Clinton Favors Dark Tales In Speeches

Washington Post: On The Stump, Democratic Candidate Often Relies On Difficult Anecdotes Picked Up From Voters

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Anne E. Kornblut.

---

It almost always comes when the audience least expects it: the moment Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton brings a roaring crowd to a hush with a heart-rending anecdote.

"I remember listening to a story about a young woman in a small town along the Ohio River, in Meigs County, who worked in a pizza parlor," the Democratic presidential candidate said during a stop in Cleveland, beginning a particularly grim tale.

"She got pregnant, she started having problems. There's no hospital left in Meigs County, so she had to go to a neighboring county. She showed up, and the hospital said, 'You know, you've got to give us $100 before we can see you.' She didn't have $100," Clinton said.

"So the young woman went back home," she continued. "The next time she went back, she was in an ambulance. It turned out she lost the baby. She was airlifted to Columbus."

She paused before concluding: "And after heroic efforts at the medical center, she died." The audience, as always, gasped.

The story has become a staple of Clinton's stump speech, a prime example of how, in a campaign year in which lofty phrases have taken center stage, she has rejected sweeping oratory -- "just words," as her campaign likes to accuse Democratic rival Barack Obama of offering -- in favor of a dramatic speaking style all her own.

In hushed tones, sometimes with palpable sadness in her voice, Clinton tells dark, difficult anecdotes picked up on the campaign trail. They often relate to health matters, culled from her conversations with voters, and are designed to illustrate a policy point.

Presidential candidates across the decades, from Ronald Reagan to Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, have honed the art of picking out stories to bolster a policy position in particularly human terms. Former senator John Edwards (N.C.), who left the Democratic race this year, often cited the stories of people he defended as a trial lawyer. For all of his grandeur, Obama can turn serious as well; at least once, in an effort to demonstrate how fleeting life can be, he detoured from his speech to tell the story of a woman he had recently met who, moments later, found out that her child had been killed in a car accident.

For Clinton, the approach seems to bring together her best skills, especially her ability to listen to voters she meets. In speeches that sometimes wear on and sometimes derail into deadening policy, sharing bleak stories can focus the audience's attention.

It also allows Clinton, who has only recently grown more comfortable talking about herself, to show that she understands how people live and how her policies would affect them. The story of the pregnant woman, which the candidate heard from a deputy sheriff in Ohio, provides a chance for her to talk about health care. At a town-hall meeting in Hanging Rock, Ohio, where the story drew audible gulps of horror, she ended by saying: "It's a real indictment of our health-care system. That shouldn't happen in America."

To emphasize her work on mental-health care for veterans, Clinton regularly describes meeting an Iraq war veteran whose wedding ring melted into his hand during an attack, and who also suffered a brain injury that forced him to rely on his wife for basic directions.

She routinely quotes the young man as asking: "Where do I go to get my brain back?"

"He said, 'You know, I went to West Point. Nobody had to take care of me before,'" Clinton said as she told the tale in Huntington, W.Va., on March 19. " 'Now every morning my wife has to give me a list about where I'm supposed to go and what I'm supposed to do.' "

In another story, retold recently in Youngstown, Ohio, she describes a "young woman who lost her husband in Iraq, a lovely young woman who had a daughter."

"Here's what happened to her," Clinton said. "She was given $6,000. She was told to leave the [military] base within 90 days. She was told her daughter was no longer eligible for Army medical care. She was basically on her own. So I said, 'That's not right.' So we began to work to change what was really cruel -- you lose your husband, you lose your wife, you lose your mom or your dad, and you're out, and nobody seemed to care."

Shortly before the Texas primary, Clinton spoke of a mother whose daughter collapsed in the crowd at a Houston rally and who, upon receiving a bottle of water from the candidate, whispered in her ear that she could not get her daughter medical treatment.

"She said, 'I don't have any health insurance -- I can't take her anywhere,'" Clinton recalled a few stops later. She said it was people like that who need for her to be president. "I'm not asking you to vote for me so much as I'm asking you to vote for yourselves," she said.

