When the Lincoln Bedroom was up for sale during the Clinton Administration

[TheDormouse]

--allegedly.

Why do so many Americans question the ethics and trustworthiness of the Clintons?
A large part of it is that the Republicans and conservatives have been gunning for them for the past quarter-century.

But here's the thing:
The Clintons' own actions haven't really helped.

February 1997

President Clinton and top aides were intimately involved in orchestrating a broad campaign fund-raising operation during his first term and explicitly authorized the use of the White House as a tool to woo or reward big donors, according to internal documents released yesterday.

Although the president has portrayed himself as removed from the money-collecting tactics that have spurred congressional and criminal investigations, the records show he took a hands-on role in directing the effort down to small details.

Among other things, Clinton personally authorized a variety of perks for top party contributors, including golf games and morning jogs with him and overnight stays in the Lincoln Bedroom, the documents show. Memos written by close advisers confirm that small White House gatherings with the president were intended to stroke wealthy backers. The documents include references to "Coffee w/Top 20 Fundraisers," "donor events . . . in the White House East Wing" and "servicing dinners (White House)" for those who chipped in at least $100,000....

During a brief exchange with reporters yesterday, Clinton denied trading White House sleep-overs for large checks, saying his motive in inviting contributors to stay at the executive mansion was to soothe the bruised feelings of supporters who considered themselves shut out since his election in 1992....

In (Harold) Ickes's files, the idea of using overnight stays in connection with campaign fund-raising first appeared in writing in the White House response to a Jan. 5, 1995, memo from Terence R. McAuliffe, then national finance chairman of the Democratic National Committee, who outlined several strategies to "energize" generous givers.

Clinton welcomed the idea. "Ready to start overnights right away," he scrawled in response....

Ickes's records show that the White House was also concerned with raising money for the legal defense fund set up to pay costs from the Whitewater investigation and Paula Corbin Jones's lawsuit against the president....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/lincoln.htm

So, can you see why some might be skeptical when certain candidates say that their decisions in office have been and will be completely uninfluenced by concerns over campaign or family foundation donations from wealthy patrons and corporations?

[MineralMan]

1. Again, is Bill Clinton running to become President?

Last I heard, he is constitutionally unable to do that. I see no mention of any actual candidate for the office in your excerpt.

[TheDormouse]

2. Is there an ethical case to be made

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/clinton-offers-transparency-on-foundation-655496771563

RACHEL MADDOW: Let me ask you one-- last question. Which I'm asking in part because we're here in New York. Which is-- the headquarters of The Clinton Foundation, and The Clinton Global Initiative. Is there a case to be made, an ethical case to be made that The Clinton Foundation and the global initiative should essentially be wound down as a family foundation while you run for president?

I ask that because I think about the-- the good works, the good charitable works that The Clinton Foundation has done. But the way that some of that work gets done is by soliciting donations from people in this country, from people around the world, from organizations around the world.

I think it is not unreasonable to suspect that people may give donations to The Clinton Foundation hoping that they will favorably influence your opinion toward them, as a presidential candidate, or eventually as president if you're elected. Is there an ethical concern there that there should be essentially-- a split between you and your family, (COUGH) and-- and-- and this foundation, that has done good work? But now you're in a different position-- with regard to potential donors.

HILLARY CLINTON : Well, look, I-- I think that-- the work that it's done has been extraordinary. And I give the credit to my husband and my daughter, because I haven't been involved-- for that long. And, you know, when I look at what they've accomplished, and what they've been able to amplify in terms of saving lives-- by getting the price of drugs for HIV/AIDS down in sub-Saharan Africa.

It's quite astonishing. And I would hate to lose that creativity, that imagination, that-- extraordinary flexibility. So, I think the answer is transparency. And there is no doubt that there will be-- complete transparency about-- donations.

But when you have hundreds of thousands of people who are donating-- as they do-- I think that-- the best-- answer for that is what we have been doing for the last several years. And that is-- to be transparent about it. And let-- you know, let voters and others make their judgment.

http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-full-transcript-rachel-maddow-interview-442486?

[dchill]

5. Hillary Clinton's definition of transparency...

includes a generous coating of mud. I'll look into it.

[MineralMan]

11. That article is about Bill Clinton's administration.

It's not about Hillary. Hillary is running for President, not Bill.

This is not about a candidate for the Presidency. It's about a former President. How long ago was that, exactly, and how does it have anything to do with the issues in 2016?

White House overnight visits were never prosecuted. No charges were brought. It was just a right-wing Republican attack, like all the others. So, now, we bring back 20-year-old things that went nowhere to attack Hillary?

It demonstrates the paucity of the opposition to Hillary's nomination. It's truly a sad excuse for an argument.

