From The Road
May 28, 2008 8:15 AM

Clinton Casts Wide Net of Exaggeration, Claims to Lead in “Every Poll”

(CBS)


From CBS News’ Fernando Suarez:


BILLINGS, MONT. -- During an evening rally in Montana’s largest city Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton explained to the crowd why she should be the Democratic Party’s nominee, but what ensued was a list of overstatements and exaggerations as she made her case. “You have to ask yourself, who is the stronger candidate? And based on every analysis, of every bit of research and every poll that has been taken and every state that a Democrat has to win, I am the stronger candidate against John McCain in the fall,” she said.

The problem is, there are a number of polls that show Clinton in a close race with John McCain, many within the margin of error, not including a few that show Barack Obama beating McCain by a larger margin than Clinton. The comment was intended to prove to voters that despite Obama’s popularity, she has what it takes to beat John McCain. Clinton said that voters have to ask themselves, “Who is the stronger candidate against John McCain? We have not gone through this exciting, unprecedented, historic election, only to lose,” she said.



For days, Clinton has been grasping at almost anything to make her case to voters as the clock in the campaign winds down. Most recently Clinton compared the plight of Florida and Michigan voters to the struggles of the early suffragists and likened the primaries of those states to the fraudulent election that took place in Zimbabwe.
Tags:
clinton
Topics:
Hillary Clinton
Add a Comment See all 439 Comments
by susan10001-2009 May 28, 2008 8:39 AM PDT
She has gone beyond desperate. Rather angering to watch the Party implode because of the Clintons ambition...and for the gutless supers to just stand back and watch? Wow...
Reply to this comment
by muuafan May 28, 2008 8:56 AM PDT
Its like a person in quicksand who has nothing to hold on to and is slowly going down and down. They will struggle harder to save themselves (and their campaign) and with each struggle, they drop even further. Eventually, it will end and all you will see is a waving hand sticking up out of the sand. I can easily wait that out.
Reply to this comment
by norcalruss May 28, 2008 8:58 AM PDT
The longer this goes on the more desperate, pathetic, and irrational
Hillary Huckabee looks. Pull the plug on it yesterday, you have lost! get over it before you look more ridiculous.
Reply to this comment
by laurenbrillante May 28, 2008 9:02 AM PDT
Then she said ''if you believe anything I say, I have some land I''d like to sell you...after all I have some campaign debts to pay off...''
It is sad but true that at this point, I would NOT vote for her on any ticket and I will fight to keep her out of the white house. Hopefully she has proven herself too much of a liability to be offered the VP position because I would not be able to vote for Senator Obama if he puts her on his ticket. I would feel as though I was voting for George Bush.. I won''t be responsible for what she might do. I know people think that means we are guaranteed McCain but I will hope that someone else gets into the race... I would even work for Chuck Hagel to keep the Clintons out of the white house... at least he has integrity.
Reply to this comment
by madiusdog May 28, 2008 9:03 AM PDT
With this bizarre behavior she''s going to end up sounding like Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, Iraq''s Minister of Information, who said "There is no presence of American infidels in the city of Baghdad at all" as our tanks rolled into Baghdad. Maybe her ambition is clouding her judgement. I keep seeing that scene played out in my head from Happy Gilmore when Scooter McGavin runs up and grabs the trophy feeling he''s entitled to it.
Reply to this comment
by masterkabuki May 28, 2008 9:06 AM PDT
To: Senator Clinton
From: Your Once Avid Supporter(s)

Why can''t you close the deal ? You are the person with the team and experienced staff that have been down this trail before. Your staff knows (or should) how to make the system work. They have left you holding the bag. Can''t you see that ?

If you can''t beat Barack by the rules ( or even without them) how can we expect you to beat McCain ?

