Obama And Clinton Embellish Their Records

Washington Post: Both Democratic Candidates Overstate Roles In Key Legislation

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman.

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After weeks of arduous negotiations, on April 6, 2006, a bipartisan group of senators burst out of the "President's Room," just off the Senate chamber, with a deal on new immigration policy.

As the half-dozen senators -- including John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) -- headed to announce their plan, they met Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who made a request common when Capitol Hill news conferences are in the offing: "Hey, guys, can I come along?" And when Obama went before the microphones, he was generous with his list of senators to congratulate -- a list that included himself.

"I want to cite Lindsey Graham, Sam Brownback, Mel Martinez, Ken Salazar, myself, Dick Durbin, Joe Lieberman . . . who've actually had to wake up early to try to hammer this stuff out," he said.

To Senate staff members, who had been arriving for 7 a.m. negotiating sessions for weeks, it was a galling moment. Those morning sessions had attracted just three to four senators a side, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) recalled, each deeply involved in the issue. Obama was not one of them. But in a presidential contest involving three sitting senators, embellishment of legislative records may be an inevitability, Specter said with a shrug.

Unlike governors, business leaders or vice presidents, senators -- the last to win the presidency was John F. Kennedy in 1960 -- are not executives. They cannot be held to account for the state of their states, their companies or their administrations. What they do have is the mark they leave on the nation's laws -- and in Obama's brief three-year tenure, as well as Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's seven-year hitch, those marks are far from indelible.

"It's not an unusual matter for senators to take a little extra credit," Specter said.

Both Obama and Clinton have tried to make the most of it, and Clinton has attempted to bolster her Senate resume with her less-than-transparent track record as first lady. The release Wednesday of more than 11,000 pages of documents from Clinton's years in the White House sent reporters and political opponents scrambling for evidence that might contradict her lofty assessment of her performance in those years.

The Obama campaign pounced on the documents, using them to argue that the senator from New York had understated her role in securing the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement and overstated her roles in foreign policy decisions and passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act early in her husband's administration.

With colleagues in Congress quick to claim credit where it is due, word moves quickly when undue credit is claimed.

"If it happens once or twice, you let it go," said Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), an Obama supporter. "If it becomes the mantra, then you go, 'Wait a minute.' "

Immigration is a case in point for Obama, but not the only one. In 2007, after the first comprehensive immigration bill had died, the senators were back at it, and again, Obama was notably absent, staffers and senators said. At one meeting, three key negotiators recalled, he entered late and raised a number of questions about the bill's employment verification system. Kennedy and Specter both rebuked him, saying that the issue had already been resolved and that he was coming late to the discussion. Kennedy dressed him down, according to witnesses, and Obama left shortly thereafter.

"Senator Obama came in late, brought up issues that had been hashed and rehashed," Specter recalled. "He didn't stay long."

Just this week, as the financial markets were roiling in the wake of the Bear Stearns collapse, Obama made another claim that was greeted with disbelief in some corners of Capitol Hill. On March 13, Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, unveiled legislative proposals to allow the Federal Housing Administration to guarantee new loans from banks willing to help homeowners in or approaching foreclosure. Obama and Clinton were in Washington for a day-long round of budget voting, but neither appeared at the housing news conference.

Yet Obama on Monday appeared to seek top billing on Dodd's proposal.

"At this moment, we must come together and act to address the housing crisis that set this downturn in motion and continues to eat away at the public's confidence in the market," Obama said. "We should pass the legislation I put forward with my colleague Chris Dodd to create meaningful incentives for lenders to buy or refinance existing mortgages so that Americans facing foreclosure can keep their homes."

Dodd did say that Obama supported the bill, as does Clinton. But he could not offer pride of authorship to the candidate he wants to see in the White House next year.

"I've talked to him about it at some length," Dodd said. "When Senator Obama was there for that full day of voting, we had long conversations about it. He had excellent questions and decided to support it."

Clinton also has her share of colleagues only too willing scrutinize her claims. Her campaign Web site describes Clinton's "successful effort to create" the popular State Children's Health Insurance Program during her husband's tenure in the White House, and she has placed herself in the middle of major international events, including the Northern Ireland peace process and the Balkan conflict.

But prominent Democratic senators, Irish historians and even Sinbad the comedian, who accompanied Clinton to Kosovo, are challenging some of her assertions.

During months of SCHIP negotiations in 1997, her name rarely surfaced in news accounts. Clinton never testified before Congress or held a news conference on the bill. When Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (Utah), the lead GOP negotiator of the children's health bill, heard reports that Clinton was depicting herself as SCHIP's main advocate, "I had to blink a few times," he said. Hatch said he doesn't recall a single conversation with Clinton about SCHIP, even a mention of her name. "If she was involved, I didn't know about it," he said.