Perhaps the most shocking story Clinton has conveyed in recent months happened on Feb. 22, when a Dallas police officer was killed in an accident while escorting her motorcade. Late that night, in front of a riled-up crowd in Toledo that seemed only vaguely aware of what had happened, she described an "accident that resulted in his death, and it was just an incredibly sad loss, not only for his family -- he was a wonderful man; I visited the hospital and got a chance to express my sympathy to his family -- but to the police department."

Even though it was past 10:30 on a Friday night, she seemed determined to hush the crowd with a solemn message, saying: "It was really a reminder of the extraordinary work that our law enforcement officials do for us."

But it is the story of the pregnant pizza worker to which Clinton comes back repeatedly. At a Democratic dinner on March 2, she recounted it in full. She told it at a late-night rally in Cleveland just two days before the Ohio primary March 4, bringing the noisy audience to near-silence. She told it again in Charleston, W.Va, last month. Even her daughter, Chelsea, who was with her mother in Ohio when she heard the story, repeated it at a campaign stop in Pennsylvania last week. Clinton was told the story by Bryan Holman, the Meigs County deputy sheriff, who said the deceased woman was Trina Bachtel, whom campaign officials had been unable to identify.

Bachtel, Holman said, had been turned away from the hospital not only for lack of $100 but also because she had unpaid bills -- a detail that Clinton has not mentioned. Public records show that Bachtel of Pomeroy, Ohio, died on Aug. 15, 2007, at age 35. She previously had thousands of dollars in hospital debt, but it was paid off by 2005.

"It was a really terrible story," said Holman, who said he voted for Clinton in the Ohio primary. He said he is grateful that she has taken Bachtel's story to heart. "That is what we wanted."

Research editor Alice Crites contributed to this report.

[jack3213]

Dark Tales of others unfortuneate cirmustances to tug on the heart strings of America is a ploy, yet, not to undermine the people involved, it shows how Clinton manipulates the public and yet does not prove what she is capable of doing or having done to avoid such incidences. The women is a scam artist. This is not any differant than Obama promising to unite a country when he himself spent 20 years ia Church that spewed hate.

[mudrose-2009]

Yes, pimping poverty and victimization is a very lucrative business. Check out the new elitists:
Hillary and Bill Clinton
Al Bore
John Edwards
B. Hussein Obama
Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Let''s not ever forget George Soros the party benefactor and Obama backer.

[rational_1]

I don''t know if I can handle 4 years of depressing stories. Chelsea was probably relieved when she outgrew storytime!

[xlib]

Notice how the pictures of the madame are less flattering. Funny. Before, when soros backed (owned)the missus the stories were flattering and the pictures showed her in a good light.Now, cripes, the pictures they run of Bush are better. Oh how the powerful have fallen from the grace of the msm.
As for "dark tales", that''s all the democratic party is about. It''s about race baiting, class envy, hate conservatives, that''s it. The party is full of hate and venom. Say, maybe that''s why they like obama now. After all, he has channelled his hate for 20 years by attending a racist, separatist church and listening to hate speech.

[pepperp1]

http://anglachelg.blogspot.com/
Party Animals

..Howard Dean is the big loser this year. If Obama cheats and bullies his way to the Democratic nomination, he will go down to a Dukakis level defeat in the general, and it''s time to change the people at the top due to failure to perform. The price of forcing Golden Boy Barry on the Democrats when he did not win the Democratic vote is to be tossed out in the trash. Dean''s inherent promise is his nominee will win the White House and sweep in a bigger Democratic majority. Deliver or move on.

%u2026.Who then pomptly fires Dr. Dean''s sorry *** and puts a different set of amoral *** in charge of the party. (Hey, I love Hillary, but let''s be real about the kind of people who are professional party power brokers.)
If you are disgusted by the political and ethical dead-end the old Northeast power elite , the corrupt Daley Chicago machine, and the idiotic enablers of the blogosphere are doing in this campaign, then the best reaction is to remain firmly attached to the party and support those officals who are not part of the CDS crowd. As long as that pack retains its grip on the party, we will be fated to an unending series of wimpy wonks who lose with such noble grace%u2026%u2026
..
Fire DEAN NOW Voters change your registrations to Independent if you have aleady voted,

[jockh]

Is Hillary facing her last dance as the lights dim on the Democrats?

