Democrats Fawn Over Hillary at 2004 Strategy Meet

New York Post ^ | 073002

[InvisibleChurch]

Hillary Rodham Clinton stole the show at a New York gabfest of 2004 Democratic presidential wannabes yesterday with a passionate defense of her husband's policies and a sharp attack on President Bush's team as pals of the rich.

Clinton, who insists she's not seeking her husband's old job, hit similar themes to three Democrats who do want to run - but she got a much louder, more visceral response at the Democratic Leadership Council.

"She's more effective than pretty much anybody but her husband . . . She's just got it," said Los Angeles Council Member Jack Weiss.

"I wish she would run. She's very charismatic," said Maine state Rep. Lisa Tessier Marrache.

The DLC, which bills itself as the home of centrist "New Democrats," served as Bill Clinton's base when he ran for president, and Sen. Clinton's speech was the keynote at its national meeting.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (Conn.), Tom Daschle (S.D.) and John Kerry (Mass.) also spoke yesterday, with Sen. John Edwards (N.C.) and Rep. Dick Gephardt (Mo.) to follow today.

Sen. Clinton says she won't run for president - aides say vice president isn't on the horizon either - and pollsters now generally omit her from 2004 surveys. When included, she's second to Al Gore.

But the response she drew yesterday underscored the fact that none of the real 2004 wannabes was able to make the same kind of emotional connection with a friendly, receptive Democratic crowd.

Without mentioning Bush by name, Clinton denounced the president's portrayal of the go-go 1990s as an era of "binge" excess that left America with a giant "hangover."

"Now some have recently called that record a binge. Young people able to afford college, and they call that a binge? Millions climbing out of welfare into new jobs, and that's some kind of excess?" she fumed.

She painted Democrats as friends of ordinary folks and Republicans as supporters of special interests whose response to insider trading and accounting fraud is: "Don't ask, don't tell."

Behind the scenes at the event, much of the chatter was about Gore's decision to skip the forum hosted by the DLC, whose founder, Al From, has been sharply critical of Gore's populist "us-against-them" rhetoric in 2000.

"We're not into class resentment and warfare," From said - though in fact, all of the Democratic wannabes joined Clinton in using populist rhetoric to blast Bush as a pal of the rich.

Kerry said the Bush tax cut was "irresponsible and unfairly structured." Daschle said it was a tax for "the wealthiest" Americans. And Lieberman said Bush favors "special favors for special interests."

All of them, along with Clinton, said they oppose making the Bush tax cut permanent but, although they said it was a mistake, they declined to call for repeal of the president's tax cut.

Although the speakers denounced corporate scandals, DLC spokeswoman Karin Kullman acknowledged the group has taken donations from both companies and hasn't returned them.

She said the donations weren't recent but declined to specify the amounts.

Alone among the presidential hopefuls, Kerry sought to make foreign policy a central disagreement with Bush, arguing the president has mishandled the war on terror and failed to make the case for invading Iraq.

[InvisibleChurch]

INRI

[InvisibleChurch]

HillarystrikingMussoliniposeHillarystrikingMussoliniposeHillarystrikingMussoliniposeHillarystrikingMussolinipose

[Russ]

When Republicans get together and criticize Democrats it's described in the media as being "mean-spirited" I would describe this gathering of losers as just plain mean.

I agree with Rep. Lisa TessierMarrache. I, too,wish Hillary would run. The resulting landslide against her would shut her big mouth forever.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Good article. There is one thing I don't understand about this hitlery. It seems like the pubbies have always given her a pass. Now that she has taken her gloves off and cast herself as a player, she should be fair game for any sort of attack. Let's talk cattle futures. Let's talk billing records. Let's talk filegate. Let's talk secret health care task forces. Let's talk anti-semitism. Let's talk ashtrays. Let's talk behavior (eye-rolling) during the post 9/11 speech. Let's talk silverware. Let's talk buying votes of FALN terrorists and Hassidic Jews. Hell, let's talk Vince Foster. I mean, let's get it on.

[SheLion]

"She's more effective than pretty much anybody but her husband . . . She's just got it," said Los Angeles Council Member Jack Weiss.