"You know how she says, 'I started SCHIP'? Well, so did I," joked Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va.), one of the Democrats who pushed the bill across the finish line along with Kennedy. Both have endorsed Obama.

Some Clinton insiders also are uncomfortable with some of her assertions. "I don't really like the way she talks about her role in SCHIP," conceded one former Clinton administration official, who supports the first lady's candidacy, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to express his views candidly. "She doesn't say it right. What she should say is 'I was the driving force in the administration.' That's pretty big, and it's all true."

Obama has left discussion of SCHIP authorship to his allies. But his campaign has launched a broad challenge to Clinton's international bona fides.

In a memo last week, senior Obama adviser Gregory B. Craig, President Bill Clinton's lawyer during his impeachment proceedings, disputed a series of Clinton foreign policy claims. "When your entire campaign is based upon a claim of experience, it is important that you have experience to support that claim," Craig wrote.

But it may be SCHIP that presents the biggest question marks for her. The issue combines Clinton's twin passions for health care and children's causes, and Clinton talks of it like a proud parent. Speaking to General Motors workers last month, Clinton said: "If you want universal health care, you have to take on the insurance companies -- that's exactly what I did as first lady. And when we weren't successful, I kept on fighting until we got health care for 6 million children."

Last fall, Kennedy said SCHIP "wouldn't be in existence" without Clinton's support inside the White House. But when her rhetoric on the campaign trail started to filter back to the Capitol, the veteran legislator became stingier with his praise.

"At the last hour, the administration supported it, and she was part of the administration, so I suppose she could say she supported it at the time," Kennedy said.

Chris Jennings, health policy coordinator in the Clinton White House, offers a different account. He recalled discussing an SCHIP-like program with the first lady even as her universal plan was unraveling. Jennings said Clinton pressed her husband to include children's health coverage in the 1997 State of the Union address and fiscal 1998 budget request.

But context is key, Jennings added. Barely two years had passed since the collapse of the universal health-care idea, and Clinton was still nursing deep political wounds. "She low-keyed her exposure, but that was on purpose," Jennings said. "Her feeling was 'I know my role, I'm going to be quiet, but I'm not going to go away.' "

[crtoo]

Sorry about the error

" Media check your files back in 1990 - 1993"

[crtoo]

The fact that Hillary Clinton was all over the CNN News (the only channel available in Central America at the time) back in 1992 for her push on Health Care, I suggest the Media dig into their files and get those clips out.

They were so quick to pull up the old clips on Bosnia but what about Health Care.

Does the Media only care to destroy a candidate and not care to present the news clips that could also prove a candidates positive side?

How about it MEDIA, where are the old news stores about Hillary Clinton and Health Care??????????????? Check back in your files from 1900-1993

[crtoo]

Just for the record. During my mothers extended illness ending with her death in Dec. 1992, I heard about Sen. Clintons activites and efforts to get better health care for Medicare patients. Since my mother was living in Central America there were no medicare benefits available (only if she lived in Mexico). I wrote to Hillary Clinton, addressing the fact that my mother had paid for Medicare Coverage for over 20 years and felt, no matter where in the world you find yourself, Insurance and Medicare should pay the costs of any injury or illness.

Maybe those speaking about Clintons involvement or non-involvement have their own agenda for re-election and are just bandwagon candidates.

I know she was credited at the time with pushing through some changes and the Health Care problems at the time. That was back in 1992. So check the records and what she says, she was there.

[blkpresident]

28 Days before PA. voters send ''lil missy packing. She may want to dust off her apron. Her time is at hand. Maybe lil woman can bake herself a batch of cookies to console herself when the PA. results begin to com in next month. Got apron, lil woman?

[jack3213]

THE DEMOCRATS IDEAS, PROCESSES, EXPERIANCE, & QUALIFICATIONS THAT ENABLE THEM TO DEAL WITH FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES ARE MINIMUL AT BEST. THEY CANNOT LET THINGS GO BECAUSE THEY DON''T HAVE THE INTELLIGENCE TO DO SO. THEY WILL DESTROY AND DEGRADE OTHERS FOR THEIR OWN GAIN INSTEAD OF WORKING TOGETHER FOR A COMMON GOOD. THEY ARE ALL ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEIR EGOS'' NOT THE ISSUE THAT WARRANTS SMART MINDED PEOPLE TO PERCEIVE REALITY AS IT IS AND TO DEAL WITH WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE SAFELY AND ACCURATELY. THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT AMERICANS THEY ONLY CARE ABOUT WINNING A''POSITION'' AT ANY COST. THE DEMOCRATS ARE A TOTAL HYPOCRISY.

[pepperwood2]

Where''s Hillary been besides Photo Opting in Bosnia.

