Clinton Seizes Opportunity After Crisis

Politico: Democratic Hopeful Looked Like A Woman In Charge After Hostage Drama

(The Politico)  This story was written by David Paul Kuhn.

Friday afternoon began with possible tragedy: A hostage crisis at Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign office in Rochester, New Hampshire.

As the incident unfolded Clinton’s campaign closed its doors and canceled her public appearances.

But nightfall brought a happy ending: the campaign workers safe, the man in police custody - and Clinton flying to the scene to express thanks.

The hostage-taking itself offered a rare, if small, genuine drama in a campaign season governed by strict schedules and scripted stump speeches.

And as soon as it ended, Clinton took full advantage of the opportunity she had unexpectedly been handed.

In her New Hampshire press conference, she stood before a column of police in green and tan uniforms. She talked of meeting with hostages. She mentioned that she spoke to the state’s governor about eight minutes after the incident began.

The scene was one of a woman in charge.

“It looked and sounded presidential,” said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics. “This was an instance of the White House experience of this campaign. They knew how to handle this.”

That the crisis was outside Clinton's control gave it a rare quality in this era of hyper-controlled politicking, Sabato added.

“What’s most important about it is that it’s not contrived. It’s a real event and that distinguishes it from 99 percent of what happens in the campaign season.”

Clinton’s campaign has long been dogged by key questions: is she authentic, does she genuinely have the experience to be president, and is the country ready for a woman as commander in chief - especially during wartime.

“She has never run anything. And the idea that she could learn to be president as an internship just doesn’t make any sense,” former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Republican, said in one campaign ad.

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani has argued the same line.

“I don’t know Hillary’s experience,” Giuliani has said. “She’s never run a city, she's never run a state. She’s never run a business. She has never met a payroll. She has never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people.”

Looking the part

Friday presented Clinton with a moment to look the part of president.

“You had one of these breaking news stories ... and so everybody was glued to the set,” said Robert Thompson, founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University. “She got on TV and provided a sense of closure and executive cool. It is like how Giuliani used television during his crisis.

“There was a sense that this was a dress rehearsal of how she was going to deal with... crisis as president,” Thompson added.

In her two public appearances after the hostages were freed, she was stern, but she also spoke of the concerns she felt as a mother, admitting to a “horrible sense of bewilderment” and “outrage.”

Her decision to express her personal anxieties offered a window into how she may veer into territory men avoid - personal feelings during a possible public tragedy.

The personal has at times been hard to find in Clinton. She heads the largest and most manicured of all operations.

Her campaign has an especially organized staff that surrounds her. She stays on script and she stays on schedule.

Even as she flew to New Hampshire Friday evening, she was planning to return to Iowa Saturday in order to return to schedule.

What the hostage incident offered Clinton was a brief reprieve from the petty narrative of her versus Sen. Barack Obama, a break from what at times has devolved to intra-party bickering.

“Voters look for opportunities to see how candidates react in crisis,” Sabato said. “And this wasa mini crisis.”

[rudy654-2009]

"Seig Heil"


Yeah, um, if you are going to write German, please write it correctly.

[iceman_1960]

Rudy Giuliani: "[Hillary Clinton] has never met a payroll."

How many times, approaching infinity, have mediocre candidates like Giuliani touted their past experience of "meeting a payroll" ?

The late Mayor Harold Washington had the perfect reply to that, in his debate with the late Bernie Epton, when Epton made the same bookkeeping boast:

"When you"re mayor you hire people like that."

Hillary may not have all of Giuliani"s accounting savvy, but at least her daughter will speak to her.

[iceman_1960]

"The late Mayor Harold Washington"

(Mayor of Chicago.)

[one_american]

Someone walks into a campaign office with a fake bomb, and Hillary goes into complete lock-down mode.

Hillary Presidential?

Hardly.

[j-whitman]

------ The scene was one of a woman in charge -------

[furkidsmom]

What a crock. The only crisis she was responding to was her OWN. Bad for her campaign - of course she had the knee jerk reaction of getting to the forefront of the situation ASAP. The only person she is truly interested in is herself. How many years has she wasted on her ideas regarding healthcare reform, going all the way back to Arkansas. When will all the dimwit Hillary supporters wake up and smell the rosess?

