Nibbled to death by ducks: This shit is going to continue for as long as Hill is in the race.

[Jackpine Radical]

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her foundation continue to run into ethical issues as she prepares to launch a Democratic campaign for president in 2016.
In the latest development, Reuters reported Thursday that another Clinton charity broke an agreement she had with the White House while she served in the State Department. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, she promised to disclose all of her nonprofits' donors.

However, that turned out to not be the case.

"In response to questions from Reuters, officials at the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and the foundation confirmed no complete list of donors to the Clintons' charities has been published since 2010," Reuters' Jonathan Allen reported. "CHAI was spun off as a separate legal entity that year, but the officials acknowledged it still remains subject to the same disclosure agreement as the foundation."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/hillary-clintons-money-problems-keep-215312443.html

I agree that no single issue, be it Benghazi (whatever the fuck THAT's all about), Goldman Sachs, email problems, or now this, is sufficient in itself to sink her.

However, fair or unfair, I get the feeling that there is a helluva lot of stuff like this out there to be found. Hillary's baggage ain't all in one big bag; it's in a million small ones. She seems to have a persistent habit of skirting rules, taking shortcuts, and just generally behaving as if the rules that are supposed to regulate her public life are nothing more than irksome suggestions.

[libdem4life]

1. Can't disagree...still I wonder how many others have done similar things and NOT

had their political flesh pecked away. Good Lord, there are at the very least, the Bushes...but they don't get 24/7 MSM playing time...boring. They just buy elections and cohort with Nazis. Nothing to see here.

[Fumesucker]

2. It's remarkably common at the top, it's just that Hillary fairly or unfairly gets more scrutiny

I mean the part about rules being nothing more than irksome suggestions.

Look closely enough at most of our leaders and you will find clay feet.

[BlueCaliDem]

4. Yep. The difference with the GOP's attacks on Hillary Clinton is the fact that she can BEAT

any of their corrupt candidates - and that's why this sudden and daily vicious attacks of her using a very helpful M$M.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

29. Fair or not, maybe it's time Hillary bows out & let someone new & fresh take over the reins of the Democratic Party.

[WhiteTara]

44. There is no one and

I'll stick with a candidate who can win. This is the race to end all. If we lose the White House, we are done...cooked...screwn.

Why was she supposed to adhere to a separate set of rules for her than her predecessors? The practice sounds quite common but for some reason, Hillary is supposed to be the saint and she's not. She's very tough and has administrative skills most presidents lack. This could be something good; but what ever it is, it will be better than ANY repuke.

I live in Arkansas with Tehran Tom as my senator. Can you imagine someone like him as president? I shudder.

[awake]

52. She is not the only Dem. who can "win"

This is no way to pic a nominee of our party, we need a fair compleat race in the primaries so then we can vote on who we want not the press telling us who we want

[WhiteTara]

54. Please name your nominee

that can "win"

[Art_from_Ark]

56. Maybe Elizabeth Warren

No one can say for certain that Hillary can win, because she has never won a national race. Like Warren, the only race she has won was for Senate. But Warren is attracting attention for her views that are resonating with a lot of people, while Hillary is attracting attention because she has name recognition. Have them go head-to-head in debates, and Warren's numbers would likely pick up. And Warren would almost certainly mop the floor with any Republican challenger.

[awake]

57. Biden or Warren could both win in a walk

The point is we need to let the voters in primaries a causes deside who will be our candidate not Corrupt Corp. media & pundits. HRC maybe the best choice but let's be sure and find out where she stands on today's issues.

The only thing that I hear why Joe Biden will not win is not his stand on issueses but that he all too offen say what he thinks, I find that a good reason to vote for him since I know where he stands, we also know where Elisabeth Warren stands, while with Hillary every thing is a bit muddled she seem too want to play by her own rules and keep her thoughts on today's issues hidden for example where is she on Tade and the XL pipe line, does she support a one or two state salution to the Middle East?