How could this happen? 3 AM call to Whitehouse - Black Hawk Down! Oct 3 1993 - Muslim extremists attack US Troops in Mogadishu, Somalia. 18 killed 90 wounded

Clinton''''s response: withdraw troops
President Clinton decides to cut his losses, but declares that American troops are to be fully withdrawn from Somalia by March 31. The hunt for Aidid is abandoned, and US representatives are sent to resume negotiations with the warlord.

Builds Confidence of Muslim militants to take further action in Africa, Middle East, Europe & USA.

[chitown639]

Being first lady does prepare you to be president!!! Hillary should stop trying to use her ''wife of the president'' angle, as work experience. In the real world, you cant use your spouses work experience as your own. She is making a fool of herself!!!!

[cfin5]

"Words may show a man''s wit, but actions his meanings." - Benjamin Franklin------That said, McCain, Clinton, and Obama are the same. They''re "constitutional bigots" and "CFR patriots". They disgrace their own citizenship with unconstitutional deeds.

[lucasnico]

Yeah!.....Rowdy Texan is right!! We need plans made by somebody that (should have used the word who) has the ability to look at issues on an international basis, you know, just like George W. Bu.....okay, wait, that didn''t work.......okay, just like McCain!!....oh wait......ahhhhhh, looks like you''re stuck shi%$# for brains!

[blkpresident]

RowdyTexan2,

One word for you lady: context...When Senator Biden said what he said back in 2007 about Obama, even YOU have to admit the context was as if to say, "Wow, we have someone black in the arena of politics who also happens to speak intelligently". So, please don''t blame Obama if Senator Biden''s context was racially charged. It''s too late now, but maybe Mr. Biden may have wished to have said, "Senator Obama is a freshman Senator, but he brings something of substance to the table"...

[parachutepol]

Stop, Look, and Listen American. Dirty politics is what you are viewing and musing over. Sen.Obama did say those things his pastor stated in the viedo. I''m from the pass as well, and equal opportunites for black didn''t occur. As quiet as it is kept , America doesn''t want to face the issues on race even in 2008. It not going away. Great speech but one person can''t change the hearts of man, only they can.

[blkpresident]

RowdyTexan2,

You know after PA. you and all the rest of the ''Lil Hillary supporters will have to face a simple reality: America isn''t ready for a woman president. Sorry to burst your ''lil pipe dream. First, there was Geraldine Ferraro; now comes another girl with the audacity to believe that she can join the ranks of Great Men.

[rowdytexan2]

We have taken this stroll together several times, but once again your vote is yours to do with it as you see fit lady, but please be careful not to waste it.

A: lil woman
B: OLD man, who cannot even stay awake during a State of the Union Address
C: Obama

vote wisely, Rowdy...


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Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 07:39 PM : Mar 24, 2008

I certainly intend to. And it won''t be for a racist shill! I''d have to wipe my hands for about four years after a vote for that bustard!

[blkpresident]

RowdyTexan2,

We have taken this stroll together several times, but once again your vote is yours to do with it as you see fit lady, but please be careful not to waste it.

A: lil woman
B: OLD man, who cannot even stay awake during a State of the Union Address
C: Obama

vote wisely, Rowdy...

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by three-o-six at 07:02 PM : Mar 24,

Well said.

[three-o-six]

For me Obama blew it completely in his speach. He said that he could not dis-own his paster. We need to dis-own racist (black or white). By not dis-owning Obama did not face rasism, He simply excused it and that is the opposite of the solution -- he has lost my respect!

[rowdytexan2]

Ok, Black people are sorry that mean ole Rev Wright hurt some white folks feelings. Get over it!!!!We have real problems.


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Posted by vmcneal2 at 06:35 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Yes we certainly do! A whole hellova lot more important issues that dealing with Obama''s identity crisis, which is what this whole campaign has been from the first step out when he accused Joe Biden of racist remarks in January of 07!

We need plans that will work. Not something Obama copies from somebody else! We need plans made by somebody that has the ability to look at issues on an international basis, not just for the basis of ONE city in ONE state! Where Obama shilled his way into government and a few pieces oe legislation.

[vmcneal2]

Ok, Black people are sorry that mean ole Rev Wright hurt some white folks feelings. Get over it!!!!We have real problems.

[rowdytexan2]

Participating in that ***** is blasphemy against every teaching of Jesus Christ!

[rowdytexan2]

Even YOU know deep inside that Obama is clearly the best choice this election, considering America has a choice of a girl, an OLD man and Obama.


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Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 06:03 PM : Mar 24, 2008

Sorry, but even that OLD man looks better than a racist!

And by sitting in that church nodding his head at Rev. Wright''s trash talk against white America, is racism. Pure and simple. Every GOD D/A/M/N one of them in that church listening, jumping up and hollering, "Praise Jesus!" at the same time.