Scorched by rivals, Hillary Clinton says bring on the heat

NY Daily News ^ | November 3rd 2007 | CELESTE KATZ

[COUNTrecount]

CLAREMONT, N.H. - Hillary Clinton, momentarily sliding the gender card back in the deck, said Friday her presidential rivals "aren't piling on because I'm a woman. I think they're piling on because I'm winning."

Then she quipped: "I anticipate it's going to get even hotter, and if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen - and I'm very much at home in the kitchen."

Front-runner Clinton, on a two-day swing through New Hampshire on the heels of a debate in which foes charged she waffled and stumbled, said she wasn't deterred by criticisms of being too "nuanced" - read: too evasive.

"I will continue to say what I believe," Clinton said. "And sometimes it may not be as artfully presented as I would wish, but I think some of the challenges facing our country and some of the difficult issues we have to grapple with are not so easily answered in a 15-second hand-raise or sound bite."

One Democratic rival, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, scoffed Friday: "I have a really simple rule: If you get asked a yes or no question, you don't give a yes and no answer."

And Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois challenged Clinton during a "Today" show appearance.

A day earlier, Clinton spoke about competing "in the all-boys club of presidential politics."

Obama recalled that when he was under fire, "I didn't come out and say, 'Look, I'm being hit on because I look different from the rest of the folks on the stage.' "

The New York senator, who formally filed papers Friday for New Hampshire's January primary, took another stab at questions on Gov. Spitzer's plan to let illegal immigrants get driver's licenses - the debate issue that caused her the most heartburn.

Clinton said governors responsible for road safety and security are trying to deal with the "failure of this [Bush] administration to pass comprehensive immigration reform," and in the absence of federal action, "I believe it's unfortunate that states feel like they have to do this on their own."

Again, Clinton took no clear stand for or against Spitzer's plan. She added, though, that when Spitzer "was with Michael Chertoff over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security said, 'Well, we're not for it, but we're not against it.'"

Chertoff actually said he opposed licensing illegals but could not stop states from doing so.

[COUNTrecount]

Then she quipped: "I anticipate it's going to get even hotter, and if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen - and I'm very much at home in the kitchen."

So she DID bake those cookies she said she didn't.Her lies are even confusing her.

[Vigilanteman]

I don’t think she was ever in a kitchen to bake cookies, she was collecting donations from Chinese cooks and dishwashers.

[Darkwolf377]

She's going to be backed against the wall and the media will really start pushing the "They're just mad because I'm a woman" crap.

This isn't going to be the coronation she thought it'd be. Once Edwards and Obama see they can attack her without being called sexists, they'll pour it on.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“This isn’t going to be the coronation she thought it’d be. Once Edwards and Obama see they can attack her without being called sexists, they’ll pour it on.”

No they won’t. The only way either of these two yahoos have a shot of knocking off the queen is by calling her a liar to her face on National TV.

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

Hillary is falling apart faster than a crumb cake at Michael Moore’s coffee klatch.

[Just mythoughts]

Then she quipped: "I anticipate it's going to get even hotter, and if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen - and I'm very much at home in the kitchen."

Hehe, maybe she will go back to Iowa and set up that oven and demonstrate her cookie baking skilllllls. Silly silly woman. I keep reading she is worried about her turnout in Iowa.

[Berlin_Freeper]

The MSM original fascination with her candidacy has gotten thin. The nightmare scenario the MSM is waking up to is that women are turned off by Hillary and blacks will be bitter about Obama not succeeding and stay home.

Without women and blacks the Democrats are nothing. And if they lose women to Republicans, will the women ever come back? Or will they get all comfy on the right?

Fascination is being replaced with fear. IMO the MSM is going to promote Edwards in a bid to keep the womens vote with his good looks, while Edwards keeps talking about his 2 Americas to try to motivate the black vote.

In short - It’s Edwards now and Hillary is out.

[Just mythoughts]

Well the GOP might be mindful that when the Hillry war room gets finished with Rudy, he will not be appealing to many women either. I can't wait to see them use his children to bash him, at least Hillry's daughter will vote for her.

[ThreePuttinDude]

"I believe it's unfortunate that states feel like they have to do this on their own."

?

[Joe 6-pack]

She baked the cookies before she didn’t bake them.

[andyandval]

"failure of this [Bush] administration to pass comprehensive immigration reform,"

Okay, Missus Clinton, let's review...

The Executive branch does not pass laws.

STFU

[Thermalseeker]

The Executive branch does not pass laws.

Yeah, but an overwelming majority of folks who will vote for the Hildebeast don't know that.....

[Caipirabob]

Obama recalled that when he was under fire, "I didn't come out and say, 'Look, I'm being hit on because I look different from the rest of the folks on the stage.' "

Not yet at least.

[TomGuy]

Apparently, staff (or Bill) told her to toughen up and quit whining.

Youtube video of a confused and confusing Hillary during the recent Dem debate:

The Politics of Parsing

[danamco]

"failure of this [Bush] administration to pass comprehensive immigration reform,"

What crap she is spewing out!

The Bush administration was for it!!

It was 80+% of us that said NO to mel martinez' gang. Period!!!

[Always Right]

Focus group must not have responded well to Hillary’s whining. Focus group says be a tough leader, so Hillary now has to pretend to be tough and drop the victimhood stuff for a while. If Hillary is elected we are going to be lead by what these idiots say in focus groups.

[Darkwolf377]

No they won’t. The only way either of these two yahoos have a shot of knocking off the queen is by calling her a liar to her face on National TV.

You're forgetting Edwards has his own power-crazed wife at home. He's going to push hard when his opportunity comes.

[Miss Didi]

Mrs. Clinton's new campaign ad:

[TomGuy]

the media will really start pushing the "They're just mad because I'm a woman" crap.

It seems that there is a chasm in the media: broadcast MSM are whining along with poor Hillary, the victim; while print MSM are generally not cutting her any slack.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. I expect that, if push comes to shove, the MSM will circle the wagons around their own [poor widdle Timmy Russert, da bully]. I am reminded of that ole adage: never pick a fight with anyone who buys ink by the barrel. [Modernized version: never pick a fight with anyone who controls a broadcasting organization with national and International reach.] If Hillary thinks attacking the MSM (which have been supportive and enabling of the Clintons for the past decade) is to her advantage, she proves herself to be the dumbest candidate in the race. If she continues to attack them, they could turn on her; and that would sink her candidacy.

The DNC have been wavering on the Clinton lead. They want a win, but they are not sure Hillary can deliver that next November. Hillary's weak display in the recent debate gives the DNC even greater cause for alarm. Will they find a way to cut her loose and go with Obama or Edwards? Was Russert's tough [yeh, right] questioning of her the first salvo in trying to derail her candidacy? How will she weave Russert into being a part of her persistent and resurrected nemesis -- the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy? Will Ears Osama toughen up? Will Johnny E release the full disclosure of his hair spray budget?

Stay tuned as these questions get answered and other questions are raised.

[bray]

Back to the scripted photop Harpy.

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