THE first person to leap onto a dancefloor at a wedding party wins applause from everyone still attached to a chair.

He or she is suddenly identified as the type of gregarious extrovert whose zesty spontaneity ensures the world is a colorful and rhythmic place to inhabit.

It is now a long time since the music started. The guests are tired and the staff want to turn the PA system off but there are a couple who refuse to leave the dancefloor.

Hillary%u2019s contest with Barack Obama initially seemed like the plot of a spectacular romantic comedy. The couple sparred in televised debates and audiences cheered in delight that two of the keenest minds of their generation were battling to replace one of the most unpopular presidents in living history.
But the contest has lost its sparkle and a bitterness has crept in which threatens to leave the eventual winner tarnished and a poor opponent to face John McCain.

The champagne sparkle which has defined the Democrats since before Christmas has flattened. A new sobriety has gripped the party. Hillary has won fewer states than Obama, trails in pledged delegates, and is behind in the popular vote.

She may be about to tell Bill to go get her coat.

[paris1969]

Perhaps she is not as "entertaining" as NObama, but Hillary Clinton truly cares about people. And I think she relates to what is happending to average Americans who are struggling to make it with lack of health insurance, high gas prices, and job losses. She may not appeal to the "white-wine-MoveOn-org-elitist" crowd ... but she is the best candidate the Democratic Party has had in years!

[blkpresident]

Hey lil'' woman,

Tell the American people about your idea of foreign-policy, donning an apron and slinging baked goodies at our terrorist enemies. What a soft, weak and lame cnadidate you are. At least Geraldine had enough sense to settle for second spot on the ticket, but you go ahead and keep pipe dreaming about a women becoming president. BTW, the laundry needs rotating, the living room needs dusting and the oven could use some attention too. Don''t forget the brownies you were suppose to bake for soccer practice. Your apron, in case you forget, is still hanging near the kitchen stove.

[jedi08]

Your arguemnt Hillarygirl is almost as dumb as the person you support. Hillary lost to Obama but can beat McCain. That makes sence. Plus while Hillary has no money, Obama is raising 40 million dollars this mouth.

In the latest polls she only has the support of 5 percent of republicans and 20 percent of independents.

I can tell you are part of the less educated group that supports her, with you funny logic

[jedi08]

Hillary probably makes up all these stories, just like Bosnia or her peace treaty in Ireland. What a fake and liar she is.

Liar Liar suit pants on fire

[gunownerdan]

I wonder how many of Clinton''s "dark tales" are lies like the one about how she had to dodge "sniper fire".

[gunownerdan]

Look at all these stories!

Clinton this,
McCain that,
Obama this,
Clinton that,
McCain this,
Obama that,

The best prostitutes certainly get the most media attention!

[neonink]

to all you Clinton bashers,

you better be reading Obama''s books and Michelle''s thesis.

OMG....

WAKE UP. IMMEDIATELY.

[johnny_chaos]

wow, some of you are messed up! leaders, only as good as the followers. the government is by nature what controls force and commerce within its borders. its amazing that people are so tribal. from neighborhood, to town, to county, to state, to country. since we appear to be a bunch of shortsighted hostile paranoid creeps, i''d say the candidates look pretty good.

The Root Word Of %u2018Candidate%u2019
Candid (k%u0103n%u2019d%u012Dd) adj.

Characterized by disconcerting directness in manner or speech
Without subtlety or evasion
Informal or natural
Openly straightforward and direct without reserve or secretiveness
Starkly realistic
Not posed or rehearsed

[rational_1]

"Barack Obama is unelectable. Hillary can beat John McCain. Reality check..."
Posted by Hillarygrl34 at 10:02 AM : Apr 03, 2008

Ya right, the candidate with the highest negative ratings by far, and whose credibility is plummeting ever faster daily, is the one to beat McCain. Reality check is right.

