What Is Clinton Hiding? The Media Begins To Notice The Clintons' Secrecy. Let The Vetting Begin!

[KittyWampus]

What is Clinton hiding?
March 16, 2008
The Chicago Tribune

In politics, honesty is not always the easiest policy. Barack Obama got a reminder of that when he released a list of "earmark" expenditures he has proposed -- including a $1 million request for the University of Chicago Medical Center, where his wife, Michelle, is a vice president. In his meeting Friday with the Tribune editorial board, Obama indicated that he should have left that item to fellow Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, but he's willing to disclose it and be held accountable.

Hillary Clinton, by contrast, often seems to operate by the maxim that silence is golden. When asked whether she would release a list of her earmarks, her spokesman dodged the question, while declaring that she is "proud of the investments in New York that she has secured." But for now, at least, not proud enough to let voters know what they are.

This exercise in secrecy is part of a Clinton pattern that grows more worrisome all the time. The former first lady often says that she, unlike Obama, has been thoroughly vetted, rendering her impervious to Republican attacks. In fact, there are some important things unknown about her -- and her conduct suggests she wants to keep it that way. Which raises a question for voters: What is she hiding, and why?

There is, for example, the matter of the Clinton tax returns. Obama has released his, but she has stalled on following suit. (John McCain also has balked.) When asked about them in a February debate, she insisted she would make the returns public. But when asked if she would do so before the March 4 primaries, she replied, unconvincingly, "Well, I can't get it together by then, but I will certainly work to get it together. I'm a little busy right now; I hardly have time to sleep."

Clearly this is a sensitive point with Clinton. When Obama pressed the issue recently, her spokesman accused him of "imitating Ken Starr." Never mind that clean-government groups like Common Cause also have called on her to release her returns.

Why are these documents so important? Partly because such basic information is rightly expected of modern presidential candidates. John Kerry released his in 2003, before the primaries even began. Partly because they would reveal details on what her husband is being paid for consulting, and who has paid for his travel.

Disclosure might shed light on Bill Clinton's dealings with the likes of Canadian mining magnate Frank Giustra -- whom the former president accompanied on a 2005 trip to Kazakhstan. Giustra landed a major uranium mining deal on the trip, and not long after made a secret $31 million donation to Clinton's charitable foundation.

Bill Clinton has declined to disclose the donors to either his foundation or his presidential library, which makes it hard to know if wealthy individuals may be trying to curry favor with the woman who may be president -- and if so, who they are.

Maybe all the suspicions are unwarranted. But the best way for Hillary Clinton to put them to rest is to let the sun shine in.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/chi-0316edit2mar16,0,1138530.story

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

1. The tables are about to turn. As Hillary would say, now the "fun" begins.

[The Wielding Truth]

2. Wow, a politician who will be held accountable. The Difference.

It's what causes me to slide my support to Obama. If any of the Republican Party government employees would have ever been accountable for any of the misery they have wrought. I would have a bit of respect for them.

[uberblonde]

3. The Clinton campaign has said on or about April 15th.

And definitely before the PA primary.

They've said this several times in the last month.

[seafan]

5. No delay needed for 2001-2006 returns. She's stonewalling.

We are very interested in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

[Cheap_Trick]

37. she needs a little more time

for her accountant to come up with clean returns.

[DearAbby]

7. How hard is it?...............n/t

[Skwmom]

33. Yes, how hard is it to XEROX the tax returns you've already filed?

[KittyWampus]

10. there are her earmarks, WH archives, library donor lists,

[bilgewaterbill]

11. Nita Lowe said it again on MTP this morning.

[closeupready]

28. She evaded answering the question about Hillary releasing her returns.

While I think Ms. Lowe did well, when confronted by Russert about the tax returns, she said something like, "There are returns from past years available." And then moved on to the next question. Which I took to mean that everyone involved is aware that those returns must not be released until after she has been nominated or else everyone forgets and doesn't care anymore.

[me b zola]

32. I was really struck by her evasiveness

I even said out loud, "I'll be damned, they really are hiding something."

[closeupready]

35. Absolutely. It was so clear.

n/t

[krkaufman]

40. I expect some mysterious bureaucratic issues will delay the release one more short week...

... until just after the PA primary.

[catgirl]

47. Actually, she told Russert during the debate- on or BEFORE 4/15

Although I don't understand why she can't show them now.

[Voice for Peace]

4. Bravo. k/r

[Cha]

6. The big dog ate her homework syndrome..

"There is, for example, the matter of the Clinton tax returns. Obama has released his, but she has stalled on following suit. (John McCain also has balked.) When asked about them in a February debate, she insisted she would make the returns public. But when asked if she would do so before the March 4 primaries, she replied, unconvincingly, "Well, I can't get it together by then, but I will certainly work to get it together. I'm a little busy right now; I hardly have time to sleep."

Understandable..she wasn't quite so inevitable anymore..oops. Only Obama's had time to get his, not Xeroxed, copied and turned in.

[goclark]

26. Ring,Ring,Ring

How will she ever get everything done when she can't get the accountant to do the math. :sarcasm:

[cooolandrew]

8. EXCELLENT I am so glad I started my poll today. =)

[City Lights]

9. I posted this in the Editorial forum. I *really* like the timing of this

editorial, coming the Sunday after the Friday that Obama spent 90 minutes answering all the Tribune's questions. :D

Hillary is in for a rough ride.

