Daily Kos

What does Washington DC know about Hillary that we don't, and should?

Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 07:59:05 AM PDT

On March 3, 2008, John Aravosis posted on Americablog a piece enitlted; "What will the Republicans throw at Hillary Clinton in the fall?"

In the post he suggests that there is a lot of information about Hillary that the public doesn't know and that Washington has kept quiet about.  As hard as that is to believe.

Now I like John, though sometimes I disagree with him.  But I have to wonder what are these explosive revelations that he is sitting on.  And why aren't we hearing them?

In his post he wrote:

So, what will the Republicans throw at Hillary in the fall?

Lots. But I'm not going to detail those things today because I'm, surprisingly, still pulling punches with regards to what I write about Hillary. I don't want to damage Hillary should she become our nominee, as increasingly unlikely as that appears. I don't want to write about very real scandals in Hillary's past, scandals that we will be forced to revisit for the next 8 months, and 8 years. I don't want to write about the rumors about Bill that no one has written about to date, even though the rumors include lots of details which are at least just as true as Obama being a Muslim. While Hillary's campaign is pushing known lies about Obama, such as the "Muslim" connection, most of the stories about Hillary are anything but lies. They're real stories that she will have to discuss publicly, again and again and again, to her and our party's detriment.

But I'm not going to be discussing the details of those stories today because I don't want to make our candidate damaged goods in the fall. You will notice that neither Obama's campaign nor Obama's official, or unofficial, surrogates are talking about the Clintons' past or present scandals, the Clintons' negatives, what a Clinton run for the presidency will to Democratic congressional races and governor races across the country. The Clintons are counting on the fact that none of us will write about their negatives, because we're too nice. So they can get as dirty as they want, with impunity.

This is where I disagree with John.

If there is some very damaging material on Hillary, does anyone think, despite John McCain's assurances last night that he will run a respectful campaign, that these charges will continue to be kept under wraps?

Does anyone really think the their anti-Hillary 527, C.U.N.T., or like group will not throw all this at Hillary?  Rovian tactics say that there really doesn't have to be anything to them, they just need to throw them out there and see what sticks and then exploit it.  Chances are they already have the information and just waiting for the opportune time to use it.

Shouldn't we know all this before we are locked into a candidate?  We know that the Republicans will use everything they can to damage her. Even with the knowledge that after spending 16 years defining her and painting her as the devil incarnate, she will activate their base, they will ensure victory by going for the kill.

An October surprise?  Just release all the alleged information that is bottled up in Washington on her (information John says he has now).

An October surprise after we've locked on a candidate, long after we should have had this information. Long after we can do anything about it.

I appreciate John not wanting to damage one of our candidates.  But sitting on this alleged information  even if she gets 65% or more of yesterday's delegates does her, the party and us no good.  In reality it should have come out weeks ago.

The Republicans will not be so considerate, and we cannot wait for this information until after Denver.  We shouldn’t wait for this information until after more primaries.  We shouldn't have waited so long as it is.

We need to know now.

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Full disclosure: I am a Barack Obama supporter, but have said I will vote for Hillary if she is the nominee.

Tags: John Aravosis. Hillary Clinton (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions

Permalink | 23 comments

  •  i always wonder why former clintonites (4+ / 0-)

    are now on obama's bandwagon.  what do they know that we don't?  not saying that there is any huge scandal, but i question why they don't support her.

    •  Probably the same reason (0+ / 0-)

      That a lot of us are now supporting Obama:  they think Obama is a better candidate.  More cynically, they think supporting Obama is the best move for their careers.

      People switch candidates all the time w/o there being some scandal propelling the change.

      •  the problem is that many signed up (0+ / 0-)

        when she was the inevitable candidate.  so the idea that they knew he would be this successful is a little hard for me to believe.  

        again, i'm not saying scandal, but maybe governing style.

      •  Bill Clinton (2+ / 0-)

        was the one that was supported - she is just reaping the glory.

        I supported HRC when this all started, but with each passing day, she peeled away all the civility to reveal the REAL Hillary - so I admit it, I jumped ship.  

