Harold Ickes und Hillary im
"Triumph von altem Crusty"
Posted on 12/01/2003 4:45:40 AM PST by governsleastgovernsbest
In a just-completed interview on The Today Show, Hillary Clinton, back from her trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, hewed to a very clear strategy: praise the troops while bashing President Bush.
Clinton was aided and abetted by her chief media sycophant, Katie Couric. Try to imagine what an appropriate opening question would have been. Perhaps the neutral "how would you describe the situation in Iraq?" Or if someone wanted to be friendly to the Bush administration, "is there good news in Iraq that is going unreported?"
Instead, Couric helpfully put the worst spin on things, asking "How bad is it in Iraq?"
By the way, it should be mentioned that Hillary was theoretically joined in the interview by Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, who had also accompanied her abroad. But the most unprepossessing Reed had clearly been carefully chosen for the trip as someone who would not possibly upstage Hillary, and went largely ignored in the interview.
Sticking to her "up with the troops, down with Bush" strategy, Hillary opened by enthusing that "the military is doing a terrific job."
But then, Hillary solemnly opined that we "don't have enough of the right mix of troops" in Iraq. Obviously those years of carefully choosing the right troops to serve hors d'oeuvres at White House receptions has made her quite the expert. "It's clear we need more MPs, intelligence and civil affairs troops."
"What we're doing now is not an effective strategy. We need to get the UN involved."
Then it was back to smarmy troop-praising: "I can't say enough positively about what our military is doing on the ground."
Reed was then permitted a brief word edgewise, Couric inquiring about "how US soldiers are holding up, since November was the bloodiest month since "so-called" major operations were declared over in May?"
Reed stated that morale is good, particularly since soldiers know when they're going home. But the next wave of troops won't have replacements lined up, and that will be a problem.
Hillary's plan for Iraq? "Short term, we have to move an quickly as possible to internationalize with a new UN mandate. We need 'the legitimacy of the UN' to move forward."
Couric: "Will the Bush administration be receptive?"
Clinton: "They have to be." And gosh knows you don't want to disobey Nurse Cratched!
Regarding W's surprise visit to Iraq, Couric observed that it "has been getting mixed views. Some have praised it as a huge morale boost. Others called it a big photo op." Of course Couric never asked Clinton if her own trip was a photo op.
Clinton: "I think (the President's trip) was both. I applaud the President. It sends a message of support. But on other hand it isn't a substitute for a plan to increase security or to eventually create more independence for Iraqis."
Next it was time to bash the exit strategy. Again, Couric could have asked a neutral question, asking Hillary to assess our exit strategy. Instead, she served a softball with a negative slant.
Couric: "Is our exit strategy being crafted to get us out quickly at the risk of not creating a true democracy?"
Hillary, in one of her biggest shots at the President, flatly stated: "our exit strategy is being crafted by political considerations rather than by what is good for Iraq."
By the way, not only did Hillary did 90% of the talking, even when the hapless Reed got in a few words Clinton did her famous head nod, visually distracting attention from her sad sack Sancho Panza.
Hillary also insisted on talking about Afghanistan. Her take: Karzai administration doing a good job trying to bring country together, but we need to improve security, secure borders and get NATO more involved.
Is that an actual Couric quote?!
The Darwin Awards
First Place Candidate for this year's Darwin Awards:
When his 38 caliber revolver failed to fire at his intended victim during a holdup in Long Beach, California, would be robber James Elliot did something that can only inspire wonder: He peered down the barrel and tried the trigger again. This time it worked.
And now, the honorable mentions:
In a demoralizing message to U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq, visiting New York Sen. Hillary Clinton told them that Americans back home are growing increasingly skeptical of President Bush's decision to send them into battle.
The chef at a hotel in Switzerland lost a finger in a meat cutting machine and, after a little hopping around, submitted a claim to his insurance company. The company, suspecting negligence, sent out one of its men to have a look for himself. He tried the machine out and lost a finger.
The chef's claim was approved.
A man who shoveled snow for an hour to clear a space for his car during a blizzard in Chicago returned with his vehicle to find a woman had taken the space. Understandably, he shot her.
After stopping for drinks at an illegal bar, a Zimbabwean bus driver found that the 20 mental patients he was supposed to be transporting from Harare to Beltway had escaped. Not wanting to admit his incompetence, the driver went to a nearby bus stop and offered everyone waiting there a free ride. He then delivered the passengers to the mental hospital, telling the staff that the patients were very excitable and prone to bizarre fantasies. The deception wasn't discovered for 3 days.
An American teenager was in the hospital yesterday recovering from serious head wounds received from an oncoming train. When asked how he received the injuries, the lad told police that he was simply trying to see how close he could get his head to a moving train before he was hit.
I hope that 'interviews' like this help remind people about what HRC is up to, and about. Scary.
What does the North Atlantic treaty Organization have to do with Afghanistan?
Harold Ickes und Hillary im
"Triumph von altem Crusty"
sure add me
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