Hillary triangulates Al Gore

[LiviaOlivia]

Hillary triangulates Al Gore... wonderful news
by dday
Wed May 24, 2006 at 11:18:51 AM PDT

I don't think I'm giving out trade secrets when I say that Hillary Clinton is a tactician. What she learned from the collapse of her health care plan in 1994 is that she needs to get out in front of issues, pre-empt her opponents, and piggy-back on their popularity to transfer it to herself. These aren't negative traits, they're the hallmarks of good politicians. But in her public statements you can read between the lines and understand who she fears as a rival should there be a Presidential bid in 2008.

For a time, she was clearly triangulating conservatives like John McCain and Newt Gingrich and George Allen. She pushed ridiculously frivilous legislation like a flag-burning amendment and regulation of violent video games. But with yesterday's speech at the National Press Club, it's quite clear that nobody worries Hillary more than Al Gore.

Obviously, with gas prices at record highs, energy policy is in the news. Gore's movie premiere is another factor. But more than anything, I think there's been something of a tectonic shift at work here. The conventional wisdom is clearly pointing in a different direction, and Hillary is looking to play to a left-leaning base that she obviously feels will be ascendant come 2008.

~snip~(read HRC's speech)

There are outher proposals in there, but the point is made. This most centrist of centrist senators, the master of triangulation, feels the need to triangulate to the LEFT instead of the right. That's remarkable given the results of the last two elections, and it shows how weakened the Republican Party truly is. We have talk of wind power, fuel cells, mass transit (Wow!), cellulosic ethanol, biomass, an Apollo project for energy (all of which I strongly support) right out in the open, from arguably the most high-profile politician in the country outside who doesn't live in the White House. She mentions the fantastic proposal by Sen. Obama to trade health-care services help to the automakers in exchange for improved CAFE standards. These things were simply not part of the debate a couple years ago. But they must be today. And Hillary Clinton is not one to go out on a limb like this unless she knows it won't break.

This should come as great news to anyone who wants to hand over a better world to their children, a world that's still somewhat sustainable, viable, and secure.

This is really a great speech on the merits. But it's also an historic speech of sorts, because it shows the literal shifting of the winds in Washington. Al Gore has gone from "Mr. Ozone" to a prophet, and outside of those paid by Exxon Mobil he is being taken seriously. Hillary's coming aboard signals, as usual, that she is going where the country is already at. They're with Al Gore.

~snip~

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/5/24/141851/999

[Dunvegan]

1. Oy. And how many times will Hillary shift around as a president?

Pick your own issues and stick with them, Hillary.

Hard to trust someone who changes with the tide.

[IndianaGreen]

6. I am not alone when I say I don't trust Hillary on any given issue

that I care about. She would gladly sell us out to the highest bidder!

Why Hillary when we have better people in Gore, Feingold, Kerry, etc?

[mtnsnake]

13. That's the nicest thing you've ever posted about her!

Slipping a little, are ya?

[Andromeda]

25. Really???

What a surprise.:freak:

[paulk]

39. isn't that the essence of Democracy, though?

to change with the tides? to follow what the people want?

we've got a guy in the Whitehouse right now who seems to fit your criteria pretty well...

"to pick an issue and stick with it".

[Warpy]

2. Unfortunately, she learned all the wrong stuff, as usual,

which is what party conservatives DO.

If she ever learns that doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome is a losing proposition at best, maybe she'll have something interesting to say.

Until then, she can piss about with tactics and triangulation all she wants. She's just another damn conservative and she is NOT what the party needs to win.

[bahrbearian]

5. It's insanity,, she can't think for herself...

"What she learned from the collapse of her health care plan in 1994 is that she needs to get out in front of issues, pre-empt her opponents, and piggy-back on their popularity to transfer it to herself. These aren't negative traits, they're the hallmarks of good politicians."

Good politicians ? LOL Get in front of the issues ?

[NYCGirl]

3. Perhaps, what Hillary does NOT understand is that the voters care

especially about global warming above all other issues, or that one should move left or right — what the voters want is someone who speaks from the heart about what they believe in.

[sandnsea]

4. Not part of the debate???

Wow. I am consistently amazed at how much Democrats just completey missed the 2004 election.

Anybody who relates to dday's post, please tell me, what did YOU hear in 2004. What were you telling your friends and neighbors to base their votes on. Because I can't figure it out for the life of me. All of that stuff was part of the 2004 campaign.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Hillary needs to wipe all thoughts of running for president

out of her head RIGHT NOW. She would be the worst possible choice for a Democratic candidate, IMO. Even right here at home, my good solid Democratic husband says there's no way in hell he'd ever vote for her. I probably would, but I wouldn't be happy about it.

[Lib Grrrrl]

9. Agree

If she ends up the nominee, i'll hold my nose and vote for her, becuase even she would be better than a frickin Repuke...but not by much!