Oh yes! Hitlery has REALLY got it!

[abclily]

This is unreal! This is the best the Democrats have? Wooden, unimaginative, shallow, power-hungry Ms Hitlery? She...talks...like...a...robot! About as charismatic as a box of rocks. I certainly hope she does run.

[KeyBored]

"I, too,wish Hillary would run. The resulting landslide against her would shut her big mouth forever."

Here in NY, many of us said the same thing when Her Heinous deemed to run for the Senate in 2000.

Go ask Sen. Lazio how that turned out.

Recipe for disaster: To one part Hillary running add one part democrat voter fraud, one part media bias, and one part republican ineptitude.

[SheLion]

Go ask Sen. Lazio how that turned out.

I'm in New England, not New York, but I was devestated when Lazio lost to her. It was a nightmare.

[spokeshave]

Does this mean that it's now OK to make eye contact with queen shrillary.....enquiring minds desire to know....?

[b4its2late]

"She's more effective than pretty much anybody but her husband . . . She's just got it," said Los Angeles Council Member Jack Weiss

Sick.

[b4its2late]

[InvisibleChurch]

the problem with Hillary! running is that she'll have the press behind her in a huge way. I'm not sure that the republicans have learned to be cut-throat enough to run against a Hillary! (can't say the word 'woman')... the press will pander to the soccermoms, and any vote against her will be a 'hate' vote against women... also, she'll go hiding behind her skirt like she did when Lazio 'attacked' her with a piece of paper during their debate...let's pray that W understands the danger of another xlinton in the WH

[Kathleen]

We will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

A Song for Hillary

The whole world will be dancing in the street
when Hillary Rodham Clinton takes her Senate seat.
No carpetbagger is she;
she's a human Statue of Liberty.
Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!
We're so glad for the joy that she will bring.
We can always count on her to do the right thing.
She's faithful and honest, too.
Thank God she's happened to me and you.
Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!
No matter what the voices of deception say,
Vote Hillary Clinton on Election Day.
No matter the problems, big or small;
she will tackle and solve them all.
The whole world will be dancing in the street
when Hillary Rodham Clinton takes her Senate seat.
No carpetbagger is she;
she's a human Statue of Liberty.
Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!
Words and Music by James Steward, Jr.

If Hitlery is allowed to slime her way back into the White House, we can kiss America goodbye.

[hauerf]

Re "HillarystrikingMussolinipose":

Mussolini never had the pose down as well as Hillary. It is more accurate to say that Mussolini was one of the first to attempt a Hillary pose. (Mussolini was able to imitate Hillary before she did her pose using the same time warping technique Hillary's parents employed to choose her name.)

[SheLion]

Does this mean that it's now OK to make eye contact with queen shrillary.....enquiring minds desire to know....?

IF you CAN. LOL!

[pollwatcher]

"Impeachment did not have to be for criminal offenses-but only for a 'course of conduct' that suggested an abuse of power or a disregard for the office of the President of the United States...that a person's 'course of conduct' while not particularly criminal could be of such a nature that it destroys trust, discourages allegiance, and demands action by the Congress...the office of the President is such that it calls for a higher level of conduct than the average citizen in the United States."

- Hypocrite Hillary Rodham, 1974

[Russ]

Fortunately, Bush is no Lazio and the majority of the
nation doesn't vote like New Yorkers.

[au eagle]

Hitlery's new girlfriend?

[stanz]

She's just got it,

Yes ,and I wish she would give it all back.

[TomGuy]

DO NOT poo-poo her running.
She has the Clinton machine in full operation, churning out every conceivable element she needs in place to make her Presidency happen.

DO NOT consider for a moment she won't run.
DO NOT think for a moment she doesn't stand a chance.
Remember 1992, when that unknown, third-rate, small-state politician challenged a war-winning, sitting, popular President---and won.

She is cunning, determined, and making every move to challenge (and try to win) the Presidency, repeating 1992, in 2004.

Poo-poo, discount, ridicule, ignore, laugh at her at your peril. She is coming, she is vicious, she is determined--and she has a lot of support on her side, including the dolting media. She is no political lightweight. Take her every move, every speech, every action serious---very serious.