Clinton Pounces On "Mission Accomplished"

Democratic Candidate Calls President's 2003 Speech Blot On Leadership

(CBS)  Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton denounced President George W. Bush on Saturday for his "Mission Accomplished" speech and said his conduct of the Iraq war was "one of the darkest blots on leadership we've ever had."

Addressing delegates at the California State Democratic Party convention, Clinton said that if elected president in 2008, she would end the war. The New York senator also promised to "treat all Americans with dignity and equality no matter who you are and who you love." The pledge was a clear bow to California's politically active and influential gay community.

Taking on Bush's policies, Clinton contended the president has ignored scientific evidence on global warming and stem cell research while also dismissing the concerns of the middle class. She said his administration had "lied" about the effects of toxic dust at the World Trade Center site in New York after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Her voice raspy from days of campaigning, Clinton brought delegates to their feet when she said she wished she could turn the clock back to a different time.

"Somebody said to me that he wished we could just rewind the 21st century and just eliminate the Bush-Cheney administration, with all their mistakes and misjudgments," she said to cheers. "People are ready for leaders who understand it is our votes who put them in power, our tax dollars that pay the bills."

She lambasted the "Mission Accomplished" speech nearly four years ago, in which Bush declared an end to major military actions in Iraq. He made the comment while on the deck of an aircraft carrier off the California coast.

That speech, Clinton said, was "one of the most shameful episodes in American history. ... The only mission he accomplished was the re-election of Republicans."

California is poised to play a greater role in the presidential nominating process, having recently moved its primary to Feb. 5 to join several other large states in holding contests that day.

Most of the top Democratic presidential contenders planned to address the convention during the weekend.

Delegates were to hear Clinton's main rival, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, later Saturday afternoon, in addition to Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson were on Sunday's schedule.

Clinton's speech was well-received among the generally left-leaning delegates who typically attend this state's Democratic gatherings.

Four years ago, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean — then a little-known figure in the 2004 Democratic field — thrilled convention delegates with his fiery denunciation of the war. His rivals at the time, including Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who eventually won the nomination, were loudly booed for defending their 2002 vote to authorize the war.

Clinton cast the same vote in 2002, but met with only sporadic heckling during her speech.

Some candidates who attended South Carolina's party convention Saturday said they thought the United States has lost its global standing during Bush's presidency. America, they said, needs a Democratic commander in chief to restore its place in the world.

"We are today internationally and domestically a nation that is no longer a leader," Richardson said.

Edwards, the 2004 vice presidential nominee, said the world needs to see that "America can be a force for good."

"What their perception is that America is a bully and we only care about our short-term interests," Edwards said. "The starting place is to end the bleeding sore that is the war in Iraq."

Richardson, Edwards and Delaware Sen. Joe Biden said they would make ending the war a priority.

"The American people are looking for us as Democrats," said Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "They're looking for someone literally, not figuratively, to restore America's place in the world."

[drivelphobe]

[they have no idea what is required to fight a war against these muslim fascists]
Infidel_US, you are right on.

Our military knows what to do, but the Dems and lefties fight every attempt we make to destroy our enemy. They want to feed those animals gourmet meals in Gitmo. How about an "adopt a muslim" program for the Libs.

Every last one of those muslims needs to be destroyed in any manner possible and with overwhelming force. There are no innocent bystanders in the mddle-east. This is a situation where there can only be one winner and it has to be the USA. Let's get it done now!

[infidel_us]

They teach beheading techniques in their religious instruction. What a great bunch. Again, I say eliminate them all and end this jihad baloney.
Posted by drivelphobe at 11:07 AM : Apr 29, 2007

Wow....I thought I was bad but your are plum LOCO!!! And I LIKE IT! :) It's called the "pussafication of America" by libs. If this bunch were around in the 1700's, we'd still be part of the UK.

They have no idea what is required to fight a war against these muslim fascists.

[infidel_us]

With the thoroughness for which he is famous, Bernstein spoke to more than 200 of Clinton%u2019s friends, colleagues and adversaries. He stops short of accusing the New York senator of blatantly lying about her past, but has unearthed examples of where she has played fast and loose with the facts about her %u201Cpersonal and political life%u201D, according to Knopf.

The book could revive the explosive charge, made earlier this year by David Geffen, a former Clinton donor and Hollywood mogul, that %u201Cthe Clintons lie with such ease, it%u2019s troubling%u201D.

[drivelphobe]

[you would spare the innocent children, wouldn't you?]

You mean the children who are trained by the first grade to hate Jews and hope to become suicide bombers?? You measn those innocent children? The offspring are worse than the parents. There are no inocent children.

Also, jihad is a religious pursuit, so wanting to use the neutron bomb on the mddle-east has no comparison to jihad. I think it is the best way to eliminate an enemy that has declared war on us but won't fight without terror.

Have a nice week.

[iceman_1960]

"If we could eliminate the middle-eastern populations, I wouldn't label it genocide, rather "genetic drift".
- Posted by drivelphobe at 02:37 PM : Apr 29, 2007

You would spare the innocent children, wouldn't you ?

Otherwise you're no different than the jihadists, who "pluck the eyes out of their wives, daughters, or other relatives for being seen by a man or raped... etc. etc. etc...."

You'd pluck out their eyes with Neutron Bombs.

That's jihad.

(But of course your posts were tongue-in-cheek.)

[bobnjersey]

[As sincerely as the American Indian tried genocide and exploitation of the Europeans, they were unable to put their game plan together.]
[Posted by drivelphobe at 02:37 PM : Apr 29, 2007]

well then ... i suppose they got what they deserved!

