Hillary Hogs Limelight; Today Show Appearance Bashes Bush with EPA Report on post-9/11 Air Quality

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Sometimes you get a sense that a politician really cares about an issue. Other times, your gut tells you a politician is looking for an issue in order to get himself [herself] in the spotlight.

Hillary's performance on The Today Show this morning [wearing, it should be noted, the black version of Ol' Crusty] would seem a perfect illustration of the latter phenomenon.

Here was Hillary, interviewed by Matt Lauer, touting her latest cause: demanding Congressional hearings to investigate the fact that in the aftermath of 9/11, the EPA Administrator (Christie Todd Whitman?) issued a statement to the effect that air quality in the Ground Zero area was acceptable, despite findings by EPA professionals suggesting there might be air quality problems.

Hillary is essentially alleging that there was pressure from higher-ups in the White House forcing Whitman to ignore the findings of her department's professionals.

In response to questions from Lauer, Hillary coyly refused to speculate on from just how high-up the command chain the order might have come. But there can be no doubt as to her goal: the smearing of President Bush.

Hillary stated that the a report from the EPA Inspector General stated that the pros at EPA, in the aftermath of 9/11 wanted to give cautionary info to the public about air pollution. "Those of us who were down there" knew there was a problem, said Hillary, finding a convenient way to slip into the conversation (twice, actually), the fact that she was "down there" [at Ground Zero].

Hillary wrung her hands: "Many people made judgements about sending children to school, or leaving an elderly aunt in an apartment" in the Ground Zero area, and they could have benefited from having the information.

Lauer quoted a previous statement by Hillary: "I know a little bit about how White Houses work. Somebody told the EPA not to tell the people the truth, and I want to know who that is."

Matt reads from a "scathing" editorial in Wall St. Journal, pointing out that when Hillary was in the White House, she wanted people to believe that she had no idea how the Rose Law Firm billing records miraculously turned up in her private quarters years after they were subpoenaed.

Hillary reacted with perhaps her least appealing [which is saying something] pose: the hearty-phony laugh, essentially saying, "well, you know those right-wing fanatics at the Wall St. Journal, they'll say anything."

Matt then tried to get Hillary to comment on the California recall. He replayed a clip from a recent interview with Gray Davis and his wife, in which both essentially cast the recall as part of the VRWC.

Lauer asked Hillary if indeed this was an extension of the VRWC that she had alleged, or a legitimate effort to express dissatisfaction. Once again we got the hearty-phony Hillary laugh.

"I'll leave it to the people," she generously allowed [what a relief, Empress Hillary is going to let us vote rather than deciding things for us herself!]

"I think it's a bad idea economically and politically, but I'll leave it to the people. The economy is down, but that is not unique to California. There was manipulation of the energy market by Enron and others that caused Calif. great problems."

She tried a lame segue back to her Bush-bashing theme of the day: "That's why I'm here today, to say the people need good information in order to make wise decisions."

[governsleastgovernsbest]

This appearance really makes you wonder about Hillary's intentions. She's been relatively quiet lately. But when polls show W slipping a bit, and Dean starts surging ahead, she suddenly starts beating the drum on an issue she hopes will hurt Pres. Bush politically.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Today Show ping.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Here's a link to the "scathing" Wall Street Journal editorial about Hillary, referred to in the post:

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB106202852695642700,00.html?mod=opinion

[OldFriend]

A little fact that won't be getting much media coverage.

Respirators were given to the workers at ground zero. They complained that they were too cumbersome to wear. There are miles of footage of the workers with their masks hanging around their necks........

As for the general population.....there was visible dust and debris in the air for weeks. Short of the city being evacuated, what was the solution?

[mewzilla]

I don't think it was Whitman. It was some EPS inspector general type, Nikki something-or-other, who also happens to be a Toon holdover. Nuff said.

[mewzilla]

EPS=EPA.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

It's interesting that Hillary couldn't allege that there was actually any serious air quality problem, or that there was a real solution in any case, as you point out.

She doesn't really care about the substantive issue, she is obviously just looking for a way to poke W in the eye, get her mug out there, and score points with the [primary-voting?] Dems.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Yes, the recently-issued report comes from the EPA Inspector General. But it was the EPA Administrator who, shortly after 9/11, apparently issued a statement to the effect that the air quality was OK.

That is Hillary's point: that the new EPA report suggests that there was political pressure back then on the EPA administrator to put out a misleading statement on air quality.

[mewzilla]

But Hillie's only so-called proof comes from a Toon holdover. This isn't going to amount to a hill of beans.

[Loyal Buckeye]

She must be worried about her support level in NY and is playing to her constituency.

[Loyal Buckeye]

And please don't use Hillary and hogs in the same sentence. It's demeaning to our animal friends.

[Samurai_Jack]

Yeah, I could not listen to the whole interview... the bill for replacement television tubes gets cumbersome.

But from what I heard she was shrieking along the lines of a conspiracy in the days immediately after 9/11. She wants to know who in the whitehouse told the 'experts' at the epa to sweeten up their report regarding carcenogens in the air immediately after the collapse of the WTC. She wants to start a congressional witch hunt or something.

That was when I shut off the tv rather than toss it out the window. Because everyone knew that there was a problem lingering in the air... but there was nothing that could be done about it short of causing a panic and leaving the WTC as a pile of rubble for another year.

If the report had come out negative like she is alleging it should have, it would have caused larger problems. So if shrillery couldnt complain about the LACK of a report... she would have complained because there WAS a report. Of course Matt Loser wouldnt ask her any tough questions, so I didnt bother waiting for them.

Intelligent and responsible voters will reach these obvious conclusions.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

please don't use Hillary and hogs in the same sentence. It's demeaning to our animal friends.

Sorry about that. In fact, I've already been hit with a restraining order by PETA in a class-action defamation suit on behalf of our porcine population.

[mewzilla]

Speaking of her constituency, Broom Hillary's going to be in the City of Evil (aka Ithaca, NY) today. Doubt she's flying commercial. Wonder who's providing her the free transpo?

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Hillary will also be making an appearance today at 3 PM at Wells (not Wellsley) College, an all-girls school about 25 miles up the lake from Ithaca.

[Miss Marple]

Thank you for your report. I find it intriguing that Lauer actually asked her two tough questions, even though he didn't do follow-ups.

I hate that phoney hearty laugh, too!

[night reader]

And please don't use Hillary and hogs in the same sentence. It's demeaning to our animal friends.

If a Pubbie did it, PETA would pitch a hissy fit, but Hitlery gets a pass on everything.

[mewzilla]

Here's a question: Did the Today show book Hillie, or did Hillie book the show? Who made the call? Inquiring minds want to know...

[Hillary's Lovely Legs]

Excellent report, do you have TIVO?

[OldFriend]

This is an old complaint of hers, simply ramped up now as the media searches for ways to bash the President.

There was no solution to the problem of air quality but the elites just can't bring themselves to blame the terrorists.