[OKNancy]

3. Another bs story that doesn't really reflect on her

1. she made a pledge.. not a law or a policy.
2. The organization spun off in 2010. This group helps reduce the cost of drugs for people with HIV in the developing world.
3. When they spun off, they failed to release a donor list. A clerical oversight.
4. When asked the list was published this year.
5. The list didn't contain anything hinky

It's all a bunch of picking at nits. Of course the RIGHT WINGERS love to do this.

ETA: here is the original story. Despite the headline, if one reads the whole article to the end, it's a big nothing.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/19/us-usa-clinton-donations-idUSKBN0MF2FQ20150319

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Right. She broke a pledge, not a law.

At least 20,000 lawyers who are paying attention will realize the significance of this difference.

Things don't have to be illegal to be effective bases for attacks.

And I agree with everyone that the RW, aided and abetted by a corporate press, has been trying to hang stuff, mostly nonsense, on her since the Bill days--Whitewater, travelgate, Vince Foster, etc.

But the steady hammering will have its effect on the gut-level conditioned emotional reactions of a pretty large number of people.

[OKNancy]

13. maybe, maybe not. I think some will actually go the other way

and the attacks may backfire.
In the general election, I just don't see blue states changing to red.

[HereSince1628]

14. Stretching to reach that apology for another minor embarassment

The question that is rising up before me isn't about the law or policy at all.

It's about the fundamentals of good leadership. Leadership demands delegation of responsibility...delegation requires picking quality people and ensuring they are disciplined to do their jobs and not embarrass the delegator or the institution run by the delegator.

These scandals are less scandalous than they are evidence of HRC being surrounded by a cadre of incompetent/undisciplined knuckleheads

It's as if such things don't matter to her. Is she oblivious or does she thinks she's too big to fail?? Doesn't she care about how these things end up reflecting on her judgment management and overall mastery of leadership?

Crikey. One exclamation of "ARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" sank a pretty competent campaigner. Come on Hillary, get someone to control the snarl of ropes on the deck, turn them into neatly wound coils, get the sails trimmed and make the ship capable of sailing on a steady course!

[SCantiGOP]

25. agreed, OKNancy

When the dust settles, I think we and the nation will face a straightforward choice: Clinton, or one of the Republicans willing to lie and cheat his way to the White House in order to turn the country over to their Corporate masters.

[Yo_Mama]

5. She's not in the race yet - when she starts actually campaigning,

the story will change.

She's not my preferred nominee, but I don't think this means anything over the longer run.

[Jackpine Radical]

8. It's like sleeping in the room under a giant centipede, wondering

if the next shoe to drop will be the last one.

[Yo_Mama]

9. Well, the voters will decide.

I trust the voters to decide.

She's not my preferred candidate because of her close associations with WS, but I'm only one person.. The way to find out is for her to run.

[KoKo]

27. "Nibbled to Death by Ducks" and the Giant Centipede..with many shoes...

Love it........(the way you have expressed it)

[Jackpine Radical]

39. I stole both of them somewhere, I think.

[KoKo]

41. I still give YOU credit for the post...It goes with your sense of humor...

which is sorely lacking in "these parts, these days" around here....

It was delightful. 's

[Jackpine Radical]

58. Thanks for your kind words, KoKo.

Yeah, the state of the world is too dreadful to take seriously, I guess.

[pinboy3niner]

45. I think the first is an old expression...

...and the title of one of Robert Campbell's Jimmy Flannery mysteries.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. Yes, when Hillary starts campaigning, the story WILL change - to what a bad campaigner she is...

Maybe it's time for a change.

[Autumn]

7. True. It's not fair but that just what will happen

[stevenleser]

10. I don't completely disagree. I just think this will happen with any Democratic candidate.

How many silly things did we see with Obama during the campaign.

His pastor? Who cares about his pastor?

He went to a dinner where Bill Ayers was in 1995? That became a real issue? Really?

In terms of Elizabeth Warren, we got a small taste of how ugly the GOP would be with her with the whole native American thing in her senate race. I am sure they would dig up a half dozen manufactured outrages against her.

This IS a serious problem in terms of how the GOP behave in general, not necessarily with any given candidate.