[tradamerica]

No proof that the Klyntons didn''t set this thing up. And even if they didn''t, why make such a big deal over something this trivial?

[hhkeller]

Right wing turtle heads dont see much in anything because they follow blindy the dumbest President in US history. The tax bill for the Iraq lie will be paid by us for decades.

Bush and company are Dumber than a bag of rocks.

[edward1975-2009]

Wonder if Bill hired the guy and he just lost his nerve. Never count on a Democrat to get the job done. Unless of course the job occurs under a desk in the Oval office.

[tradamerica]

The scene was one of a China-enabling neo communist ginning up some more coverage from her fawning fans in the liberal left media (per George Mason University study on media bias)

With her record of planting questions one has to ask if she paid this guy or was he a volunteer?

[tradamerica]

hhkeller,

Bush dares to resist the followers of a self professed pedophile, misogynist, and murderer, (there for the reading in the sura''s). One would only hope that you and your family are the first to taste the "love" in Sharia law.

[hhkeller]

Can forget the Bush face and his cowardnees during 911.

Flag wavers aren''t brave and liers arent heroes.

[tradamerica]

--Can forget the Bush face and his cowardnees during 911.

Flag wavers aren''''t brave and liers arent heroes.--

Hate + hubris = hhkeller

[hhkeller]

Can''t forget the Bush face and his cowardnees during 911.

Flag wavers aren''''t brave and liers arent heroes.

Bush and his blind followers sold America out for a new BMW. Tradamerica will be paying the Bush bill.

Lemmings

[stevewallers]

She may have looked the part, but the look PALES in comparison to Bill Richardson, who actually walked into hostile situations and walked out with US hostages. He''s a doer, she''s all about image.

[sbb2211]

I called this yesterday! The Clintonistas are SO transparent! Next, they will be calling Billary a friggin hero for her ''tough'' stance against terrorists!

She was already prepared for the news conference BEFORE heading to that office. If Billary really cared about her people, she would NOT have stopped for the cameras.

WAG THE DOG!

This was such an obvious setup. It was too perfect of an opportunity for the Billary campaign.

To hhkeller:

You dare to compare this to 911? Are you THAT desperate for Billary to look like a leader!

LEMMING!

[mcvet]

With her record of planting questions one has to ask if she paid this guy or was he a volunteer?


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

Posted by pduffy211 at 01:08 PM : Dec 01, 2007
+ report abuse

LOL Now THIS is a FASCIST mind for you folks!! ONLY a Fascist could POSSIBABLY come up with something THIS stupid, knowing all we now know. Good luck on your attempt to stir up hate there Sparky... you''re going to need it. Sieg Heil Bush!!!

[hhkeller]

Both Bill Richardson adn Hillary Clinton are more American than the loser in the White House. Bush sold out his family and country for very little.

National dept mostly to China $ 9 trillion
Your share of this debt is $30,105.66.

[flea1989]

Forget the Republican bull, this is about Hillary. I think Obama would be better that Hillary. Remember the health care she tried to push through with no way to pay for it? I don''t trust her!

[fredgrad2000]

She may have looked the part, but the look PALES in comparison to Bill Richardson, who actually walked into hostile situations and walked out with US hostages. He''''s a doer, she''''s all about image.

Posted by SteveWallers

To the experience and "doer" point; that is certainly dead-on, but is applicable to any of the top 3 Dems at this point. All 3 of them combined do not match the experience of either of their most qualified and experienced candidates (Richardson or Biden); I just wish Richardson wasn''t even more speech-challenged than even President Bush so he could make his case on experience. The top 3 Dems are sorely lacking in experience in that combined they only have about 18 years experience, and only in legislative, not executive experience. I can''t understand why the Dems aren''t going for Joe Biden, he is the most informed, experienced, articulate, and has the best ideas on foreign policy of the group (and I am willing to wager he makes his own policy rather than needing teams of experts to educate him as Hillary, Barack, and Pretty Boy do). If the American people were really looking at qualifications over style and name recognition; none of these 3 "top tier" Dems would have a shot in the primary or general election.

