In Oregon, Clinton Makes False Claim About Her Iraq Record Vs. Obama's

[kevinmc]

ABC News

In Eugene, Oregon, Saturday. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, attempted to change the measure by which anyone might assess who criticized the Iraq war first, her or Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, by saying those keeping records should start in January 2005, when Obama joined the Senate. (A measure that conveniently avoids her October 2002 vote to authorize use of force against Iraq at a time that Obama was speaking out against the war.) She claimed that using that measure she criticized the war in Iraq before Obama did.

But Clinton's claim was false.

Clinton on Saturday told Oregonians, "when Senator Obama came to the Senate he and I have voted exactly the same except for one vote. And that happens to be the facts. We both voted against early deadlines. I actually starting criticizing the war in Iraq before he did."

It's an odd way to measure opposition to the war -- comparing who gave the first criticism of the war in Iraq starting in January 2005, ignoring Obama's opposition to the war throughout 2003 and 2004.

But even if one were to employ this "Start Counting in January 2005" measurement, Clinton did not criticize the war in Iraq first.

Scrambling to support their boss's claim, Clinton campaign officials pointed to a paper statement Clinton issued on January 26, 2005, explaining her vote to confirm Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State.

"The Administration and Defense Department's Iraq policy has been, by any reasonable measure, riddled with errors, misstatements and misjudgments," the January 2005 Clinton statement said. "From the beginning of the Iraqi war, we were inadequately prepared for the aftermath of the invasion with too few troops and an inadequate plan to stabilize Iraq."

But Obama offered criticisms of the war in Iraq eight days before that, directly to Rice, in his very first meeting as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 18.

Obama pushed Rice on her answers to previous questioners regarding the effectiveness of Iraqi troops, and he criticized the administration for conveying a never-ending commitment to a US troop presence in Iraq.......

[kevinmc]

1. Obama plays Chess ...Clinton plays Checkers .... Checkmate for Obama. n/t

[Jack Rabbit]

16. Hillary's been playing chess, too

She's just three pawns down in the endgame.

[slinkerwink]

2. kicking for the truth

[Mooney]

3. Wow, she calls the Bush administration's lies "misstatements" too!

[sniffa]

4. Once again, she'll say anything

She's a fighter, or something. :kick:

[Evergreen Emerald]

5. oh brother. More distortion from the Obama camp

When it mattered he voted the exact same way that she did. When it mattered he gave NO SPEECHES about the war. Held NO anti war protests Offered NO bills to bring home the troops. He stood back from his 2002 stance because it was the political safe thing to do.

More crap spewed at us. And more lemmings repeating it as if fact.

[JayFredMuggs]

6. ABC News are "lemmings"?

[Evergreen Emerald]

7. ABC news is propaganda--people who repeat it as fact and then

nod in unison at the faux outrage--those are the lemmings.

[C_U_L8R]

8. When it mattered, Hillary made the wrong decision.

While we were marching against the war, Hillary could
have joined us and voted against this national calamity... but Hillary didn't.
She made the wrong decision and look at where we are now.

[Evergreen Emerald]

12. right...its all clinton's fault.

oh brother


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5392506&mesg_id=5404813

[C_U_L8R]

14. She voted for it.

She could have stood up with us and said NO.

So yes indeed, it is her fault.. along with the others who were
in a position to stop the illegal invasion... but supported it instead.
Just go listen to Hillary's own comments at the time
and decide for yourself whether she was a cheerleader for this war.
I believe Hillary's own words and her votes speak for themselves.

[JBoy]

9. "When it mattered he gave no speeches about the war"?

I think when it mattered was at the time of the Iraq war resolution. He did give a speech about it then, it's what Hillary keeps referring to as the only thing he's ever done. Hillary wasn't making speeches then, she was too busy voting FOR the war.

[Evergreen Emerald]

10. He was not in the Senate then. And he later admitted that he did not know how he would have voted

When it mattered.

When he had the power to DO SOMETHING he did nothing. Why isn't that all over the news? Becasue the propaganda machine is bent on distorting and attacking Clinton.

And you all are so caught up in the Clinton hate that you are helping to throw stones. I used to think Americans were better than that--until Bush was elected twice. Then I thought democrats were better than that. Now I know.

[Yael]

11. Good old 1992 politics. Just wipe out a chunk of time and hope people have short memories

K&R to celebrate Mrs. Clinton's daily lie for 4/6/08. I should really start a spreadsheet to track them.

:popcorn:

[Hepburn]

13. Wow.....Hillary lied....

...what a surprise ~~ NOT!

[Thrill]

15. Give her a break

You know she needs to say or do anything now.

[roguevalley]

17. good luck lying to people in Eugene. its the UO and one of the most

educated and informed places in Oregon. Oregon is no pushover. you have to earn her. She won't be fooled by liars and they HATE hypocrites. Go, Obama.

[kevinmc]

18. K&R