Media Matters Busts Christopher Hitchen's Dishonest Campaign Against Hillary Clinton

[wyldwolf]

Summary: Criticizing Sen. Hillary Clinton over her possible appointment as secretary of state, in three separate appearances, Christopher Hitchens purported to quote Clinton from 15 years ago to attack her foreign policy credentials. On MSNBC and CNN, from November 17-19, Hitchens claimed that Clinton directed her husband in 1993 not to intervene in the Balkans because it would detract attention from her health-care program. But the source he has previously cited for the assertion does not support it.

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Contemplating the possible nomination of Sen. Hillary Clinton to be secretary of state, commentator and author Christopher Hitchens, a frequent and harsh Clinton critic, revived the unsubstantiated claim that Hillary Clinton blocked any action by the Clinton administration in war-torn Bosnia in 1993 because she didn't want it to interfere with passage of her health-care plan. In reviving the claim on MSNBC's Hardball, MSNBC's 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and CNN's Larry King Live between November 17 and November 19, Hitchens purported to quote Hillary Clinton demanding of Bill Clinton that he not intervene in Bosnia, lest, in Hitchens' words on the November 17 Hardball, it "spoil my wonderful health-care plan, which should be front and center." In a March 31 article for Slate.com, Hitchens cited Sally Bedell Smith's For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years for the claim that Hillary Clinton blocked Clinton administration intervention in Bosnia, but the book does not support Hitchens' claim; it does not mention Hitchens' purported quote or otherwise assert that Hillary Clinton directed Bill Clinton not to take action in Bosnia.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200811210008?f=h_top

[atimetocome]

1. and Idiots believe that drunk!!

[HCE SuiGeneris]

30. I love a good rodeo.

[atimetocome]

2. K and R

[Dinger]

3. K & R, Why People

listen to that pig, I'll never know.

[atimetocome]

21. and why is gets asked to be a quest is telling. The media has no shame.

[Vinnie From Indy]

4. Hitchens probably just had tee many martoonis

[desktop]

5. Hitchens and Dick Morris, two peas in a pod

They both are trying to make careers out of attacking the Clintons. Otherwise they would have no careers at all. The saddest thing I saw in the Democratic primary race was the Obama supporters using Dick Morris as their source to attack Hillary in the campaign. When you start using right wing talking points as your source, you're no better than the source.

[Phredicles]

15. Hey, that is just not true that Hitchens made his name attacking the Clintons:

He also slagged Mother Teresa.

You stay classy, Hitch...

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Hitchens

is a lush.

[Silence Dogood]

7. But...but..

Hitchens is the most discredited journalist out there.

It is said, he can be bought for--- 2 Lolly-pops and a bottle of scotch.

[mtnsnake]

8. cheaper than that

It only takes 1 lolly pop and an empty bottle of Ripple to buy him over. :)

[Silence Dogood]

11. bwahahahaha!

nothing's changed. Still as witty as ever!

Happy Turkey Day to you and WW.

I must go now, my days on this earth are numbered.

[mtnsnake]

9. K&R

[Silence Dogood]

10. Hitchens in dream sequence

thats the usual soap opera term when a character needs a reintroduction of their character's persona. Hitchen's motive sounds Kerry driven. Poor John Boy!

[AtomicKitten]

12. Nobody had a gun to her head when she lied about Tuzla, Ireland peace process, and SCHIP.

[Bucky]

19. Yeah, Hillary can get a little silly sometimes. But she's always dignified

I wouldn't have picked her as SecState, but she's not just a walking disaster waiting to happen, which is all I can say for Captain Bligh.

[progressivebydesign]

31. Oh god... the freepers would be so proud. n/t

[Beacool]

13. Hitchens? Oh yeah, that drunken ass.

Why would anyone take him seriously?

:crazy:

[SwampG8r]

14. who cares what hitchens says anyways?

[Occam Bandage]

16. I am shocked that a drunken conservative nutbag would be dishonest.

My world-view is shattered.

[judasdisney]

17. classic quote from Hitchens

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/von-hoffmann--7.html

"Sen. Obama cannot possibly believe, and doesn't even act as if he believes, that he can be elected president of the United States next year," - Hitchens, September 24, 2007

[Forkboy]

25. LOL...what a maroon.

[Bucky]

18. Just a mean drunk. I can't believe all those DUers were cheering him for his anti-God book

He's a just a mean misanthrope. He likes tearing people down and preens himself about what a great wit he is about it. But even when he gets it right, as with torture, I feel a little ickie taking his side. His anti-God book was about as profound as the stoned rants of a 10th grade pothead -- You clean up a statement like "Dude, religion is like so bogus. Like, religion starts all those wars and crusades and stuff," and you basically have Hitchens's refutation of theism.

He effectively disproved the existence of Santa Claus but didn't waste a word on the actual theological debates that serious intellectuals engage in. I don't think Hitch knows how to respectfully disagree, unless he's arguing with a TV host whose caboose he has to smooch in order to get booked again.

His hatred of the Clintons has never been rational--it's just another venue for him to ingratiate himself with the chumps who buy his words.

[Kolesar]

20. I don't remember a lot of "cheering" in the Atheists forum ... eom

[Bucky]

22. I don't read that forum. But he got quite a few rave reviews in GD a/o GDP

He spoke forcefully to some DUers' prejudices. That always wins you a few fans.

[Kolesar]

23. There are people who post here in a child-like manner

Some of them may actually be minors.

There are people who post here to make trouble. I have seen fans of the domestic automakers, Hillary, Sheehan, Pelosi, Sherrod Brown, and even solar energy suffer on account of such "behavior" in posts here. (Fans of Joseph Smith, for that matter)

It's best to look the other way. I know it's hard to do. There are a lot of people on my ignore list.

Moving right along

[Bucky]

24. Thank your for your long, thoughtful and nuanced response which I can't read

...as I have put all stinky butts on my ignore list. :o)

[Kolesar]

26. From driving, I reached a conclusion that 10% of drivers are assholes

You just gave me a data point for the internet.

[beachmom]

27. He is a brilliant writer, however. I don't see how anyone can objectively

look at his gift of the pen and not admire his work for at least a moment, even if you disagree with every last thing he wrote.

[msanthrope]

28. Hitch is still Pissed that Bill Screwed his girlfriend at Oxford

He's never gotten over that---

[and-justice-for-all]

29. Fuck off, I like Hitchens...

He does not like HRC, so what.