Has Hillary really been vetted?

[Fast Walker 52]

A lot has happened since 2008, and let's face it, Bernie has really been pretty kind to her in this campaign. There is SO much the GOP can go after in a general election. Putting the Benghazi nonsense aside, her tenure as SoS and the associated email/Clinton foundation issues raise a lot of serious questions. Then there are her strong connections to Wall St and her general reputation for dishonesty.

You can imagine the attack lines from the GOP. Granted, a lot of it may ring hollow since Republicans can be charged with a lot of these things themselves. The attacks could be quite devastating though from an outsider like Trump. The good thing at least is that Trump seems to be self-destructing now.

I guess mainly I'm wondering how the campaign would have gone if Bernie (or O'Malley) had gone after her on everything that could be raised against her.

[artyteacher]

1. yes, she has.... for decades

All her baggage has been unpacked.

[baldguy]

3. And every lie imaginable has been said about her.

And she has not only survived - she's succeeded in spite of it.

[dchill]

9. We're not talking about the lies.

Stop trying to distract.

[baldguy]

10. Everything the RW corporate media says about Clinton is a lie.

And Sanders supporters swallow it whole, without reservation.

What's a distraction are those lies.

[Fast Walker 52]

14. what did Sanders swallow?

He's hardly said anything about her, except about the Iraq war vote and her taking money from wall Street, both of which are not big issues for the MSM.

[baldguy]

23. "Sanders supporters". Reading comprehension is your friend.

[Fast Walker 52]

36. sorry, my bad

but still--
"Sanders supporters swallow it whole, without reservation"

Really? No reservation? They are just like right-wingers?

[Zorro]

81. Absolutely

Just like Republican tea baggers.

[dchill]

21. Your statement is a lie. "Everything?"

Your attitude represents the reason the Democratic party is doomed in November. You can't gold plate a turd and then sell it. It will be returned.

[pdsimdars]

29. NO they don't. But Hillary supporters don't seem to be able to discriminate mentally

I don't believe the RW lies. But she did get all that money from Wall Street and the FBI is not a RW corporate media organization. These are only 2 issues.

If you objectively look at any of that, setting up a private server outside the government system to do your government business on is a crime in itself. There is even more to it than that. And that is NOT some RW smear.

Bernie people know how to differentiate between BS and reality.

It is the Clinton supporters who obviously don't, who can't differentiate. The proof is that you can't see a difference between "Benghazi" and this private server thing. YOU are blinded to any difference, not us.

[bettyellen]

51. Bernie said the email scandal was bullshit, and I agreed. Bernie doesn't want Trump winning and I

also agree. I think he is a decent guy. Still might vote for him.

[JonLeibowitz]

78. Bernie didn't say that. He said he wanted to talk about issues

He very specifically said that he FBI issue should continue to play out.

[artyteacher]

42. yeah... that ^ eom

[ChairmanAgnostic]

75. By her, not about her. BY HER.

There, fixed it for ya.

[-none]

40. But it is still her baggage.

Just because she's been caught and exposed, does not mean it is suddenly all OK and above board.

[hereforthevoting]

2. I feel like he was a bit hoodwinked

Maybe in thinking that since he wasn't fighting dirty she wouldn't. But rest assured when Trump and her go head-to-head things will not be as kind.

[RampageSnipa586]

5. If she goes head-to-head

Clinton most likely will not be going up against trump since there are so many chances to come back from his current numbers and seeing how much he has already, only direction he is going is up. As soon as he wins NY, it's over. Even then there is still Cali.

[Fast Walker 52]

15. welcome to DU!

[pdsimdars]

11. He wasn't "hoodwinked". He has been running for 40 years and refuses to run negative.

Now the people know they can trust him and he regularly gets 20% of the Republican vote in Vt.
They kept advising him to run negative but he won't and he keeps winning.

And Hillary will not have the opportunity to run head to head against Trump. . that's a talking point.

[Fast Walker 52]

17. "Hillary will not have the opportunity to run head to head against Trump"?

What do you mean?

[dlwickham]

4. Really?

[pdsimdars]

12. Yes, really. They haven't even begun on this FBI investigation. There is a "there" there.

And there will have to be some answers. Smug much?

[dlwickham]

20. Is this the denial stage?

[dchill]

26. Is there a mirror near you?

DINJARIE.

