Posted on 12/01/2007 7:08:28 AM PST by jdm
Everyone expressed gratitude and relief at the end of the hostage crisis yesterday in Rochester, New Hampshire, when police arrested the disturbed man who created it. No one got hurt and a sick man will get the care he needs, and the community will receive protection from him as well. It demonstrated the competence and patience of the Rochester police department in resolving a standoff that only gained national attention because it took place in the campaign headquarters of Hillary Clinton.
Somehow, later that evening, the Clinton campaign decided this makes Hillary look presidential, at least to Larry Sabato and the AP:
And as soon as it ended, Clinton took full advantage of the opportunity she had unexpectedly been handed.
In her New Hampshire press conference, she stood before a column of police in green and tan uniforms. She talked of meeting with hostages. She mentioned that she spoke to the states governor about eight minutes after the incident began.
The scene was one of a woman in charge.
It looked and sounded presidential, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. This was an instance of the White House experience of this campaign. They knew how to handle this.
That the crisis was outside Clinton's control gave it a rare quality in this era of hyper-controlled politicking, Sabato added.
Whats most important about it is that its not contrived. Its a real event and that distinguishes it from 99 percent of what happens in the campaign season.
Er, what? Sabato, who usually gives intelligent political analysis, must have inhaled a little deeply. Clinton was nowhere near New Hampshire during the entirety of the crisis. What was presidential about having the Rochester PD talk a hostage-taker out of a building? What "leadership" did Hillary show in Virginia during this crisis? She canceled a speech!
The AP's Glen Johnson is even worse. He breathlessly describes Hillary's efforts as "continu[ing] to call up and down the law enforcement food chain, from local to county to state to federal officials." The hostages were released within a couple of hours, and presumably their families had closer contacts with the PD, as they live closer to the offices than Virginia. "I knew I was bugging these people," Clinton told the AP, but she wanted to know minute-by-minute what was happening, so she could tell her staff and be prepared for whatever assistance she could lend. Which would be exactly .... what? If the PD wanted to have her call the ersatz bomber, they would know where to find her.
Hillary certainly didn't do anything wrong, but she didn't "take charge" as the AP implies, or look presidential, as Sabato declares. She certainly looks considerably less presidential today in trying to take credit for the professional work done by the Rochester PD yesterday. That looks a lot more like a politician than a President, and we already know her credentials for the former. This incident doesn't provide Hillary any credentials for the latter.
Jim Lynch has more thoughts, and wonders whether the FEC should consider the AP report an in-kind contribution.
Hey, I wonder how soon this will be the fault of the BUshes. Surely there will be a way to blame Pres Bush or at least Cheney or Rice.
Did you see her instruct the police officers on camera? “YOU stand THERE”.
And how about her statement, “This has been a difficult day for everyone in our campaign.”??
What would she do as president when a REAL difficulty arises?
I dread the thought.
"Oh, Rudy, it turns me on when you talk tough like that. Do it again, Rudy. You make me feel sooooooo safe. Oh, Ruuuuuuuuudy."
ROFL!
Baloney! Nobody remembers Rudy doing anything beyond what we'd expect a mayor to do - he ran around in a panic with a hanky on his nose. He gained nothing but the contempt of NYC's first responders.
Now, Hillary's PR machine will try to pull the same thing that Rudy tried to pull. "Oh, Hillary. You were so strong and calm under fire." ROFL
In full Carter mode, go into hiding until crisis is over.
“Hey, I wonder how soon this will be the fault of the BUshes”
Already happened...
A Thread on KOS last night blamed REAGAN for cutting mental health care, and blamed Bush for perpetuating it.
(Conveniently FORGETTING about Clinton’s part was excluded form the over 100 reply’s, of course)
Yup, a perfect picture of Hillary “large and in charge”.
Uh...if you're looking for left-leaning spin with some academic presence, Sabato is your guy.
This is truly hilarious - presidential, woman in charge, etc. Nobody should be surprised if you remember the Clinton years. The grovelers in the press have polished their a--kissing to a level not previously seen and are just picking up where they left off, but it's still funny to watch.
Love these incidents. Why didn't she go and and then leave. She wasn't useful in any way to the incident.
Oh, yeh...she had to go put tape on the hostages mouth. Now, they're really hostages.
Saw that too... they probably promised the perp free prescriptions for a year, no Graybar Hotel time, and a generous gratuity for giving her the photo-op,
I spent time in NYC before Rudi when walking three blocks from the theater district to my hotel was courageous given the crime situation and after Rudi.
He cleaned up NYC.
Besides, you are rude to interject that political jib in the middle of another discussion. And your last post to me was at about the 15 year old level with its insinuations.
This simply demonstrates that Sabato is in the tank for Hillary. Everything he says, certainly any poll he’s involved with from here on, needs to be taken with many grains of salt.
Would love to find out that he called the new headquarters several times and told...”get lost”. But that would never come to light. Everything has been erased and put through the blender by now.
On second thought maybe it is appropriate?
LMAO... Charlie Cook said in on ‘Hardball’ as well!
The scene was one of a woman in charge.
Well, she is the "Mother" of all B!tches.
Yep. I hate to think of what other tricks these people have up their sleeves.
It's one thing to have a little crush on Rudy, but you wouldn't want to force our troops to salute a man like that, would you?
Now, we need to know who the man is. The first reports were that he is known in that area. Did anyone catch a name?
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