        Thankfully, if this goes to the Convention in Colorado - Oregon does not vote until May 22 and I will be campaigning hard against her negativity, mainly because I don't think he plays dirty - but I will!  I will bring up all of her skeletons from their white house days - I am NOT above playing that game - I'm not running.

        an anonymous person once said, "A man who lies about little things, will lie about big things."

        by marley619 on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:32:01 AM PDT

        [ Parent ]

  •  Huma Abedin + Hillary (2+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    slaney black, oak510

    Rumors and rumors of rumors.

    Pax Americana ended on August 8, 2008

    by GW Chimpzilla on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:02:08 AM PDT

  •  Its all in the Tax Returns (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    oak510

    Where did the 5 million come from that she infused into her campaign.

    If she can answer that then I would be willing to support her staying in the race.

    Courage is much more than bravery on a battlefield; it can mean acting according to your beliefs whatever the consequences. -JFK

    by LieparDestin on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:02:33 AM PDT

  •  My Guess: (3+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    Catte Nappe, quaoar, channiga

    Nothing ...

    There is nothing that can be said about this candidate that has not already been said by Limbaugh, the Washington Times, the Washington Post and Wall St. Journal Editorial pages, NewsMAXX.com, Fox News, CNBC, Tucker Carlson, Joe Scarborough and hate radio.

    If such widely known "truths" about Sen. Clinton existed, we'd already know.

    Trust me.

    Does John A. expect us to believe that Beltway Republicans are obeying some sort of Code of Honor when it comes to protecting the Clintons?

    "Truck Stop Women," a New Film By Phil Gramm and John McCain.

    by bink on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:02:45 AM PDT

  •  one idea of a republican attack would be- (0+ / 0-)

    can we trust national security/intell secrets to a president whose spouse puts them at risk of blackmail on matters of a personal nature? if bill clinton was willing to perjure himself and go through impeachment in order to attempt to hide his sexual adventures, can he (and his wife) be trusted not to value their own legacy over the safety of the american people? yadda yadda yadda. frankly, i have no doubt that at least one of these stories that the right wing will roll out has to do with bill clinton's sex life.

    to me, it is just the icing on the 'reasons not to vote for hillary' cake. i've had enough of defending the clintons and being proven a fool for it. sure the vrwc will attack with lies, but i worry more that they will attack with truth that the obama campaign refuses to dredge out of the gutter.

    •  and Cindy McCain was a drug addict (0+ / 0-)

      that is my reason for not voting for McCain.

      First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win. -- Gandhi

      by flo58 on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:45:57 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Better reason: (0+ / 0-)

        He tried to use his political clout to bury the story, and they went after the former charity employee who was going public with the info.

        Addiction can strike most anyone, and is not an indication of character in and of itself.  The true test comes in how the afflicted and their supporters deal with the addiction.  And in the case of public figures, how they deal with the ensuing PR.

  •  BS (0+ / 0-)

    as someone who lives in DC and has for years I call BS on John Aravois and all the other phony liberal/progressive Democrats who spew this vitriolic gossip. Bob Somerby of Daily Howler has tracked this 15 year ongoing trashing of Bill & Hillary clinton and on to Al Gore.

  •  Bill's mistresses, lesbian smears, shady business (1+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    Clytemnestra

    deals, shady library contributors, skeezy law clients, Hill and the Rodham brothers' involvement in pardongate, hordes of disgruntled former staffers, insalubrious supporters and contributors in New York, Chelsea's pot use in college, Bill's business partner Jeffrey Epstein's record as a convicted sex offender, hugging Mrs. Arafat, ties with Canadian politicians, more Chinese contributors - pfft, it could go on and on.

    I know who Obama's veep will be. You can too!

    by slaney black on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:13:58 AM PDT

    •  you got it!!! (2+ / 0-)

      Recommended by:
      Clytemnestra, slaney black

      some of us are old enough to list all of these little nuggets that the GOP will have a field day with - and that's only a partial list you gave.  Should she manage to become the nominee - she's going to be shot down by Karl Rove and "that vast right-wing" on each and every point.

      an anonymous person once said, "A man who lies about little things, will lie about big things."

      by marley619 on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:36:35 AM PDT

      [ Parent ]

  •  Refighting Old Fights - Will Hurt Dem Message (3+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    joemcginnissjr, Clytemnestra, oak510

    I fear that if Hillary would be the nominee, far too much attention would be focused on re-fighting old fights and accusations from the 1990s.  That will make it hard for the Dems to get out their message of change in this decade.

