Debunking the false Obama smears for Hillary "as far as I know" Clinton

[jedreport]

Run time: 05:37 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYspjJCjgX8   Posted on YouTube: March 03, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: March 03, 2008 By DU Member: jedreport Views on DU: 1812

 
This video debunks the false antiMuslim, anti-Obama smear for Hillary Clinton in the hopes that the next time she's asked about it, she won't hedge. It also includes the full 60 Minutes segment in which her "as far as I know" comment was included, as well as the continuation of her comments in which she talks about smears that have been made about her in the past.

In addition to the debunking the false Muslim smear, this video debunks the false national anthem smear, the false pledge of allegiance smear, and the false flag lapel pin smear.

[MethuenProgressive]

1. She said "Of course not!" She stood up and supported Obama against the smear!

Way to go, Hill! :thumbsup:

[jedreport]

2. If Obama said this what would you think?

Imagine if Steve Kroft asked Barack Obama about the scurrilous rumors that Hillary Clinton is lesbian.

Imagine if Barack Obama said something like:

"I take Hillary at her word that she isn't. Why would I believe that she is? There's nothing to base that on -- as far as I know. And I've been the target of a lot of smears myself. So I have sympathy for people who get targeted with these typical political smears."

Would you think Obama had done a great job of defending Hillary?

[MethuenProgressive]

3. Since I'm not part of the "What Can We Twist & Smear Hill With Today" email loop...

It would never come up.
She defended him against the smear. Only the truely twisted think otherwise.

[jedreport]

4. color me twisted then

it was a piss poor defense, at best.

[polmaven]

20. Coloring done!

Used bright red!

[dbmk]

7. Avoiding the answer

Whether you think the hypothetical scenario would present it self to you is rather beside the point. But I guess avoiding is a tactic.

I think it was a fair question. The answers Hillary gave - especially given the delivery - shouts "BUT HE MIGHT BE! I DUNNO!".

If she really took excemption to the rumour, and had the truth and his name and reputation in mind, she would have phrased that answer completely different.

[GeorgeGist]

33. Here's a fair question

Why do you hate muslims?

[dbmk]

36. Who says I do?

That is some seriously twisted and might I say, RW talk radio logic.

[Sonnenschein]

13. Obama has always followed the Repub line and blamed Hillary is devisive for standing

for our Dem. principles. What are you talking about? Jeez!

[calmblueocean]

5. Nicely done! Proudly K&Red.

I'd like to give Hil the benefit of the doubt, but your video highlights how awful Hillary's hedging looks when contrasted to a simple, honest "No."

[jedreport]

6. Thanks!

If you just imagine someone saying that about a rumor about you....or you imagine their reaction if you said that about a rumor regarding them...then it's pretty clear....she failed the test.

Unfortunately, as a result it means we have to spend more time debunking this stuff, because her ambiguous response is going to raise unwarranted questions yet again.

Hopefully this video will help in that effort.

[ACanadianLiberal]

10. Muslim or non-muslim? Which way you want to go?

Hillary is an evil person, the worst kind. Proof? A lot, her laugh, her hairstyle, her looking, her clothes, her legs (seriously), her gestures, her tears, her angry ugly face, her being woman, her being an evil man's wife, her being worst president's wife, her being white woman, her being white, her being pretending to care for women's causes, children's causes, civil right ( who needs her in those great causes? anybody but Hillary, rigth), her being humna being....

Eventaully, her high heels clicks on the floor will sound evil. Probably some good lord blessed people already feel that way.

Hello, are we on the RepublicanLand?

[Brotherjohn]

16. Your video, without even showing Hillary, did a great job of debunking...

... the nonsense claim against Obama. (not that there's anything wrong with that... i.e. being a Muslim)

I just think you and others are off the mark about a throw-away phrase. I don't think tacking "as far as I know" at the end, the way she did and in the context she did, made her answer any less ambiguous. I think her answer was completely UNambiguous. She did NOT believe the rumor. She conveyed to me that she feels the whole thing is nonsense, and she was a bit taken aback by even being asked the question.