[cpaide]

"It looked and sounded presidential," said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics

It looked and sounded more like an elementary school principal to me. Hillary would make a wonderful administrator at a school inside of that little village thingy she invented. Greenwich Village, perhaps, but that''s it.

Presidential? I don''t think so. Unless you think ''lil Bush is presidential.

We don''t need a female george bush in the White House.

[hillaryrocks]

Hillary is a natural leader.

This event, as the article makes clear, nicely refutes Obama''s claim that Hillary''s experience in the White House doesn''t mean much.

To those (furkidsmom) who criticize her for "getting to the forefront of the situation ASAP" - what a ridiculous thing to say. Don''t you want a president who can take charge? Or would you rather she had gone into hiding, like bush did on 9-11?

Seems there are some people ready to blame Hillary for everything. They harbor so much hate. They can''t even give her credit for a job obviously well-done.

No, this wasn''t a national emergency. That''s not the point. As the article points out, this small crisis gave us preview of how Hillary would react to a larger crisis.

Now more than ever, I''m confident that Hillary is ready to lead.

[fredgrad2000]

IF the issue is experience and qualifications, there are choices; I just can''t imagine one of the so-far top 3 Dems being one of them:

Foriegn Policy Experience: Certainly on the Dem side, Biden (2-time chairmen of Senate foreign relations committee) and Richardson (former UN Ambassador and Special Envoy to NK and Sudan) are only comparable to McCain on the GOP side.

National Security Experience: I''d wager John McCain is unmatched here, except perhaps with Duncan Hunter (who has no shot) - both are decorated veterans and former chairmen of their respective armed services committees in the House and Senate. On the Dem side, Joe Biden could compete as Armed Services Committee Member. If the Dems have a veteran in their presidential candidate ranks, I am not aware of it.

Executive Experience: Rudy, Romney, and Huckabee on the GOP side as mayor of the largest city in the country and state governors only seem to be matched by Richardson (Gov of NM) on Dem side. With in my mind, that edge going to Rudy for the results he achieved in the role and the fact that that government is far larger than any of the respective state governments Huckabee, Romney, or Richardson have run

To be continued...

[hhkeller]

Republicans elected an alcholic twice to run the country. He shouldn''t drive a local school bus with his record.

Bush during Vietnam, 911, Katrina.. AWOL

[stopfundies]

Tradamerica, you are right, Mohammad was a pedophile. Christianity is no better, however, most of the characters in the Bible are either rapists, pedophiles, or johns, so you have no right to point fingers. To be fair, the fundies in America would do no less than Sharia Law if they were allowed to run around unchecked and unbridled. Save the world, abolish religion!

[shanev137]

The fact the media is going on and on about it not being a contrived event, means it probably was.

[fredgrad2000]

...cont''d

Economic experience - Romney is by far the most successful private executive businessman in the group (Dem or GOP), Rudy has shown the ability to steer the NYC economy upward in his tenure, and Chris Dodd on the Dem side is well known in the financial community and has experience as Senate Banking chairman.

My point from this post and the last is that there are qualified candidates from either party; and some are better on the Dem side, others the GOP side; but what is striking me about this election so far is that in no instance or combination of categories, can I see how anyone would view any one of Hillary, Barack Obama, or Edwards as one of the most qualified candidates to be president in 2008. They are all severely short on executive, national security, foreign policy, or economic experience (all are lawyers; never run a business or government, nor had training in economics). The Dems, if they select one of these 3, are lucky that Bush is so unpopular and that Iraq has been a rallying point against the GOP; if those two WERE to change (not that they will, but if they did), and the Dems had one of these 3 novices as their candidate, I believe the GOP would have to love their 2008 chances.

[jring22]

"Creates the Opportunity" is more accurate.

Doesn''t anyone else recognize the similarities between this and her planted questions?

This has all the earmarks of a staged problem. Nothing I''ve read gives even a hint of pending tragedy. It all ended so easily and you couldn''t have gotten this type of publicity by paying for it. However, a good lawyer will get this guy less than 5 years and time off for GB. How much do you think some blokes would charge for that?

