Posted on 11/22/2004 12:34:33 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
The morning shows on Thursday used the opening of the Clinton Library in Little Rock as a hook to promote a second Clinton presidency -- President Hillary Clinton. During an interview with her, ABC's Claire Shipman cited "a lot of talk about perhaps in the future a second Clinton Presidential Library" for her administration. When CBS's Harry Smith pleaded with her to "at least tell me whether or not you've thought about" a 2008 presidential run, Clinton responded with the standard answer about how "I've only thought about being the best Senator I can be." That prompted Smith to lean over and put his hands around her neck as he exclaimed: "You've never seen a reporter actually choke a former First Lady on television!" Over on NBC's Today, Katie Couric wanted to know: "When do you think you'll be able to make a decision" on a presidential candidacy? Couric noted the plans for a counter-Clinton Library, treating the Clintons as victims: "Is it disappointing for both you and your husband that his detractors and critics continue to pursue him?"
-- ABC's Good Morning America, 7:30am EST half hour. Claire Shipman interviewed Hillary Clinton outside the Little Rock building. The MRC's Jessica Anderson caught this exchange:
Shipman: "A lot of talk about perhaps in the future a second Clinton Presidential Library, because you know this is your husband's party, but the buzz is all about you. You want to tell us anything on Good Morning America? Are you going to run for President?"
Senator Clinton: "Well, I'm going to run for re-election to the Senate, which I am very excited about, looking forward to. But I think if you go through this library and you look at what was accomplished during the 1990s, there's some good lessons to be learned for not only me, but for Democrats in general about what works and how better to connect with people and communicate with people. So I'm going to be doing my part as a member of the Senate, on behalf of the issues that New Yorkers and Americans care about."
-- CBS's Early Show didn't get Hillary Clinton until after 8am EST, but Harry Smith flew down to Little Rock to handle the interview from outside the library and the MRC's Brian Boyd noticed this back-and-forth as the two sat side-by-side in director's chairs:
Smith: "I've been thinking, really this has been a road down memory lane for all of us, especially some of us who have been covering all you for a while. And I'm thinking about you sitting in the kitchen of what was the Arkansas Governor's mansion with the coke bottle glasses on, now the Senator from New York and many people say perhaps a presidential candidate in another couple years."
Clinton insisted she's just running for re-election to continue working for New Yorkers.
Smith: "Now, I know you won't say whether or not you're going to run, but you can at least tell me whether or not you've thought about it."
Clinton: "You know, I've only thought about being the best Senator I can be."
Smith leaned over and put his hands around her neck as he quipped: "You've never seen a reporter actually choke a former First Lady on television!"
(See the posted version of this item for a still shot of Smith and Senator Clinton laughing as he has his hands around her neck.)
Toward the end of the 8:30 half hour, Smith and CBS reporter Bob McNamara touted Bill Clinton's popularity. Smith asserted: "Thirty-thousand people will be here in a little while, but this is very interesting. The atmosphere here today, it's, Clinton for a lot of people is still like a rock star."
McNamara: "It is amazing. You know you go downtown and you see people from all over the country. Not just all over the country, from all over the world. The man had some kind of magnetism that, you know, you just didn't realize until you came here."
Smith: "Yeah, it's a very big deal."
-- NBC's Today. Katie Couric stayed in Manhattan and interviewed Hillary Clinton via satellite. Couric empathized at one point: "I know it will house the largest presidential document collection. Some 80 million pages in it. There is an area even dedicated to what happened during your husband's impeachment. That said, some of his detractors are actually planning a counter library in Little Rock with a satellite office in Washington D.C. What do you make of that and is it disappointing for both you and your husband that his detractors and critics continue to pursue him?"
Couric, the MRC's Geoff Dickens observed, soon arrived at the question of the day: "I know you've been asked your desire to run for Senate in 20006, but you haven't ruled out a run for the White House in 2008. When do you think you'll be able to make a decision on that?"
Hillary will lose in a 47-state landslide to either:
Mark Sanford
Tim Pawlenty
Condi Rice
or...
John McCain (but God I hope not)
I'm no Hillary fan, and sometimes I want to choke her myself, but where was the Secret Service on this?
No Question she will lose, just a matter of who she will lose too.
Only 18002 years from now.
I imagine McCain will be the nominee and will want a very conservative running mate to keep the base home... Sanford seems to fit the bill...
I think McCain will be the nominee because Rudy (whom I love but can't imagine getting the nomination) will run and that will make McCain look downright acceptable on social issues... At that point, we will want the most electable person to ensure that Hillary doesn't get near the White House again... That leaves McCain... At least on foreign policy/CIA/Iraq, etc he is solid...
Then, McCain, in poor health at age 76, steps down in 2012 and gives the torch to Sanford, who wins in another landslide..?
Sounds good to me!! I'd love a president Sanford... A real movement conservative...
Sanford could be a "dark horse" candidate as well.
Are you suggesting Hillary pees standing up?
Ask Hillary where the money came from for the library and see if you get a straight answer of names and amounts.
There's nothing controversial about assuming Hillary wants to be President and asking her about it. No one believes she won't run and that she won't destroy anyone who gets in her path and that she won't break every commandment if necessary to achieve her goal.
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