[jedi08]

I read Obama''s book, both of them. They were amazing and he is the only person the has run for the white house in the last 30 years to write his own book instead of having someone else write it for him. Just like he wrote that whole speech on race with no help.

Hillary excels at lying and making up stories she lifted or made up out of thin air.

[SevynNina]

BLKPRESIDENT ....I haven''t stopped by here for a while. I see you are still posting your hateful sexist remarks. It is hateful comments like yours and worse by others that are turning me and many Hillary supporters against your candidate. I have experienced these hateful Hillary bashings and sexist remarks on all of the news sites. The saddist part is that women are doing this, too. You may not think it is important but you are doing a big disservice to Obama. Contrary to what you may believe, he will need Hillary supporters to win in the fall if nominated.

[jedi08]

Were not anti women, we are anti Hillary. You are just taking offense to it because she is the first women to almost get elected. That doesn''t change the fact that no one trust her and she is disliked by 50 percent of the population. Its not about her gender, its about her lack of a heart and a soul

[jedi08]

All you Hillary supporters want to cry and say that the Obama supporters are sexist. They just released a poll saying that Hillary''s biggest negative is that 50 percent of the population doesn''t trust a word she said.
Obama''s was a lack of experience and around 45 percent. But Obama''s number 2 negative is 12 percent of the country thinks he is a Muslim. What a frikin joke. You want to play the "she is a women and your picking on her card" well cry me a river. 12 percent think Obama is a muslim. What a joke, now that is true prejudice.

people don''t like her because she is a liar and they don''t think being first lady and lying about what you did while your first lady qualifies you anymore then Obama to be in the white house

[johnny_chaos]

maybe some peopel just dont like hillary because of her personality and managment style. example wanting to do a(n expensive) study on why gas prices are so high. its obvious, the dollar is devalued due to factors including inflation and the gulf economies are pegged to our dollar. they insist on a certain value, and were paying it. i guess it means $3.26 is now worth $2.80. i''m also pretty sure their are any number of relevant studies related to tax breaks, aand profit margins of the oil industry going back to the early part of the last century.

[blkpresident]

ninasevyn,

With all due respect to you, I''m not trying to hear that women this and women that philosophy, And as far as your one vote goes and any other woman who cares to waste theirs too, that''s your choice, but the Obama shuffle will steamroll OLD man Mccain too. You''re either with us or, as another MAN said, you''re against us. We win either way, so join us and win too or join another woman destined for another lil'' footnote in American history with Geraldine Ferraro. We are at war here, and America needs a MAN''s strong and steady hand at the helm. Lil'' Hillary could always send a batch of her brownies up to the White House for moral support if she wants to.

[questionnews]

You don''t know the power of the Dark Side

Darth Vader

If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed! Young Obama. Only now, at the end, do you understand. Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side! You have paid the price for your lack of vision!

Hillary (Palpatine)Clinton

[neonink]

the most interesting part of Obama''s rage against anything white in his books.... is probably psychologically, it stems from an ABSENT BLACK father.

So, it should be entitled, "Sins of My Father", instead of dreams.

Obama has a warped sense of responsibility and anger against people who care of him, rather than the people who let him down.

I''ve said it before, I''ll say it again. The SOB needs therapy.

Big Time!

[rajska]

Unfortunately, we are in a capitalistic society. If we are to provide for free medical benefits for everyone, then we must change to a socialistic or communist system, where we all pay for everyone''s medical benefits. That means higher taxes.
This is sometimes called the "English disease" where Britain''s economy became stagnant. Working more does not mean earning more for taxes will only take the extra income away. Under communist system, nobody bothered to work more, for everyone gets paid the same way. The government just printed more money for the free medical care of the people. Who pays for it eventually, the people does.
I cannot afford to raise children, so I don''t bring any to this world. I do not expect the state to pay for my health care nor for the cost of raising children. As the Bible says, "He who does not work, does not eat."