I can see Hilary''s PR group finding some guy willing to give up some liberty for an excellent coming out fund so she could look calm in a crisis. This whole thing stinks of the Clinton''s long time strategies. Though she is definitely NOT presidential she was hoping to look presidential. After all Bush had his 9/11 and she saw how much that benefited him. (and I%u2019m not suggesting THAT was staged!)

Seized a created opportunity perhaps?

[michaelt302]

A roundup of Gallup health polls over the past four years finds that Republicans are far more likely than Democrats to report having excellent mental health.
The survey found that 58 percent of Republicans polled reported having excellent mental health. Only 38 percent of Democrats and 43 percent of Independents reported the same.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/102943/Republicans-Report-Much-Better-Mental-Health-Than-Others.aspx
The study concluded it was unclear why there was such a strong correlation, but the relationship between party affiliation and mental health was virtually constant even within categories of income, age, gender and other factors.
"The reason the relationship exists between being a Republican and more positive mental health is unknown, and one cannot say whether something about being a Republican causes a person to be more mentally healthy or whether something about being mentally healthy causes a person to choose to become a Republican," the study said.
The study speculated that the fact that Republicans have on average higher incomes than members of others parties could play a factor. But in the study, even Republicans making less than $50,000 a year reported having excellent health far more than Democrats earning the same.
The study was based on interviews with 4,014 American adults who were at least 18 years old, conducted from November 2004 through 2007. The margin of error was 2 percent. (we''ve all known that Liberalism is a Mental Disorder for years now)

[shanev137]

I find it interesting that this apparent psycho tried to blow up a democrats headquarters in the name of wanting nationalized health care.....when the whole world already knows she will bring nationalized health care.

[stopfundies]

Yeah, or maybe it''s just because all Republicans are:

A: Full of ***

B: They only have function in the lower brain, making insanity impossible.

C: They believe mental health is something contrived by the great satan hisself, trying to make them believe in all that sciency stuff.

[smileybutton]

CBS totally discredits itself putting out this ***.
Then again, look what they did to Rather.

[robertkjjj]

MichaetT302, thanks for that great post where you show that Republicans are more mentally healthy than Democrats. I went to that clearly impartial link%u2026
http://www.gallup.com/poll/102943/Republicans-Report-Much-Better-Mental-Health-Than-Others.aspx
and read it all.
It reveals what I suspected for years. Democrats are unhappy, bitter, angry, and chronically mentally unstable. Mental illness is rampant among liberals. And, because they are mentally ill, they don%u2019t even know it. They have no idea how they appear to the rest of us. It%u2019s sad that most of them do not seek the help they so desperately need.

[hhkeller]

Republican lemmings are like Chaves lemmings.
Republicans sold out the country for the last 6 years and doomed their own families and our country to decades of debt to China. China will be using the interest alone to build their economy and army which will sink us even further. Bush and his lemmings are so smug and dumb.

[fairandbal]

It reveals what I suspected for years. Democrats are unhappy, bitter, angry, and chronically mentally unstable. Mental illness is rampant among liberals. And, because they are mentally ill, they don%u2019t even know it. They have no idea how they appear to the rest of us. It%u2019s sad that most of them do not seek the help they so desperately need.

Posted by robertkjjj at 02:20 PM : Dec 01, 2007

This is the most hillarious post i''ve ever read. You''re obviously not counting the certifiable psychopath that''s currently in the white house.

http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/368/13596_Bush.html

[trib54]

I cant wait for the nut with the road flairs to turn up as one of her (Hillary''s) operatives. They can go to jail together where they won''t be able to hurt folks that work for a living.

[smldjr]

This incident is saddening, I''m glad to hear that it was resolved without incident.
The comments from robertkjjj and MichaelT302 just prove who really has mental difficulties in our society!
Republicans do generally have higher incomes, because they are typically self centered and they really don''t mind *** others or even killing for what they want.

