Hillary Interview
Presidential candidate on electability, her opponent's attacks and whiskey.
Thomas Fitzgerald reports:
12:44 p.m.
A little whle ago, Sen. Hillary Clinton gave The Inquirer a brief interview at the Bonnet
Hillary Interview
Thomas Fitzgerald reports:
12:44 p.m.
A little whle ago, Sen. Hillary Clinton gave The Inquirer a brief interview at the Bonnet Lane Family Restaurant in Abington, but not before she shook every hand in the place.
Some quick highlights:
Clinton said that she did not find "any contradiction" between her answer to a question in last Wednesday's debate that "yes," Sen. Barack Obama is electable in the fall. She and surrogates had been telling party superdelegates, who will likely decide the nomination, that he would be a disaster against McCain.
"He can be elected, I will be elected," Clinton said. "There's a difference...Look at the electoral map: I've carried states that a Democrat must have to win. Anything is possible but I am more likely" to capture the White House against McCain.
She found irony in Obama's attacks on her veracity during his whistle-stop tour Saturday, considering that as the train rolled from Wynnewood to Harrisburg he talked about changing the "slash and burn" politics he said Clinton has perfected.
"He is doing what candidates do when they get desperate at the end of an election," said Clinton, noting that the Obama campaign has launched at attack TV ad on her health care plan and is sending mailers and making robo-calls hitting her on trade and other issues.
"He's undermining his own message," she said. "This is very reminscent of the 'old' politics."
Last weekend, Clinton downed a shot of whiskey and a beer in a bar in Crown Point, Ind., a photo-op for which Obama and pundits mocked her.
She said she is not a regular whiskey drinker but takes a shot "once in a while as a treat." As to the taste, "I don't mind it." She mentioned meeting so many older people who swear that "a shot of whiskey, a glass of wine or a bottle of beer keeps them healthy." (Sen. Clinton enjoys an occasional glass of Blue Moon, a Belgian style beer, with an orange slice in it.)
As we talked, she took bites from an egg-white omelet and two small forkfuls of French toast stuffed with cream cheese and topped with bananas and strawberries.
More details and topics to come....
If Hillary wins the nomination, the Republicans will ask one simple question in the General Election: Which would you prefer...a war hero OR the spouse of an "IMPEACHED?" President. And it will be all over for us democrats. Vote OBAMA!— SonnyJames- Hillary was desperate in Ohio, she had some diplomatic cohorts in Canada to manufacture a story about a Obama surrogate regarding NAFTA; it turns out that the surrogate was from Clinton's campain, and he had told the Canadian diploomats that the NAFTA rhetoric from Clinton was harmless. I didn't see any intense media scrutiny for that mix up; considering she and the media scrutinized Obama for what supposed to had happen, but didn't.— drbinc
- I see someone say, "Obama you are destroying the party". Apparently that poster doesn't remember the last President that got impeached, Bill Clinton. If IMPEACHMENT doesn't destroy a party I don't know what does. Bill was having sex with Monica Lewinsky downstairs at the White House, while Hillary was upstairs. How ugly. Then he went ahead to lie about it on TV, then lied under oath. He must have promised her that he would win the Presidency for her in the future in his plea for forgiveness. Truth is something the Clintons deny. Go Obama— mgrfin
- Its not easy to judge obama by his political past, because he doesnt have much of one. His voting recorded in the senate is a paltry 62%; and he is ranked 99th in seriority. We are to take him at his word that he is qualified and he knows what he is doing. Vote for him if you beleive him.— tdoc
- RetOff, Your comments are flat out wrong. Get your facts straight. Put up a legitimate article (i.e. not one you wrote) showing that 50% of Barack's donors give $1000 or more. I give what I can. Sorry you are so clueless about the facts.— GoHuskies08
- Obama uses JAY-Z rapper in his speeches. So becoming. Wait and America will wake up but it is too late. All the stuff about Obama is staring you in the face but there is one excuse after another after another. The biggest liar in this campaign is OBAMA. We know Hillary. http://youtube.com/watch?v=ionFwC1UUUw— stev
- Here are several reasons that Obama will not be elected! http://www.jeffhead.com/obamacircle.htm— Christines
- OBAMA is desparate, and passive-aggressive. TWO SEPARATE SPEECHES IN NC, at the same point when he says "Senator Clinton in her element", he gives her the finger. Note: the people in the background are different. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoOFp-RDpvM www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zhkq11UExcw— stev
- Around the world the Clinton name represents much of what is wrong with American politics. The only other political name which comes close for political odium is George W Bush. Barack Obama offers a new direction and ethical, professional administration. Something long overdue. On Tuesday Pennsylvania has a chance to put America back to work. If you want to feel proud of your country again - want to bring the troops home, and want to elect an administration that will deliver for the people of PA and all Americans, then Barack is your man. He is, as you Americans say "The real deal". Why do you think the people all around the world who support him wouldn't have a bar of the Clinton / Bush way of doing business. Go PA & Go Obama! Show America the way. John Hay - Australia— JohnHay
- To those of you who believe Hillary when she says she has been fully vetted, see “Hillary’s Felony Misspeaking Never Challenged By The Media” article and video: http://www.peterfpaul.com/ Trial to come up Thursday, April 24 in CA.— Kristin
- Billary is the liar and the phony,not Barack.— S.J.
FACT IS O'BAMA IS UNELECTABLE. His pastor "one of the most important people in my life" would destroy this country if he could. Very nice...just who I would want counseling my President. Fact...THE MAJORITY OF PRIMARIES O"BAMA WON WERE IN "RED STATES" WHICH HE WILL NOT CARRY IN THE FALL. The traditional "BLUE" States have been won by Hillary as well as the vital swing states of Florida, Ohio, Cailfornia, & Michigan. O'bama can't win those states now and won't win them later. If you want a Republican in the White House next January vote for O'bama. If you are a ture Democrat and want to regain the Presidency vote for Hillary. She is the only Democrat that can win it all.— PHAZED- I beg to disagree with Hillary on this. She is the one getting desperate because she is loosing— Smart
Comment removed.- Imagine a Clinton administration. Just like her campaign, where loyalty trumps competence (like this administration). The extreme she went to show her CinC cred will force her to let the generals walk all over her. She won't be able to afford to look weak on defense, and if the generals complain, she'll be afraid of exactly that. For the sme reason she won't try to restore the honor and reputation of the USA as a force for decency and human rights. If you think she'll restore the integrity of the DOJ, just remember that with her negatives, she'll have no coattails and be left with a thin majority, which she will most certainly lose in 2010. Therefore, she will have to keep in place the executive abuses of George W. Bush to defend herself against the inevitable "political" investigations. The fact that she is playing Karl Rove politics should by itself be a red flag that she can't govern.— SteveMG
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Thomas Fitzgerald joined The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2000, and has covered Harrisburg as well as city, state and national politics for the newspaper. He was a “boy on the bus” in the 2004 presidential campaign and during primary contests in 2000 and 1996.
Nathan Gorenstein has covered politics and government in the city, state and nation for the Inquirer. He's worked in the city hall bureau, had a stint on the business desk, and once covered the suburbs. After serving as assistant regional editor, he was named editor of the "Politics" web site.