[dogband]

FEAR FEAR FEAR
Seems like after 9/11 FEAR has become the most used motivator of our political leaders and wannabes.

Maybe it was like that before 9/11, and I did not notice this so much.

Maybe it was used on us to justify Vietnam, the fear of communism spreading, the domino effect.

Maybe it was spawned during the cold war and our fear of a nuclear strike from Russia [I still remember my neighbors bomb shelter--like that would have been useful in a nuke war]

What happened to "we have nothing to fear, but fear itself".

My MAIN FEAR: my GOVERNMENT.

I gotta get me the bumper sticker that says " I love my country but fear my government".

On a sidebar, it has become quite evident that Hillary will do and say anything at all to win the nonination. Which is precisely why I would not even consider her, or examine her policies and beliefs. This win at all costs is enought to eliminate her from my consideration.

We need a real leader. Anyone ? Anyone?

[newlysmom]

At least she puts forth some concrete ideas rather that just emotional fluff!

[craigh9]

I heard a tale of a middle aged white woman whose husband was a womanizer and caused her great grief. She tried to do things on her own but found out she had no talent - just rhetoric, but at least she had the support of the american public - or so she thought. Then one day she attempted to cash in on that support and found out it wasn''t there either. The saddest part of this story is that it took this woman many months to come to the realization that no one cared for her which resulted in a significant loss of self esteem and eventually cost her any chance in the future of recapturing the support of the american public.

[rjmcbs]

"It''s a real indictment of our health-care system. That shouldn''t happen in America."
Well that bets all coming from Sen Clinton, after 8years of Hill and Bill and no Health-Care Plan and 8years in the Senate, she has done NOTHING about it.
Nothing for the country, nothing for New York and Nothing for people who die because she and Congress did Nothing.
Hillary why don''t you give up your lifetime ego trip and do your job for a change? Come home to New York and prove you can do something for someone.
PS Chelsea what kind of job do you have that you can take off on your parents ego trip for over a year?
Get back to work and stop doing Nothing

[b-easy63]

At least we THINK what she says comes from voters. Given her propensity to lie and her staff''s propensity to tailor questions and plant questioners, it would come as no surprise to learn that the "dark tales" of her speeches are made up and pulled from her own conference rooms. After all, who can substantiate what anyone said to Clinton? After her Bosnia tale--she gets short shrift until we see what the camera says.

[b-easy63]

At least she puts forth some concrete ideas rather that just emotional fluff!

Posted by newlysmom at 11:21 AM : Apr 03, 2008


which indicates she missed her calling. She''d probably make a better adviser than a President. Presidents are meant to uplift and inspire, not lie and simply grasp and manipulate policy. A President is a point person for a group of ideas--which usually originate from advisers. In the end, the enaction of any idea or policy is out of the POTUS hands in into the hands of Congress.

Inspiration--not to tell the biggest fish stories or do anything to win or cheat, we expect them to unite us also. Hillary fails at everything in this respect. She may have good ideas, Obama can get those same ideas or even better ones from the people she hired, after she returns to the Senate.

[fstop100]

I really saw her nose grow when she talked!

[SevynNina]

Granted, there are many Hillary haters out there that just don''t like her. There is also a very real sexiest under-currant to this whole election. That is what I am angry about. Many of you on here may not think this is about gender..to many it is. Just like race is an issue to many. You can hide these two facts under the rug..they won''t go away unfortunately. I also don''t understand the need for all the hateful nasty comments about a candidate not of your choosing. I have talked about issues and my like for Hillary...I have never felt the need to make nasty comments about Obama to make my point. Comments like I have been reading will never convince another to come around to your way of thinking. I may have only one vote...but from what I have been hearing..there are many many more that feel the way I do. If you don''t think there is sexism in this race maybe you should check out this article...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004041541_hillaryslurs29.html

[infidel_us]

''She paused before concluding: "And after heroic efforts at the medical center, she died." The audience, as always, gasped.''

