Clinton starts her bid to be president

The Scotsman ^ | 2/24/03

[areafiftyone]

HILLARY Clinton is spending millions of dollars building up an office that would form the centre of her bid for the presidency, it was claimed last night.

Mrs Clinton raised $3.3 million (£2.09 million) last year for her HILLPAC charity, which was set up to distribute funds to Democratic candidates.

But a study has claimed that most of the money raised has been spent funding her own political campaign.

According to Washington’s independent weekly political newspaper, the Hill, only 31 per cent of the money raised has gone where it was intended. The rest has been spent on staff, an office, travel, direct mail and political consultants.

The revelations prompted speculation that Mrs Clinton, 57, a supremely popular figure among rank and file Democrats, could finally be gearing up for an eventual assault on the US presidency.

She has long been tipped to run for the country’s top job and has the support of her husband Bill, himself a former president.

Larry Noble, of the Centre for Responsive Politics watchdog group, said: "It looks like she’s building a national network ... the assumption on the part of many people is that this is the beginning of laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign in the future."

HILLPAC, which is headed by Mrs Clinton, exists to serve Democrats in their political campaigns. Mrs Clinton denies it has any direct authority to pay for presidential candidates, insisting: "HILLPAC was founded to elect other Democrats."

Mrs Clinton, senator for New York state, has the biggest federal allowance of any Democrat in Congress. HILLPAC director Patty Solis said overhead costs are high because it is a new political charity group and needed office equipment.

She added that Mrs Clinton gave more money to other politicians from a separate New York group, HILLPAC NY, which raised $305,000 and gave away 86 per cent of it.

The row was seized upon by the US tabloids, which carried breathless reports in yesterday’s editions.

"Hill deliver$ a huge PACkage to herself," ran a headline in the New York Post, rather unceremoniously labelling Bill Clinton’s wife a "PAC rat".

The newspaper carried a tortuous breakdown of Mrs Clinton’s financial activities, devoting most of its second page to the complicated saga.

Mrs Clinton has long been tipped to throw her hat into the ring to become a future president of the United States. Last month a poll recognised her as the overwhelming choice among members of her political party to succeed George Bush as president.

The study, carried out by Quinnipiac University, showed she was the favourite among 42 per cent of Democrats - a nearly 3-1 margin over second place Senator Joe Lieberman.

"If she even let herself be talked about seriously, she’d be the one to beat among the Democrats and she could raise zillions of dollars. I can’t figure out who in the bunch of them could beat her," said pollster Maurice Carroll.

Mrs Clinton, a vociferous political opponent of Mr Bush, was recently elected onto the Senate’s armed services committee, an influential government watchdog.

Despite continued speculation about a possible attempt to become president, Mrs Clinton has refused to comment on her political aspirations.

[areafiftyone]

If she is thinking about running (which I don't think she is) it will be the dumbest move she ever made. She will never win and will be humilated by her past. The Clintons are eyeing Edwards because he is such a wimp they can mold him the way they want I think that money will go to his campaign when and if he is ready.

[RoseofTexas]

I'm shocked I tell you, JUST SHEER SHOCKED..(sarcasm/off)

[July 4th]

She needs to be beaten endlessly over the head with all of her comments from the 2000 election. She swore to New Yorkers - multiple times on video - that she would serve her full term.

[Ramius]

Ooohhh... please run Hillary. Please do it. Please.

It's sorta the same thing, allegorically speaking, as always flushing ducks into the air before you flip the top off the duck blind. It just isn't sporting otherwise.

[TLBSHOW]

its a way to get her out of New york ....

But she said to newsmax she would not run....

[CyberAnt]

Hey - how about Edwards as her RUNNING MATE - Hmmmmm? A young good looking guy - she has always needed that - you never can tell about Hitlery.

[The Wizard]

she will never be president, because America will never trust her with the armed forces.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I'm still waiting for Ashcroft to actually do something about indicting her.
He is NOT an elected official, he has nothing to lose.
Reno is NOT there to cover for her.
IF she ever runs it will be because the Justice Dept did nothing at all.

[Mudboy Slim]

ALLLL-Right!!! The HildaBeast's an even better candidate to FReep than Al Sharpton!! Let's ALL switch OUR registration over to DemonRAT so we can vote in the DemonRAT Primary next Spring and Summer and then we can switch back to Pubbie and leave the ALLEGED support fer the HildaBeast'04 Campaign twistin' in the wind like a phat-ugly BEE-ahhhtch twistin' on the end of a noose!!

It'll be a HOOt...HildaBeast '04!!

OperationSuperFReepGuards...MUD

[areafiftyone]

How much you wanna make a bet Ashcroft will do nothing about her.

[A Citizen Reporter]

"HILLPAC, which is headed by Mrs Clinton, exists to serve Democrats in their political campaigns. Mrs Clinton denies it has any direct authority to pay for presidential candidates, insisting: "HILLPAC was founded to elect other Democrats."

Indeed. And Democrats ought to take note at how successful HILLPAC has been in electing them. HILLPAC has been around for one election cycle, and it was a devasting one for the dims. Perhaps HILLPAC exists for HILL alone......

[doug from upland]

Does someone on the Senate Armed Services Committee have to have a security clearance?

[Pining_4_TX]

If Bush doesn't do something to protect the citizenry from terrorist attacks (and taking over Iraq won't do it), he will lose to a Dem in the next election. And if that Dem is Hillary I'm looking for a new place to live.

[Chuck_A_Night_Driver]

As I understand it, Ford's theater has reopened.
I understand they are gearing up for a new play there.
Maybe she can do a fundraiuser there.
I understand the play "Our American cousin" is the title I think, won't make it to Broadway but it DOES have a crashing ending.
Night Driver

[76834]

[joesnuffy]

How much of the money can she keep?

[Libertina]

But a study has claimed that most of the money raised has been spent funding her own political campaign
A real shocker!
So, she has the support of her "husband." Pretty fast and loose with words, aren't they?

[Pippin]

HILLARY as president!!!!!!????????

YUCK!

[Ciexyz]

Queen Hildabeat portrait - LOL!

I think she'll make a formidable candidate and nothing, nothing she does will surprise me.

[Aarchaeus]

It's sorta the same thing, allegorically speaking, as always flushing ducks into the air before you flip the top off the duck blind. It just isn't sporting otherwise.

I have a high regard for sportsmanship. However, I don't consider it at all in dealing with such vermin as rats, cockroaches, democratic politicians, etc