Is Hillary going to take a DAMN position!?

[Superman Returns]

Where has she been? Why is she never putting herself out there on the most defining issue of our times? Does she think she can just not take a position, come out of nowhere and proclaim herself queen? I have utmost respect for Hillary but even as mentioned by Chris Matthews, Where is she? Why are Obama, Edwards, Biden, and Vilsack putting themselves on the line and Hillary still remains, plotting and maneuvering. I'm sick of it. I'm not attacking her for being moderate as others on DU do. I just want to hear her freaking view points. Granted the primaries are still awhile away, but prospective candidates need to take positions as they happen, so the public gets a good variety of voices and opinions. Hell, take a position as an influential NY Senator if your not sure you want to run (though we all know you are). The decision over our Iraq policy, whether to escalate or bring our troops home, is happening now! Please Hillary, stop acting like some political kingpin, waiting for anointment, and put yourself out there.

[SaveElmer]

1. Why not wait for Bush to make the damn proposal...

Before criticizing people for not commenting on it...

[WCGreen]

3. The whole thing has been leaked...

She has been silent....

[Virginia Dare]

6. Leaked by whom?

and for what purposes? Why fall into their trap of lies? Hillary is much smarter than that.

[WCGreen]

8. Come on everyone knows what the guy is gonna do...

Just watch tv for a moment or two...

There are no surprises anymore...

[SaveElmer]

9. So?

Satisfying the desires of DU posters for instant gratification is probably not at the top of her list...

[WCGreen]

11. I could care less...

I am agreeing with the OP by saying she is always waiting, it seems, until it is safe...

[Virginia Dare]

25. That's what smart politicians do...

whether you agree with it or not, that's politics, always playing it safe.

[WCGreen]

41. Then why did all the rest of them start opposing the Bush Splurge...

There is a time for playin' it safe and there is a time for showing some kind of leadership...

I don't know...

I have been real up close and personal over the last 30 years with plenty of politicians and I can tell you this, the politicians who play it safe may win an election here and there but when leadership is called for, the people won't flock toward those who play it safe...

[Tellurian]

43. Over the last 30 yrs...the World has never been in such chaos

as it is today...AND, we didn't have the instant communications like we have today..
We had to wait to read it in the paper the next day...or wait for a tv summary..

Why does Hillary have to run with the pack when she's not part of the pack?
How can Hillary please everyone. How can you please everyone and be the end all to all who depend on you?
As far as I know, she's the only woman considering a presidential bid..
she's cutting her own swath and I respect her for that...she's no dummy.
One misstep and she'll never hear the end of it!

[WCGreen]

47. Just the impression I get that she is far too cautious....

Sometimed the world would rather see someone be bold and project leadership instead of standing back and waiting to construct to exact appropriate response...

That's all I am saying on this...

and it doesn't matter to me which gender or race...

Caution, if allowed to determine everymove, is dispassionate and people lomg tp have a passionate leader....

[Tellurian]

50. Yes, I thought the same thing..but

seeing she's married to the best campaigner in the history of the world...
AND.... after we learned last night that Bush didn't wait for Congressional approval
and the surge has already begun..

I don't believe she is doing this on her own. She has to be listening to Bill.
(If she isn't, I'm getting in line for a textual spanking.)
So, now that the surge has begun, she can speak freely and express her true opine,
which she did, after it was publicly announced..

I'm in wait and see mode for now... I have faith she is serious in this endeavor.
And her reasons for doing things the way she has been will soon become evident.

Can you imagine if she came out and vehemently clobbered Bush. She'd suck all the oxygen
out of everyone else's campaign. The press would be all over her like stink on skunk.
She would have run the race in the paddock and blown her self out before the race begins.

Nothing lost here for giving her the benefit of the doubt... and HOPE.

[Tellurian]

31. I agree...and what would she have said..

well, now... Bush ordered the deployment of troops to Iraq last Friday.
But don't tell anybody...It's not public knowledge yet...

[Oleladylib]

15. Thank YOU!

[Donna Zen]

19. Not the point

The escalation of this war is not a good idea because it does not solve the real problem which is political. Political problems can only be solved politically. Also, bush's belief that a political problem can be solved with more force is not only wrong, it also will further negate the move toward a real solution which is diplomatic. Thus, this idea is totally wrong.

[AZBlue]

21. Ditto. And: has EVERYONE else in Congress made a statement on it?

Or do you think this is just today's We-Hate-Hillary thread?

[Superman Returns]

24. yeah pretty much everyone has

name one influential player in politics who hasn't, both Democrat and Republican? Don't tell me Senator Clinton isn't influential.

