Well I mean, at least she didn't call her a monster. Personally, I would have given her a raise. Somebody might actually start listening to Air America again. I will when Randi comes off suspension. Well, if she does. I hope they don't fire her. The comments are over the top, granted. But the right gets away with so much more than the left does when it comes to this kind of thing. We are such wimps and we're supposed to be the radicals. Back in the olden days, the 60's and 70's, when I was a youngster, being a radical meant you could say radical things.
Over the weekend, Obama talked about splashing with his kids in a Virgin Island swimming pool. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton was defending her "mis-speaking" about past experiences with Chelsea under sniper fire in Tulzla, Bosnia. In fact, the Bosnia trip took place after Tuzla was perfectly safe. The trip was specifically designed to show off the successes of the Clinton Administration's peace-making efforts there.
This is an absurd diary and poll, apropos at this hour for some who are punchy late-night. Not so absurd is the serious reality that one of the 20th/21st century's more prominent politicians is quickly becoming a parody of themself. Not sure if this news cycle will continue to "corkscrew" downward for Hillary Clinton, but it sure looks like this week will be looked back at as the defining stake in the heart of a political family (and hopefully a political style).
Back to the absurdity . . . the philosophical '90's Clinton-era comic Calvin & Hobbes had a famous couple of strips that were as absurd as any of them, endlessly repeating a silly word. See link:
I wrote earlier this week that I did not believe Hillary Clinton was lying about her experience in Bosnia. Instead, I questioned her perception of the event. While others may have found the trip to be safe, she may have had a heightened threat perception. Today Newsweek adds another wrinkle to this theory in an article on Hillary Clinton's Bosnia trip. Newsweek demonstrates that Hillary Clinton's tale of Tuzla has grown in the telling. Each new retelling has been embellished further, until it has now become a story with fictional sniper fire and fictional ducking and covering. Her threat perception has grown as she has gotten further in time from her trip to Bosnia, and closer in time to the Democratic National Convention.
In imitation thereof, I wish to propose a contest in honor of Sinbad and the Bosnia sniper fire kerfluffle and as a shout out to today's lenzkrafterz diary.
Via comments, simply complete this sentence:
You Might be a Comedian If . . .
The comment with the most mojo wins and that commenter can honestly claim to be a genuine comedian. Just like Sinbad.
Perhaps realizing that the more she tries to explain her Bosnia BS the more she gets discredited, HRC decides prudently just to shutup about the whole mess.
The campaign of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) is seeking to play down news that the former first lady gave an incorrect account of landing in Bosnia in 1996 under sniper fire, and refused to answer additional questions about a flap that could hurt her chances of catching Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.) in the race for the Democratic nomination.
"We’ve said all we’re going to say on that," said Deputy Communications Director Phil Singer on a Tuesday morning conference call with reporters.
As the election cycle joylessly grinds on, it's wonderful to have the occasional opportunity to enjoy a hearty laugh. Possibly even a chortle or two.
Luckily for me, I have a transcript of Hillary Clinton's stab at attaining the endorsement of the Philadelphia Inquirer's editorial board. Actually, it's just the part where she's confronted with her categorical falsehood--excuse me, I mean when she "misspoke" about her trip to Bosnia. Since everyone knows this story every which way by now, I'll just write about her comments today.
The broadcast media (MSNBC and CNN) are following the lead of Fox News who follow their lead from the right wing radio blowhards. I'm hoping that is the subject matter if Robert Greenwald makes an "Outfoxed 2." He recently came out with the "Fox Attacks" clip which I'm sure everyone has seen:
This is not a candidate diary. Oh, I may mention the stalwart courage of Senator Hillary Clinton a time or two. And I will most certainly take some cheap shots at her detractors - those vile Hillary-hating Obamabots - but this diary is not about either of the presidential candidates. This diary is about the bravest little girl in the world. Grab a box of tissues (with aloe, because trust me - this story is a tear-jerker), and follow me after the fold.
After having spent months touting her "35 years of experince"--a calendar of presidential-level experience that started the day she left law school--reporters had the audacity and gall to ask presidential candidate Hillary Clinton exactly what kind of experience that was.
When outrageously pressed that some of her duties as First Lady may not have consisted of the types of things one might ordinarily, you know, count as "experience" to be President, Hillary Clinton's advisors detailed her National Security and Foreign Policy credentials by noting that she had, among other things, risked her life in Bosnia dodging bullets.
It's strange to think that just a couple weeks ago I was still fairly fond of Hillary Clinton. I thought that her MLK/LBJ remark was distorted. I thought it was wrong to go after Bob Kerrey for saying that Obama's middle name would help America's standing in the Muslim world. I thought Bill Clinton's line about Obama's anti-war stance being a "fairy tale" was also distorted to seem like he was talking about Obama's campaign in general. I refused to buy into all the allegations of vote-rigging by Clintons.
Ever since Hillary Clinton cited her 1996 USO trip to Bosnia with Sinbad and Sheryl Crow as an example of her commander-in-chief qualifications, the pundits have been scratching their heads in bemusement. Today the Obama campaignresponded forcefully to Mrs. Clinton's so called commander-in-chief credentials. Then, unexpectedly, Sinbad has responded by ridiculing Mrs. Clinton for her characterization of the Bosnia trip:
In an interview with the Sleuth Monday, he said the "scariest" part of the trip was wondering where he'd eat next. "I think the only 'red-phone' moment was: 'Do we eat here or at the next place.'"
Lost in all the snark and snarf surrounding Sinbad's recent comedic destruction of Hillary's fairy tale "life-long experience" (as opposed to her opponent's not-so-life-long one, but I digress) is the following rhetorical question:
"What kind of president would say, 'Hey, man, I can't go 'cause I might get shot so I'm going to send my wife....'"
This truly is the silly season when the 90s comedian Sinbad is topping the rec list.
All kidding aside tho, I'd like to make a quick point about this whole issue of "experience" as a prerequisite for commander-in-chief.
Yesterday, during an open thread Kos pointed out an interesting comparison from Votemaster:
How good Are experienced presidents, anyway? Suppose you had to choose between two Presidential candidates, one of whom had spent 20 years in Congress plus had considerable other relevant experience and the other of whom had about half a dozen years in the Illinois state legislature and 2 years in Congress. Which one do you think would make a better President? If you chose #1, congratulations, you picked James Buchanan over Abraham Lincoln. Your pick disagrees with that of most historians, who see Lincoln as the greatest President ever and Buchanan as the second worst ever, better only than Warren "Teapot Dome" Harding. Both served in what was probably the most difficult period in American history, where slavery and secession tore the nation asunder.
[UPDATE: THANKS for making this a top rec! But as far as I'm concerned the rec's for this are for the comments, which have been crazy-hilarious!]
Man, as if the campaign couldn't get more bizarre. Now Sinbad is getting out there, talking about his experience in Kosovo, refuting Hillary.
In response to claims that Hillary Clinton's trip with him was dangerous and part of crossing the threshold to be Commander in Chief, he says:
"What kind of president would say, 'Hey, man, I can't go 'cause I might get shot so I'm going to send my wife...oh, and take a guitar player and a comedian with you.'"
and
"I think the only 'red-phone' moment was: 'Do we eat here or at the next place.'"
To combat allegations of secrect and show her qualifications for office Hillary Clinton has released an official resume. I hear the tax returns can't be far behind.
I actually have gotten my hands on an updated version of the document which highlights her support of cluster bombs and such, but i don't have time to scan it in right now.