[IowaGirl]

26. I agree.....

I think she was taken aback to even be asked such a ridiculous question. She has that "Are you nuts? tone she gets in her voice. I know that these rumors are the sort that go around in extreme red neck right wing "Christian" smear emails. I've gotten them before (Arrgghh). We have some relatives that I call "the poor white trash" branch of the family who sent us this kind of trash when Kerry was running for president. For the sake of peace in the family, I just ignored and deleted them until I got one that had some bizarre picture of Kerry which said, "Would you want this man for president?" and I just sent a one word email back--YES!!! and the emails pretty much stopped. That is where I think this crap is really coming from and, whoever is the nominee, those smear emails are going to really start flowing when the real campaign starts against the republicans. :puke:

[Brotherjohn]

29. Also, looking back at it now, I think she was expecting Kroft to go "Gotcha!"

He asked once, got an answer, asked again, got the same answer, and then asked AGAIN!

At that point, given the nature of politics against her family and from the press in general of late, I think she's thinking (if not consciously) "Steve's about to say 'Aha! But we have PROOF that he's a Muslim!'" There's no earthly reason he would do that, but I don't think she thought that far ahead. She's just wondering why he keeps asking the same question. On that count alone, I would almost EXPECT her to say "as far as I know".

Add to that she IS a bit of an equivocator, and perhaps has had to be (though I think she does so too much), and tends to do so on anything. I think given the persistent repetition of the question, she fell a bit into default mode.

[graywarrior]

8. Fantastic video.

[Brotherjohn]

9. Ironically, this video, and those like them, are nothing but Hillary smears.

Not that I think Obama is behind them, as far as I know. :D
(joke)

Oh, I think it does an admirable job of denouncing the Muslim smear. But it unfairly lays blame on Hillary based on a minor phrase they're trying to convert into some meaningful innuendo.

The video states "THIS is how you denounce a smear". Well, Hillary didn't have the time right then to put together a video segment interviewing Obama's fellow churchgoers. She was asked a really out of place question of a presidential candidate over a non-issue. Asking her "were you behind any of these smears" is one thing (and her and/or her campaign have been asked that). But whether or not he is a Muslim I'm sure is a complete non-issue to Hillary, and she was surprised to get the question.

She DID, repeatedly, deny that she believed the rumor. EVEN in the same sentence everyone's fixating on, she said (to the question "you don't believe he's a Muslim"), "NO, why WOULD I? There's nothing to indicate that he is..." The 'as far as I know' was without emphasis and is merely a way of speaking, people. When I use it, I'm making clear that based on what I KNOW, that's not true... with no implication whatsoever that it MIGHT be. I use it just to say that FACTUALLY, my evidence tells me this is false.

(and as I've pointed out elsewhere, I am not a Hillary supporter)

[peoli]

11. "As far as I know", tomorrow may be the best day of the year!

[Brotherjohn]

12. How DARE you smear tomorrow by implying it may not be a great day!!!

:D

[Apollo11]

15. Why are you encouraging folks to believe that tomorrow is gonna suck?

:eyes:

[peoli]

18. shame on you apollo11. lets have a debate on march 5th!

[Apollo11]

14. Hillary did a great job dealing with a dumb question.

SHAME ON YOU, Steve Kroft, for asking Hillary about some other candidate's religious beliefs.

AND SHAME ON YOU, Obama supporters, for accusing Hillary of trying to gain some kind of political advantage by supposedly encouraging voters to be fearful of the possibility that Obama might be a Muslim.

PLUS PROPS to Hillary for dealing with this question with clarity and truthfulness! B-)


Hillary Clinton on CBS - 60 Minutes - March 2nd, 2008 (my transcript)

KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?

HILLARY: Of course not. I mean that's, you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: You said you take Senator Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim.

HILLARY: Right. Right.

KROFT: You don't believe that he's a Muslim?

HILLARY: No. No. Why would I? There's no ... No. There's nothing to base that on - as far as I know.

KROFT: It's just scurillous ...

HILLARY: Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumours. I have a great deal of sympathy for anyone who gets, you know, smeared by the kind of rumours that go on all the time.