[YDogg]

2. must ... be .... careful ...

[peacebird]

5. hard to balance on the head of a pin - afraid to take a stand because it might offend

Must be all things to all people....

:eyes:

[HockeyMom]

4. Today's NY Newsday Article

questioned her on precisely that. Your constituents want to know, Hillary.

[pnwmom]

7. If you have the utmost respect for her,

how come you call her "Hillary"? Someone else called attention to this issue on a thread today, and s/he was right.

How come you name Obama, Edwards, Biden, and Vilsack by their last names; but Hillary by her first? Is it too hard to write, "Sen. Clinton"?

[k_jerome]

13. because there is no respect.nt

[Superman Returns]

17. well,

to be honest, you do have a point, and for now on I will caller her Senator Clinton. I guess its because she is a strong, independent woman, and "Hillary" as opposed to "Clinton" makes her transcend her husband's name. Also, calling her just "Clinton" confuses people as to who your talking about. We do the same thing with the Bush father/son duo, emphasing W or J.R. or 43.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

10. Yes, we are studying the taking of

positions, and we are, well, while we are in favor of the taking of positions, insofar as our rights as Americans to take positions is sacred to us all, the actual taking of positions could be construed as giving succor to our enemies both foreign and domestic, which of course I am sworn to uphold.

Is that clear?

[David Dunham]

12. She said last week on the Today show she's AGAINST the surge.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

16. Uh Huh... and before that she said she was

for the surge, if it led to a withdrawl.

I guess she liked the press that Biden got better.

[Oleladylib]

14. Relax...she will...could you give a chance to HEAR the whole policy strategy ..?

[Tellurian]

18. Troop SURGE Underway

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Jan. 10, 2007 — President Bush's speech may be scheduled for tonight, but the troop surge in Iraq is already under way.ABC News has learned that the "surge" Bush is expected to announce in a prime time speech tonight has already begun. Ninety advance troops from the 82nd Airborne Division arrived in Baghdad today.

An additional battalion of roughly 800 troops from the same division are expected to arrive in Baghdad Thursday. Eighty percent of the sectarian violence occurs within a 30-mile radius of Baghdad so that is where most of the additional troops will be concentrated.It is the first small wave of troops in a new White House strategy that is expected to put more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and likely require new call-ups of the National Guard.

The president is expected to deliver his announcement about the increase of troops, a plan that has already been met with stiff criticism from many members of Congress, in a speech tonight from the White House. The arrival of additional forces in Iraq comes a day after leading Democrats said they would back legislation that would block funding to pay for the additional military forces.

A spokeswoman for Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who Tuesday urgently called for Congress to vote on — and reject — the proposed surge, told ABC News that the arrival of additional soldiers "underscores Senator Kennedy's point that Congress must act immediately." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-N.M., also responded to the report, calling the troops' arrival "deeply disappointing." Reid has said that Americans don't want to see additional forces in Iraq and that he has been considering plans offered by his congressional colleagues.

http://www.rawstory.com/showarticle.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fabcnews.go.com%2FWNT%2FIraqCoverage%2Fstory%3Fid%3D2785532

[AtomicKitten]

27. Congress needs to put a leash on Junior tout de suite.

[Zynx]

20. She is a weak, spineless, chickenhawk.

I firmly believe she would have gone to war with Iraq had she been president in 2003. She would have tried to prove she was "strong on terror".

[Tellurian]

51. nonsense! nm

[Zynx]

53. Given how much she supported the war for so long and how long

she has taken to realize the Iraq War was a mistake, I dare say that she would not have made the right call had she been in the presidency at the time. She gives into political pressure very easily.

[Tellurian]

54. A totally superficial argument..

based in supposition using unrealistic guidelines as the basis for erroneous conclusions.

First of all, she voted for the War as many others did, as a last resort measure, IF
all diplomatic remedies were exhausted, (which they weren't) that is If WMD were found
posing an eminent threat to US security.

One can debate whether either of the conditions of the resolution were met. But to say that
the voters of the resolution voted for war either reflects profound incompetence or intentional
deception.

The resolution was, using Bush's own words, a support for Bush to do the right thing. He didn't.
That should be the response to the absurd charge that they "voted for the war."
It astounds me that they allow this lie to perpetuate and I see this as how Sen Clinton views her vote,
unlike others who have declared they make a mistake. They are not the ones who made a mistake.
The simple fact of the matter is Bush LIED!

The question begs..When Bush found out there were no WMD why hasn't he pulled out of Iraq?