(Denial is not just a river in Egypt.)

[pdsimdars]

30. Is that the stage Hillary supporters are in? Denial.

Take your time going thru the rest of the stages. We want you to feel comfortable.

[dlwickham]

44. thank you

your concern is touching

your grasp of reality is another story

[GeorgiaPeanuts]

6. Trump just has to say...

"I used to buy politicians like you!"

She has no defense

[PonyUp]

8. He said he had the canceled checks made out to her that he will present.

[pdsimdars]

13. I bet he can even show what he bought for his money.

He can tell what he wanted, show the check and show the result.
WOW! That would be DEVASTATING !!!!!
I guess that's what could happen when you sell out.
Bernie hasn't.

[pdsimdars]

22. That is stunning.

For all those defenders of Hillary who say she's been vetted after all these years. . . I've never seen this mentioned. Sounds pretty real and something that would certainly make an impression just where she's weakest.

[Fast Walker 52]

18. exactly.

[JohnnyLib2]

7. Good grief!

[FlatBaroque]

16. There are about 150 FBI agents working feverishly to vet a small slice of the Clinton, Inc.

So, no.

[NWCorona]

25. That info has changed.

[leftynyc]

60. Uh - no

The Washington Post has retracted its anonymously sourced claim that 147 FBI agents are detailed to the investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, and is now reporting that the real number is fewer than 50. Media outlets trumpeted the Post's report of the supposedly "staggering" number of FBI agents working the investigation as bad news for Clinton.

snip

Cillizza issued an update to his post, changing his headline but not the text of his piece to reflect the Post's correction and stating, "I apologize for the error."

The Washington Post joins other media outlets that have been forced to issue embarrassing corrections after publishing faulty claims on Clinton's emails based on anonymous sources. The New York Times issued two corrections on stories claiming Clinton was the subject of a "criminal probe," based in part on unnamed "Capitol Hill" sources.

The media continues to scandalize Hillary Clinton during the FBI's probe, even though legal experts have repeatedly explained that Clinton is unlikely to face prosecution and have termed an indictment "ridiculous."

http://mediamatters.org/blog/2016/03/29/washington-post-corrects-faulty-report-that-nea/209615


Anticipating the whining about using Brock as a source (while nothing being said about relying on anonymous sources), here's the link to the Washington Post correction:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/how-clintons-email-scandal-took-root/2016/03/27/ee301168-e162-11e5-846c-10191d1fc4ec_story.html

[frylock]

68. HILLARY 2016: Being Investigated By Fewer Than 50 Federal Agents

[leftynyc]

70. LOL - so no

apology for not checking your facts. How many times does it have to be pointed out that Hillary herself is not under investigation - that it's the state department. Of course you don't acknowledge that. Just more bullshit from you. How pathetically predictable.

[frylock]

71. Apology?

[leftynyc]

73. When I say something out of ignorance

of the facts, I apologize. You're free to do as you please.

[frylock]

83. Apology accepted.

[Onlooker]

19. Well same with Bernie

Hillary has been quite kind to him. She hasn't brought up the VA Scandal, his pro-Castro statements, his war votes that directly supported the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, his war vote for Kosovo that led to protests against him, his paying his family out of campaign funds, etc. Not saying that he did anything wrong, but in terms of political fodder, the Republicans are certainly going to bring up a lot of stuff about him. I think they are really running out of things to bring up with Hillary, and attacking a foundation that has a lot of support around the world and helps people with AIDS, women, and the fight against climate change probably won't get them too far, but you can always hope.

[pdsimdars]

27. You are clearly in denial . . . she comes out with a new lie or smear every single day.

Do they give you free blinders when you sign up to help Hillary?

Even when FORBES called her out for her LIE about Bernie and the auto bailout. . .she kept right on saying it.

She sent her OWN DAUGHTER out to LIE about Bernie's health care plan.

EVERY DAY there's a new one.

Hillary is a liar and that is what the American people recognize in EVERY POLL. She has one of the least trustworthy ratings. Bernie has the highest.

Take the blinders off.

