"Sen. Clinton works to shed liberal image"

[Bluebear]

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton courted a moderate image on Monday, urging a truce between the liberal and centrist wings of her Democratic Party and a platform that bridges differences as she positions herself for a possible bid for the presidency.

Delivering a broad overview of public affairs that illustrated how she would lead the party, Clinton blended the rhetoric of President Bush in stressing an aggressive war on terrorism with the kind of talk her husband used in forging middle-ground consensus on divisive issues such as abortion and the role of faith in public life.

Clinton's venue was the annual conference of the Democratic Leadership Council, the same centrist group of Democratic Party leaders and activists that helped launch her husband's 1992 presidential campaign and where she accepted the chairmanship of a yearlong effort to write a new party agenda.

She didn't mention ambitions beyond her 2006 re-election as New York's junior senator.

But to the audience of rank-and-file Democrats, there was no doubt that she's the biggest star in the party and the likely front-runner for its 2008 nomination should she seek it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/krwashbureau/20050725/ts_krwashbureau/_bc_hillary_wa_1&printer=1

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

1. Slowly losing my patience with Hillary

I am starting to hope someone steps up in '08. I honestly believe she'll beat any Republican but can't forget about US.

[Skink]

3. If they can paint Hillary as a lib were done.

[NewJeffCT]

11. most of America thinks of her as a liberal

it's not a matter of painting her that way - they did that in 1992 and the image has stuck. She is Hillary RODHAM Clinton to them, the woman that wanted to "socalize" our super-duper health care system.

[Skink]

19. At leat we finally beat the " Socilized Medicine" label.

[Warren DeMontague]

59. Yeah, tell that to the 45 Million Americans with No Health Care.

Single Payer looks pretty good, from where a lot of people sit.

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

73. I don't want to "beat the socialized medicine" label."

I am anxiously awaiting a national politician to embrace a national healthcare system with a patients bill of rights. That is the politician I will back fervently. Besides issues of war and peace, getting EVERY AMERICAN healthcare and protecting our rights as patients are issues right at the top of my list, as they should be for any liberal/progressive/decent human being.

[ryan_cats]

50. I agree

I agree. The thought of her and the Big Dog back in the WH is VERY tantalizing but she's a very polarising figure. I still say she needs to at least try, the rw hate machine be damned.

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

74. I just had an idea about Hillary

If she runs, as the right wing is 110% convinced she will, she will attract all of their attention and hate. If I don't end up supporting her and a dedicated liberal dem runs, that yet unidentified person might make it under their radar until Hillary is out. As much as we are accused of conspiracy theories about Rove and hating Bush, the right is a thousand times worse on both accounts about "Bill and Hill."

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Hillary can bite me. n/t

[nankerphelge]

4. Barf.

I think the video game issue should be a key focus. Keep losing elections for us DLC; apparently the strategy is to let things get so bad that people won't have any choice but to vote for dems.

[Tux]

18. Yup

Video game industry looks at the 18-35 age range. Good market Dems need but Hillary lost them.

[Solo_in_MD]

47. This issue was a real loser for her

There was no need for her to champion this. Its really a non-issue and congressional hearing will do nothing. I really wish she had taken on an issue that mattered.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. She's an opportunist

and more eager to be liked by the rich and powerful than to do what's right.

[still_one]

10. Beware of this crap

this is right wing propaganda to unite their base, and divide us

it is also used to detract from the traitors in the administration for destroying and entire CIA operation

Do NOT fall for this trap

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. She's always been too corporatist for me

and I am underwhelmed by the prospect of her as the 2008 nominee.

We can do better.

The winning nominee may be someone who's not even on the radar not.

[still_one]

37. I agree, and I will NEVER vote for her

I just suspect the right wing is behind some of this

[Skwmom]

29. She is an opportunist. She's an "I'll vote for anything as long as

I think it will further my presidential plans" politician.

[Cocoa]

6. she did that years ago

when was the last time Hillary could actually be meaningfully called a liberal?

1994 at the latest, imo.