[TheDormouse]

18. "No charges were brought" = unable to distinguish between illegal vs unethical nt

[MineralMan]

19. Not at all. I know the difference.

Yes, I do. Personally, I consider it unethical to try to hang peccadilloes from the past on someone else. But that's just me. The article is about Bill Clinton. He's already been a popular President for two terms.

[think]

3. The way he's been showing up at polling places and shaking hands I'm beginning to wonder...

[MineralMan]

7. He's campaigning for his spouse, just like

the spouses of all candidates are doing. For goodness' sake!

[Avalux]

8. Again, the Clintons are a package.

Tell me with a straight face he won't influence his wife.

[MineralMan]

12. Well, since he was President for two terms, I suppose

he might have conversations with her. What's your point?

[Avalux]

13. LOL seriously? The two of them are a business. n/t

[dchill]

9. IMO, this is his way of getting another term...

without the responsibility or the oath.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

10. I'll put him down as an influential insider. Hey, a 2 for 1! Remember the package?

[MineralMan]

14. I see. I suppose every President's spouse talks

with the President about issues. Spouses often discuss things together. I would expect Hillary to draw on Bill Clinton's experience as President to some degree. Most Presidents consult with former Presidents on a frequent basis.

[nichomachus]

23. In a way, yes.

Hillary has a paper-thin list of accomplishments. Ask a Hillary fan and two of the items they will list among her accomplishments are that she was "first lady of Arkansas" and "first lady of the US." In other words, she counts as major accomplishments the fact that she was married to Bill Clinton while he was elected to office. So, that door swings both ways.

And they made a huge issue back in '92 about how they were a political "team," and all indications are that she had a great role to play in his presidency. So, we have to assume, that -- just as Francis and Claire Underwood -- they will govern as a team should she manage to fool enough people and get elected.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

26. In case you didnt notice, Hillary is a woman and is therefore held

to a different, weirder, bullshit standard than men.

[1StrongBlackMan]

30. Upon reading the OP ...

I immediately thought of the OP you posted earlier today.

[Downwinder]

4. Hi-dollar B&B

A President has to make a living.

[DanTex]

6. 1997, huh. Old school right-wing smears...

[MineralMan]

17. Two-decade old Right-Wing smears

raise their useless ugly heads again, it seems.

This is embarrassing for Hillary's opponents, I would think. It reflects the weakness of their opposition to Hillary as the nominee.

"Well, Jim, we can't seem to come up with anything that sticks. Let's throw some Bill Clinton stuff from the 90s against the wall and see if slides down to the floor, too..."

[TheDormouse]

21. This is why you cannot understand

when people say that they do not trust Hillary.

from another thread
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1616655

paraphrasing from that thread--Hillary has been the most trusted woman in America for the past 20 years but then as soon as she runs for president, people claim she is not trustworthy.


Hillary is one of the best-known women in the world, and has many admirers. A plurality name her as the most trusted woman. But there are also many, many who do not trust her. To understand why, you need to understand her history in the national spotlight, and that history includes actions she and Bill took when Bill was president.

[MineralMan]

22. And when she is the Democratic nominee, will

you continue with these strange attacks? Answer that question, please.

[SidDithers]

15. Travel Office! Whitewater!!...

Sid

[one_voice]

16. These are allegations & stories?

maybe to smear the Clintons when Bill was office?

[MineralMan]

20. Yabbut, Clinton...evil...bad...must destroy...

[TheDormouse]

24. Did

- the Clinton administration under the DNC's leadership and at Bill Clinton's personal direction reward top party contributors with stays in the Lincoln Bedroom?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/campfin/stories/lincoln.htm

- is Hillary perceived by a majority of Americans as not being honest and trustworthy?
http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/page/politics/washington-post-abc-news-national-poll-march-3-6-2016/1982/

- did Hillary, on accepting the nomination to be Secretary of State, promise that the Clinton Foundation would disclose its donors? Did the Clinton Foundation fail to disclose all of its donors?
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-04-29/clinton-foundation-failed-to-disclose-1-100-foreign-donations
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-clinton-donations-idUSKBN0MF2FQ20150319

- when asked yesterday if the Clinton Foundation and global initiative should be wound down as a family foundation during her campaign for the presidency (and her possible presidency, should she be elected), did Hillary say that the Foundation should continue to accept donations because transparency is all that is necessary?
http://www.newsweek.com/hillary-clinton-full-transcript-rachel-maddow-interview-442486

[Jackie Wilson Said]

27. GOP is what this is.

[JoePhilly]

25. RW water from 1997? No thanks.

No one is that thirsty.

[wildeyed]

31. +1

Right?

[pbmus]

28. Better a bedroom than the middle class

[MFM008]

29. Really?

Maybe Sanders will have all his supporters in the white house for sleepovers and drum circles.

[FreakinDJ]

32. Disgusting