Have nice day...
Reply to this comment
by hawk134 May 28, 2008 9:13 AM PDT
if the Clintons exaggerate so blatantly, why should we believe anything they''ve ever said....: "I did not have ***...", campaign promises, or anything???
Reply to this comment
by devan95 May 28, 2008 9:16 AM PDT
Or you can pick this fool!
In New Mexico, Obama with the ability to see dead people: "On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today." Fallen heroes in the audience? But there have also been gaffes on more serious matters. Obama argued that our military''s Arabic translators in Iraq are needed in Afghanistan: "We only have a certain number of them and if they are all in Iraq, then it''s harder for us to use them in Afghanistan," he claimed. But Afghans don''t speak Arabic; media attention was virtually nonexistent. Sometimes, Obama invents Bosnia-sniper-style whoppers about his personal history. In Selma, Ala., Obama claimed that the spirit of hope derived from the civil rights protests in Selma in 1965 inspired his birth -- when he was born in 1961. He also has inaccurately claimed that the Kennedys funded his Kenyan father''s trip to America in 1959. While in New Mexico on Memorial Day, Obama talked about an uncle "who was part of the American brigade that helped to liberate Auschwitz," and then came home and spent six months in an attic. prisoners at Auschwitz were liberated by the Red Army. The same national media that turned Dan Quayle''s name into an instant joke are now working over time to present Obama as Captain Competent
Reply to this comment
by May 28, 2008 9:17 AM PDT
I once admired Mrs. Clinton and her husband. Now I feel they are just pathetic. The longer this thing drags out the less chance a democrat will win the fall election.
Reply to this comment
by bush_mcsame May 28, 2008 9:22 AM PDT
It is really disconcerting to see how desparate.
Every time you think, she''s smarter than this, she''s gonna play it so she has a future in politics she pulls a ridiculous stunt.
1. The RFK shame
2. The popular vote lie
3. The sniper fire
4. the ''white hard working americans'' remark - because all those black and latino blue collar workers don''t work hard?
5. Her treacherous tantrum throwing traitor fans: should we give in to their blackmail?

It''s a mystery to me, how she can destroy a politcal career like this, taint her husbands presidency.
She has gone from cheated wife to horrible witch in just a few months. That''s sad and certainly not good for any Democrat, also (and maybe especially) African-Americans.
Reply to this comment
by siervolino--2008 May 28, 2008 9:28 AM PDT
This is a standard Clinton tactic, to lie so much that people start believing the lie as truth. See also: "I tried harder than anybody to kill [Bin Laden]", "I did not have *** with that woman", "I dodged sniper fire in Bosnia".
Reply to this comment
by cbsespo May 28, 2008 9:28 AM PDT
A sad and pathetic spectacle indeed.
Reply to this comment
by bywill May 28, 2008 9:29 AM PDT
NO COMMENT!!
Reply to this comment
by saep-2009 May 28, 2008 9:36 AM PDT
All you have to do is go and check out the polls...she is right...she is ahead in all of the big states that put dems over the top -- she beats McCain by far more than Obama in every poll...cult Obama just chooses to stay in denial...imagine that.
Reply to this comment
by cheapseats73 May 28, 2008 9:37 AM PDT
Well put, Bush_McSame. I''m really disappointed in team Clinton as well - though not necessarily surprised. There''s always been something shady about the two of them.

Reply to this comment
by musofire May 28, 2008 9:43 AM PDT
Re "there are no Arabic speakers in Afghanistan": actually, there are. They are the foreign Al Qaeda members we are there to fight.

How do you expect to interrogate Al Qaeda prisoners from Saudi Arabia if you have no Arabic interpreters?
Reply to this comment
by winn4814 May 28, 2008 9:44 AM PDT
I''m just confused. She has basically thrown the Black voters under the bus although they put her husband in the white house twice and yet she still thinks if she somehow steals this election they will just forget her insulting and divisive campaign and vote for her anyway? You started out with over 60% of the Black vote and now you''re in single digits and yet you and Bill still think you can win? Your girl Geraldine Ferraro is now insulting Black journalist on your behalf and yet you still think you can win? I just don''t get it!!
Reply to this comment
by musofire May 28, 2008 9:44 AM PDT
Re "there are no Arabic speakers in Afghanistan": actually, there are. They are the foreign Al Qaeda members we are there to fight.

How do you expect to interrogate Al Qaeda prisoners from Saudi Arabia if you have no Arabic interpreters?
Reply to this comment
by puellagina May 28, 2008 9:44 AM PDT
Just remember, when they are doing these polls about McCain/Obama and McCain/Clinton, Operation Chaos is still at work. I know 4 psychotic OC operators who are not only clicking "Hillary" on all the ridiculous online polls, but hoping they will be polled by gallup or rasmussen etc. to say that they will vote for Hil over McCain-------a total lie, of course. They also voted Hil in the primary in NC.
My mom is a ditto head, head, but she supports Obama! It''s a crazy time in this country.
Reply to this comment
by liliraza May 28, 2008 9:50 AM PDT
Obama supporters, let''s get together in Washington on Saturday. Let the DNC hear our voice too that the rules should stay the rules.
The more numerous we are the better we can be heard!!!
Reply to this comment
by deco161 May 28, 2008 9:52 AM PDT
that''s an interesting list from devan95. Are you implying that Clinton''s claims to be the "stronger candidate" are themselves gaffes on her part?