[Onlooker]

64. Hillary started the Iraq War; Bernie tried to sink the auto industry ...

Last edited Thu Mar 31, 2016, 05:15 PM - Edit history (1)

... both sides overstate things as part of their political game. You may have difficulty seeing how both sides play the same game, but that's only a credit to your devotion to Bernie.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

76. Who concocted the Rev. Wright story? Clinton

Who concocted the Kenyan Konnection? Clinton
Who has misled voters in this cycle to the detriment of Bernie? Clinton

Something is rotten in the State of New York, or wherever she has one of her mansions, and the reek comes from her.

[Onlooker]

80. They're both the same

Well, the Reverend Wright story was true, just as the Bosnia sniper story was. Reverend Wright was a good man, and the Bosnia sniper story was trivial. I don't think Hillary concocted Wright story, but she did use it a few times to attack Obama, just as Obama used the sniper story. And, now, it was not the Clinton campaign who started the birther movement, it was a rogue Clinton supporter and the Republicans picked up on it. Bernie and Hillary are both contending with that now. Bernie did not start the Hillary should be indicted for her emails anymore than Hillary started the Bernie loves Castro meme, but they don't have control over their more zealous supporters.

[Fast Walker 52]

58. I suppose... but how is the VA scandal possibly his fault?

[Onlooker]

63. It doesn't matter ...

... I mean, how is the Iraq War Hillary's fault? Look how the left is blaming her for the fall of Qadaffi, when the reality was that the Obama administration was supporting the highly progressive Arab Spring. And beyond that, in politics both sides distort and the Republicans are capable of outright lies. I guarantee that if Bernie is the nominee, I guarantee that the deaths in the VA hospitals while Bernie was in charge of the oversight committee will be laid squarely on his shoulders, unfair as that is.

[NWCorona]

24. Vetted in the sense that we know a lot about Hillary

But she's never made it to round two.

[dlwickham]

45. twice elected to the Senate

sounds like round 2

[NWCorona]

46. Very true

But we both know that this is different.

I'm not saying that she's not battle tested. That would be a lie.

[dlwickham]

50. and Bernie is?

the republicans have thrown the same shit at Hillary since she became first lady and none of it has stuck

it's pathetic that people on a DEMOCRATIC website repeat the tired right wing lies

makes me wonder what their true motives are

[NWCorona]

54. No. He isn't in the same sense that Obama wasn't

I'm realistic in that regards.

[Gwhittey]

55. She was not battled tested in NY Senate Election though

She was coming on heals of someone who had been Senator of NY since 1977. But one thing the 200 Senate race is noted for is The race between Lazio and Hillary Clinton became the most expensive Senate campaign ever conducted at the time. Yea legal bribes even then Hillary was a front runner.

[NWCorona]

56. Yes! That is true but she did face a Republican

So his point was somewhat valid.

[Gwhittey]

52. She ran in NY as a Dem

That is about as close as you can get to being unopposed as you can. I am from NY and saw her first election. She was replacing retiring Daniel Patrick Moynihan who had been the (D) from 1977-2000. There was no way in hell she would of lost.

[jzodda]

28. She's the Most vetted candidate ever

What is left to know or uncover? Nothing....its all out there and has been out there. The good, the bad and the neutral..

[pdsimdars]

33. We will know when the FBI finishes their report. . and from what we know already

there is definitely a "there" there.
Setting up a private server to do your government business on, that alone, in and of itself, is a criminal act. I don't know what they'll do about it, but it IS something.
Not to mention mixing SoS work and Foundation work. This isn't just "oops, I messed up."

[BernieforPres2016]

35. Complete nonsense

Where is the list of donors to the Clinton Foundation? Where are the transcripts of her paid corporate speeches?

[Fast Walker 52]

37. I'm not sure it's really all out there

How much of the public knows what she did to promote regime change in Libya, Syria and Honduras? It's not like the MSM really talks about this much.

[jwirr]

39. Her speeches to the Rich. Release the transcripts.

[MadBadger]

31. Why would the Republicans go after her for ties to Wall Street?

That's a primary thing

[mcar]

32. ...

[pdsimdars]

34. Ah, I see the Celtic Cross is still popping up. . it's a Neo Nazi symbol in case you didn't know.

[Art_from_Ark]

41. Wow-- Googling "Celtic Cross Neo-nazi"

brings up a ton of really creepy images.

[Maedhros]

61. As one of Irish descent, I object to the characterization of the Celtic Cross as a Nazi symbol.

It's better to say that it has been co-opted by the Neo Nazis.