[blue neen]

36. ...

Exactly.

[BainsBane]

11. Cause she is the only Dem they go after

Birthers, Swiftboating, but it's all Hillary's fault they attack her.

[Jackpine Radical]

16. I didn't say this was Hillary's fault,

and obviously the Republicans will dig up what they can find, and manufacture whatever fabrications they can get away with, to try to hang on their opponents--any opponents.

However, Hillary is in a somewhat fragile position for a number of reasons. A prime one is that they have been hammering at her for decades, and as a result, while her positives are higher than those of any other Democrat in the polls, so are her negatives. She does not help her own cause by leaving a careless trail of little time bombs behind her. This particular revelation is somewhat nasty because it reinforces the public's pre-existing, albeit vague, uneasiness about her relationship to Big Money.

No one of these things is serious in itself, but added together, it amounts to the Death of the Million Paper Cuts.

[BainsBane]

24. That also shows she knows how to deal with it

She has remarkable perseverence and resilience. Even if one disagrees with her on issues, that has to be recognized.

It is true that the attacks against Clinton will continue as long as she is running for office or in office. Absent that, they will carry on against other Democrats.

[phantom power]

12. It isn't a mystery how this game gets played

Absolutely every politician has "a million small bags." But if you're a Democrat, it gets treated seriously, no matter how fucking ridiculous it is. And that goes double if you're not a white male. And triple if you're last name happens to be Clinton.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Yes, yes, yes, all true.

On the other hand, you shouldn't be selling rotten tomatoes to a hostile crowd just before you give your big speech.

[JHB]

15. True as far as it goes, but one question:

Precisely which Democratic politician will NOT be the target of an infinite pitching-machine of balls of elephant dung?

Since Bill won the 92 election, the Republicans have engaged in a strategy of constant flinging of crap. Here and there a piece sticks, and they count that as a plus, but more important for them is the pile that builds up around the target. They then hold their noses at the "odor of scandal" or point to the fog bank of steam rising off it and worriedly note "you know what they say, where there's smoke...."

The only way to fight that is to hit them back and don't let anyone forget how everything they complain about seems to be ok when they do the very same thing (or worse).

This is not to excuse Hillary (or anyone else), but I am extremely wary of efforts to single her out for what seems to be a common affliction of those residing in the thin air of the political stratosphere.

[Jackpine Radical]

19. It's one thing to suffer the slings & arrows of outrageous Republicans, but

it's something else to leave so many caches of slings & arrows around for them to find.

[JHB]

26. Never fear. If they ever run out, they'll just make up more!

They've proven that. Repeatedly.

[Scuba]

18. Her pro-war and pro-war criminal stances sink her for me.

[NYC_SKP]

43. Her dishonesty and ease about it are deal-breakers. Add the war vote and pandering and yuck.

I can't believe that so many people fall for it.

[morningfog]

22. A robust primary with a Clinton loss there would not be "dumping."

It would be the democratic process. And she is not the only chance at the WH. She may not even be a strong candidate this time next year.

[spanone]

21. this shit will happen no matter who's in the race. republicans hate all democrats.

[jeff47]

23. Another candidate wouldn't have nearly as long a history

and thus nearly as much to attack with.

More to the point, Team Clinton's response to these attacks has been utterly fucking stupid. Her camp is constantly changing the subject back to the controversy instead of shutting the fuck up. She's feeding her own attackers.

[Jackpine Radical]

59. Yes, I see it the same.

[brooklynite]

28. or...it's going to continue until she actually announces her campaign....

...at which point her campaign issues will be the focal point.

[morningfog]

34. At least then, in theory, she will actually address issues timely.

Although I won't hold my breath.

[zeemike]

30. Nibbled by ducks now.

Which once she is nominated will change to attack dogs and all kinds of other shoes will drop.
All of this is just the set up...and no other candidate is better prepared for the GOP attack than her.

And there is the element of psychology to it...we are expected to circle the waggons around her and nominate her because she is attacked.

