who can run as her VP? T'would be cool if her hubby could!

[CWebster]

15. No it won't

All the Republicans have to do is play her up as a panderer.

They already trash her as a liberal and she is not. So, she is branded by the Right, but recognized as not a liberal- by the Left.

What is there to win?

But still, it won't make any difference if the fix is in and she is the pre-selected.

[MisterLiberal]

17. Then we can't play into the Repukes hands!

We only hurt ourselves by trumpeting all of this.

What is there to win? THE WHITE HOUSE. Hillary Clinton will be President this time in 2009! By then, the Bush administration will be so hated by the people that his coattails will tarnish Repukes.

[lyonn]

38. Yup, it's the fixes that worry me

Paranoid?? I may be but, Kerry appeared to be a "fix." "They" figured out who could win and decided it wasn't Dean, Clark, etc. I thought the "fix" was in on Bush in 2000, sure worked. Why can't we get our "fixes" to work? It had to be the "no verifiable history" on Bush and the hammer of Rove. Deny and counter-claim like a broken record. Can't tell you how many people here in OK that tell me that it's better to be fighting the terrorist over there than here. Go figure!

[Dr Fate]

19. Will all this stop Swiftboat style attacks?

In my opinion, she should be more worried about how she will fight the upcomming GOP/media smears, rather than racing to see how fast she can agree w/ Bush...

[bowens43]

27. YOU don't understand.

Maybe lying to get a few votes in order to win is ok with you but it's not ok with the vast majority of Democrats.

If you believe that deception is ok then you are in the wrong party.

[MisterLiberal]

30. I'm sorry, but.

Until we start playing hard ball like the Repukes, we're going to end up short on election day.

We need to use EVERY single tactic that is in the books and even some not yet in the books to win.

Besides, it's lying to the Wacky Wingers, not our people.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. She also may be preparing for a tough reelection campaign in 2006

If Rudy runs, it will be one of the most competative races in the country. If not it will be a cake walk.

[MisterLiberal]

11. She has already won 2006

There's no way NY is going to elect a Repuke to Senate! They already have enough elected Repukes to make them sick.

The real stage is 2008. That's what theater Hill is playing for.

[Freddie Stubbs]

13. Rudy is very popular in NY

Even if he doesn't win, he will force HRC to spend a lot of time and money to get reelected.

[MisterLiberal]

21. Rudy is a paper tiger

He used 911 for his own political benefit but you see he hasn't run for anything, has he?

Remember when he WAS running against Hillary? He dropped out because of *cough* prostrate treatments *cough*.

He knows he can't win against Hill.

[Freddie Stubbs]

28. Any Republican who can get elected twice in NYC is

far more than a 'paper tiger.'

[MisterLiberal]

31. ?

NY is the heart of Blue Country; the East Wing Brother of San Francisco!

No way he gets elected Senator of NY!

[Freddie Stubbs]

33. It also hasn't elected a Democrats as Governor in over 14 years

It may be blue when it comes to President, but its electorate has shown a willingness to go for Republicans from time to time.

[NashVegas]

36. that's not saying much

If he hadn't stepped down voluntarily, Hugh Carey could probably still be governor.

For all of its 'blueness' NY is a conservative state in the manner of: change comes slowly. It it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Freddie Stubbs]

37. Mario Cuomo didn't step down voluntarily

The voters replaced him with a Republican.

[rniel]

16. I will fight against her

from the moment she decides to run. If she squeezes through and gets the nomination I'll have to vote for her if there is no 3rd party candidate.

[MisterLiberal]

20. Why?

Third parties sound nice but have no real power!

You're telling me you'd help the Bushies get in office in 2008?

Did you vote for Nader?

[rniel]

35. Yes

I would help Bushies get into office. I would go to that extreme because democrats do not listen to the people anymore. I have been ignored and abused by them for too long. I don't want republican-lite anymore.

[OneBlueSky]

24. isn't Hillary up for re-election in 2006? . . .

you can bet your last dollar that her opponent will demand that she commit to serving her full term if re-elected . . . if she makes that commitment, she won't be able to run for president without being called (justifiably) an opportunist and a liar . . . and if she doesn't, she jeopardizes her re-election chances . . . a lose/lose situation, to be sure . . .

[Mitt Chovick]

29. So what?

Bill pledged to serve out his lat term as governor of Arkansas. No one made a big deal out of it, that he failed to do so.

[MisterLiberal]

32. !

Really! We have to stop letting the Repukes tie our own hands!

She runs for Senate then AT HER DISCRETION she runs for President.

[Mitt Chovick]

39. Really! We have to stop letting the Repukes tie our own hands!

You've got that right. We got to quit worrying about what they say or what they think of us.

[DemocracyInaction]

40. To Hil or Nor to Hil

All I know is, we are not going to win squat in '08 with any used retreads. We need a brand spanking new baby faced assassin in '08. Yesterday's goods come with baggage and an image of living in the past. Recycle your trash but let's stop recycling these politicians and really move on.