[rbrnmw]

66. I have a rosary from Ireland that has the Celtic Cross

It's beautiful the beads are emeralds. I hate the neo-nazis and I am sure they hate me.

[NutmegYankee]

72. No, the celtic cross with lace work is not a neo-nazi symbol.

Odin's cross or the Sun Cross is the symbol of Neo Nazi's.

The Celtic cross is a cultural symbol for Celtic peoples like the Irish and Scot's Irish.

[cwydro]

82. Exactly.

Looks like that poster has been flagged.

Several nasty attacks in that same vein.

[Orsino]

38. Well, eons of our time have been wasted on bullshit stories.

The critiques of her actual performance have been few and far between. Our idiot media generally fail at vetting politicians, but especially so when led around by a few rich wingnut on a vendetta.

[karynnj]

43. 2008?? She did not run against the Republicans then!

Unless you want to count her Senate races against weak Republican opposition in a blue state, you have to go back to when Bill Clinton was President.

Obviously the Republicans prepared attacks in 2008, that they did not other to use as she lost the nomination. Therefore, she personally never fought a Presidential campaign against the Republicans - other than her husband's which were in a far different world.

What we do know is that she is, in spite of years of attacks, thin skinned - as seen by her obvious anger when Sanders faults her on anything. I am not saying that Bernie has more practice at this - even Vt Republicans do not sink to national Republican levels, but that it is really not true that HRC has been thoroughly tested and passed the test.

[BreakfastClub]

47. Is this some kind of joke? If so, haha, if not, WTF? nt

[Fast Walker 52]

59. Not a joke. Maybe "vetted" isn't the right word. But I do think her weaknesses have not been probed

nearly as much as they will be attacked in the general

[amborin]

48. not at all; Bernie has done no opposition research; the GOP is; just wait, if she's the nominee, all

hell breaks loose

[bettyellen]

49. I can do more than "imagine the attack lines from the GOP" I can read about them here, everyday.

Direct from the RW sources.

[DemocracyDirect]

53. The Republicans want Hillary to be our nominee, because “email-gate”

For all the consternation that Benghazi caused including several committees, and years of screaming, there was no there-there.

But other than a few general comments they have totally laid off of the “email” investigation.

Now that we’ve seen several smoking guns come out in recent weeks, still hardly a word from the Republicans. Even the left here is spending more time on it than the Republicans. Maybe we think it's because they are too busy infighting. I doubt it.

If Hillary Clinton is nominated they will shellac her with innuendo of pay-for-play, hubris, cavaliering war profiteering, and even foreign policy for sale.

I personally can forgive all of Hillary’s shortcomings and lack of judgment. But this one scares the heck out of me because it may lose us the election.

And when they are done with that, a speech transcript or two will be released as well. (with accompanying video for the 7 o’clock news).

Then they will shellac Bill also.

Go Bernie Go!

[madamesilverspurs]

57. And then some.

[beedle]

62. wasn't even really 'vetted' before that either

that's why she ran in NY in a seat that was Democratic for something like 24 years already.

[Fast Walker 52]

74. haha! Indeed.

[Skwmom]

65. NO. There is SO MUCH new stuff and a lot of people haven't heard the old stuff. n/t

[frylock]

67. As far as she knows.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

69. Considering the sheer size of her baggage car, there's a lot still to be found.

[beachbum bob]

77. lol...hillary has been in the gun sights for over 30yrs...vetted, that she has...but not bernie, not

yet...and if and when it happens it won't be good for sanders....conservative media has stepped back big time in talking about sanders for good reason....they are all hoping he can manege to come out the nominee and then their guns come blazing for a communist socialist pacifist anti-american, anti-business candidate Sanders....thats just a tiny hit on sanders.....

[merrily]

79. She has never been attacked/vetted by Republicans in a Presidential election.

Or much in any election. No one really lit into her as prospective First Lady of Arkansas or as prospective First Lady of the US. The name, cookie and stand by your man stuff was fluff. Her husband was the real target.

The man she ran against for the US Senate was lame and she pulled out the woman card very quickly. Obama went relatively easy on her and so has Bernie.

On the bright side, I don't think a majority of Americans are insane and voting for Trump for POTUS would be a symptom of insanity, but that is a different issue from "vetting."