''The Clinton''s lie with such ease, it''s troubling'' - David Geffen

If her lips are moving, she''s lying. I want to see the women she''s talking about. I want her to come forward and identify herself.

[culturechang]

I could vote for a woman for President, but not Hillary. I simply just do not trust her. She will be a markedly different person in office than she is during the campgain. She is going to have too many axes to grind that she is not displaying today.

[tazmjam]

Unfortunately, we are in a capitalistic society. If we are to provide for free medical benefits for everyone, then we must change to a socialistic or communist system, where we all pay for everyone''''s medical benefits. That means higher taxes. Posted by Rajska


Providing healthcare for the citizens of this country will hardly turn us into a socialist or communist country. And what is this Bible nonsense %u201CHe who does not work, does not eat%u201D you are spouting have to do with health insurance? There are many working people in this country who do not have health insurance. Purchasing health insurance that isn%u2019t through your employer is extremely expensive for many people. A good individual health plan is over $600 a month (for one middle aged person) and that is if you%u2019re healthy. If you have a preexisting condition it%u2019s much more, and that is if you can even find an insurance company to cover you.
So what if it means higher taxes? Cost of Medicare will be skyrocketing soon when the bulk of the baby boomers retire, money to cover that will have to come from somewhere. If Medicare and Medicaid were combined with Universal healthcare the healthy individuals paying into the system could in fact offset some of the cost of the elderly and unhealthy. Most industrialized wealthy countries have health insurance for their citizens, in this the US has lagged behind horribly.

[texanforlogi]

I swear, Hillary is campaigning like a republican. She''s pulled every move and strategy straight from Rove''s playbook. This is why she will never get my vote. She flip-flops on issues and then points a finger at Obama. IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE. Hillary seems too comfortable with the status quo and the status quo is destroying this nation. Maybe Obama can''t change things, but I''m willing to give him a chance at it.

[darrren12000]

Well, I guess that is why she gets poor and working class voters. She tells THEIR stories. She isnt talking to wealthy white people who are not suffering in the economy. That''s Obama''s core. She is not talking to young college students who are still living on their parents'' dime. Instead, she is talking to the heartland - supposedly the people the Dems wannt to represent: the poor and downtrodden. I AM OFFENDED THAT THE AUTHOR CALLS THIS "DARK." HILLARY IS KEEPING IT REALY. GO HILLARY.

[darrren12000]

B-EASY63 -- it''s very easy to predict what you will say....But perhaps Clinton is winning the poor votes (except for blacks only) precisely becauase she is speaking in very concrete terms. I grew up in a very poor family. Fortunately, I have a better life than my parents could ever have imagined. We had a lot of "hope" in our home...but when it really mattered, we needed policy. My parents are "new deal" Dems. The way you Obamaniacs talk, you act as if the entire nation is in bereavement. Poor people suffer constantly; this is just getting worse right now. People who have abundant resources can get all warm and fuzzy over the president without thinking about policy. people who are suffering want to know more. when you go to a doctor, you need to know what treatment you are getting, not a speech. sometimes doctors do have to encourage you, but i''d rather have my meds.

[darrren12000]

LOL..FLIP-FLOPS. YEAH, OK....THAT''S A GOOD ONE. I LOVE ANGRY OBAMITES. THEY ARE SOOOO NASTY, UNLIKE THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR. HE WOULDNT LIKE YOU MAKING UP DIRTY LIES ABOUT CLINTON....

" swear, Hillary is campaigning like a republican. She''''s pulled every move and strategy straight from Rove''''s playbook. This is why she will never get my vote. She flip-flops on issues and then points a finger at Obama. IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE. Hillary seems too comfortable with the status quo and the status quo is destroying this nation. Maybe Obama can''''t change things, but I''''m willing to give him a chance at it."