[bobalew]

32. Look, If HRC Has So Much baggage, What do you think ANY of the Rethug candidates have?

Instead of Stressing & hand-Wringing all about already munched over B/S. How about doing just Tiny bit of research on the Rethug side of the equation. If Our side is to be nibbled, How about a few SHARK BItes of our own performed on the republican side? NONe of these guys ARE Squeaky Clean, Are they? Think about it. You have done NOTHING to address the Opposite side of the issue...

[Jackpine Radical]

33. Actually, I HAVE addressed the "opposite side."

Just not in this thread. Since I don't particularly keep track of my posts, I can't easily find my analyses of the strengths & vulnerabilities of the Republican candidates, but two of my guesses were that Jeb cannot be elected in the General, and that Walker could get a lot further ahead than anyone thinks, but he has a lot of vulnerabilities in his past record if his opponents (either in Primaries or General) do their due diligence of scrutinizing his background.

[riqster]

35. It'll just shift to another Dem if she drops out.

[11 Bravo]

37. And it's astounding to me how many "Democratic"Underground posters ...

appear willing (fuck willing, I should have said EAGER) to allow a flock of wing-nut ducks to nibble a possible Democratic presidential candidate out of the 2016 campaign.

[RiverLover]

49. The only thing worse than a Republican is

a Republican who runs as a Democrat.

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. No, at some point those ducks start looking more and more like quacks & she like an adult woman

Clinton is far from my favorite potential Democratic President, but her main "problem" is that she hasn't started campaigning yet, which means there is no rapid response team defending her AND she is not making headlines of her own by going on offense. Then again it's not really such a big problem because the election is still a year and a half away.

[former9thward]

42. Election a year and half away?

Obama had been actively campaigning for two months by now in 2007. The first primaries are a little more than nine months from now.

[Tom Rinaldo]

48. Yes, he was a strong underdog back then and...

...he was still fairly unknown to most of the public. AND he had major Democratic opposition to overcome above and beyond Clinton; like John Edwards, Joe Biden, Christopher Dodd and Bill Richardson.

What Clinton's team has to manage is not her being an outside shot to win the nomination, it is mitigating against possible "Clinton fatigue". She has been wise to avoid the spotlight for the last few months, but it is pretty much time for her to get in now if she is going to.

[KamaAina]

40. Hey! You take that back!

Ducks are awesome! I saw a show about them on PBS last time I was at Mom's. Don't compare them to repuke scuzzballs!

[pinboy3niner]

47. Don't be fooled by that duck propaganda

The true nature of ducks is much darker.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=9265144&mesg_id=9265144

[steve2470]

55. love it! nt

[KamaAina]

60. Well, the true meat of ducks is dark

FREE THE DUCK!!

[SoCalDem]

46. And right wingers will dust off all the oppo-stuff they planned to use in 08

Everyone was so damned sure it would be Clinton v G-9/11-iani....Obama threw them for a loop because they were a bit afraid to trot out the nasty racial stuff back then.....(not anymore)..
They just put the Clinton stuff on a shelf and have been adding to it for 6+ years..

[99Forever]

50. Fair or not...

... this sort of stuff will haunt HRC not only throughout a campaign, but each and every day of a Presidency IF she manages to tamp it down enough to actually win, which is highly doubtful.

None for me thanks. I want a progressive President that doesn't have to spend all of their time putting out stupidity fires.

[tridim]

51. Fair or unfair, there's Bill too.

Which IMO is an even bigger problem.

[bigtree]

53. it's going to happen to ANY of our Democratic candidates

...it's extremely naive to believe that republicans are going to stop their scandalmongering at Hillary's doorstep. Have you seen ONE Democratic leader of our party who's not been hounded by petty and salacious accusations from republicans? That's their ONLY political stategy; distract, divert, and demagogue.

The best strategy is to align yourself with a candidate, then, promote and defend them. Assuming that republicans will abandon their fearmongering nature with the selection of some unassailable candidate is fantasy; political rookie shit. Better get a backbone...

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

61. "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." - Harry S Truman