You can see the whole video here:
www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=38...

The part about Obama's religion is all in the final 3 minutes.

Hillary's answer is very clear and absolutely truthful.

The problem with this whole discussion is that it confirms and underlines the widely-held prejudice that there is something wrong with being a Muslim.

As if being a Muslim would somehow make a person "less American" than a Christian or a Jew or an Agnostic or an Atheist/Humanist/Rationalist.

If you ask me, I think Hillary should have said "Well, as far as I know, Senator Obama is not a Muslim. Not that there's anything wrong with that!" B-)

[Brotherjohn]

17. Reading that, keep in mind people that she was asked the same question THREE times in a row.

He was pushing her. He was being ridiculous. Eventually, you want to try to say "NO, LOOK, I have read and seen Obama's biography! I have not seen anything that indicates he is a Muslim! As far as I know, he's NOT! So stop adding the damned question! I've already answered it!! I'm not an expert on Obama's personal life!!! (okay, she couldn't go that far, but I'm sure she wanted to).

[ACanadianLiberal]

19. How could Hillary be right on this?

-- "Well, as far as I know, Senator Obama is not a Muslim. Not that there's anything wrong with that!"

Wrong, even wronger, because, because, let me thinking of a PROPER word..... DANCEING, right, she is dancing with the word "muslin". Karl Rove, defintely Karl Rove, even more Karl Rove, this line is the rovest of rove.

How could make that suggestion? you, worst human being, Hillary's sympathizer.

[Apollo11]

21. Hillary did not even use the word "Muslim"

So if she was dancing with the word, there was clearly no body contact involved.

For the record, I am not particularly pro-Hillary. I have posted here in defense of different candidates.

But I cannot stand unfair attacks or accusations being made against one of our Democratic candidates.

Maybe that does make me a "sympathizer". Can you imagine sympathizing with a fellow human being?

I guess that's part of what makes me - in your eyes at least - the "worst human being"? :eyes:

[ACanadianLiberal]

23. Sorry, Apollo11.

It's sarcastic expression. Look at these O's followers here, I don't know what is more powerful tool to counter them in a more civilized way. I have to admit that I am not good in playing drama. I am sorry.

[Brotherjohn]

22. Besides (as Apollo11 points out), not eve using the word, she also answered 2 times...

... before the third supposition of the question, CLEARLY and UNAMBIGUOUSLY, that she did not buy the nonsense smears. Read my other post on that.

[ginnyinWI]

24. Hillary was offending Muslims with her answer.

The way she reacted bought into the notion that to be accused of being a Muslim was, in itself, a bad thing. No--it's bad because, as Obama stated, it isn't true, and also that the way it's being used is an offense to Muslims. He was absolutely right to make that distinction. There are two smears going on here: one against Obama, and one against Islam.

[ACanadianLiberal]

25. See, gotya. I predicted someone would go this path.

Hillary must be wrong and wonger by all counts and all posibilities. She said "Of course not", then you people believe what she really meant implicitly "bought into the notion that to be accused of being a Muslim was, in itself, a bad thing". So, good lord, being in Obama's camp is really good. Basically whatever, any way will work out in your way so easily and conveniently.

What a pattern we have observed over this short history of election? From BC's "fairy tale" line, HRC's tear thing in NH, BC's JJ also won SC line, O's Somalia photo, and then this "Of course not" line. Looked at you Obama supporters, Shame on you! Shame on myself because I still believe you people have certain sense of shame.

[ginnyinWI]

28. that was my very first reaction--honest!

I'm not Muslim but I know some. I thought, OMG she's slamming them. Sorry but I wasn't reaching for anything--it was just there. This is entirely separate from my support for Obama. This is about what I saw.

[Brotherjohn]

30. I think she could have gone a bit further to say that. But as stated elsewhere...

... I think she was just taken aback that he kept asking such a stupid question.

