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Clinton Says Democrats Can't Be Afraid to Take on Tough Issues
ap.tbo ^
| Oct 29, 2005
| Liz Austin
Posted on 10/29/2005 8:27:15 PM PDT by ncountylee
AUSTIN (AP) - Democrats can't be afraid to talk about hot-button issues, including abortion, and should fight back against personal attacks from conservatives if they want to regain power in Washington, former President Bill Clinton said Saturday.
"You can't say 'Please don't be mean to me. Please let me win sometimes.' Give me a break here," Clinton said. "If you don't want to fight for the future and you can't figure out how to beat these people then find something else to do."
Clinton, whose 2004 memoir "My Life" was a best seller, drew roaring applause during his speech from the several hundred people gathered in the Texas House chamber to kick off the 10th annual Texas Book Festival, an event started by first lady Laura Bush when her husband was governor.
The event, which raises money for public libraries, is expected to draw as many as 30,000 people and authors including novelist Salman Rushdie, historian David McCullough and children's author Lemony Snicket.
Clinton attributed Republicans' control of Congress to Democratic candidates' inability or unwillingness to "stand up and be heard" on issues that matter to people. For example, he said, Democrats too often are unwilling to talk about abortion because they're afraid of virulent reactions from anti-abortion groups.
"So how come we can't talk about it?" he asked. "Because we basically let political ads turn every player in this drama into a two-dimensional cartoon instead of a three-dimensional person."
Clinton also criticized political reporters and authors for failing to use reason and common sense in their writing and failing to dig deeply into stories. Instead, he said, reporters let officials get away with saying things that aren't true so stories include comment from both sides.
The former president did not take questions from reporters and did not talk about the possibility that his wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., will run for president in 2008.
He also did not address the Friday indictment of the vice president's chief of staff, I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby Jr., on charges of obstruction of justice, perjury and making false statements, other than to say the Republican Party has had "a few bad days here lately."
TOPICS: Government; Politics/Elections; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: cigarking; coward; disbarred; disgraced; duckedeverybigissue; fearfuldems; impeached; issues; lliar; phony; plasticbanana; prevaricator; rapist; scumab; sinkemporer; stained; thebentone; x42
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To: ncountylee
Did he say that without taking a poll?
To: ncountylee
"
Democrats can't be afraid to talk about hot-button issues, including abortion, and should fight back against personal attacks from conservatives if they want to regain power in Washington," former President Bill Clinton said Saturday."We all know the impeached ex-president never was afraid talking about anything, and nothing, even when he makes it up.
far as the personal attacks, I would ask Mr. Clinton, why did he and his adoring wife feel compelled to own and read over 1000 FBI Files of whom they felt were their political opponents?
22
posted on
10/29/2005 8:40:55 PM PDT
by
harpo11
To: A Citizen Reporter
Correction: it was a LIBERAL best-seller. Which goes on to show the Democrats don't have any one with his stature. Quick Question: who is the last living Democratic President in our lifetime besides Bubba? The one the Democrats kept as far away from them as possible until he showed up with Michael Moore as a guest of honor at the party's Boston Convention last year.
("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")
23
posted on
10/29/2005 8:41:07 PM PDT
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
To: Justanobody
Impeached and bent in every way!
To: ncountylee
I can just hear Howard Dean now, screaming out the new war cries of the Democrats: "Kill all the babies! Lock up all the white males and execute them! More jobs for women! We need a federal program to subsidize suitable bathrooms for LGBT users! From now on, all Scout Leaders must be gay! Bring the troops home and shoot them for war crimes!"
25
posted on
10/29/2005 8:41:33 PM PDT
by
Cicero
(Marcus Tullius)
To: goldstategop
You must be joking. That's Jimmah Carter, who has his face in front of every PR opportunity that he can imagine.
To: FormerACLUmember
Well, I can't speak to the latter from personal experience. Wouldn't want to perjure myself.
27
posted on
10/29/2005 8:43:29 PM PDT
by
Just A Nobody
(I - LOVE - my attitude problem ! WWB lives on.)