[still_one]

7. I have to believe that this is written by a republican outlook

I will NOT vote for Hillary if she runs in 2008, but I also believe the neocons are trying to push her as the most likely candidate for the democrats. She is a polarizing figure who unites their hate agenda

[roguevalley]

8. RV works to shed Hillary Clinton.

[Inland]

9. Trying to unite democrats!?! What next, win elections???

Somebody STOP HER!!!

[Lecky]

22. No kidding

What a horror, can you imagine if Democrats were actually united? We might win an election or two.

BTW the definition of liberal is subjective, I always considered myself an extreme liberal until I came to DU. Wow!

[Skwmom]

31. If the Dems win in 2006, it has NOTHING to do with Clinton.

Of course she's setting it up so that she will take all of the credit.

[emulatorloo]

12. Who ever said she was "liberal" besides Rush Limbaugh and the BushBots?

H Clinton has never struck me as "liberal;" so I don't get the point of this article.

[Bluebear]

13. The main point is always that liberal = bad

I think the majority of Americans DO think she is liberal. She didn't want to bake cookies and she tried to make us communist with her health plan. :eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

40. She and Bill are both centrists

Only thing I think she's liberal on is some of her votes (like against Rice and Gonzalez) and the national health care issue.

[Greyhound]

56. I think Corporatists is the word you were looking for. n/t

[NewJeffCT]

55. just about everybody

Her image is that of a radical feminist, after all, she dared to call herself Hillary RODHAM Clinton, not Hillary Clinton and she led Bill Clinton's task-force to "socialize" our health care system while being called the "co-president" with her husband.

On DU, she is moderate to conservative... outside of here, she is viewed inaccurately as very liberal.

[Larkspur]

14. She's regurgitating the same argument used in the 2004 election

She must know that there will be no ABB vote for her in 2008.

She also has high negatives, which will only grow larger as she pulls farther to the right.

[Guaranteed]

15. Yup, saw that. She's gonna lose. nt

[Jacobin]

16. The transformation to full-fledged Neo-Con Corporatist Warmonger

Is now almost complete.

:puke:


:puke:


:puke:

[Cha]

17. Yeah, work your

ass right outta here.


After all..limpbaugh says "Liberal" is a dirty word so it must be true.

Liberalism..
1 : the quality or state of being liberal
2 a often capitalized : a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual and ethical content of Christianity b : a theory in economics emphasizing individual freedom from restraint and usually based on free competition, the self-regulating market, and the gold standard c : a political philosophy based on belief in progress, the essential goodness of the human race, and the autonomy of the individual and standing for the protection of political and civil liberties d capitalized : the principles and policies of a Liberal party

[Al-CIAda]

20. How are you coming on fixing the rigged elections?

Get on it, issue whore.

[Lecky]

21. Beware of RW propaganda horse shit like this

Notice the title of the article anyone?

I'm not the biggest Hillary fan but how the hell is she shedding her liberal image? By wanting unity in the party? I'm a liberal and I agree with her.

[journalist3072]

23. Thank you!

That was my first thought when I read the article.

It's classic Republican strategy......divide and conquer the Democratic Party.

And people on this board are taking the bait!

[Lecky]

26. I don't think many people on here realize how far the GOP assholes will go

to conquer and divide the Democrats. Sometimes it's subtle, in this case not so much.

[journalist3072]

36. Exactly!

And I'll go even further and give you an example of Republican attempts to divide and conquer.

Last year during the Presidential campaign, Alphonso Jackson (a black man, and the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development) said he was advising Bush on getting the black vote.

He said he was advising Bush to go after younger blacks, and forget about older blacks who came up during the civil rights movement.

He said "You can't rise as a class. You have to rise individually. It's what many of the civil rights people don't understand."

Alphonso Jackson, a Black Republican, was dividing and conquering younger blacks vs. older (civil rights movement) blacks.

[still_one]

39. That is exactly my thoughts

I will NOT support Hillary, however, this smells repuke all over it

Divide the democrats, unite the repukes

[CWebster]

61. She does not unite the party

She divides the party further and polarizes the Country as well. The Democrats need new blood, new energy, new determination, real relevance, true meaning, revitalized identity--not ruling dynasties tethered to corporate bribes.

[ConfuZed]

25. I dont care what this woman does anymore

Anyone who thinks a cheesy sex scene in a video game is more important than the outting of a CIA agent,the war in iraq and release of photos which shows our soliders (who still remain free) raping boys and girls isnt getting my vote.