    The following Chicago Tribune editorial provides an example of the types of old battles that will be rehashed if Hillary is the candidate:

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/...

    "- Nearly two years of searches and subpoenas by congressional and federal authorities preceded the January 1996 discovery in the Clintons' personal quarters at the White House of copies of documents that had vanished from Hillary Clinton's law firm in Little Rock, Ark. The documents outlined her legal work on behalf of a failed savings and loan association. The disclosure that the documents had surfaced came less than a week after the statute of limitations expired for civil lawsuits against professionals who had fraudulently advised corrupt S&Ls.

    - The discovery of the Rose Law Firm records came the same week as a disclosure of a 2-year-old memo written by a presidential aide relating to the so-called Travelgate scandal. The memo suggested that Hillary Clinton had played a much more extensive role than the administration had claimed in the firing of employees of the White House travel office. The ostensible reason: to give travel business to associates of the Clintons."

    JPZenger was a newspaper publisher whose jury trial in the 1730s for seditious libel helped establish the freedom to criticize top government officials.

    by JPZenger on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:17:42 AM PDT

  •  there is a lot, but more is on Bill than on Hill (0+ / 0-)

    if she were to publicly and narrowly define his role in her administration, the relevance of some of it MIGHT disappear

    does she plan to let him have a security clearance and access to intelligence reports?

    is there potential that he is subject to blackmail

    there are also some questions on finances, which she MIGHT be able to assuage by releasing her tax returns - soon

    but people will also want to know about fundraising for his library and for his foundation

    do we still have a Republic and a Constitution if our elected officials will not stand up for them on our behalf?

    by teacherken on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 08:47:55 AM PDT

  •  I could write some really bad things that are (2+ / 0-)

    Recommended by:
    Praxxus, blueintheface

    documented about some major dem players past and present.  I know a bunch of people know because it is out there in black and white but it is not in the public consciousness.

    For example, it was pretty common knowledge about Bush I long time affair with the Fitzgerald woman.  Time magazine acknowledged this and their reason for not publishing it.  One reason they could not really hammer Clinton.  

    Bernstein wrote some pretty heavy duty things documented.  Sy Hersch wrote some really eye opening things about Joseph Kennedy and how it rippled through the party for 20 years.  His points are so important I cannot believe they are not taught in college pol sci but they are not.  A lot of stuff about FDR is really twisted, distored, and eliminated as much as possible--leaving new generations ungrounded and unaware.

    I know some people here in LA who played signigicant roles in Clinton I who now want their children to have a turn.  Their children are incompetent and corrupt.  They only want money power and prestige.  This happens with long term power bubbles--their sense of its my turn.

    I think all the time about how far am I willing to go and what are the consequences.

    What I know for sure:

    The GOP has been preparing for this Clinton run for 8 years and are dying for it.  They have already demonstrated they have no qualms.  This is the party of social domination and authoritarianism as a motivating force.  Nazis were still executing German communists even after Hitler's death and the Russians were visible.  They used their much needed fuel for tanks and planes to kill as many jews as possible to the last minute.  These kind of character defects are not rational.

    The Clintons and the Carville types all use the same tactics for the same reasons.

    Clinton will not survive the GOP attack.  Clinton fatigue is just under everybody's surface.

    I, who come from four generations of committed activist democratic families, will not vote for Hillary but only down ticket.  I will only work for down ticket.  The Congress either checks executive power according to the constitution or it does not.

    I do not trust Hillary as a unitary executive.

    I was a Hillary admirer until 2002 despite what I know.  I now have a clearer picture and I have become appalled.  I was a Texans for Tsongas person which was being lead at the time by Bentsen.  He talked intimately and ernestly about not supporting Clinton.  Bill had a goal and a plan from a very young age.  He had promises and committments from party insiders from 1976.  He delivered and thus, they did also.  He knew the rules and he knew how to game them and he still would not have won but for Perot.  In the grand scheme of things, I accepted that as par for the course.

    Obama needs to fight for us.  He needs to see the rallying cries of Braveheart or Lord of the Rings.
    NOT THIS TIME.

Permalink | 23 comments