[ACanadianLiberal]

31. You put your heart out for Obama definitely.

I won't blame you if you have not claimed "this is entirely separate from my support fro Obama". Your honesty is in question. Even that, it's not big deal. What all this reveals is that you are in certain illness with which your passion for Obama hinders you from any rational thinking. You are basically trying to find a dog from a hot dog, looking for a bear from a bottle of beer literally. I believe both Hillary and Barack have their own strengths, as well as weaknesses. Both are good democratics regarding to democratic values. We can choose one over another for a lot of different reasons, but this is not the right reason to be based to choose. You cannot let the bad side of political culture totally poison your fine mind so that you blindly admire one and belittle another one.

Did you apply this kind of honesty to your Obama (my one very soon)? I am watching here people start a disclaimer saying that nobody is perfect, and then basically want to others to believe Obama is really a perfect candidate. Look at his distortion of Clinton's stand on IWR, look at his stand on NAFTA, look at his mudslinger on UHC, look at his relationship with Rezko, look at his support for Joe Liberman's re-election, look at his present votes in IL senate, look at his no present in the Liberman/Kyle vote, look at his promise for finishing this senate term, look at his soft stance on the nuclear waste and leak regualations, cast some doubts on his rhetorics, especially that like "we are what are waiting for", listen to his line on Hillary "you are likable enough", do those things ever cast any doubts in your poisoned mind?

[ginnyinWI]

32. he's not perfect.

I agree that he's exaggerating Hillary's vote on the IWR, leaving out any of her disclaimers. I understood Kerry's vote, and hers was the same. I do wish she had made an apology about her vote, though. Something about that doesn't sit well with me.

I do remember that Obama said he would be "sharpening pencils for a while" in the Senate and then suddenly decided to run. But that's not being dishonest, it's just a quick change of thinking. All politicians will do this; think about Edwards claiming he was in it "to the end" and then a day or so later was out.

I don't believe there was any malicious intent about telling Hillary she was "likeable enough". It was meant to be a funny aside and was taken wrong. I'm not an expert on the rest of your comments, although I believe some of them are trivial or have been trumped up by the media.

You don't know me and you are not in a position to say whether my mind is "poisoned". I do admit that I have not liked Hillary for some time, even before Obama came on the scene. The reason? Watching some of her political tactics, like piling onto John Kerry after the botched joke was taken up by the RW. Any poisoning of my opinion has been done by the candidate herself.

My first choice this season was Joe Biden, and after him Chris Dodd. Obama was #3 on my list. I like candidates who are positive and don't focus all their attention on dragging other Democrats down.

[ACanadianLiberal]

34. Sorry for that "poisoned" line.

[dbmk]

37. Looking

"look at his present votes in IL senate"

Well, if you actually had looked, you would have learned that every member of that senate will tell you that present votes in the IL state senate is most likely to mean "I don't want this proposal killed, but I would like to have some amendments made before I can say yes".

[ACanadianLiberal]

38. That is one of the interpretation, and a weak one.

If you don't want a bill to be killed, another words, you believe there is something you value in that bill. People who bring up a bill mostly expect the bill to be passed. Now you say you don't want this bill to be killed, instead vote for it, you vote present, which is not counted under the yes column. If there are no enough yes votes, the bill will not be passed. Are you saying that because of the present vote the bill has not been "KILLED"? Are you suggesting that there are at least two states for a failed bill, a dead failed bill and alive failed bill. In fact, any failed bill can recurrect without any present votes.

A present vote can best interpreted as a neutral vote. At the best end, it can be interpreted as what you explained; at the worst end, if a guy casts too many this kind of votes, he might have a problem with taking real responsibility.

Don't tell me your interpretation is only viable one.

[dbmk]

40. Thats exactly what I am suggesting. That it is not killed.

And can you please tell me how many present votes he has made out of what total?

[ACanadianLiberal]

41. It's not a simple math, dbmk.

But I would like to give you a point in this argument. Bearing this simple math with you, tell me why O people jump on the Hillary's IWR vote. All the facts are out there for grab, she voted it in binary mode, she on the senate floor cautiously expressed her concerns over the bill, it's binary vote, yes or no, she casted the vote in same way as Kerry did, you forgave Kerry, and let Hillary shoulder the entire War resposibility. Can I assume that if there is an IL present vote in the way as you defined, and she voted present, and then you would free Hillary's resposibility on the Iraq war? When so much on the stack, can you see a responsible person who votes present here?