I intend to oppose the FUCK out of her in the Primaries!

[msongs]

8. nice speech - makes bush look worse than ever

and people can always vote for ralph nader in 2008 by write in.

Msongs
www.msongs.com
batik & digital art
mugs and shirts

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. A portrait of Hillary:

[faithnotgreed]

14. great photo - is that intentionally red?

just kidding
though for many issues she may as well be republican

[katinmn]

23. LOL!

:hi: That's funny. :)

[mtnsnake]

11. For the 5 millionth time, she never pushed for a flag burning amendment!!!

She pushed ridiculously frivilous legislation like a flag-burning amendment

If you can prove that she did that, I'll eat my keyboard, mouse and all!! She did NOT push for a flag burning amendment. She sponsored federal legislation making it a crime to desecrate the American flag. HUGE DIFFERENCE between that and changing the constitution. She did not support a constitutional ban.

[IndianaGreen]

17. And Big Dog did not push for DOMA

He merely signed it into law.

Enough of the Bushes and Clintons!

[mtnsnake]

30. Sorry, but equating Bill Clinton with George Bush is insane

and that's exactly what you're doing when you say "Enough of the Bushes and Clintons!"

as if there isn't any difference between all of them.

Good gawd.

[IndianaGreen]

36. Feeling comfortable in your heterosexuality, aren't you?

The day you find yourself at the receiving end of bigotry and intolerance, it matters not whether it comes from an Italian fascist or a German Nazi, the end result is always the same.

Published on Wednesday, May 3, 2006 by CommonDreams.org

I'm Tired of Bushes and Clintons

by Jeff Cohen

Every presidential election since 1980 has had a Bush or a Clinton on a major party ticket. And the pundits say we're likely to see a Clinton atop the next Democratic ticket.

Unlike the last seven presidential elections, I dream of a 2008 contest that is Bush- and Clinton-free. Our country needs new leadership and fresh ideas beyond the realm of just two families.

Of course, influential political families are as old as the Republic. Our nation's first vice president and second president was an Adams; his son was our sixth president. A Republican Roosevelt dominated U.S. politics at the turn of the 20th century; a Democratic Roosevelt, his distant cousin, was even more dominant decades later (joined by our country's greatest first lady, a Roosevelt by birth as well as marriage, who toiled for human rights for years thereafter.) Then came the '60s and the brothers Kennedy...but both John and Robert were killed before the age of 47.

Those earlier eras were marked by hope or social progress. By contrast, the Bush-Clinton era is marked in many respects by political regress and decline. And as major national problems fester, neither Team Bush nor Team Clinton are willing to seriously address them.

Don't get me wrong: I'm not in any way equating the Clintonites with the extremists in today's White House. No one comes close to Bush recklessness and fecklessness. But I believe that until we sweep away the Bush-Clinton era and transcend narrow Bush-Clinton debates (and non-debates), we won't be able to put our country back on the road to social progress.

http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0503-31.htm

[mtnsnake]

38. Feeling comfortable using the same old cliches, aren't you?

The ones you use in a subject title that have no bearing upon the subject at hand? lol

[katinmn]

18. She co-sponsored Sen. Bob Bennett's (R--Utah) legislation

to criminalize flag desecration, which of course includes flag burning. She reportedly opposes a constitutional ban on flag desecration.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2005/12/5/205257/190

Clinton sponsors anti-flag burning law
by kos
Mon Dec 05, 2005 at 05:52:57 PM PDT
She's continuing to brush up on her "moderate" cred for her presidential run.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is supporting new legislation to criminalize desecration of the United States flag _ though she still opposes a constitutional ban on flag attacks.

Clinton, D-N.Y., has agreed to co-sponsor a measure by Republican Sen. Bob Bennett of Utah, which has been written in hopes of surviving any constitutional challenge following a 2003 Supreme Court ruling on the subject.

Let's see what this law does:

The Bennett-sponsored measure outlaws a protester intimidating any person by burning the flag, lighting someone else's flag, or desecrating the flag on federal property.

Lighting someone else's flag is probably already a crime. That's a no-brainer. "Intimidating any person" seems like unconstitutionally vague language. Meanwhile, banning the burning of a flag on federal property seems like an impermissible restriction unless there are similar bans on any kind of burning on federal property (which could be made based on safety grounds). Somehow, I doubt that's the case.

Sigh. Some shmuck burns a flag, and it's the end of the Republic to some people. As if our nation is that weak.

Update: Georgia10 blogged this earlier.
::
Tags: Hillary Clinton (all tags)
View Comments | 461 comments

[mtnsnake]

29. "She reportedly opposes a constitutional ban on flag desecration."

You got it.

[radio4progressives]

22. i guess it all depends on the definition of flag burning, is.

talk about going over the cliff while splitting hairs! :rofl:

thirsty? need a re-fill of that kool aid you've been drinking?