If not, then what do any of those supposed Obama mis-statements have to do with the substance of this article, which doesn''t concern any gaffe of Mrs. Clinton''s, but rather her recent efforts to influence public opinion via her intentional and pre-meditated misrepresentation (or under-representation) of polling data, and her dubious yet intentional attempt at drawing analogies between the FL/MI situation, early US suffragists, and the recent voting in Zimbabwe?
Reply to this comment
by cyndeewi May 28, 2008 10:00 AM PDT
If Hillary wins you better be prepared to ******* America.
Reply to this comment
by paris1969 May 28, 2008 10:03 AM PDT
Fernando ... you are following the left-wingers "talking points" ... Clinton is the best candidate ... has won the big states ... and it only makes sense that she is the candidate!
Reply to this comment
by jvandy96 May 28, 2008 10:04 AM PDT
Democrats have perfect aim when shooting at thier own foot. No pun intended Senator. Good luck in the election trying to convince Michigan and Florida that they were treated fairly. Rules are rules, but let''s be a little pragmatic here. How many other groups of people can the Democrat party take for granted before the chickens come home to roost. Again, no pun intended Senator.
Reply to this comment
by bert0convy May 28, 2008 10:08 AM PDT
*
Barry-O, they love you so... The Clintons finally cry foul at their darling, the main stream media, who have ignored their multitude of crimes for years. The Clintons should have been in jail years ago but have been insulated by the press and liberal judges to go on and bilk America for over $110 million dollars. And now they pitch a fit that they are being treated unfair. I''m no BO-bamma fan but it sure is nice to see the Clintons on the receiving end for a change.

*Bert
Reply to this comment
by deco161 May 28, 2008 10:09 AM PDT
(re: alphabits2) ok--let''s make people responsible for their own lives; let''s outlaw all forms of nepotism; let''s increase the estate tax to 100%; let''s require ALL college students to cover the costs of their own educations, and make it illegal for family or friends to help pay for any of it.

Let''s make everyone responsible for their own lives, not just the disenfranchised. Sound like a good idea?
Reply to this comment
by destardi May 28, 2008 10:12 AM PDT
Hillary wins you better be prepared to ******* America.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by cyndeewi at 10:00 AM : May 28, 2008
+ report abuse


Nope. That''s Obama''s Job.

Obama''s disgusting for running a race based campaign.

His wife wrote her thesis on "racial divide," is disappointed that her ivy league black peers "lost their racial identity," they both attend a church whose 12 line mission statement only devotes one line to God, and the 11 others to "black issues", which they''ve attended for 20 years; Obama puts R&B in his ads in South Carolina, and floats a "leaked memo" detailing 4 "racially sensitive" comments from the Clintons (WHAT IS SENSITIVE ABOUT LBJ AND MLK?) instead of standing up and leading by example and declaring Race off-the table for discussion.

OBAMA IS DISGUSTING
Reply to this comment
by destardi May 28, 2008 10:14 AM PDT
Posted by bert0convy at 10:08 AM : May 28, 2008
+ report abuse



Um, are you attributing that 110 million to part of the 200 million that American taxpayers paid for Ken Starr''s witchhunt, that investigated every aspect of Bill and Hillary''s personal lives?

Shutup.
Reply to this comment
by bert0convy May 28, 2008 10:15 AM PDT
*
Barry-O, they love you so... The Clintons finally cry foul at their darling, the main stream media, who have ignored their multitude of crimes for years. The Clintons should have been in jail years ago but have been insulated by the press and liberal judges to go on and bilk America for over $110 million dollars. And now they pitch a fit that they are being treated unfair. I''m no BO-bamma fan but it sure is nice to see the Clintons on the receiving end for a change.

