Hillary Clinton's Run For The White House

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

(CBS)  Especially, she says, his economic policies.

"The president's latest budget would leave us with a $400 billion deficit. He went from inheriting a balanced budget and a surplus to a projected $400 billion deficit and a $9 trillion debt," Clinton explained.

"A deficit that that’s been caused largely by a war that you authorized," Couric pointed out.

"Well, you know, when we voted to give the president authority, I think most Democrats did it as I did. They saw a sincere assessment of the situation as we viewed it at the time. But, I, at the time said, 'This is not to go into preemptive war.' And I certainly have been a critic. And the real issue now is how do we get out," Clinton said.

"Both you and Senator Obama have suggested pulling out combat troops. But if Iraq descends into an all out civil war, becomes a blood bath, will you reassess that?" Couric asked.

"When I become president, I would ask the secretary of defense and the Joint Chiefs of Staff and my security advisors to immediately begin drawing up a plan that would enable me to start bringing our troops home within 60 days," Clinton replied. "There are no good easy or sure options in Iraq. Senator McCain has said it wouldn't bother him to stay for a hundred years. Well, it would absolutely, you know, enrage me because I see no reason for us to be even talking that way."

Her detailed understanding of Iraq and other complex issues is her specialty. A skill required by her demanding father, who set the bar impossibly high.

"President Clinton described your dad, I believe at his funeral, as tough and gruff?" Couric asked. "And I know I've read that when you brought home stellar grades, instead of praising you, he's say, 'You must be going to an easy school.' … That must have been so demoralizing."

"He really wanted to motivate me. And it worked," Clinton said. "You know, it really did. He would say, 'You can do better. You can do better. Keep going. You can do better.'"

"Do you think he'd still be saying, 'You can do better'?" Couric asked.

"Probably," Clinton replied.

It might be hard for her father to claim she isn't trying hard enough now.

60 Minutes joined Clinton on Thursday at a high school gym in Arlington, Va., as she borrowed a page from her husband’s campaign playbook, stopping and shaking as many hands on the rope line as she could.

"What were you like in high school? Were you the girl in the front row taking meticulous notes and always raising your hand?" Couric asked.

"Not always raising my hand," the senator replied, laughing.

"Someone told me your nickname in school was Miss Frigidaire. Is that true?" Couric asked.

"Only with some boys," Clinton said, laughing.

In Bill Clinton's high school yearbook a classmate wrote, "See you in the White House." But now, his prominent role in her campaign has raised questions about his role in a second Clinton White House.

"I look forward to having his advice and his counsel," Clinton told Couric.

"When you say you're looking forward to his advice and counsel the notion of a co-presidency comes to mind. And that's something that people aren't too keen about," Couric remarked.

"Well, they shouldn't be. But that's not what I'm really talking about. A president always turns to those closest to him or her, to get that unvarnished advice. But, at the end of the day, it's the president who makes the decision," Clinton explained.

"What do you see yourself doing if this doesn't work out?" Couric asked.

"Well, I'll be a senator from New York. Which is a great job. I love New York," Clinton replied.

Asked if she'd be fine with that, Clinton said, "Absolutely. You know, I have a very clear sense that this is gonna work out the way it's supposed to work out. And I'm happy with that. Maybe it's because I'm a little older, I'm not so, you know, panting and anxious and all of that. And I have a blessed life. So whatever happens, I will be fine."

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60 Minutes asked Sen. John McCain to appear on the Feb. 10, 2008 broadcast, but he declined for scheduling reasons. We look forward to having him on in the near future.

[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.