Sen. Clinton boasting of her foreign policy experience as First Lady

[Stephanie]

Saying she traveled extensively, was part of the foreign policy team. So I suppose both the Mrs. Bushes could make the same claim.

[xultar]

I would think any First Lady could. What do you think cuz she's the WIFE

she didn't play a part? Way to put the WIFE down. I love to see how un feminist women get when it comes to Clinton.

[rodeodance]

1. she was spec. referring to her trip to china --where she was a spokeswomwn. come

join us here.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3792154

[Renew Deal]

2. I've been to 32 states and 4 countries. I think I'm qualified.

:evilgrin:

[Stephanie]

3. Yes, I think you shd be president.

Based upon your foreign policy experience.

[cali]

5. first of all, perhaps you don't remember what a big deal

her trip to China was at the time- or how controversial. Secondly, what was the topic? Oh, China. There was nothing wrong with her bringing that up.

[Stephanie]

6. It was fine to bring up her trip.

It's a stretch to say that her travel as first lady is equivalent to actual foreign policy experience.

[cali]

7. If you spend 8 years in the White House as not only first lady

but one of your husband's primary advisors, it should count as actual foreign policy experience. I'd bet she learned just as much in that situation as she has in the Senate. It's certainly not true for most first ladies, but she was hardly in the mold of Mamie or Jackie or Laura.

[Stephanie]

14. Laura and the first Mrs. B shd be given the same credit then.

We didn't hear of Mrs. Clinton's input into foreign policy until just now. I wouldn't assume that Laura does not have the same influence. How would we know? We didn't know about Hillary. Laura travels all the time, often solo. Under this logic she should get just as much credit as Hillary's giving herself.

[cali]

18. I don't agree at all. Clinton can be far more easily compared to

Eleanor Roosevelt than Laura Bush. bush has never claimed that Laura is instrumental in policy. Bill told us years ago that Hillary was. She got a shitload of criticism for her activist role. It's interesting to see women, of all people trying to denigrate her role. Quite interesting.

[Stephanie]

22. Hillary Clinton is no Eleanor Roosevelt.

And no, I did not know Eleanor Roosevelt and she was not a friend of mine, however that claim is wishful thinking.

[cali]

40. I never said she was Eleanor Roosevelt

I said her role as an activist first lady is more analogous to Roosevelt's than to laura bush's.

We now return you to mindless hating.

[murielm99]

16. You said that very well.

Anyone who doubts her experience should read Living History. The book gives many details about her life as first lady in Arkansas and Washington. It recounts her travels, what she did, and whom she met. If that is not experience, I don't know what is.

I first learned what microbanking was when I read this book. I learned about other political spouses and people she has visited. She speaks of several spouses with great respect. Some of them seem to have as much experience as their husbands.

She has been a full partner will Bill. Don't we have any republicans to nitpick today?

[Stephanie]

17. We have a primary and a Democratic debate on and it's entirely legit

to wonder how she can make such a claim. I think it's ridiculous, unless you are going to argue that Laura Bush has enough foreign policy experience to run for president too.

[cali]

20. i think it's pathetic to keep making bogus comparisons

but have at it. I'm back to the debate where I fully expect John Edwards to make his umpteenth unresponsibe mill reference.

[ilovesunshine]

26. Nope, it's Hillary hate all the time as usual. nt

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. cool. I've missed alaska,

but got most of europe, central america, some of the muddle east and a tad of northern africa.

Asia remains a distant dream and mystery due to disasters and worse. . My first china trip was cancelled because of Tienanmen Square - I was supposed to give a talk to a local lawyer group in Beijing.

Then I was supposed to see the world cup in Korea/Japan, and was on trial for the entire 6 weeks. shit. I better not plan another trip. HIllary might be elected. actually, being on trial is much more fun than that.

[Carrieyazel]

8. Not a smart strategy. Mostly meeting with the other first ladies is foreign policy experience?

I can see why her campaign is stumbling.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Eleanor Roosevelt would have been able to claim experience in

national and international policy as she was consulted on both by her husband on a regular basis, not to mention she literally traveled around the country to see for herself what was going on to report to her husband. Her background included eduation in both France and England.

Unless more information is offered, it seems as though Hillary has had relatively the same exposure to foreign policy as Rosalyn Carter or Jackie Kennedy.

[madrchsod]

19. she could have been president

"In 1946, U.S. President Harry S. Truman appointed Eleanor Roosevelt as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly. She played an instrumental role, along with René Cassin, John Peters Humphrey and others, in drafting the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Roosevelt served as the first chairperson of the UN Human Rights Commission.<11> On the night of September 28, 1948, Roosevelt spoke on behalf of the Declaration calling it "the international Magna Carta of all mankind" (James 1948). The Declaration was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 10, 1948.<12> The vote of the General Assembly was unanimous except for eight abstentions."