To: dubyaismypresident
That when his Presidency wasn't consumed by Monica and sex. To call Clinton a profile in courage is to give principled politicians a bad name. He wouldn't know the meaning of taking on a pitched battle unless it was an easy win. Heck with him and his wife around, the Democrats have had nothing to show for it. Its a good thing they still won't cut them loose or else we'd be in trouble right now. Clinton... the gift that keeps on giving!
("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")
28
posted on
10/29/2005 8:44:25 PM PDT
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
To: goldstategop
Isn't Carter the same one who said the American War of Independence was after all a bad mistake? And that the US should rather use gradual "peaceful" route to independence in the manner of "old" Commonwealth countries via the Statute of Westminster?
I can almost hear him wanting to say "God save the Queen!". He would be a good Canadian conservative if he moves to Canada.
29
posted on
10/29/2005 8:45:34 PM PDT
by
NZerFromHK
(HK Chinese by birth, NZer by adoption, US conservatism in politics, born-again Christian in faith.)
To: A Citizen Reporter
Jimmah Carter, who beats out the vile Clinton as the worst President in US history... and the worst EX-President in US history!
To: ncountylee
But they are afraid.
Basically they have nothing to offer! LOL! (Sorry, Willie)
31
posted on
10/29/2005 8:47:15 PM PDT
by
Salvation
(†With God all things are possible.†)
To: MurryMom
Democrats can't be afraid to talk about hot-button issues, including abortion...Will the impeached *Rodman Crinton run on the pro-abort ticket? Please?
32
posted on
10/29/2005 8:54:32 PM PDT
by
Libloather
(Geena Davis isn't man enough to play Hillary on TV. Heck, BILL isn't man enough to play Hillary...)
To: ncountylee
Clinton attributed Republicans' control of Congress to Democratic candidates' inability or unwillingness to "stand up and be heard" on issues that matter to people.
They have been heard and won't STFU to this day. That's why they LOSE, impeached trailer-trash rapist.
To: Bars4Bill
They can't. If they ran on a platform of I'll raise your taxes, I'll release killers from prison, I'll abort babies on demand and I'll kiss Osama's behind, they wouldn't stand a prayer of getting elected dogcatcher in most of the country. The Democrats know their beliefs are anathema to most Americans and yet they realize that if they ran on them, they wouldn't get too many votes. So like Slick Willie, they'll keep triangulating. Its the only means they have off staving off impending political demise.
("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")
34
posted on
10/29/2005 9:01:14 PM PDT
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
To: ncountylee
Why should anyone care what this traitor thinks about anything?
In formerly civilized times, he would've already been shot by a firing squad.
To: ncountylee
So where does HilaryCare stand on abortion, homomarriage and tax-cuts???? Screach it to the rafters Harpy!!
Pray for W and Our Troops
36
posted on
10/29/2005 9:06:28 PM PDT
by
bray
(Iraq, freed from Saddamn now Pray for Freedom from Mohammad)
To: KamperKen
The Democrats honor their felons; we shun ours. If Scooter Libby gets convicted, you'll never hear from him again. The difference between the values of the two parties is like the difference between night and day. Which fortunately is good news for us. When the Democrats grasp what morality really is all about, maybe they'll still be around. As long as they're in love with Clinton, they'll be in denial about their problems. We should consider Clinton the greatest asset the GOP has. He's emblematic of the straits the Democrats have found themselves in today.
("Denny Crane: Gun Control? For Communists. She's a liberal. Can't hunt.")
37
posted on
10/29/2005 9:09:28 PM PDT
by
goldstategop
(In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
To: ncountylee
He's preaching to the wrong crowd.
It's the Republicans who need to heed the advice but they seem to have congenital fears about anything in general and everything in particular.
38
posted on
10/29/2005 9:13:52 PM PDT
by
Spirited
To: ncountylee
From Bubba who made kicking problems on down the road into an art form.
39
posted on
10/29/2005 9:18:16 PM PDT
by
Let's Roll
( "Congressmen who ... undermine the military ... should be arrested, exiled or hanged" - A. Lincoln)
To: ncountylee
40
posted on
10/29/2005 9:31:25 PM PDT
by
cubreporter
(I trust Rush. He has done more for our country than anyone will ever know. He's a man of honor.)
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