*Bert
Reply to this comment
by leburg May 28, 2008 10:19 AM PDT
The one poll she''s losing is the that amongst the delegates.
Reply to this comment
by nacianne May 28, 2008 10:20 AM PDT
It is a beautiful thing to watch her and her desperate campaign implode. Couldn''t happen to a more deserving and vile politician !!!!
Reply to this comment
by shelleyt3 May 28, 2008 10:21 AM PDT
Just how has Hillary Clinton thrown black voters under the bus?? If anything, the black voters did this in their rush to elect the first black president, no matter what and no matter that they likely did not know anything about his voting record. He''s a great speaker but she''s the stronger candidate. Nothing racial was said by the Clintons, yet the media and the Obama campaign read negatives into factual comments and spun it into what worked for them! Many people of all colors have been drawn to Obama without taking the time to really look at both candidates. This is not a popularity contest folks! Hillary has been in a 50/50 race for a long time, yet has been called upon to drop out??? Incredible how we elect the POTUS.
Reply to this comment
by macincanada May 28, 2008 10:21 AM PDT
She is hurting the party and her own reputation. She seems like she is bi polar and is in a manic stage. Her supporters should see to it that she takes her medication.
Reply to this comment
by xargaw May 28, 2008 10:24 AM PDT
If Clinton is the better candidate as she claims, then why is Obama beating her in pledged delegates and super delegates, the total of which is the metric used for choosing a nominee? Just more lies from Hillary. It is time for her to think about the good of the Democratic Party, the good of the country and get behind Obama and either do all she can to get him elected or get out of the way. At this point, her campaign is nothing more than selfish egotism. She and Bill have become an embarrassment to those of us that once supported them through thick and thin and had great affection for them. They have truly let us down, not by loosing the nomination, but by their ethical lapses.
Reply to this comment
by joseyj May 28, 2008 10:30 AM PDT
It''s like Obama claiming he was "always against the war" - ha!
He opposed the war when he couldn''t vote.
Then as soon as he could vote began supporting every war funding bill.
Then switched back to "opposing" the war AFTER he began running for president.

On the campaign trail in 2004, he railed against Congress funding the war.
But a few months later he was on the Senate floor - voting to fund the war!!

NObama!
Reply to this comment
by andrys1-2009 May 28, 2008 10:30 AM PDT
In virtually every electoral-college poll-match currently, Clinton is easily beating McCain today, while Obama is, overall, losing to McCain.
And this is before the Republican 527 vetting of Obama.

http://hominidviews.com/?p=1560
Clinton: 100% probability of winning (May 26)
- Mean of 322 electoral votes

http://hominidviews.com/?p=1561
Obama: 37.3% probability of winning (May 26
- Mean of 264 electoral votes

Alternate electoral-college polling below:

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Clinton/Maps/May28.html
Electoral Votes: Clinton 327 McCain 194 Ties 17 (May 28)

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Obama/Maps/May28.html
Electoral Votes: Obama 266 McCain 248 Ties 24 (May 28)

Add that she will almost surely have the popular vote lead, including the caucuses and, of course, Michigan and Florida (for without them, the Democrats will lose).
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html

Dean told one group that the DNC CANNOT nullify a state-certified vote but they can refuse to seat or count a delegation (or portions of it).

Latest polls - at RealClearPolitics.Com
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html
Reply to this comment
by lordmi May 28, 2008 10:34 AM PDT
she is going to convention to get what she wants.
There is nothing else matters for her: neither party, nor Democracy, not a State.
Her dirty tale is so huge, that republicans are excited to get her as nominee and beat her hard - she is not electable at all.
What is the most important - This personality as so nasty, dirty, selfish , that it is Disgrace even to have her name on the ballot.
American has no good chances with clintons, we should through this t-rash out of our mind and protect America from clintons. Forever.
Reply to this comment
by pabul-2009 May 28, 2008 10:35 AM PDT
It''s so clever when people make fun of Obama''s name. So original and topical. I remember doing that in what... second grade. Outgrew it in fourth grade.
Reply to this comment
by joseyj May 28, 2008 10:36 AM PDT
Well duh! CBS has been in the tank for Obama for a long time.

The Black working class supports Obama.
But he''s thrown Hispanics, boomers, women, white working class, Jews, gun owners....under the bus.

He''ll expect the Clintons to deliver those voters for him in Nov - but Obama is a con and a race-baiter and we won''t vote for him.

NObama!



Reply to this comment
by zultujuddin May 28, 2008 10:36 AM PDT
I just realized why the Clintons so desperately need Hillary in the White House. In not so a distant future, Presidential Pardons will be very handy indeed both the Clintons.
Reply to this comment
by rowdywicca May 28, 2008 10:36 AM PDT
Who needs the *** polls when you''ve got the votes? Votes count, polls don''t, sorry. Hillary''s had the votes for months!

Time for the DNC to start proving up the votes!
Reply to this comment
by zultujuddin May 28, 2008 10:38 AM PDT
I just realized why the Clintons so desperately need Hillary in the White House. In not so a distant future, Presidential Pardons will be very handy indeed both the Clintons.
Reply to this comment
by andrys1-2009 May 28, 2008 10:41 AM PDT
Most don''t know that Howard Dean, in a talk with Financial Times on April 25,
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cb39916c-1329-11dd-8d91-0000779fd2ac.html
said the following about superdelegate decisions remaining:

=======
"I think the race is going to come down to the perception in *the last six or eight races* of who *the best opponent for McCain* will be. I do not think in the long run it will come down to the popular vote *or anything else*."
=======

The rules have nothing saying that Superdelegates follow the lead of pledged delegates -- for if they did, Superdelegates would not be needed !