[catgirl]

55. 9-11 Does Not = Iraq

Bush & his buddies concocted that. Have you been away this whole time?
To Mars perhaps? :-)

[Jack Rabbit]

22. She hasn't pulled her finger out of the wind yet

In fairness, whe could be waiting for Bush to say something specific before she make specific criticisms.

[Demeter]

23. I'd Hate To Think where That Finger Has Been

(the images your post evoked do not bear description!)

[Superman Returns]

26. sooo

just saw Obama on two cable shows talking eloquently and meaningful. Saw Edwards on Larry King. Where is Senator Clinton?

[ChiciB1]

28. It Is The Finger Thing!! Maybe She's Been Talking To "Little Joe!" n/t

[mtnsnake]

30. Jesus H Balls, man of steel, have some patience!

Hillary is saving the best for last, that's all. :smoke:

[AtomicKitten]

29. and if she comes out against it --- she will still be trashed here

Others are receiving kudos elsewhere on DU but Hillary never has the same luxury. Damned if she does and damed if she doesn't. Why bother with the pretense of a reason to trash her anymore? Seriously.

I find myself defending her here even though I don't support her because of the screaming disparity in the way she is treated, and that really pisses me off.

[The Magistrate]

33. It Was Reported Moments Ago She Did Denounce The Plan, Ma'am

We shall see the result here....

[zulchzulu]

37. Agreed

She's certainly not my fave, but whatever she says will be treated as something desperate.

If she agrees with the escalation (as she indicated recently if there is some plan), then she's declared as a neocon freepazoid. If she disagrees, then she is diabolically swerving to the left to counteract Edwards and/or Obama.

Admittedly, I'm not waiting on pins and needles to hear her opinion...

[AtomicKitten]

42. I have this gnawing feeling in a corner of my brain

that she might end up being the nominee after all, not really a stretch considering her power base and the wad she's sitting on, and I don't know if DU is equipped with rack-and-pinion steering powerful enough to effect a 180-degree turn in rhetoric. Damn.

[Tellurian]

44. Ak..just posted this in another thread

read & heed, if you will.. :hi:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3050724&mesg_id=3050891

[ruggerson]

45. Exactly

She stirs no warmth in my soul either, but I find myself getting more and more pissed off at these righteous little hypocrites who will praise ANYONE but Hillary.

[MaineDem]

49. She did - - - and she was

Some people are never satisfied.

I console myself with the fact that DU is not the real world.

Edited for spelling.

[YvonneCa]

32. She just did...

...MSNBC Breaking..Scarborough. She's against Bush escalation.

[Gemini Cat]

34. I just heard (on MSNBC) she won't support it. nt

[bklyncowgirl]

35. Breaking news just announced on MSNBC-

Clinton's office released a statement saying she is opposed to Bush's plan.

Meanwhile Barak Obama is all over the media--not a good move on Clinton's part. I think she'll live to regret her pussyfooting around this issue.

[Tellurian]

52. I think it's a great move...

She's got OBama and Edwards running interference for the cause..
Keeping the "gunfire" media response pointed at Bush.

SMART!

[Superman Returns]

36. breaking news

Scarborough said Senator Clinton released a statement against Bush's plan and escalation. Credit is due. Now, will she be a leader or will she wait in the background?

[Tellurian]

38. I just checked her website...she's been busy taking care of business..

January 2007

January 10

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on House Vote to Increase the Minimum Wage

January 09

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on 9/11 Commission Recommendations

Statement of Senator Clinton on Today's Reintroduction of Net Neutrality Legislation

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s Announcement of FY 2007 Infrastructure Protection Program Grants for New York

January 08

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton On EPA Decision in Favor of Children’s Health

Senator Clinton Welcomes Announcement of New Funding for New York to Combat Lead Poisoning

Statement of Senator Clinton on the Fifth Anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act

January 05

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton Regarding The Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative Announcement

Senator Clinton Announces Senate Resolution Honoring New York Subway Hero

Senators Clinton, Schumer, Kennedy, Lautenberg And Menendez Re-Introduce Legislation to Address 9/11 Health Effects

January 04

Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Warrentless Mail Inspection

http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/index.cfm

[Morgana LaFey]

39. She wanted optimum press coverage, so waited until now

so she could be sure of being part of this news cycle.

Pathetic.

[Tellurian]

40. Why would she have wanted that?

She knows whats going on better than any of the other candidates.

Her husband was the former president ya know. I'm sure she knew
the troops were secretly deployed and had to wait until the announcement came.

The real world is a hell of alot harder than making demands happen on an internet forum.
And playing monday morning qb..

So, lets just wait and see how this all plays out.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rodeodance]

48. She said last night that she does NOT SUPPORT the surge

-msnbc said she issued a statement after the speech.