[Lecky]

28. Well, at least the freepers will be happy.

[ConfuZed]

35. and thats all that matters

:rofl:

[Lecky]

43. Uh no...one could hardly say I am very freep friendly

but here is a fact - the Republicans control the WH, the Senate, the House of Reps and soon to be Supreme Court it really bothers me when "democrats" on this board bash other democrats because they don't follow lock step to their individual views.

[ConfuZed]

46. Fine let it bother you

but what should really bother you is hillary's stance when it comes to Bush sure at the fundraisers she will say things that you want to hear (if you're lucky) but when it comes to the votes she will probably vote in Bush's favor than make a big speech about becoming united with their back-wards right wing agenda.

When is the last time you've heard her or any other democratic "leader" demand a release of the photos which shows boys being raped by our solders in iraq, if this happened on Bill's watch you bet your ass some Repuke senator would out there whining like a baby.

[Lecky]

49. Does she usually vote with the Republicans in the Senate?

no

[DemonFighterLives]

27. I don't know about Hillary,

but I got the inside scoop from a freeper seer. He thinks Hillary will run and the pukes will have to run Condi against her. This particular neocon, I wouldn't think would even vote for a woman, but he is gung ho for Condi. I about fell off of my chair. Condi sold her soul to the devil and is not getting it back. I don't see where too many righties would go for her. The Koolaid must be very strong.

[MisterP]

30. that, of course, implies that liberalism is bad, because she's fleeing

from it: if she works on a liberal program if she wins (hahahaha!), the point will be raised that if liberalism is so bad, why is she now promoting it

[Clark2008]

32. Who are these rank-and-file Dems, is what I want to know.

I know no one, personally, who supports her running and I only know a handful online who do.

Where are all these alleged people who are supporting her?

Are they mystery Diebold people or something?

I live in a red state - no one here in the Dem Party supports her and certainly none of my Independent friends and neighbors. My boyfriend is from Boston - he thinks it would be a HUGE mistake to support her and his mother, who is from California, agrees.

So... where are these people?

[CWebster]

62. The same majority who don't think the war on iraq was

worth it?

So much for riding the rising populist tide.

[proud patriot]

33. I've never seen Hillary as a Liberal

centrist at best

[Kalish]

34. She knows what it takes to win...

[still_one]

41. sorry, principle is more important to me

I will NOT vote for Hillary, and know that the repukes are using her to unite their base and divide our.

It is time we look to new people, NOT the same old ones

[misscoko34]

52. so in essence, you are doing exactly what repukes want..

in not voting for hillary.....she is a far cry better than any repukes! We are going to sit here and let this country get so far in the mud that we will never recover.

[Kalish]

54. She'd be so much better than Bush or any repub

I'm sure that many who complain about her now would vote for her quite enthusiastically if it came right down to it.

[Greyhound]

57. yes, but not enthusiastically, in the same way I voted for Kerry

[western mass]

60. This slogan brought to you...

by the people who delivered us Rep* control of all three branches of govt.

[Pastiche423]

45. Win what?

[FreedomAngel82]

38. Give me John Kerry first

I like Hillary and all but not for president. At least not for several more years in the Senate to prove herself. Give me John Kerry.

[still_one]

42. No, John Kerry had his chance

we need someone who did NOT vote to give bush the authority to go into Iraq:

Boxer, Feingold, Clark, etc.

I would love it is Bill Moyers ran

[Jamison]

44. Hillary perplexes me

Part of me wants to think that this is some kind of ploy to draw republican voters over to her side as an ulterior motive, then go about liberal policy as president (if she ever were elected). The other part of me just thinks she sold out to "them":-(

[CWebster]

63. and the Clintons had their chance

BushClintonBushClinton.

Is that all there is?

Think!

[nookiemonster]

48. It has all the hallmarks of RW spin.

Plus, haven't they been trying to force HRC down our throats for quite awhile now?

[CityDem]

51. Hillary Clinton is a fucking hack

She is a political hack who will say whatever it takes to get elected. I don't trust her at all. I would prefer Boxer any day over Hillary.

[Jax]

53. See you Senator Clinton

After all, it is now and has always been about the Clinton's.

