Newsday: Clinton's camp fires first salvo

[DeepModem Mom]

Clinton's camp fires first salvo
BY GLENN THRUSH
WASHINGTON BUREAU
January 21, 2007


Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
(STAN HONDA, AFP/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's pollster fired an opening salvo at Sen. Barack Obama and John Edwards yesterday, claiming their campaigns are "stalled or falling" -- and suggesting Obama isn't tough enough to withstand GOP attacks in 2008.

A day after Clinton announced she would run for president -- and win -- her campaign's chief strategist Mark Penn sent a memo to reporters intended to offset an avalanche of articles emphasizing Clinton's high disapproval ratings and questioning her electability.

"She is not just strong, but the strongest Democrat in the field," wrote Penn, referring to a new national poll showing Clinton with a commanding 20-plus-point lead over Obama and Edwards, the Democratic nominee as vice president in 2004....

***

...Penn...stated that no other Democrat is tough enough to beat back Sen. John McCain or former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

In a clear reference to Obama's lack of political experience on the national stage, Penn wrote: "Some of the commentators look at the ratings of people who have not yet been in the cross-fire, and say they might have a better chance. Recent history shows the opposite."

He then set his sights on Sen. John Kerry and former Vice President Al Gore, who also might run in 2008. "The last two Democratic presidential candidates started out with high favorable ratings and ended up on Election Day -- and today -- far more polarizing and disliked nationally," said the pollster, who cut his teeth on President Bill Clinton's 1996 re-election campaign....

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-ushill0122,0,6959744.story

[Mass]

1. You mean Hillary's qualities are not self-evident ?

[Tellurian]

3. BIG MISTAKE...

Time to fire the first salvo at the adviser.
Hillary's first words.."YOUR FIRED"!!!!!

Booooo! Boooo!

Your team is over-reacting. O Bama and Edwards are getting the democratic message out there!

Damage Control!... Issue an apology!

[PerceptionManagement]

15. O' Fer Chr*** sake! Attack the repugs!! HARD! WTF,O?

The most target rich opponent in the history of the US and she attacks Dems? Buffoons.

[Silence Dogood]

18. RightO! Or is media becoming a problem

so early in the game?

[Dean Martin]

24. I'm not surprised

Hillary Clinton attacking other Dems? Doesn't surprise me in the least.

[_dynamicdems]

2. Clinton's no one to talk about polarizing!

She's been pussyfooting around the RW in hopes that will change, but wait till they start in on her. We'll see who is polarizing. If the attacks on Gore and Kerry were nasty, they will have to invent an whole new word for how vile the attacks on Hillary are going to be.

She's making a mistake attacking Obama and Edwards. They are both highly likeable and Hillary is not. Attacking them is only going to remind voters exactly why they have disliked Hillary so much. Big mistake to come out firing at these two Dems after months of retreating from Republicans and from taking a stand on Iraq.

[Nedsdag]

20. Keep it coming, Hillary!

The more nasty things you say about your opponents, the further your poll numbers decrease!

Bring it on!

[Junkdrawer]

4. Oh, Hillary...Whitewater was your scandal, not your husbands...

To attack a sitting First Lady was a PR disaster for the Far Right...they gave it up and chose the sex scandal instead.

But to attack a Presidential candidate will be considered fair game.

The only question is whether any Democratic candidate will do it or if the Republicans will wait until September 2008...

[OKNancy]

5. Sounds like typical campaign talk to me

I see nothing over the top here.

[Tellurian]

7. All her arrows should be aimed at Bush..

There shouldn't be a whisper of negativity against a Dem.

[w4rma]

6. She's just like Joementum. She attacks Democrats with more fervor than Republicans. It's open season

on Hillary, now.

[Junkdrawer]

9. Strangely, I think she wants the Dems to attack her...

I'm sure the Republicans have more (Whitewater??) ammunition than the Dems, but if she fends off a weakened Dem attack now, she believes she will have some immunity when the big guns come out in September 2008...

[Tellurian]

11. My second thought is...

News agencys are taking quotes out of context and using them
to misconstrue their intent...really working hard to distort the message.

[w4rma]

12. Actually I think shes using the Dubya tactic of trying to pin her own weaknesses on someone else who

is better qualified than her in the area.

She says that less polarizing people than her are more polarizing than her and she says that people who are beating Republicans in the polls, unlike her, are less strong than she is against those Republicans.

[Junkdrawer]

13. That too, but I think she believes she can replicate the "scandal overload bounce"..

her husband enjoyed...

[asjr]

8. I suppose there is no way we can

avoid the poisoned barbs that are now beginning to be thrown. The media will let us know each and every one whether or not they are accurate. And we have to endure almost two years of this?

[Clevenger]

10. Now we must watch the gears of the Hillary Machine grinding away...

...for two years. It's going to be unpleasant.

[Miss Chybil]

14. This is not Hillary talking and what IS being said is being twisted.

If any other candidate said they were the strongest in the field, no one would bat an eye. That's what they're SUPPOSED to say, i.e. "I'm the best candidate. Vote for me." Jesus Christ!

[hedgehog]

17. It's her pollster, she's responsible for what he says.

Reading the entire article, it's clear the pollster wasn't merely touting Hillary's strengths but also taking pot shots at the other candidates.

[creeksneakers2]

22. It looks that way because Newsday twisted the quotes

Hillary is well within bounds to point to a favorable poll or boast about how she's been battle tested.

Here's all her pollster really said:

"She is not just strong, but the strongest Democrat in the field."
"Some of the commentators look at the ratings of people who have not yet been in the cross-fire, and say they might have a better chance. Recent history shows the opposite."

Here is the twisted Newsday version:

claiming their campaigns are "stalled or falling" -- and suggesting Obama isn't tough enough to withstand GOP attacks in 2008.

This is a trash hit piece from Newsday. There are going to be 5 or 6 sleazy stories about Hillary a day from here on in. They'll come from the right wing.

[aaronbees]

26. It's a total hit piece against Hillary Clinton and Dems

And actually what the pollster said is rather tame. Good grief, did people here actually read the article?

[Betty]

16. Isn't Newsday an extremely right wing rag?

how reliable is it?

[redqueen]

19. Can this Penn person make a move without her approval?

Nice goin, Hill. Way to make your first week on the scene a memorable one.

:rofl:

[Gloria]

21. Check out this prescient discussion:

http://hillarywatch.blogspot.com/2005/08/hillary-08-lady-who-divides.html

[roamer65]

23. Typical Rethuglican divide and conquer pablum.

Hang around with the Bushes and see what you become? Eh, Hill?

[slackmaster]

28. Yes, Democrats can divide and conquer themselves without GOP help

Let the circular firing squads begin!

[BlueStater]

25. Thanks for reminding me again, Hillary...

...on why I will never, ever support you.

[Infinite Hope]

27. Well, it's true that favorability ratings for those not exposed to crossfire yet is irrelevant. n/t