Clinton Pounces On "Mission Accomplished"

(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."

[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.

[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!

[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'.

[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?