Posted on 11/18/2002 2:55:08 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Sen. Hillary Clinton's expected elevation to the top spot on the Senate's Steering and Coordination Committee means she'll be running a big part of her party's propaganda machine - a move that has some fearing a return to the era of Clintonian smash-mouth politics.
Mrs. Clinton's promotion was announced on Monday in the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, which noted that Democrats, frustrated over their election losses two weeks ago, had turned to her to "develop a plan to counter Republican spin."
The new post means that the ex-first lady will likely get a chance to fulfill an ambition she's had since coming to the Senate two years ago: Delivering the Democratic response to President Bush's next major policy address.
The more visible role as her party's chief Senate message crafter would also enhance her prospects to win the Democratic Party's presidential nomination in 2004.
But it's her reputation for slash and burn attack-style politics that has Republicans concerned about a return to the days when Clintonites used private detectives to dig up dirt on political enemies and information gleaned from illegally obtained raw FBI files was disseminated to the press.
Even before her appointment as chief of the steering committee, Mrs. Clinton relished leveling the most outrageous attacks against the Bush White House.
Last May, when reports surfaced that President Bush received an Aug. 2001 CIA briefing that al Qaeda was preparing to hijack U.S. airliners, the New York Democrat rushed to the Senate floor to make insinuations that Bush was covering up advance knowledge of the 9/11 attacks.
"The president knew what? My constituents would like to know the answer to that and many other questions," she complained. "Why (do) we know today, May 16, about the warning he received. Why did we not know this on April 16 or March 16 or February or Jan. 16 or Aug. 16 of last year?"
Such attacks were mild compared to the tactics invoked by the Clintons to prevail during the impeachment battle four years ago, when the White House attack machine enlisted the aide of pornographer Larry Flynt. The "Hustler" publisher promptly announced a one million dollar reward for sexual dirt on congressional Republicans.
The move forced the resignation of Rep. Robert Livingston, R-La., who was set to become Speaker of the House the day Clinton was impeached, but resigned instead after Flynt threatened to expose his extramarital affairs.
Never underestimate EVIL!
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