[sassalin]

Her husband was a liar and I guess she is taking his advise to heart. The woman had upaid bills, thousands of dollars worth ( maybe this would have been a good time to not get pregnant since she could not pay her bills). I am not saying what happened was the moral thing to do but business does not work on moral principals. Hospitals are a business even if we don''t think of them as so.

[prinzowhales]

Hillary Clinton...Fired for lying! Won''t hear about it on CBS...

Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura has, after considerable study, come out and said that 9-11 WAS AN INSIDE JOB!! He also reported that MSNBC cenosred him by signing him as a commentator and contracting him not to comment with any other media company-- they never used him and he couldn''t speak on public issues without being in breach of contract.

None of the candidates will deal with 9-11...They just continue the coverup and conspiracy of silence.
Go to

[darrren12000]

UM, DONT QUIT YOUR DAY JOB. ....YOU ARE NOT HEMMINGWAY.


I heard a tale of a middle aged white woman whose husband was a womanizer and caused her great grief. She tried to do things on her own but found out she had no talent - just rhetoric, but at least she had the support of the american public - or so she thought. Then one day she attempted to cash in on that support and found out it wasn''''t there either. The saddest part of this story is that it took this woman many months to come to the realization that no one cared for her which resulted in a significant loss of self esteem and eventually cost her any chance in the future of recapturing the support of the american public.

[prinzowhales]

Go to infowars.com for the stories on Jesse Ventura.

[blkpresident]

johnny-chaos,

With all due respect, there''s nothing weak about the truth (i.e. lil'' Hillary IS a woman and OLD man McCain is OLD), so don''t try to sell me the notion that my remarks only hurt our candidate, because where I''m saying the truth it about that lil'' woman and OLD man the voters are thinking it anyway. Neither Missy or Grandpa are a real challenge to Obama, so breathe easy in and out--that''s it--inhale and exhale--Obama''s got this. Missy and Grandpa are out!

[smashwl7]

I support Obama butt I think Hillary shoud stay in and fight Obama with everything she has. This I feel actualy helps Obama to become tougher. She has helped him with tough love and has made him stronger than he was.

I know this sounds crazy, however it makes them both better to run against the GOP. I do not want her to quit, I want her to campaign until Obama steps on her throat. Kind of like we do in football when we are ahead and need to finish your opponent off!

My only beef with Obama right now is I need to know he will be able to answer that phone at 3:00 a.m. and be willing to bomb who ever. Even if it means killing women and children. Sometimes as president you have to do those things.


Mrs Clinton%u2019s political mettle had never been tested. Her opponent in her 2000 Senate race was a lightweight and she had token opposition in 2006. Her candidacy for president was based on the assumption that she would face a weak field and again coast to victory.

[hoopakai]

It seems that Obama''s plans are just as clear as Hillary''s. I don''t know where all this talk about "just talk and rhetoric" comes from. Maybe at the beginning, when things weren''t as concrete. But now, just because Hillary doesn''t speak about abstract terms such as hope, it doesn''t mean she really has all these "concrete" plans.

[prinzowhales]

Hillary Clinton...FIRED FOR LYING!!!...from her position working for the Senate Judiciary Committee...
Fired! Fired! Fired! Whose interests was she serving when she conspired to subvert justice? Who was running this liar, liar, liar, liar, liar....?

[hoopakai]

Obama cut into Clinton''s PA lead by 20 points. And there''s still a few weeks.

[walker1209]

I have determined that most males who resort to name-calling and innuendo have serious issues with strong women with brains. Rufisgufis, you have MAJOR ISSUES; a little childish don''t you think?

The last time I checked, none of the backers of BARACK THE MAGNIFICANT, are paragons of virtue and no matter how much they may think it, neither is he. All three of these candiates have made mistakes, misspoken and done things that some of their constituents don''t agree with or like. That is called being human you nitwits.

No one in this race as a patent on the truth or on virtue; get over yourselves folks (especially some of you males); she is just as qualified as the Boys she is running against.

[walker1209]

To Smashw17 - I guess running against political heavyweights in Illinois like Alan Keyes is real poweress!! Please give me a break.