"Having seen her aunt Edith Roosevelt's strictly circumscribed role and traditional protocol during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909) , Eleanor set out on a different course. Despite criticism, she continued with the active business and speaking agenda she had begun before becoming First Lady, in an era when few women had careers outside the home. She was the first First Lady to hold weekly press conferences and started writing a syndicated newspaper column, "My Day". Eleanor Roosevelt maintained a heavy travel schedule over her twelve years in the White House, frequently making personal appearances at labor meetings to assure Depression-era workers that the White House was mindful of their plight. In one widely-circulated cartoon of the time lampooning the peripatetic First Lady, she was pictured appearing inside a coal mine wearing a miner's hat, to the astonishment of a startled miner who exclaims, "My gosh! There's Mrs. Roosevelt".


"During Franklin Roosevelt's terms as President, Eleanor was vocal in her support of the African-American civil rights movement. She was outspoken in her support of Marian Anderson in 1939 when the black singer was denied the use of Washington's Constitution Hall and was instrumental in the subsequent concert held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial."




hillary has a long way to go to meet these standards

[Fredda Weinberg]

10. Boasting? That's a loaded term. While in office, HRC took on serious

causes. Do you remember her appearance at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women?

[Stephanie]

15. Are you still around?

Gosh Fredda, you pop up at the oddest times.

[MaineDem]

11. The trip to China was a big deal

I have no problem with how she discussed it.

The two First Ladies Bush are no comparison to First Lady Clinton. So, no, I don't think either of them would even be considered as having the same experience as Hillary. They didn't do what she did.

(And I'm not a Hillary supporter.)

[ilovesunshine]

12. Yeah, the first lady only hands our canapes at party's...

*yawn*

[MaineDem]

13. Maybe some of them... (thinking current resident)...n/t

[zulchzulu]

21. QB Tom Brady's wife is going to fill in for him when he gets injured

Same analogy...

[MaineDem]

27. Silly, TB's not married.

;)

[durrrty libby]

29. Stop lying. Tom is not married. Women can't play in the NFL,

and your analogy is stoooopid. A 3fer

[Skip Intro]

23. I believe Albright addressed this already, echoing what Hillary just said. And to compare her to the

bush wives, really, are you serious?

[aquart]

35. Every effort is being made to equate Hillary to Bush.

It's an attempt to counter the sad sigh people get when they think of the prosperity of the Clinton years and how nothing is like that anymore.

[Skip Intro]

24. Madeline Albright on Hillary's experience as First Lady:

From last week...

--------------
Albright's people released this response today:

Hillary Clinton represented American interests and values during her visits to more than 80 countries and her meetings with presidents, prime ministers and leaders of civil society. She has been a dynamic representative even standing up to China by pointing out that women's rights are human rights. Her seven years as a U.S. Senator, including her service on the Armed Services Committee, has further deepened her experience as a dynamic and effective leader for our country. She will be ready from the very first day to lead our nation in a dangerous and complicated world, which is why I am supporting her candidacy.
--------------

...next?

[Stephanie]

25. That's terrific. I'm sure Rumsfeld would write the same note for Laura.

Minus the Senate references, of course.

[Skip Intro]

30. How many Democrats do we have to trash to make Obama look good?

Do you think Albright's lying?


And what is it with the urge of some of us here to compare Hillary, and members of Bill Clinton's admin, to bush and his criminal regime? I know Obama does it, I've heard it over and over. Is that standard OP now?

[Stephanie]

31. Well how far back would you like me to go for a comparison?

They are the most recent. Okay then, under Clinton's measure, Nancy Reagan could have been said to have foreign policy experience. How's that?

[Skip Intro]

34. You basically just called Albright a liar. I was just wondering how many Dems had to be maligned so

that Obama looks presidential.

The Clintons, evidently. His entire admin, evidently. Any Dem that has supported Hillary? Do we just call everyone who says anything positive about Hillary a liar, and toss them under the bus too? Cut away and cut away at the party so that there is nothing left but Barak Obama and his entourage?


Just curious, that's all. Encountering the attitude that anyone who says anything good or positive or supportive of Hillary must be a liar kinda threw me.

[Stephanie]

36. Nobody said any such thing. Don't make stuff up.

That's a classic tactic, refuting a charge that was never made.

[Skip Intro]

37. "I'm sure Rumsfeld would write the same note for Laura" If you weren't implying Albright was lying

what were you saying? Because rumsfeld would obviously be lying about laura, and you equate what Albright said of Hillary's experience as First Lady to what rumsfeld would say of laura's, which would be a lie, so what is it you were saying there? Seems to speak for itself.

[Stephanie]

39. How do you know it would be a lie?

I'm saying her First Lady experience is more or less equivalent to Mrs. Clinton's First Lady experience.

