On Economy, Clinton Claims Experience

Democrat Says There Isn't Time For A New President To Have On The Job Training

(AP)  The economy needs help and fast, Hillary Rodham Clinton declared Monday, claiming the experience for the job and saying the nation can't afford to break in a newcomer.

In speech that kicked off a two day campaign swing through Iowa, the New York senator painted a bleak picture of a U.S. economy battered by home foreclosures, rising oil prices and lack of good jobs for middle class workers.

The former first lady compared the situation to 1992, when her husband ran against the first President Bush.

"There seems to be a pattern here. It takes a Clinton to clean up after a Bush," she said to applause.

Without mentioning names, she suggested Democratic rival Barack Obama - less than three years into his first term in the Senate - and other candidates lack the experience necessary to address the nation's myriad fiscal challenges.

"There is one job we can't afford on-the-job training for - our next president. That could be the costliest job training in history," Clinton said. "Every day spent learning the ropes is another day of rising costs, mounting deficits and growing anxiety for our families. And they cannot afford to keep waiting."

In Iowa, Obama was asked about Clinton's comments and offered a sharp response.

"My understanding is she wasn't Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration. I don't know exactly what experience she's claiming," he said. "Rather than just assert experience, if she has specific differences with me in regard to economic policy then let's have that debate."

The former first lady, speaking in a community gymnasium, outlined steps she said she would take to stem the housing crisis and help consumers in cold-weather states pay to heat their homes. Among other things, she said she would create a $1 billion fund for states to help homeowners who risk foreclosure.

She also addressed global challenges to the economy, including funds controlled by foreign governments to invest in U.S. stocks, real estate and businesses. She called for greater transparency for such funds, which are currently not required to disclose their assets or investment returns.

While she directed much of her criticism at the Bush administration and GOP presidential candidates, the subtext of Clinton's speech was clear: She has more detailed understanding of U.S. economic woes than her rivals.

She is seeking to reinforce that message after several days in which both Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards stepped up their criticism of her past support for the North American Free Trade Agreement and other pacts that labor leaders have said were responsible for sending thousands of jobs out of the country.

Polls show Clinton locked in a tight race with Obama and Edwards in Iowa just over six weeks before the state holds its caucuses Jan. 3.

Her speech also tackled the issue of Social security.

In recent weeks, Clinton and Obama have traded barbs over the retirement program for seniors, which is forecast to run out of money around 2041 Presently, the first $97,500 in individual income is subject to the Social Security tax - a level Obama has said must be increased in order to keep the program solvent.

Clinton has refused to say what she would do as president to preserve Social Security but has insisted such a tax increase would place an undue burden on middle class families.

She reiterated that point Monday, even suggesting that Social Security is not under imminent threat.

"We don't need more Republican scare tactics about a 'Social Security crisis,"' Clinton said. "And we don't need a trillion-dollar tax increase that will hit families already facing higher energy, health care and college costs. What we need is to focus on the real crises of health care and Medicare, and on expanding opportunities for poor, working and middle class families who are struggling now."

Clinton's campaign on Monday also began airing a new ad in New Hampshire and Iowa that confronts questions about her trustworthiness with a testimonial from a New York constituent whose son received a bone marrow transplant with the help of her Senate office.

The man, Joe Ward, says in the 30-second television spot that his family's insurance wouldn't cover the transplant. "We called Senator Clinton and asked for help," Ward says. "Her office called the next day letting us know the hospital was going to absorb the cost of the transplant. Now, her opponents are saying that Hillary can't be trusted. I trusted this woman to save my son's life. And she did."

The ad comes as polls show that one of Clinton's vulnerabilities is the public's view of her as insincere.

[colonieny]

Come on. She does not even go food shopping, have a house budget, or make cookies .

[gunnerv1]

Lets see, Hummmm High Home Foreclosures- Too LIBERAL loan procedures to people who have no hope of paying it back.
Too High Oil Prices, Let us drill where we need to.
Too few good paying jobs, The Gov''t can''t create jobs. The only thing that Gov''t produces is paperwork.

[name_verify]

HILLARY = STONE COLD BIOTCH

[jack3213]

The Democrats will promise you anything to get you to vote for them. Reality is that most of their plans and schemes will fail. The Democrats remind me of a love sick teenager, not thinking clearly, and doing all the wrong things. The bickering and the competition amongst themselves proves they are unable to do a job that calls for strong leadership. Not focusing on what they are able to do, with the experiance they supposedly have, or telling us of the specific successes of their past, is a sure sign they don''''t have any at all, which is what a leader should do. On the job training is not in the job description of a USA President, EVER.

[jack3213]

The Democrats will promise you anything to get you to vote for them. Reality is that most of their plans will fail. The Democrats remind me of a love sick teenager, not thinking clearly, and doing all the wrong things.

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t or problems they created!!!

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t do or problems they created!!!

[mudrose-2009]

What experience doesn''t this woman have? It''s astounding. Why was she never considered for the Presidency over her husband? Oh, I see now. She''s riding on the philanderer''s laurels to wit he gets the credit for Reganomics. Give me a break. It''s true with Hollywood''s Gaven said. The Clinton''s lie with such ease, it''s distrubing.

[mudrose-2009]

What experience doesn''t this woman have? It''s astounding. Why was she never considered for the Presidency over her husband? Oh, I see now. She''s riding on the philanderer''s laurels to wit he gets the credit for Reganomics. Give me a break. It''s true with Hollywood''s Gaven said. The Clinton''s lie with such ease, it''s distrubing.