[mtnsnake]

31. The laugh is on you

since you couldn't prove me wrong. :smoke:

[autorank]

12. "Triangulates" ... isn't that what borderlines do? n/t

[AJH032]

15. Let me get this straight

Hillary is taking a liberal position on environmental policies and we're criticizing her for it?

[LiviaOlivia]

16. I don't think you're getting the irony and paradox

But I think you've done that before

[paulk]

40. you don't understand

the purpose of Democratic Underground is not to support Democrats. It's to tear them down - to find fault at every opportunity - especially when they've done something positive....

[Le Taz Hot]

41. Last I checked

it was the Republicans who had the 11th Commandment. Democrats are actually capable of independent thought.

[paulk]

42. and that commandment has served them pretty damned well

and I wouldn't classify the piss, whine, and moaning that pollutes this board as "thought".

[Le Taz Hot]

43. Honest dissention

is classified as "piss, whine and moan?" Interesting.

That commandment has them engaging in the most amazing congative dissonance since Nazi Germany and you think this is a good thing? Again, interesting.

[paulk]

44. I wouldn't call regurgitating RNC talking points and using them

to attack Democrats "honest".

I wouldn't call your tying of Nazi Germany and the Republican party and (by inference, me) honest either.


but, it is the sort of horseshit rhetoric I've come to expect here at trash democrats underground...


interesting.

[Le Taz Hot]

45. "horsehit rhetoric"

nice debate form.

I stand by my cognitive dissonance statement which you have yet to refute (because you can't) and you need to look up the word "rhetoric" before you go on -- you're misusing it and it makes you look stupid.

[paulk]

46. read this thread

and then tell me what the fuck good this crap does. HRC does something positive - comes out for renewable energy - and she gets attacked here on DU.

It's not my job to "refute" your childish insinuations or insults.

[LittleClarkie]

19. Does Bill know about this?

Shame on her.

[katinmn]

20. LOL. This is like out of the Onion!

Hailing Gore a 'committed visionary,' Clinton unveils plan to reduce oil imports by 50%

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Hailing_Gore_committed_visionary_Clinton_unveils_0523.html

I'm glad she's saying it but it does look very transparent for its political expediancy coming this late in the game and considering Gore just now has a video and book out and is making lots of TV appearances.

[LiviaOlivia]

21. Aahhh

I think that this OP says that.

[ms liberty]

24. I saw this speech yesterday and thought the same thing...

I even told mr liberty that I'd seen the speech and that Hillary was trying to steal some of Al's mojo. I'm glad she's moving our direction, but she's a day late and a dollar short. Does she think the left will just forget her move to the right/center-right? I know I won't; and I know I won't be voting for her unless she's the dem nominee.

"Hillary's coming aboard signals, as usual, that she is going where the country is already at. They're with Al Gore."

I'd rather have the person who's able to see these things BEFORE they become a problem than the person who jumps on the bandwagon when it becomes the issue du jour.

Al Gore saw this 30 years ago. He's been right on this, and on a lot of other things. The man has vision - it's only one of the reasons I would work 24/7/365 for him.

Al Gore for President 2008

[jackbourassa]

26. Yes I agree, when I heard this yesterday

The first thing I thought of was Gore.

Does Hillary believe in anything?

[Mass]

33. Sure he does, but he is not the only one. Kerry has been speaking

about energy independance and alternative energies for years too. Clark has been speaking seriously on these issues since he is in politics (not that he did not care before).

[IndianaGreen]

37. I am sure Hillary's speech was prompted by a focus group

and not out of some sense of concern about the environment and climate change.

One of these days Hillary will speak about troop withdrawals from Iraq, but that too will be because of a focus group and polls, and not from a serious concern about our troops and the failed policies of the Bush regime.

[lildreamer316]

27. She should have seen the shift coming 3 years ago.

We did. How could she be so blind?

[janx]

35. D.C. seems to do that to some people. n/t

[union_maid]

28. We're going a little over the top here

I'm second to no one in NOT wanting Hillary to be the next presidential candidate. I'm frustrated by her apparent affection for free trade, but more than anything, I don't think she can win. You have to be fair, though. She supports good legislation, too. She also votes against bad legislation. No, not all the time and yes, she's a politician. I think that one of the problems she has is that she's not a good enough politician to be president. Her political instincts are kind of "off" too much. I'm no fan or apologist, but to suggest that her basic vision for the country isn't considerably to the left of Republicans isn't accurate either.

[Mass]

32. Healthcare and Energy were central points of Kerry campaign.

Where were you two years ago?

(which does not mean that Gore does not have an important message and has not been an important player on these issues).

[sendero]

34. Ha ha...

... "What she learned from the collapse of her health care plan in 1994 is that she needs to get out in front of issues, pre-empt her opponents"

Just exactly when has Hillary actually done this and accomplished something for the voters?

Hint: getting elected is not accomplishing anything for Americans.