[Frank Booth]

12. That's troubling. . .

Don't believe for a second that the Republicans aren't waiting to use this against her in the general election.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

13. she needs a tractor trailor for her "truck load" of scandal n/t

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

14. why do you think Obama just spilled his guts at Chicago Tribune?

cause now all of his stuff is out in the open.

Vetting is done.

How many days or weeks would it take for Hillary to spill her guts (not that it would ever happen_?

[Brandnewday]

15. Breaking: Obama has released only 1 year during his senate career

What is Obama hiding?

http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=6543

And AP reports he has not revealed many of his earmarks.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/13/politics/main3936743.shtml

[tabasco]

16. Fact Check: Obama's State Senate Records Are Publicly Available

http://factcheck.barackobama.com/factcheck/2007/11/14/fact_check_obamas_state_senate.php

Thanks for playing.

The transparency debate is one Obama is GLAD to have.

[120cars]

17. Only 1 year of taxes

Are you saying the AP is lying?

Busted.

AP:

Barack Obama is open about the pet projects he's tucked into federal legislation, but it's a different story when it comes to the extra spending he added to state budgets while serving in the Illinois Legislature. [/div

[tabasco]

19. Say what????

I was responding to a post about Obama's ILL Senate records.

Bone up on your reading comprehension, troll.

But since you brought up tax returns, whre is Hillary's tax return from last year?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/08/obama-suggests-clinton-sh_n_85645.html

[Frank Booth]

21. Except you're just wrong.

Obama released several years of past tax returns during his 2004 U.S. Senate run and has made subsequent returns public as well. Illinois' other senator, Democrat Dick Durbin, also discloses his annual taxes. Over the last decade, Durbin has consistently devoted a share of his income to charity that is above the national norm, sometimes double.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0704250022apr25,0,3205433.story

[Yael]

18. Documents you can Xerox

Surely she doesn't think the public is expecting her to take time out of her schedule and head to the Kinkos. We expect her to have her accountants do that. NOW. Starting with 1999.

[psychopomp]

22. She is all about secrets

and clearly has a lot to hide.

[Frank Booth]

23. Yes, it's really quite troubling...

[4themind]

24. Hillary Clinton and the Chamber(library) of secrets -nt

[closeupready]

29. Exactly. One phone call from her, and they're released pronto.

She's stalling.

[tabasco]

20. Why is Hillary hiding this info from Democratic voters. I'll tell you why:

She knows it is harder to beat Obama than to beat McCain. She wants to grab the nomination without disclosing her dirty laundry. The republicans would then RAKE HER OVER THE COALS for hiding information. If she discloses the information, the republicans will destroy her. Either way, Hillary would give us a weakened candidate in the general election and assure a McCain presidency. Hillary is putting her own ambition ahead of the good of the party and the good of the Nation.

[psychopomp]

25. I think she is damned if she does, damned if she doesn't

at this point.

[City Lights]

30. Agreed. She's hiding because she's got lots to hide. She should just drop

out now so she can keep her secrets safe.

[meow mix]

27. Russert was going on about it earlier, its still in blooming mode.

lots yuet to happen with this.

[DerekJ]

31. kick

[DerekJ]

34. kick

[TheZug]

36. The Rethugs are holding back on HRC, just wait and see.

[Scurrilous]

38. Kick

:kick:

[BeyondGeography]

39. By the looks of it, the Clintons have a lot to hide

[tabasco]

41. Bill Clinton has REFUSED to turn over the library donors list.

We know Saudi Arabia is one of the biggest donors.

Who else is on that list?

Oh, I know it's crazy to think a Clinton could be dishonest or have something to hide.

The Clintons have obviously put their power / $$$$ grab over the good of the Democratic party and the good of the country!

WAKE UP PEOPLE!

[Major Hogwash]

44. And see, to me, that's just wrong. How do we know some of the funds for that library

haven't been funneled into Hillary's campaign?

I mean, she loaned her campaign $5 Million big ones in January.

Where did she get that kind of cash?
This is something that we really need to know because I don't think I will ever trust someone who isn't willing to tell us where they got their money when they are public figures running for public office.

It should be the law that any officials running for office should have to publicly disclose their tax returns.

[tabasco]

45. Hillary tap danced when asked about the library donor records.

But when they asked Bubba about them, he said NO!

What are the Clintons hiding?

[juajen]

42. As she is wont to say, they will be forthcoming.

I suspect she wants the suspense to build up and when it is at its zenith, she will produce the records that will be boring in the extreme, and will make all the people clamoring for them feel really silly. It's an old game called "rope-a-dope". You young things ever hear of that?

Gee, if I'm right, I let the cat out of the bag, and if I'm wrong, I'll look like a fool. Oh, well, in for a dime, in for a dollar.

[juajen]

43. As she is wont to say, they will be forthcoming.

I suspect she wants the suspense to build up and when it is at its zenith, she will produce the records that will be boring in the extreme, and will make all the people clamoring for them feel really silly. It's an old game called "rope-a-dope". You young things ever hear of that?

Gee, if I'm right, I let the cat out of the bag, and if I'm wrong, I'll look like a fool. Oh, well, in for a dime, in for a dollar.

[KittyWampus]

46. she needs to be vetted.

[DearAbby]

48. Kicking....because there are still no release of these files

[NorthernSpy]

49. the press aren't remotely as hard on her as they should be...

I guess working the refs pays off.