Re Electability as focus for SDs:

In virtually every electoral-college poll-match currently, Clinton is easily beating McCain, while Obama is, overall, losing to McCain. And this is before the Republican 527 vetting of Obama.

http://hominidviews.com/?p=1560
Clinton: 100% probability of winning (May 26)

http://hominidviews.com/?p=1561
Obama: 37.3% probability of winning (May 26

http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008/Clinton/Maps/May28.html
Electoral Votes: Clinton 327


Dean told one group that the DNC CANNOT nullify a state-certified vote but they can refuse to seat or count a delegation (or portions of it).
Popular vote totals:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/democratic_vote_count.html
Latest polls:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/latestpolls/index.html
Reply to this comment
by bert0convy May 28, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
*BO Obama WILL surrender to the beheaders if we are so unfortunate as to ever see him elected and go on to dishonor the Office. America will have to live with the same consequences (-9/11-) that Bill Clinton cultivated with his appeasement of the terrorists with 8 years of sending them to the timeout chair.

The thing about BO that can''t be allowed is that the man never met an abortion that he didn''t love. He has no love for the the unborn and even called babies an "unwanted disease" should one of his daughters get infected with one.

Protect the unborn, vote No More BO... On abortion he stinks to high heaven.

*Bert
Reply to this comment
by cgarrity May 28, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
Hey destardi1

Get your facts right. The Ken Star investigation of Bubba cost 40 million, not 200 million. See http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/01/starr.costs/

Since Bubba "skated" on the issues with Star, the money spent was certainly wasted.

It would be nice to end America''s relationship with this slime couple, but I think we''re stuck with them until they finally "go over the top" on some stinky deal.
Reply to this comment
by mattandveca May 28, 2008 10:44 AM PDT
It''''s so clever when people make fun of Obama''''s name. So original and topical. I remember doing that in what... second grade. Outgrew it in fourth grade
=====================
Like when liberals drag out President Bush''s name and don''t say the word President....immature isn''t it, tell MSNBC''s Keith Ol''bamaman to show some respect toward the President of the United States, and then maybe we will show some respect toward lying racist, bigot, like Obama and his wife Michelle, who has never been proud of America tell now....Hillary is at least proud of America and doesn''t attend a racist church for 20 years.

Reply to this comment
by pepita7 May 28, 2008 10:45 AM PDT


I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF LISTENING TO THE CLINTONS

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH A COMMENT ON ASSESSINATION ????
THEN ACCUSED HER OPPONENT OF HAVING PROVOKED A REACTION ????
CLAIMING TO BE AHEAD ON THE POLLS FOR THE GENERAL ELECTION
AHEAD ON POPULAR VOTES BY HER OWN METRICS.....

WHY , OH WHY DO WE HAVE TO BE ABUSED IN THIS MANNER BY THE CLINTONS, WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO UNDERSTAND WE DO NOT WANT THEM ANY MORE ?????

GO AWAY YOU HORRIBLE PEOPLE
YOU HAVE BEEN TREATED THE WAY YOU HAVE TREATED OTHERS
Reply to this comment
by cgarrity May 28, 2008 10:46 AM PDT
Hey JoseyJ

Do you REALLY expect Obama to NOT support the troops over in harm''s way?

If he had voted against all those funding bills, you would be leading the charge that he does not support the troop in their peril.
Reply to this comment
by kathrynne-2009 May 28, 2008 10:48 AM PDT
HRC can not run a campaign with integrity if her life depended on it...she learned nothing in that regard from her husband...she picked up all of his bad habits and ditched the good...she is a political has-been on her way to being a pariah...she is stuck on stupid and needs to get out now in stead of bank rolling more debt that she will gladly heave on the weary shoulders of the American people...her unpaid debts will somehow make its way into the collective deficit this country is choking under...wow...history will not be kind to Hillary or her husband.
Reply to this comment
by mattandveca May 28, 2008 10:49 AM PDT
Media needs to face it, Obama is totally non electable and is finished. He can never shed the likes of Rev Wright, the Ayres, Rezko, his exaggerations...which Make Al Gore look honest, and the lack of experience....to name a few.
Reply to this comment
See all 439 Comments

About From The Road

Description for From the Road

  • MOST POPULAR
  • Viewed
  • Commented