[B Calm]

58. She has been spending too much time with Bayh and Lieberman!

[GreenArrow]

64. a snake

shedding it's skin. HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS....

[tomg]

65. There is a post over on

Kos about Hillary and the DLC that is worth reading. I'm from New York, and I've had it with her "moderation." I wish I had the guts to go green. And with that said, I'll still vote Democrat in 2008.

[OzarkDem]

66. Media spin - don't fall for it

While I'm no longer a DLC supporter, I think the media is using this opportunity to create division within the Dem party and its leaders.

[JHB]

68. The media has plenty of help in "creating division" within the party...

...not the least of which is from the DLC itself.

Exactly how does it fall to them and to HC to "define the center" of the party? Where does Howard Dean fit in their scheme? He's only the national party head, right?

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

69. I understand what you're trying to say but Hillary was a warmonger

and is still behind our being in Iraq. I am a NYer and even though a vast majority of NYers were against going into Iraq, she was going to vote to go come hell and highwater. I swore never to vote for her again then. She "knew" that Saddam had nukes as did Bill say he knew that there were. BS. He knew that all nuclear and biological capabilities that Iraq had was destroyed after the first gulf war. I don't trust either one of them, and especially now since Bill has been playing footsies with the Bush Crime Family.

[JHB]

67. Related articles from Newsday:

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-ushill0726,0,6593008.story
From the Los Angeles Times

Hillary's new job: Defining the center
Party moderates pick the New York senator to draft a plan to craft the Democrats' agenda.
By Ronald Brownstein
Times Staff Writer

July 26, 2005


COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Democratic Leadership Council, an organization of influential party moderates, on Monday named Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to direct a new initiative to define a party agenda for the 2006 and 2008 elections.

The appointment solidified the identification of Clinton -- once considered a champion of the party's left -- with the centrist movement that helped propel her husband to the White House in 1992. It also continued her effort, which has accelerated in recent months, to present herself as a moderate on issues such as national security, immigration and abortion.

In her speech at the group's annual summer meeting, Clinton signaled a desire to retain her independence from any party faction. She called for a truce between the DLC and liberal elements of the party, which have engaged in a ferocious war of words over the Democrats' direction since President Bush won reelection last year.

"Now, I know the DLC has taken some shots from some within our party, and that it has returned fire too," she told the gathering in Columbus. "Well, I think it's high time for a cease-fire -- time for all Democrats to work together based on the fundamental values we all share."

and

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/printedition/nyc-ushill264358711jul26,0,3629950.story
Clinton says U.S. 'off track' since Bill left
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

July 26, 2005

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday the nation has "gone off track" in Republican hands since the prosperous years of her husband's presidency, making her case along with other potential 2008 Democratic candidates to a group that helped Bill Clinton win the White House.

Sen. Clinton received a warm reception for her plea that the party adopt a hard line on national security and back an increase in troop strength, echoing the stance of the centrist Democratic Leadership Council. She also called for expanded health care, increased jobs and better education.

Her core message was a need for Democratic solidarity.

"After four years of Republican control, our country has not only gone off track, it has reversed course," the New York senator said. "Let's start by uniting against the hard-right ideology."

If you want solidarity, Hil, the best way to earn it is by fighting Republicans, not your own party. For instance, do you plan on working closely with Dean so that the DNC and DLC put out one unified message? Because if not, then your whole "unity" bid is over before it even starts.

The DLC needs to learn that it's not the party, and that whaenever they've supported a candidate that wasn't Bill Clinton, they've been the Democratic Losership Committee.

[gulliver]

70. If she doesn't swear off the 2008 race, I'll contribute to her Repub

opponent in the 2006 Senate election.

[leesa]

71. These guys MUST get out of the beltline more often...the far right Dem

thing is dead Hillary. We don't like warmongerers...strutting tough guy crap yet they are afraid to call this fascist out for the crimes he has committed. Bunch of DLC weenies.

[Mr.Green93]

72. She is a political genius

and may well win in a landslide.

[Disturbed]

75. A bit off topic but damn...

I am curious. Did Bill Clinton know that there were no WMDs in Iraq.

He would know wouldn't he?

[realFedUp]

76. I agree...nt