[mudrose-2009]

What experience doesn''t this woman have? It''s astounding. Why was she never considered for the Presidency over her husband? Oh, I see now. She''s riding on the philanderer''s laurels to wit he gets the credit for Reganomics. Give me a break. It''s true with Hollywood''s Gaven said. The Clinton''s lie with such ease, it''s distrubing.

[bookwerm314]

Sadly, Hillary is quite mistaken. She is not the most qualified, nor the wisest. Without the name recognition of her Husband, who would know her? Maybe the people in NY NY, just another freshman senator with big ideas. Her passed along fame gives her a platform and NOT her abilities. Who has risen from nowhere to national prominence? Who has equivalent experience but a better heart? I say it is Obama. A person who says what people want to hear will satisfy them, but a person who says what is right will expand them. It is a fool and a cowards path to take the easy road of war, as was done, and to not rise above, which takes courage, and hillary failed in being wise. We laud Ghandi and Mandela who rose above the slaps and hits and punches, and went beyond. We need such a president. Sometimes the best way is not the obvious one, or the easiest. We are not at war with countries, or a people, but an idea, that grew for various reasons, and the war in Iraq is actually fostering and adding to the number of terrorist, serving as both a generator and magnet for terrorists. So if the best thinking of "traditional" defense politics ends up like that, isn''t it time to rethink how we approach these problems? And isn''t time for a person who would also rethink? if we negate the very things we hold dear, honor, respect, justice, to "protect" ourselves, don''t we really lose? And for economic and social policy, wisdom for me counts more than claimed experience.

[bookwerm314]

Sadly, Hillary is quite mistaken. She is not the most qualified, nor the wisest. Without the name recognition of her Husband, who would know her? Maybe the people in NY NY, just another freshman senator with big ideas. Her passed along fame gives her a platform and NOT her abilities. Who has risen from nowhere to national prominence? Who has equivalent experience but a better heart? I say it is Obama. A person who says what people want to hear will satisfy them, but a person who says what is right will expand them. It is a fool and a cowards path to take the easy road of war, as was done, and to not rise above, which takes courage, and hillary failed in being wise. We laud Ghandi and Mandela who rose above the slaps and hits and punches, and went beyond. We need such a president. Sometimes the best way is not the obvious one, or the easiest. We are not at war with countries, or a people, but an idea, that grew for various reasons, and the war in Iraq is actually fostering and adding to the number of terrorist, serving as both a generator and magnet for terrorists. So if the best thinking of "traditional" defense politics ends up like that, isn''t it time to rethink how we approach these problems? And isn''t time for a person who would also rethink? if we negate the very things we hold dear, honor, respect, justice, to "protect" ourselves, don''t we really lose? And for economic and social policy, wisdom for me counts more than claimed experience.

[mcv57]

I believe she will do everything humanly possible to continue the illusion; otherwise, RECESSION and ECOMONIC COLLAPSE will have us at the knees of the BEAST.

[ajmarine1]

In speech that kicked off a two day campaign swing through Iowa, the New York senator painted a bleak picture of a U.S. economy battered by home foreclosures, rising oil prices and lack of good jobs for middle class workers.


They have been saying the same things for the past 7 years. Shouldn''t we be in a recession by now?

[ajmarine1]

In speech that kicked off a two day campaign swing through Iowa, the New York senator painted a bleak picture of a U.S. economy battered by home foreclosures, rising oil prices and lack of good jobs for middle class workers.


They have been saying the same things for the past 7 years. Shouldn''t we be in a recession by now?

[pepperwood2]

Apologies

In March 1998, President Clinton visited Kigali, where he apologized to the Rwandan people and the victims of the genocide. "The international community, together with nations in Africa, must bear its share of responsibility for this tragedy," Clinton said. "We did not act quickly enough after the killing began. We should not have allowed the refugee camps to become safe havens for the killers. We did not immediately call these crimes by their rightful name: genocide."

Those sentiments were echoed weeks later by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. In an apology to the parliament of Rwanda, Annan said, "We will not deny that, in their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda...."

"Ghosts of Rwanda" concludes by examining the aftermath of the genocide, the lessons learned--and not learned--by the international community, and by questioning whether the phrase "never again" has more meaning today than it did 10 years ago.

"When you are faced with the question [of] whether I think that we can avoid the Rwandas of tomorrow...my answer is I really don''t know," Annan now says. "I wish I can say yes, but I am not convinced that we will see the kind of political will and the action required to stop it."

October 3 Special Forces in Somalia are engaged in a 17-hour battle with the ruling warlord. Eighteen U.S. soldiers are killed and 84 wounded, with more than 1,000 Somalis killed. U.S. and other nations'' troops quickly withdrew from the U.N. mission.

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t do or problems they created!!!

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t do or problems they created!!!

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t do or problems they created!!!

[aeasus]

Why didn''t the Clinton administration work towards green energy independence,national healthcare,immigration reform,tax reform,the first time? Why didn''t the Clinton''s get Osama bin Laden after the first attack on the WTC? or Cole ship bombing? Will they revise their screening for inturns?
Why did the Clinton''s sign onto NAFTA?

What we need now is a president who can clean up the problems that the past 2 presidents didn''t do or problems they created!!!