[smldjr]

This incident is saddening, I''m glad to hear that it was resolved without incident.
The comments from robertkjjj and MichaelT302 just prove who really has mental difficulties in our society!
Republicans do generally have higher incomes, because they are typically self centered and they really don''t mind *** others or even killing for what they want.

[blueamerican]

LOLOL the hate filled republicans are spinning out of control. You''re just going to have to shut up and sit down, ''cause the country is sick of all your psycho lies and Hillary WILL be your president!

[smldjr]

This incident is saddening, I''m glad to hear that it was resolved without incident.
The comments from robertkjjj and MichaelT302 just prove who really has mental difficulties in our society!
Republicans do generally have higher incomes, because they are typically self centered and they really don''t mind *** others or even killing for what they want.

[kobrfl]

Clinton sounded very unpolished said "a" way too many times and did not come across as a good leader. It is clear that she has to practice her speeches to sound polished. Why is the media so pro Clinton what is going to happen when she gets hit with hard questions like; would you recommend that other women stick with their husband while he is having an affair? or Will how much money was wasted investigation your husband that could have gone to help needy families that you are supposed to be supporting? Of how much did your Husband or other relatives take in as bribes for giving out pardons? Or would you like your husband let Osama Bin Laden go free when you have an excellent opportunity to bomb him to hell? As a US citizen I deserve to hear the answers to these questions as does the rest of the country no matter what your political party is.

[shanev137]

Excellent post KOBRFL

[jring22]

"Creates the Opportunity" is more accurate.

I can see many recognize the similarities between this and her planted questions.

This has all the earmarks of a staged problem. Nothing I''ve read gives even a hint of pending tragedy. It all ended so easily and you couldn''t have gotten this type of publicity by paying for it. However, a good lawyer will get this guy less than 5 years and time off for GB. How much do you think some blokes would charge for that? If he pleads he''s a democrat with poor mental health, he might even get less.

I can see Hilary''s PR group finding some guy willing to give up some liberty for an excellent coming out fund so she could look calm in a crisis. This whole thing stinks of the Clinton''s long time strategies. Though she is definitely NOT presidential she was hoping to look presidential. After all Bush had his 9/11 and she saw how much that benefited him. (and I''m not suggesting THAT was staged!)

Seized a created opportunity perhaps?

[tradamerica]

I see the neo coms (communists) are still hacking up their hate from the chest cold they got when Bush whipped Al Sore in 2000. In my 56 years of Independent voting, I''ve not seen a more virulently irrational hate displayed. Democrats seem to forget the Clinton''s have prospered greatly from illegal Chinese contributions to their personal treasury. Of course all the deals Willy cut in China''s favor will continue to create a windfall for Hillary. See Hu later :-)

[hawksprings]

I would bet money that one day we''ll find out that this guy was a Hillary plant and the whole thing was staged. And the Mainstream Media like Clinton Broadcast System and Clinton News Network won''t care.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by KOBRFL at 03:06 PM : Dec 01, 2007

Au contraire, sir. Mr. Clinton tried to go get Osama and Al Queda, but he couldn''t get the CIA and FBI (pro''bly influenced by the neocons, because they wanted 9/11 to happen) to certify so he could get landing space nearby for our special forces to go in Afghanistan and get them. Plus he carried it thru to the end of his term, trying to get the Bush clan to do it!

Did it ever enter your pea republican brain, that had the republicans stayed out of his personal life, that all that money would not have had to be spent on the neocon witch hunt?

And she shouldn''t have to answer a stupid question like, should women stay with their husband while he''s having an affair. That is business that belongs between the husband and the wife and clearly NOT yours!

And clearly had their been bribes taken, some republican would''ve intiated another witch hunt, which clearly didn''t happen. Or else they are so clearly corrupt that they think bribery is ok.

You folks need to get your head out of your behind and find your brains!

[smldjr]

Go, Hillary!
It''s about time we get someone intelligent enough to take charge of a bad situation and actually fix it, unlike those currently in charge!

[j-whitman]

The scene was one of a woman in charge.

[shanev137]

IN CHARGE OF WHAT?

WHAT HAS SHE EVER BEEN IN CHARGE OF?

LOL