Feb. 10, 2008
Hillary Clinton's Run For The White House
Talks To 60 Minutes About Her Bid For The Democratic Presidential Nomination
-
Play CBS Video
Video
Hillary Clinton
Katie Couric interviews Hillary Rodham Clinton as the race for the Democratic presidential nomination between her and Barack Obama grows tighter.
-
Photo
Sen. Hillary Clinton (CBS)
-
Photo Essay
Hillary Clinton
A look at a life and career full of firsts.
-
News Tools
Campaign Calendar
The latest list of primary and caucus dates as states continue jockeying for position.
- Stories
- Barack Obama Makes His Case
Now she finds herself locked in a fierce battle with her opponent Barrack Obama. But she's already won several big states and she's got her eye on two important primaries in early March, Texas and Ohio.
With the Democratic nomination in the balance, she remains focused, energized and anything but defeatist.
"Barack Obama's candidacy has undeniably gained momentum over the recent months. Have you grappled with the idea, Senator Clinton, that it could be him and not you?" Katie Couric asked Clinton.
"Well, when you're in the heat of this intense experience, the only way I know how to do it is to believe with all my heart that I'm going to be successful. That's what I get up every day and tell myself. That's what I believe. That's what I think is going to happen. So I don't entertain the other option," Sen. Clinton replied.
"Even in your deepest darkest moments, when you're exhausted, you don't think 'Oh my gosh, I'm going through this, I'm spending so much money, I'm so tired and this could be all for naught?' What if that happens?" Couric asked. "You have to, once in a while, think that. No?"
"No, Katie," Clinton said. "You can't think like that. You have to believe you're going to win."
"Otherwise leave the field and let somebody who has the confidence and the optimism and determination that a leader has to have get on that field instead," she added.
Staying on that field requires stamina, especially when she travels to three or more states in one day.
60 Minutes visited Clinton at her home in Chappaqua, N.Y, on Super Tuesday as she sat through 57 satellite interviews with reporters from across the country, repeatedly stressing her readiness to be president.
"How do you do it? I mean, the satellite interviews, the speeches, the travel, the debates, the schmoozing, the picture taking, 24/7," Couric asked.
"I do it because I really believe in what I'm doing," Clinton said.
"I knew you were gonna say that," Couric remarked.
"Well, but it's true," Clinton said.
"But I'm talking about pure stamina," Couric said.
"Pure stamina. I have a lot of stamina and I have a lot of resilience," the senator said.
Asked if she pops vitamins or drinks a lot of coffee, Clinton said, "I take vitamins. I drink tea, not coffee anymore. I have really stopped drinking diet drinks. Because I found that they gave you a jolt, but they weren't good over the long run. I used to drink a lot of them. I drink tons of water. Just as much water as I can possibly drink."
"My two secrets to staying healthy: wash your hands all the time. And, if you can't, use Purell or one of the sanitizers. And the other is hot peppers. I eat a lot of hot peppers. I for some reason started doing that in 1992, and I swear by it," she added.
Her staff is as sleep deprived as she is, many of them longtime loyal Clintonites, with a war room similar to Bill Clinton's in the 1990s.
Barack Obama wasn't seen as a serious threat to her candidacy, until he started filling large arenas and inspiring voters.
"There are two schools of thought. One is the big, huge, enthusiastic crowds don't necessarily translate totally into votes. The other is this is really a steam engine that is just getting started. This is a movement that's just getting started. And the more he's at it, the bigger it's gonna get," Couric remarked.
"I don't see that," Clinton said. "I think what we saw on Super Tuesday is that people who feel like this country's headed in the wrong direction, are increasingly saying, 'We know who we want to go with. We want someone who, on day one, can walk into the Oval Office, be commander in chief, turn the economy around. Really start solving our problems.' And I think that trumps the excitement factor, which is important. And I am very impressed and really excited that there's so many people, especially young people, who are part of our party because of his campaign. But this is really serious business. And we've got two wars going on. We have an economy slipping into recession. We have people who are hurting and are looking for answers. And I believe my campaign and my candidacy offers that."
Produced By Robert Anderson, Lori Beecher and Ira Rosen
© MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Recent Segments
Scroll Left
Scroll Right
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
...
- 28
- next
See all 1362 CommentsWHY DO YOU THINK SHE HAS EXPERIANCED NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN ADS??? BECAUSE SHE IS A NEGATIVE PERSON IS DISGUISE, A FRAUD & A PHONEY TO THE CORE.
WHY DO YOU THINK SHE HAS EXPERIANCED NEGATIVE CAMPAIGN ADS??? BECAUSE SHE IS A NEGATIVE PERSON IN DISGUISE, A FRAUD & A PHONEY TO THE CORE. SUCH HYPROCRISY. SAD AND DISGREACEFUL.
http://opensourceactivist.org/2008/02/06/bill-to-improve-health-care-in-mexico/
All of these creatures support open borders and internationalism...all are funded by the same corrupt forces that funded Bush--who is trying to rally Americans to McCain and a continuation of the Stupid People''s War for Oil, Israel, Opium and the Enrichment of the Oligarchy.
I will be voting THIRD PARTY. Treason, Corruption and Idiocy...the Holy Trinity of Demopublicanism... have taken this nation to the brink of economic and foreign policy disaster and are now intent upon taking it over the edge.
Vote to control our borders, curb the dogs in Washington, re-institute an American foreign policy, end the private money monopoly, put an end to the police state and IRS...
...You have a choice! You can vote for any of the Demopublican figurines or you can vote for YOUR Constitution, YOUR Republic and YOUR future by voting for a Third Party candidate.
http://www.hillaryclintonrevealed.net/hillary_clinton_scandals.htm
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/MENA/crimes_of_mena.html
http://www.daveschultz.com/clinton/bodycount.html
Two provisions of the MCA , MISERY HILLARY GOT THIS PAST INTO LAW...WHY
First, the MCA changed the definition of war crimes for which US government defendants can be prosecuted. Under the War Crimes Act of 1996, any violation of Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions was considered a war crime and could be criminally prosecuted. Section 6 of the Military Commissions Act amended the War Crimes Act so that only actions specifically defined as "grave breaches" of Common Article 3 could be the basis for a prosecution, and it made that definition retroactive to November 26, 1997. The specific actions defined in section 6 of the Military Commissions Act include torture, cruel or inhumane treatment, murder, mutilation or maiming, intentionally causing serious bodily harm, rape, sexual assault or abuse, and the taking of hostages. According to Mariner of Human Rights Watch, the effect is "that perpetrators of several categories of what were war crimes at the time they were committed, can no longer be punished under U.S. law."[32] The Center for Constitutional Rights adds:
The MCA%u2019s restricted definitions arguably would exempt certain U.S. officials who have implemented or had command responsibility for coercive interrogation techniques from war crimes prosecutions.
. . . .
This amendment is designed to protect U.S. government perpetrators of abuses during the "war on terror" from prosecution.[33]
Jackson sharply criticized presidential hopeful and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for "acting like he%u2019s white" in what Jackson catagorizes as a "tepid response" to six black juveniles%u2019 arrest on attempted-murder charges in Jena, La.
Jackson, who also lives in Illinois, endorsed Obama in March, according to The Associated Press.
%u201CIf I were a candidate, I%u2019d be all over Jena,%u201D Jackson said after an hour-long speech at Columbia%u2019s historically black Benedict College.
%u201CJena is a defining moment, just like Selma was a defining moment,%u201D said Jackson.
Join the real conservatives (they ain''t warfare-fetishist McCain supporters) and purge this political system of its pro-government filth.
I worked 3.5 yrs in the ghettos of Chicago, and then went into politics thanks to a slumlord I met! And while those I left behind in the ghetto froze in a winter%u2019s deep freeze because the slumlord couldn%u2019t afford the heat, he did managed to keep funding my political campaign thankfully! In return, I wrote letters for more Gov. money for my slumlord friend, forgetting that he had already defaulted on $10%u2019s of millions he already got from Gov., what%u2019s a few more millions for a friend?
Then as I stated many times, I didn%u2019t vote in support of the Iraq war, and no one caught on that I wasn%u2019t a member of the US Senate when the vote was going on! But I have my anti war rally speech to fall back on and will not mention telling Tim Russert in %u201804 that if I was in the Senate, I do not know how I would have voted!
When I wanted a house I couldn''t afford I called my slumlord friend to help again! Now I live in a mansion a mile from the ghetto''s I once worked in! But that%u2019s ok, no one will really care since Oprah loves me and the slumlord sits in jail!
But this isn%u2019t about me it is about you!
It isn''t about the past it%u2019s about the future and your believing in what I say I can do!
It is about doing as MLK did, for me to live as the less fortunate do, by living in public housing as they do!
That''s why I seek the White House and the Presidency of these United States of America, for you!
4 years ago he is angry man, doesn''''''''t know why, just angry. Turns on MTV, sees Sean Penn and Rosie Odonnell bashing someone named George Bush, he remembers that someone named George Bush is President. "Eureka!" he says, that is why I am such an angry man, because Sean Penn and Rosie Odonnell says I should be angry at the President. jamurphy spends next 4 years posting immature angry comments about Bush, blaming him for everything (even the weather). Makes him feel better about himself, easier to misdirect anger than to really do some soul searching to determine where real anger is stemming from.
Fast forward to 2010, Hillary is president, jamurph still angry (and still no health insurance and more taxes out of his check), doesnt know why, turns on MTV, can''''''''t find Sean or Rosie to tell him who to be angry at. Jamurphy gets confused, screams to self "who am i supposed to be angry at now?", gets down on his knees and puts hands towards sky and says "oh saint spicoli saint of all thats angry, help me, tell me who to be angry at now" Sean Penn doesn''''t appear on MTV, he collapses to ground into puddle of tears possible scenarios, has nervous breakdown because confused on why angry or picks up phonebook and finds number to a good counselor.
Agreed and she is tougher than O....
O thinks this is about him ........"We are the ones we''ve been waiting for" is not the DNC in his pocket get ready to rumble.......
what - she''s gonna have a target painted on her face ?
Regarding the "Harold Ford Effect" you failed to mention what lead to the "Harold Ford Effect." It was illegal race baiting by the GOP Religious Party in a racist Southern state. Without this lowly venture by the lower than life GOP Religious Party, Ford would have been the first Black Senator from a racially charged Southern state.
Clinton is right, there hasn''t been one single negative ad ran against him and he hasn''t had to answer one single tough question as of yet in this campaign. LOL
The far left has handled him with the same kids gloves that they use on Paris Hilton and the far right has stayed away from him in fear that it would help Hillary. Anybody who says differently is either blind or stupid or both.
NBC has had such a love fest that their reporters have actually said it''s hard to report objectivly when it concerns Obama and Chris Mathews even said you can''t go to one of his rallys and be a true american unless you cry.
On the other hand the democratic officials have moved the convention up until almost the general election in fear of republican attacks and now their faced with with trying to heal the wounds in only two months of the primary. These talking heads are making me dizzy with all their grade school level spinning.
Posted by danstoned
====================================================
No offense danstoned but that was spoken like a true far left weenie. The contention that race baiting is somehow illegal or not the norm in politics puts you somewhere between Richard Simmons and Barbra Streisand. It happens all the time, will continue to happen all the time, and is considered the norm. Politics is a contact sport and not for the feint of heart.
In my opinion, Hillary has just too much baggage she''s toting along to be a viable general election candidate.
That''s why I''m voting Obama!
Clinton''s essentially arguing that you embrace the old-style game of dirty politics and then let her duke it out even though Billary''s got a closet full of dirt, mud and skeletons.
Barack''s got an entirely different demeanor operating in a climate which disapproves of old-style politics which is allowing him to dictate a new set of rules for a new 21st century game. Not only can he withstand the mud-slinging of the old-style gameplay, he''s got the ability to reinvent the game, which ultimately makes him more electable because he is more powerful. This is why the polls show him beating McCain . . .
Could releasing their tax returns expose their wheeling and dealing of political influence for money and or campaign contributions?
Why do the Clinton''s not want to release their income tax returns UNLESS they get the Democratic nomination?
What is in them that they do not want Democratic voters to see until the General Election campaign?
Democrats just need to trust Billary and nominate them, then they will release their income tax returns. No nomination, no tax returns. Trust me there is nothing there that Republicans can use against us. Trust US. Would we lie to you about anything other than Bill''s sexual dalliances?
They must believe that they would lose the support of some Democratic voters if these returns are made public while some Democratic primaries and caucuses are still to be decided.
What other reason would they have for continuing to with-hold their income tax returns until after (they hope) they have been nominated?
Posted by SamTheTVCat
Obama does better in polls vs McCain because he''s never been personally attacked or his record challenged to any extent which is what Clinton means when she''s been vetted. (she left that for you to figure out)
Obama is probably the first politician in history that hasn''t had a negative ad ran against him by this point in the race and because people just met him the day before yesterday, he still has a squeaky clean record.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by spinster2 at 06:34 PM : Feb 08, 2008
Lets see what was that bill was doing that brought such outrage from his fellow democrats. It was little old race baiting to demean obama. Also maybe he is just a cleaner candidate
Posted by claffiteau
Spot on - the latest is that Billary is trying to control the press by refusing to deal with MSNBC. She''s always dishing it out, but can''t take it. What a phony.
I don''t hesitate to call her on her hypocrisy because all yesterday we had to hear her greasy campaign manager taunting Barack for when he wouldn''t indulge Clinton with weekly debates because he has enough money to campaign in ways which better get his message across . . .
Hillary''s a wimp!
John McCain has a sociopathic temper. It will betray him. He is not fit to lead. I do not understand how anyone came out of Vietnam a hero. He''s lucky he wasn''t fragged given his hateful temperament. Ten years of useless carnage and for absolutely nothing.
Another thing I''m sure she would love to point out is the fact that Obama can''t seem to win in the one man, one vote states. His strength is in caucus states where voters can be bullied and manipulated.
Another thing that she would love to point out is that the lions share of states tailor made for Obama are behind him. He has three or for little states comming up where he''s expected to win and it''s uphill all the way after that in states tailor made for her. The big swing states at that, or the ones that matter most. Ohio with one of the largest blue collar populationss and Penn with the second oldest population. That would make a big three trifecta.
Posted by spinster2
Oh please, that''s like you claiming that you''ve better able to defend yourself against attacks than me because you''re more polarizing and less tolerant than me. Ridiculous!
Neither "Billary" nor Obama are ideal candidates. I happen to like Obama a little better but that''s like saying I prefer cabbage to beets; none too thrilled with either.
Having said that I also say that either one would be a dramatic improvement over who we have now and markedly better than whomever the Republican party is likely to put up as their candidate.
Anyway...My point is we will need to be right on top of whomever we select as the Democratic candidate. They are accountable to us, individually, rather than the special interests (regardless of how sympathetic to some of them I may be) who provide the bulk of their financing. Restoration of our infrastructure and of the middle class; and the reduction of poverty and environmental insult must be high priority items on the agenda of our next, likely Democratic, administration.
We should also spend a thought or two about the folks we sent to DC to represent us in congress. In this new and not-at-all benign world of partisan bickering and political hatchetry (is that a word? It is now) it will do no good to elect a Dem as Chief Executive only to fill the house and senate with more GOP..
Posted by exCoachKen
It''s all relative I suppose - like maybe relative to you she''s not a wimp but relative to me and Barack she is . . .
Posted by spinster2
Oh please, that''''s like you claiming that you''''ve better able to defend yourself against attacks than me because you''''re more polarizing and less tolerant than me. Ridiculous!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted by SamTheTVCat
==============================
No, what it''s like is calling Obama on Hillary ceiling that he''s always crowing aobut. It''s simply point out that there is also a floor and while she''s at her floor, he can sink much lower.
Posted by exCoachKen
What is this based on? Your ''gut''? Maybe because you tend to be a little bit fearful you aren''t able to see other peoples'' toughness accurately . . .
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
...
- 28
- next
See all 1362 Comments