Politico: Hillary Booed Again at Take Back America Conference

[flpoljunkie]

June 20, 2007

Another rough reception for Hillary

Hillary Clinton faced another chorus of boos this year at the Take Back America conference; they seemed aimed this time specifically at her line -- reflecting basically the mainstream of both parties -- that the current mess in Iraq is the fault of the Iraqis.

"The Iraqi government that has failed to make the tough decisions," Clinton said, to boos and, then, loud, forced applause from a room packed with young Clinton supporters, who had been given free tickets.

"I love coming here every year," she said ruefully.

Despite the packed ballroom, Clinton's speech was met by only occasional applause, and long passages of silence. It was one of what Mike Tomasky calls her "Laundry Lady" performances, consisting largely of a laundry list of issues, most of them domestic, ranging from stem cells to voting rights to education to corporate welfare to executive compsensation -- and that's just a start.

The contemporaneous forum on Take Back America's website -- and it's worth keeping in mind that this is hardly Hillary's crowd -- was particularly hard on her.

"HIllary doesn't really understand how nutty the American public has been made by this administration," wrote a commenter under the name of Jane Kleba. "This is not rousing... this is like a wet noodle."

posted by Ben Smith 08:57 AM

[msongs]

1. Im barack obama and I approved this message? nt

[jefferson_dem]

14. Does the truth hurt?

:shrug:

[opihimoimoi]

2. I suspect paid Pub Ops in the crowd...The Brown shirts have gone incognito

[jefferson_dem]

15. Are you suggesting Code Pink is a covert repuke operation?

:tinfoilhat: <--- ?

[opihimoimoi]

31. Don't know about Pink but I do know about Brown...them GOP thugs would do anything to win

[Captain Hilts]

3. Well, I guess those rumors of liberals having no manners are true. nt

[peace13]

4. My guess is that for this country to turn around

it will take more that a few impolite boos. Prepare to be offended!

[ShortnFiery]

8. My temperament and manners are complements: my ancestors hosting The Boston Tea Party!

British, French and German, oh MY! :evilgrin:

[Captain Hilts]

9. I have several friends there and they went to learn, not campaign...

They took their 'boos' to Capitol Hill yesterday, I'm all for that.

But when you invite someone to your conference to speak, give 'em a listen!

I guess a lot of folks there have made up their minds already.

[Arugula Latte]

32. Well, you know, when you see a chance that your biggest electoral opportunity

in years might be squandered by nominating a DLC doublespeaker who has the ability to polarize like no other person, then, yeah, tempers flare a bit ...

[senseandsensibility]

5. The audience doesn't like her stance on the war

That's not exactly a surprise is it? The left, with reason, have always criticized her for this. Since she hasn't changed anything, they will continue to do so. It's not going to go away.

[ShortnFiery]

6. But ... but all the M$M says that HRC's nomination is inevitable - they always tell The Truth.

:eyes:

[MGKrebs]

22. Who says it is inevitable? I haven't seen that.

Got a link? Anything?

[ShortnFiery]

30. Oh please, listen to an episode of Hairballs or "the strategists" on CNN?

In fact there was a runner on MSNBC yesterday asking if "it's over" for the selection of the Democratic Nominee. You can't tell me with a straight face that the M$M, most especially Rupert Murdoch (FOX) wouldn't LOVE to have HRC anointed?

[MGKrebs]

33. I guess that qualifies as "all of the M$M".

[rinsd]

34. Ironic considering this story is by a rw hack but it fits your preconceptions so its a-ok!

So much for critical thinking....

[Bitwit1234]

7. Hey did they do cart wheels for Obama....guess so.

How did you like that post? Just as bad as what you posted.....it is so sickening the way the democrats are slamming and slurring their own candidates. That's the problem. The republicans stick together but the democrats are the ones who stick the knife in the back of their fellow democrats...WHY>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[Captain Hilts]

10. My buddies loved his speech but were unaware of his more conservative speech given at AFSCME earlier

[ShortnFiery]

12. "The republicans stick together" - Yes, they also march in-lock step with military solutions ...

to all International Dilemmas.

Oh, BTW, they tend to arrive at shitty solutions to domestic problems because they only listen to their adored authority figures, i.e., multi-faceted solutions are all but non-existent.

I'd rather herd cats (free thinking democratically inclined people) with my border collie. ;)

[Totally Committed]

27. True. "The republicans stick together" -- even the ones with (D)s after their names.

And, THAT is why we are screwed.

TC

[hippiechick]

11. "The Iraqi government that has failed to make the tough decisions,"

What Iraqi government, praytell? The one Dimson et al installed, which was "voted in" during the faux/purple-thumb elections?

And what "tough decisions" are there to make when 75% of the country is rubble and Halliburton/ Blackwater forces are torturing, killing and profiteering on every corner? My first, were I part of said gov't, would be to order the US military/mercenaries/arms runners etc. the fuck out of my country, STAT.