[ilovesunshine]

32. Just Hillary around here. Business as usual. nt

[cali]

41. you are living proof that women can be as creepily sexist as men

and I'm not a Clinton supporter. You're either so partisan that you're spewing sexist cant, or you really are sexist.

[Stephanie]

44. wow. why don't you call me racist too?

this is not a coronation. i have a right to question the candidate when she boasts of what strike me as bogus credentials.

[Maven]

54. Please don't tell me you're comparing Rumsfeld's credibility to Albright's.

I mean I know it's primary season but come on.

[mod mom]

28. I guess by Clinton's standards, Jenna & Barbara are foreign policy experts as well.

Wasn't it Jenna who worked at securing land in Paraguay for a bu$h compound?

[cali]

42. more idiotic and demeaning bullshit. n/t

[mod mom]

57. yeah, I wondered why Bill would make such a ridiculous statement.

:eyes:

just like he did when he said the American people aren't interested in impeachment, I guess.

[durrrty libby]

33. She has every right to talk about her experiences.

So you shilling for the Bushies now?


What a jerk off of a thread

[Cha]

38. Since hillary is so

experienced in foreign travel this begs the question..why didn't she know what a powder keg would erupt in the Middle East when she voted to give the chimptards the cover to bomb Iraq? hillary may have foreign travel experience with bill but she doesn't know shit about foreign policy.

It sounds like mark penn was whispering in her ear..forget about what we're bombing to oblivion; keep your eye on the prize and I'll make sure they know you're tough as nails.

[cali]

43. ask Ewards the same question. And he co-sponsored it and his

language at the time wasn't about using it to put pressure on Iraq- it was bomb, bomb, bomb. And while you're at it, ask Biden and Dodd.

[Cha]

45. We're talking about hillary but

I know how much you'd love to change the subject.

[cali]

46. what nonsense. I won't vote for her in the primary

this has nothing to do with changing the subject and you are a poor mind reader, dearie. This has to do with context. And holding all the candidates to the same standards.

[paulk]

47. an absurd comparison

but you knew that, right?

[DCKit]

48. Stephanie, thanks for exposing the haters and trolls.

I'm no fan of Hillary 'cause I think she is a wholly owned subsidiary of corporate America and I don't trust her not to continue the policies of the current administration. Generally, I would not have mentioned either, but I'm sick of the hateful BS that, too often, passes for honest dialog on DU. People need to make up their minds based on the FACTS, not denigrating crap masquerading as news bites.

I remember the trips Hillary took as an envoy of the Clinton WH, the issues she worked on and the respect she garnered from world leaders during and because of those policy trips. Your inflammatory post exposes you as either ignorant of history, a hater or a troll. Sorry if I'm wrong, but I don't see any other options.

This is the kind of crap that turns off so many Du'ers: Lies, innuendo and Republicon slime tactics. This is the kind of shit KKKarl slings just to see how much of it sticks, and I'm sick of it.

If anyone needs a guide to the haters and trolls on DU, I'm bookmarking this thread for future reference.

[Stephanie]

49. Nobody can question Mrs. Clinton on ANY bogus claim she makes.

That is "hating." That is "bashing." I don't consider her role as first lady to be actual foreign policy experience, and despite your threats and name-calling, I have a right to question it. It is a bogus claim, IMO, and I have a right to have an opinion.

[DCKit]

50. A LIE is NOT an OPINION, it's a LIE.

I'm sorry if you simply don't know her history, but you either need to educate yourself with the facts or stop posting anything about HRC. And don't go looking for information from the freeper sites either. They've already re-written political history to date.

Stick to posting positive items about your own candidate and stop trying to generate controversy about HRC. Chances are your posts are going to rally additional support for Hillary and few of us want to see that.

[Stephanie]

51. Travel as First Lady, giving a speech in China, does not qualify her in foreign policy.

As someone stated earlier, if she were such an expert in foreign policy she would not have made such wrong-headed votes on Iraq and Iran. She claims she is qualified, based on her experience, I say her experience does not qualify her and her decisions do not recommend her. Don't tell me what to do.

[DCKit]

52. OK, KKKarl, give it up. You're busted. n/t

[Stephanie]

53. Hah!

Hysterical.

[rucky]

55. If my spouse went to Borneo and didn't take me, I'd be pissed. n/t

[Maven]

56. You know, I bet every last person here who's now dismissing Hillary's time in the White House

as "just being someone's wife" was proud of Clinton at the time her husband was in office. I'll bet most or all of you defended her against the RW when she had the temerity (!) to take a more active role in diplomacy and policy-making, rather than just stay in her place and rearrange the china like First Ladies are supposed to do, and were proud that Clinton, as a woman and a Democrat, was unapologetic about claiming some power to further her own initiatives.

How times have changed.