Clinton: "Not interested in attacks on opponents"; "Turn up the heat" on Republicans

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: November 11, 2007
Clinton sets crosshairs on Republicans

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she's "turning up the heat" on the Republicans, taking aim at the party numerous times in her speech at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson Jackson Dinner Saturday. With what appears to be the beginning of a new campaign slogan for the New York senator, Clinton used the phrase "turn up the heat" to emphasize that Democrats should be launching their attacks on Republicans instead of spending their time looking at "who's up and who's down and who says what about whom."

"We have to ask ourselves, 'what is this election going to be focused on?' Clinton said. "I'll tell you what I want to do. I'm not interested in attacking my opponents. I'm interested in attacking the problems of America, and I believe we should be turning up the heat on the Republicans. They deserve all the heat we can give them."

"You listen to the Republicans who are running this year," Clinton continued. "They see eight more years of George Bush. They see a nine trillion dollar debt and say lets spend trillions more. They see that we had one rush to war, and they say wait why not have one more?" Clinton said that Americans are "done with Republicans and their failed policies" and added that "Democrats need to decide what (they) are for."

Clinton listed a number of things that she says Republicans are unwilling to "fix," like No Child Left Behind, the growing concern over healthcare, and the environment. After each bullet point, Clinton asked the audience of about 9,000 Iowa Democrats, "What are we going to do?" and each time the throng of Clinton supporters shot back, "Turn up the heat!"

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/11/clinton-sets-crosshairs-on-republicans/

[USA_1]

1. ''I'm interested in attacking the problems of America''

This is something we can all agree upon.

The American dollar continues to decline in value and is now worth less than the Canadian currency. Because of that we are paying more for foreign commodities such as oil. Yet, throughout the Internet, I see Republicans writing that it is Democrats who are responsible because they oppose nuclear technology.

So where is the Democrats response?

Why haven't they capitalized on the issue by pointing out that it is Republicans who have caused the decline in value?

Why haven't they mentioned that it was Republicans who refused to promote solar energy (a Democratic initiative back in the 70s under Carter) which would have eliminated foreign oil dependency?

Will the Democrats continue to allow Republicans to always frame the issues and to allow themselves to be on the defensive???

The time has come for Democrats to stop being passive and to take the fight to the Pukes. I'm not optimistic that this will happen any time soon but, as always, victory in politics is a matter of choice. Dems can win back the White House any time they want. But do they really want it???

Attack the Pukes now by pointing out all the messes they have created and victory will be assured.

[Rock_Garden]

2. Fantastic!

This approach is bound to be highly effective for Senator Clinton. It's past time for all our candidates to turn up the heat on their Republican opponents. That's what I've been looking forward to hearing from all of them.

:hi:

[mtnsnake]

3. Good stuff indeed. nt

[Yael]

4. And we will

AFTER THE PRIMARIES

:D

[Rock_Garden]

9. Must you be so reasonable?

:D

[Bitwit1234]

5. That is because she has class and character

some thing her main opponent does not and will not have.

[BeyondGeography]

10. Fer chrissakes, it's because she's leading in the polls

let's see how much she cares about attacking Republicans when that changes.

[emilyg]

6. Thanks for posting.

[calteacherguy]

7. "Democrats need to decide what they are for"

I'm for Obama!

Fire it UP!!!!!

[IndianaGreen]

8. Like Bush in 2000, Hillary will have her proxies take the low road

while she takes the high road.

We've been down this path before, just who do they think they are kidding?

[jgraz]

11. More "Waaah, don't hit the girl" blather from our First Woman President(tm)

Somebody wake me up after she loses the primaries. :boring:

[creeksneakers2]

12. when did she say that?

[Sparkly]

13. She didn't.

:eyes:

[laugle]

17. Your gonna be the next RIP VAN WINKLE, lol.....

I couldn't resist that one! I see you are your usual "sunny" self!!!

[AtomicKitten]

14. She has her surrogates attack her opponents.

Karl Rove 101.

[GreenArrow]

24. surrogates like Elizabeth Edwards.

Whoops, wrong candidate, wrong surrogate! I guess with Edwards, he has no choice at this point but to be agressive as hell, yet running the risk of being seen as too negative, while Hillary can depend on her surrogates to do her dirty work. But whether she does it, or her surrogates do it, she needs to keep Edwards and Obama on the defensive. Edwards in particluar, has lots of hittable targets if she wants to go after them.

[bigdarryl]

15. Come on Hillary your playing bad cop good cop your sending your goons to do the dirty work

[bvar22]

16. Oh, NOW Hillary wants to fight Republicans.

Where was she the last 6 years when Kerry, Feingold, & Boxer were really out front fighting the Republicans?

[oasis]

18. She's the Dem frontrunner, apparently most Dems saw what you failed to see.(eom)

[sandnsea]

20. She just TALKS about fighting Republicans

Neither her or Bill ever actually fight them.

[sandnsea]

19. What complete and utter horse shit

Good god how can people be so willfully blind. She attacked Obama with her sneering comments about "change" and everybody knows it. Her phony voice inflections. Every time she gets on stage, she's somebody new. This is just ridiculous.

[Perry Logan]

21. Far out! A candidate who remembers who the enemy is. DUers take note.

[Inuca]

22. Yeah, sure, whatever....

Just off the top of my head: "irresponsible and naive".... "the comments were inappropriate"... WHo said that? Who were the "republicans" these comments referred to?

Sheer posturing from the acknowledged front runner, nothing else. Not to mention the attack and criticism of her democratic opponents implied by these very same comments.

[Armstead]

23. The "Above It All" DLC Clintonian strategy again

Just like Bill. Rather than actually engage, she takes the approach of "I'm above it all" rather than actual;ly engaging in a campaign of ideas.

[zulchzulu]

25. Oh, this was the part of the speech after she attacked the other candidates...

Watch her speech. She mentions about how some aren't experienced enough to be president and then tries to play the "Above The Road" card.

Nicely played...nicely played... another pristine example of taking both sides of an issue...

:boring: