Hillary Clinton's Run For The White House

Talks To 60 Minutes About Her Bid For The Democratic Presidential Nomination

(CBS)  Senator Hillary Clinton never expected such a tight race. Last fall, she was ahead in the polls by a wide margin with no serious rivals to worry about.

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.

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"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."

[atypengine]

Katie Couric has yet to realize that asking vapid, insipid questions but with furrowed brow does NOT constitute the kind of journalism that we have relied on 60 Minutes to provide. Take a cue from Mike Wallace and ask substantive, investigative questions and leave the fluffy high school personality quizzes back with the morning shows.

[ronandeileen]

I will never take 60 Minutes seriously again. Couric''s interview was an insult to Hilliary Clinton and to all women. With so many serious female journalists, how can CBS justify the presence of someone like Couric? Unless of course the objective is to demean and trivialize women. It that is CBS%u2019s goal, you are succeeding.

[luzklee]

If Senator Obama had received such demeaning treatmnet during his 60 Minutes interview, the national and local media would be completely a-buzz with protesting comments. So far, I haven''t seen any press comment on this deplorable overt bias. The last time Americans voted for a press favorite, we got W! How soon we forgeT.

[luzklee]

Did CBS ask Katie Couric the same tacky, insulting and useless questions when she interviewed for the anchor''s job? If CBS did, how did she feel? Her questions and body lanquage when interviewing Senator Clinton showed an ax to grind. Is she getting back at CBS by subjecting the much-respected Senator to her veiled venom? She''s a bad example of how women can be their own worst enemies in the work place.

[jenamarie7]

The Couric interview with Senator Clinton was below the caliber of 60 minutes. My husband and I have been watching 60 minutes for years and we both were appalled at the questions asked of Senator Clinton. Couric%u2019s questions were High School level, at best. I agree with %u201CMs Contrarian%u201D who posted earlier, Get both candidates back on and have Couric ask Senator Obama the same questions that she asked Senator Clinton and have Croft ask the same question of Senator Clinton that were asked of Senator Obama. Couric should be ashamed of the questions that she asked, and with herself!
However, we do Love Andy!!!!!

[youanimal]

On behalf of her daughters Katie Couric should be ASHAMED for her idiotic, sexist remark to Hilary Clinton about her high-school nickname. This is just more of the ''subtle'' abuse that the press can get away with when it comes to dealing with a powerful female, the implication being that by her very nature she is damaged and not a real woman where it counts (in the bedroom). Even more insinuating is the snide suggestion that she was somehow to blame for Bill''s wild philandering for not having what it takes to keep him in line. Really offensive, especially coming from a woman reporter. And, by the way, would we ever see a male reporter say to McCain, for example, "Hey dude, I heard that in high school all the girls used to call you Mr. Tiny Limp-***..." Hardly. At least not a so-called professional on a show the caliber of 60 Minutes. Katie, you did your sisters all a BIG dis-service. Actually even my husband said he can never look at you the same way again. You owe us all an apology.

[mckennaros]

Shame on you Katie Couric!! I have never seen a poorer example of profesionalism in my life. To think you thought it was relevant to the presidental race to bring up an old high school nickname and embrass Sen. Clinton, destroys your credibility as a reporter. You owe Senator Clinton an apology. She certainly showed a lot more class than you did.

[dvrdvrdvr]

It has now been several days watching the 60 Minutes interview with Hillary Clinton. I have considerable admiration and respect for Mr. Obama and will probably vote for him, but I was shocked at Ms. Couric''s bizarre interview. After a few minutes, I thought I was watching a Saturday Night Live satire. Good Grief, what has become of 60 Minutes? Although I will continue to watch,I will keep the remote nearby on for upcoming programs. Shame.

[chivu35]

While Katie Couric was asking Hillary Clinton about her high school sexual habits, maybe Steve Kroft could have taken a few minutes out of stroking Barack Obama''s ego to ask about his relationship with Nufarm %u2013 one of 12 beneficiaries of tariff suspension bills sponsored by Mr. Obama who says he wants to rid Washington of lobbyists and corporate interests.

60 Minutes should be ashamed of their obvious bias toward Senator Obama and Katie Couric should be fired for her entirely inappropriate line of questioning.

[stevegott1]

I didn''t think it was possible, but Sixty Minutes has hit a new low. Like everyone else, I was completely appalled by Katie Couric''s sexist comment about a nickname from her past. Unbelievable in an age where we''re supposed to be showing how far we''ve come with the first woman running for U.S. President and Katie Couric reverses all that in one comment. Who the hell is on Kool Aid at CBS -- or maybe we should judge her by her own sexist standards and ask who she slept with to get where she is. Sixty Minutes lost its credibility when they fired Dan Rather. Tyra Banks gave an insightful, revealing interview of Senator Clinton on her daytime talk show which showed infinitely more research, preparation and journalistic integrity than Katie''s hatchet job.

[deutchick]

I''m not even a Hillary fan, but Katie you need to find a job in a profession that suites your poor reporting....perhaps you would be better suited for TMZ or E Entertainment. I was so disappointed - I wanted to hear the facts, and not how her feelings are if she lost. Hillary did a bang up job answering those stupid questions! Hillary you should have slapped her!

[mscontrarian-2009]

While I''m an enthusiastic Obama supporter, if Clinton is the nominee I will vote for her. However my husband and I were disgusted at Couric%u2019s inane, insulting interview. As a woman, I recall the earlier hubbub surrounding Couric%u2019s move to CBS evening news. I don%u2019t watch that particular broadcast however I think I understand why she%u2019s been so heavily criticized %u2013 what in the heck wrong with her? My husband is not a Clinton fan however he was also floored when Couric asked about Clinton%u2019s school days and about being called Ms. Frigidaire. We were both shocked and appalled at the lack of respect and the utter ridiculousness of her questions. What could have been an opportunity to draw distinctions and contrasts and really elicit good useful information was indeed the opposite, a fluffy, stupid shameful interview. CBS perhaps it%u2019s time to consider getting rid of Couric %u2013 she seems better suited to do the daytime what- to cook-your-sweetie and how-to-kill- those- pesky- bathroom-germs %u201Cnews%u201D pieces

[luzklee]

CBS should give Katie Couric a chance to interview Senator Obama with the same ridiculous questions that were hurled at Senator Clinton. Steve Croft can also interview Senator Clinton with the set of more focused questions he posed Senator Obama. How each candidate responds publicly to insults or respect would be telling.

[reigngreen]

Katie you have no class. I would be offended if I am asked the question about being called anything in high school, let alone posing such a question to a former First Lady. Hillary showed real class by giving a perfect answer. I''ve watched your broadcasts and you''ve never been really kind to Hillary in your comments and descriptions of her and her campaign. Veiled but it''s there. You clearly use friendly phrases when it comes to Barack. Whether it''s the people writing your news or just your true self showing through, the double standard is still alive and well at CBS. I wonder if any question smiliar in magnitude was posed to Obama would have entered your senseless mind, did he played the field or what the girls think of him-- aimless pot smoker.

Look at your time slot for the interviews.
Hillary gets 13:12 mins but Obama gets 13:32 of air time. This is clear evidence whose side your on.

And Katie, lift your head up when you''re facing the camera. Playing coy is something you''re not good at.

Disgusted female viewer.

[reinvent-2009]

Katie, That was a Bush league interview. Maybe George would have enjoyed your adolescent and shallow interview. If I was Hillary I would have pulled a Sarkozy on you. Imbecile !

[h29ector]

I thought it was illegal to show *** between two women on TV?

[h29ector]

I thought it was illegal to show *** between two women on TV?

[h29ector]

I thought it was illegal to show *** between two women on TV?

[judies1]

CBS NEWS exhibited some of the poorest news judgement I have witnessed in years by dredging up a nickname from a high school and using it in what should have been a serious news story on the Clinton candidacy. Who needs the Republican attack machine and the touchy Obama campaign when you''re parading high school slander from 45 years ago on national tv? The one saving grace is that it gave Senator Clinton a chance to show how she can handle just about anything.

[dollyj1]

Katie Couric''s interview with Senator Clinton was appalling. Someone should ask Katie if her name in high school was Miss Hot Pants. CBS go back to Dan Rather. When Katie got the job as anchor. I as a woman was proud. Now I question( if you know what I mean} how she ever got hired? No doubt she was wearing a little cheerleader outfit.