"As leaders we have a choice who we associate with"

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

and who we apparently give some kind of seal approval to."

That was Hillary's statement from the debate that will come back to haunt her a hundred times over in my opinion. She was trying to milk the Wright issue when she said this.

So far she and the Republicans have dredged up 3 guilt by association memes for Obama - Rezco, Wright and Ayers. I think Obama has defused all 3 and I personally am thrilled that this stuff came out in the primaries. Hillary put together a mud-slinging, no holds barred campaign that any Republican could be proud of.

I think Bill and Hillary have associated themselves with far shadier characters than Obama. I was shocked at her statement, to tell the truth, because it opens up such a yawning chasm of hypocrisy for her if anyone chose to follow-up with her line of reasoning.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

1. Ken Starr spent $75 million of our money looking for bad associates of the Clintons and got NADA!!

found NOTHING

[bowens43]

3. That's another lie. Is that all you have?

Here's just some of the results of the Starr investigation:

Convictions

Ultimately the Clintons were never charged, but 14 other persons were convicted of more than 40 crimes, including a sitting Governor who was removed from office.<36>

* Jim Guy Tucker: Governor of Arkansas at the time, removed from office (fraud, 3 counts)
* John Haley: attorney for Jim Guy Tucker (tax fraud)
* William J. Marks Sr.: Jim Guy Tucker business partner (conspiracy)
* Stephen Smith (Whitewater): former Governor Clinton aide (conspiracy to misapply funds). Bill Clinton pardoned.
* Webster Hubbell: Clinton political supporter; Rose Law Firm partner (embezzlement, fraud)
* Jim McDougal: banker, Clinton political supporter: (18 felonies, varied)
* Susan McDougal: Clinton political supporter (multiple fraud) Bill Clinton pardoned.
* David Hale: banker, self proclaimed Clinton political supporter: (conspiracy, fraud)
* Neal Ainley: Perry County Bank president (embezzled bank funds for Clinton campaign)
* Chris Wade: Whitewater real estate broker (multiple loan fraud) Bill Clinton pardoned.
* Larry Kuca: Madison real estate agent (multiple loan fraud)
* Robert W. Palmer: Madison appraiser (conspiracy). Bill Clinton pardoned.

* John Latham: Madison Bank CEO (bank fraud)
* Eugene Fitzhugh: Whitewater defendant (multiple bribery)
* Charles Matthews (Whitewater): Whitewater defendant (bribery)

[saltpoint]

2. Leaders can choose their associations, in a limited snapshot, at the risk of

being limited.

Presidents must represent all the people, including very diverse groups who disagree sharply with each other.

Real leaders don't pay millions of dollars to high-end PR hacks who are actively working against their own policies, either, witness Mark Penn on Colombia.

The Clinton campaign long ago abandoned ideas and issues and these days is out in the barn milking tractors.

[godai]

4. Here's Clinton's pardon list

An unsavory group, to be sure...

http://www.usdoj.gov/pardon/clintonpardon_grants.htm