One of the hardest jobs on the president post is that the very persident in the office has to vote yes or no for so many things that come to the desk in the oval office. There is zero room for anything in between; AND, the president has to make the decision promptly without any time even to think over the case second time. Let's not talk about responsibility, the IL-style present vote is very luxury for the president.

You know what, it is a character issue. I will hugely respect one who takes him/herself fully to the task in front of him/her, but he/she makes a wrong decision and ultimately the very thing fails. BUT my respect will be held for those people who are in the same task, but willingly choose to take a neutral stance, and later on when the thing fails, he/she comes out basically saying "see, I knew it was not going to be good to go this way", or the thing succeeds, saying "look, I thoughtfully believe it has a chance". In the real life, we don't like to take this kind of persons seriously. You don't know where he is when you need him dearly.

That's why I have huge problem with his present vote in the Kyle/Liberman bill. Do you see any pattern there? This very man, he did not show up for the vote, and later on attacked on Hillary for her yes vote with the signatured Obama twist of facts.

Don't tell me, these just couple of votes out of hundreds votes they have casted, you don't take them seriously, do you? My friend.

Hardly can I claim I am in the Hillary corner. At most, I am a Hillary's sympathizer. I respect her. She has the character. Yes, she does.

[dbmk]

42. A couple of points

First, my answer was only in relation to the present votes and the way they are being used to portray Obama as lazy or as a coward on some votes. When the facts are quite a bit more nuanced.

Secondly, and mind you I am not a US national(I need to update my bio, I know), I don't hold the IWR vote against Hillary anywhere near as much as many other people do.
But in relation to this you wrote:
"You know what, it is a character issue. I will hugely respect one who takes him/herself fully to the task in front of him/her," - she has a problem. Because not reading the information available, which she admits to not doing afaik and that others did and prompted them to take exception, does not quite constitute "fully to the task". In her senate speech she presented it as one of the hardest decisions she had had to make. Not looking at all the details, in the light of her own words, strikes me as somewhat problematic.
I can't speak as to why her vote is that important to other people. But given that fact that a lot of democrats, and people in the streets, DID vote against it and warned against it, their case is not entirely based on hindsight rationalisation.

As far as Obama using the K/L bill as ammunition when he himself did not vote (I take your word on that as I can't remember the facts there) I will grant you the point that he maybe should tone the shooting on that one down - but that fact does not make her decision anymore right or wrong, though.

But let me ask you this - should it not be possible for someone to say "I can't really say if this is right or wrong" or "I think this could work with a few changes". Of course accepting the fact that it limits your claim on the results of a bill or the lack of same.

I think you misrepresent the presidents options for deliberation a bit - or at least overrepresent the number of times he/she has to make prompt decisions. And afaik, he has the option of saying "do over, please" when he gets something on the table that he thought could work with some changes. Please, correct me here, if I am wrong.

I don't see much in Obamas history that indicates he should be afraid of tough decisions or taking the less popular stand on an issue. I do see someone with a sense of right and wrong that far outshines anyone left in the presidential race. I might see something thats not there - but that remains to be proven from where I am sitting.

As far as respecting Hillary, I certainly did that too.
Ultmately its not going to be my president - at least not directly. But when I look to Washington after november, I hope most of all to see a democrat sitting there. But it has made a big difference in what kind of democrat and person I see sitting there, based on the campaign tactics I have seen the last week.

Atm. Clinton does not give me much confidence that what is right will be upheld and what is wrong will be challenged, should she take the chair in the oval office.

Ok, that turned out to more than a couple of points - but I hope I managed to present them in a decent tone(I admit to being slightly sarcastic earlier).

[Infinite Hope]

27. Email the YouTube link to everyone on your email list(s)! n/t

[LSK]

35. K&R - great debunking video

[VagabondWarrior]

39. American Ignorance

My own mother thinks Barack is a Muslim... once something like that is out it's hard to get it reined in.