[drivelphobe]

[put them to work cuttin' grass or somethin']

It's clear you haven't been exposed to the culture of the middle-east. As sincerely as the American Indian tried genocide and exploitation of the Europeans, they were unable to put their game plan together. Maybe it was the scalping that detracted from their main agenda.

If we could eliminate the middle-eastern populations, I wouldn't label it genocide, rather "genetic drift".

[homjett]

Hillary is not the person to be pointing fingers at anyone for lying. She WAS married to Bill Clinton. I feel the MSM is missing the opportunity to show that they are impartial when they cover politics, an become pursuers of the truth.

They might start with explaining the truth about "Mission Accomplished".

[fizzal-2009]

Does this woman want too represent the americans or just the ones with a bathroom dissability?

[bobnjersey]

[they are primitive, barbaric, vulgar and beast-like zealots without conscience, plucking the eyes out of their wives, daughters, or other relatives for being seen by a man or raped. They cut tongues out using a pliers and a razor as easily as you or I would prepare a melon for breakfast. They keep birds in their homes to eat the flies. I saw a film of Saddam's men pushing victims off of a three story building as punishment for some kind of minor crime. They teach beheading techniques in their religious instruction. What a great bunch. Again, I say eliminate them all and end this jihad baloney.]
[Posted by drivelphobe at 11:07 AM : Apr 29, 2007]

hey ... they sound a lot like the american indian when the europeans landed on the american continent. exploitation and genocide worked so well there ... i'm sure we could do it again.

why kill them all ... maybe we could ship them back here and sell them ... highest bidder ... put them to work cuttin' grass or somethin'.

[drivelphobe]

[ and YOU call THEM barbarians?]

Yes Iceman, they are primitive, barbaric, vulgar and beast-like zealots without conscience, plucking the eyes out of their wives, daughters, or other relatives for being seen by a man or raped. They cut tongues out using a pliers and a razor as easily as you or I would prepare a melon for breakfast. They keep birds in their homes to eat the flies. I saw a film of Saddam's men pushing victims off of a three story building as punishment for some kind of minor crime. They teach beheading techniques in their religious instruction. What a great bunch. Again, I say eliminate them all and end this jihad baloney.

[iceman_1960]

"...recommend we use the neutron bomb on the whole area..."

Give the Israelis a heads up first.

They might have a problem with this plan.

[iceman_1960]

"They have oil, and that has made these barbarians wealthy and powerful. I consider them a sub-human form of life and recommend we use the neutron bomb on the whole area. Let's eliminate them all and take the oil."
- Posted by drivelphobe at 10:32 AM : Apr 29, 2007

Wow... Genocide for fun and profit.

And YOU call THEM barbarians ?

[bobnjersey]

[... but our public (70%+) and our congress (both houses, both parties) were overwhelmingly sure Saddam was a threat with WMD (Other "allies" as well ... ]

was this before or after the aluminum tube/yellowcake stories?

[bobnjersey]

[the media is 90% left, outside FOX, name one MAJOR newspaper or TV outlet that isn't liberal, name ONE!!]
[Posted by fredgrad2000 at 10:33 AM : Apr 29, 2007]

washington times, wall street journal

[bobnjersey]

[Let's eliminate them all and take the oil.]

let's drill a deep well from the other side of the earth and drain their reserves ... that'll teach 'em

[fredgrad2000]

grumpas - BILL MOYERS!? There's a reliable, un-biased source!! HAHAHAHA - the media is 90% left, outside FOX, name one MAJOR newspaper or TV outlet that isn't liberal, name ONE!! So, don't be blaming the GOP for the Democrats supporting the war in Iraq in 2002 - that's ***; read below - Iraq was a bad idea, but our public (70%+) and our congress (both houses, both parties) were overwhelmingly sure Saddam was a threat with WMD (Other "allies" as well, even the bought off ones like France) and supported taking him out. Hillary's quote is in an earlier post.

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."
- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime . He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to iscalculation . And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction
...So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real .."
- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003

[drivelphobe]

Bush is leading the war on terrorism. He's the man in charge. He relies on the most savvy political and military people in the world. The job is tough and everyone knew it going in. If you have ever been in a fight, you know you have to expect the unexpected and adjust. Fights don't go as planned. As I have said before, I don't think one more American life is worth the entire population of the Middle-east. They have oil, and that has made these barbarians wealthy and powerful. I consider them a sub-human form of life and recommend we use the neutron bomb on the whole area. Let's eliminate them all and take the oil.

[sandycat2]

I don't want to hear any presidential candidate, Republican or Democrat, bashing Bush. Bush will be out of office soon. I want to hear the candidates talk about what they would about the mess left them in Iraq. I want to hear them talk about their national health care plans. I want them to talk about they would do about illegal immigration. I want them to talk about what they would when the US gets hit with another 9/11 terrorist attack. But please, don't waste my time bashing Bush.

[fredgrad2000]

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program.
He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members
It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

AND DON'T TELL ME SHE DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME INTEL AS BUBBA'S WIFE!! BILL CLINTON BELIEVED THE SAME THINGS BUSH DID - HIS ACTION WERE JUST DIFFERENT IN RESPONSE (AND IN THE END, SMARTER)

Hillary is the most disingenuous candidate out there, only Edwards (oh and Romney now - he needs to drop out) come close to rivalling her capacity to change her views for whatever audience she's in front of. COMPLETELY untrustworthy...there are candidates out there, both sides of the aisle, that are in my mind actually honest - I may not agree with them all - but they sincerely appear to hold actual beliefs and stick to them - Obama, McCain come to mind, Biden, a couple of the lower-tier candidates as well on the GOP side. We need someone who isn't a flip-flopper for whatever audience they're in front of, and someone, either party, who can win in a landslide so as to at least SOMEWHAT re-unite our divided, angry nation - Hillary can NOT do that either!