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Clinton errs on Pakistan
The Politico ^ | January 1, 2008 | Ben Smith

Posted on 01/01/2008 6:15:12 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton was praised in the wake of the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto for demonstrating her command of the players and the issues at stake in Pakistan, even as another candidate, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, was criticized for stumbling over details.

But in two confident television appearances, on CNN and ABC, Clinton made an elementary error about Pakistani politics: She described President Pervez Musharraf as a "candidate" who would be "on the ballot."

In fact, Musharraf was reelected to the presidency in October. The upcoming elections are for parliament, and while Musharraf's party will be facing off against opposition parties, the president himself is not a candidate.

"He will NOT be on the ballot," said a Pakistan scholar at Columbia University, Philip Oldenburg, in an e-mail. "These are parliamentary elections, where the contests are for a seat in the national assembly. The prime ministerial candidate typically fights for victory in a local constituency, as well as lead[ing] the party in a national campaign."

A spokesman for Clinton, Howard Wolfson, said Clinton was referring to Musharraf's party, not the president himself.

And Oldenburg said that "how well the PML-Q, the so-called 'King's Party,' does would in effect be a referendum on Musharraf."

But Clinton's words appear unambiguously to describe Musharraf himself as a candidate.

"If President Musharraf wishes to stand for election, then he should abide by the same rules that every other candidate will have to follow," she told CNN's Wolf Blitzer (.pdf) Dec. 28.

"He could be the only person on the ballot. I don't think that's a real election," she told ABC's George Stephanopolous December 30.

Her error was first noted by a conservative American commentator, Thomas Houlahan.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Politics/Elections; US: Arkansas; US: Illinois; US: New York; War on Terror
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To: devolve

Good post. I posted earlier here too.


21 posted on 01/01/2008 7:11:41 PM PST by potlatch ("Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance!")
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To: PubliusMM

“And, the lemmings following her unto the sea need to be treated for their peculiar mental illness.”

Isn’t that what her HEALTH CARE plan is all about?


22 posted on 01/01/2008 7:12:28 PM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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To: potlatch

.

Hillary shrinks more to Obama in Iowa polls

That says it all potlatch!


23 posted on 01/01/2008 7:34:01 PM PST by devolve (---- - Hey Boone! - My bonus check is late again! -)
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To: devolve

Her ‘foul ups’ are helping.


24 posted on 01/01/2008 7:36:25 PM PST by potlatch ("Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance!")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

How is Aunt Fanny?


25 posted on 01/01/2008 7:39:11 PM PST by Krankor (kROGER)
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To: originalbuckeye

If this witch is elected—hopefully that will not happen—the MSM will fawn over her and Slick Willie like they did in the 90s. It was continuous projectile barfing every time one of the MSM did an interview with them. None of the reports of their evil deeds was ever initiated by the MSM—it was all done by the “alternative media”.


26 posted on 01/01/2008 7:41:00 PM PST by RightWingConspirator (Redefeat Communism by defeating Hitlary in 2008)
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To: potlatch

.

I think Al Franken is writing her “amazing true adventure” stories again!

How’s the “snow” out there Al?


27 posted on 01/01/2008 7:42:43 PM PST by devolve (---- - Hey Boone! - My bonus check is late again! -)
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To: Cicero

I find it interesting that her staff did not correct her after the first taping. Could be they fear delivering her bad news or correcting her? Therefore the emperoress has no clothes scenario occurs.


28 posted on 01/01/2008 7:43:55 PM PST by Tweeker
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To: devolve

Al isn’t here to tell.


29 posted on 01/01/2008 7:46:29 PM PST by potlatch ("Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we might as well dance!")
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To: UCANSEE2

Sometimes I miss the obvious. Must be advancing age...

LOL


30 posted on 01/01/2008 8:16:31 PM PST by PubliusMM (RKBA; a matter of fact, not opinion.)
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To: RightWingConspirator
I recently read a report that said the MSM had been harder on Hillary! than on the rest of the Presidential hopefuls. That actually made me want to retch! Poor Hillary! the victim once again. We must be strong to defeat the Clinton machine this time!
31 posted on 01/01/2008 9:34:16 PM PST by originalbuckeye
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Comment #32 Removed by Moderator

To: Bahbah

Wolfson, Ickes, Blumenthal, Begal, Lewis, Carvile etal are the SLEAZIEST most DESPICABLE people in politics and the lovely Democrats want these crappy people back...go figure!


33 posted on 01/02/2008 5:16:34 AM PST by Ann Archy (Abortion: The Human Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: originalbuckeye

That report probably came straight out of Hitlery’s camp! No objective person would ever say that. Why, Tim Russert asked a long-overdue and boni-fide question and Hitlery accused him of “piling on”.


34 posted on 01/02/2008 7:53:24 AM PST by RightWingConspirator (Redefeat Communism by defeating Hitlary in 2008)
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To: Bon mots

Quit spamming the threads with that image. Thank you.


35 posted on 01/02/2008 1:27:17 PM PST by Lead Moderator
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