I'd like to hear specifically what Candidate Clinton sees as 'the tough decisions' that the Iraqi government needs to address. :eyes:

[Captain Hilts]

18. Yeah, I want an explanation there too. nt

[jefferson_dem]

13. Here's a take from Swanson and LA Times -

Original Content at http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_david_sw_070620_hillary_clinton_booe.htm

June 20, 2007

Hillary Clinton Booed Again at Take Back America

By David Swanson

Ellen Malcolm introduced Hillary Clinton, talking about health care, and Clinton opened her speech with a promise to lift a ban on stem cell research.

Clinton then said, "After 8 years of this administration..." and someone shouted "Impeach him!" which Clinton ignored.

Clinton then told the story of a woman named Lilly Leadbetter working as a supervisor at a Firestone plant, who was paid less then men doing the same work. She sued and won. Firestone appealed to the Supreme Court, which recently ruled against her, with the votes of two Bush appointees. Clinton used this as an argument against the idea - which she said she hears all the time - that politics doesn't matter and the politicians are all the same.

Our Constitution is being shredded, Clinton said, citing spying, detentions, US attorney firings, silencing of scientists, retribution against whistleblowers, Katrina, and the occupation of Iraq ... Clinton moved into talking about health care. She never got to any sort of solution to the long list of problems.

Clinton then talked about the national debt and said that six years ago there was a surplus (and got some applause).

Then she went into how expensive college is. That got applause too. But what the heck would she do about it? Does she have any ideas?

As Clinton droned on about the need to have a vision, some people shouted things like "Out of Iraq Now!"

<SNIP>

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/print_friendly.php?p=opedne_david_sw_070620_hillary_clinton_booe.htm

and LA Times

"This is just one example of how the president puts ideology before science, politics before the needs of our families, just one more example of how out of touch with reality he and his party have become," she said. "And it's just one more example as to why we're going to send them packing in January 2009 and return progressive leadership to the White House.

One audience member yelled, "Impeach him!"

On Iraq, Clinton said the military has succeed by removing Saddam Hussein from power, giving Iraqis the chance for free and fair elections and to govern themselves.

"The American military has succeeded. It is the Iraqi government which has failed to make the tough decisions that are important for their own people," Clinton said, although a loud chorus of boos cut off the end of her sentence.

"I love coming here," Clinton said with a smile while the crowd continued to boo, with her supporters trying to drown the protesters out in cheers.

Members of the anti-war group Code Pink stood up throughout the audience, raising signs and holding up their fingers in a peace sign.

"I see the signs -- 'Get us out of Iraq now.' That is what we are trying to do," she said. She said she is working with Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to sponsor legislation to deauthorize the war.

One of the protesters was Laurie Meier of St. Louis, who was wearing a police-style cap and shirt that said "Pink Police" on the back. She said Clinton is responsible for her vote to authorize the war and for repeatedly voting to fund it, until the most recent spending bill that she voted against.

"To blame it on the Iraqis is a cop out," Meier said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-clinton-party-activists,1,5988368.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[SaveElmer]

17. Hillary booed at a left wing gathering...

Yeah that'll hurt her...

[jefferson_dem]

19. So those opposing the war that she helped lead us into merely serve as props in her grand scheme?

That's nice.

What other principles does/will she trample in the name of the *politics* of ambition?

[SaveElmer]

20. What a surprise...

A boilerplate answer everyone on the left will accept at face value...no evidence required...

[jefferson_dem]

23. I simply responded to your point that the boos will not hurt her politically...

I suspect some of her many handlers believe that as well. So that's the endgame, right. The politics of it all. This was merely a convenient "stage" for Hillary.

[SaveElmer]

26. Yes and your OP was meant to stimulate honest dialogue...

Which is why the small fact that about 12 people of 3000 actually booed....was left out eh?

And no doubt your subject line was not meant to insult Hillary, but simply to educate us on the details of the conference? Right?

You posted a politically inspired thread...I responded politically...

[jefferson_dem]

28. I'm not the OP and so it's not my subject line.

:bounce:

That's ok.

[SaveElmer]

29. Sorry...

Didn't look back far enough...

However...the point is still valid...

[Captain Hilts]

21. Folks are saying the same thing about Obama after his two very different speeches yesterday.

Vote Clark!

[jefferson_dem]

24. Shudder the thought! Two different speeches - in one day?! No way.

n/t

[BeyondGeography]

16. They have good taste; she is wrong to keep pushing that line

We imposed total chaos on that country, including a government that reflects the sectarian divides that fuel their civil war. She's embracing a Republican theme, which may be the point for her GE ambitions, but at least this group has the good sense to call her on it.

[illinoisprogressive]

25. she got a different reception from Obama...