The Bitter Truth

A misstatement on the campaign trail isn't something that most Supers will hold a candidate accountable for and vote against.  If we did, we might not have anyone to vote for.  So while Obama express regret over his comments, and Clinton works to get past the Bosnia issue, I think it's safe to say that neither candidate will be judged to harshly on this.  At least, not by Supers.

At the same time, there is a divide between rural and urban voters, and I don't know that there is any easy way to verbalize it.  This divide has been something Democrats have struggled with for more than a decade. 

Comments

[Trevor J]

But isn't the fallout from those misstatements--deserved or not--part of the argument these candidates will make to the supers? about electability? So, it's fine to shrug them off, "yeah I know what he meant" or "she misspoke," but don't these teapot-tempests still have value with superdelegates?

Not that I think they should, but don't they start to coalesce as frames the Republicans can/will use in the general?

[Susan]

I agree with MR. Super here...I feel that no matter who wins the Democratic nomination..the right wing will try to smear who ever it is. I think the most important things to ponder is the following:
#1 Who has had the most organized and efficient campaign? (perhaps insight as to how their administration might be run...fair to ponder upon isn't it)
#2 Integrity..does the candidate switch positions, now that they have decided to run for president, fair game to ponder...Have they told the voters one thing while their history of voting record does not support what they are promoting during election season?
#3 Honesty...does the candidate tell the truth or try to whitewash or stretch the truth just to win votes or does the candidate believe that the voters need to be told the truth, even though the truth might not be a "popular" thing to hear...
I am sure that there are many more things that one may judge a presidential candidate on...but try these on for size...and I think that Sen. Obama is qualified to be our next President....

[Dave]

I agree as far as in most cases this would not effect someone. Although at some point of saturation be this by the Candidate of his/her party opponent one way or the other the line has been crossed and things must be decided for the good of the party.

I guess that the tough decision is when is that line crossed? I wish you all luck when you decide to ask a candidate to step aside.

[Mr Super]

Good point, Dave. The comments on an individual basis mean less than the larger picture that is painted at the end of the primary process. Does the candidate have a string of gaffes that create a bad image? Or are there one or two statements that the candidate wishes they could take back but don't do as much harm in the larger scheme of things?

[basil]

Mr. Super,

I'm having a very hard time thinking of Hillary Clinton's lies about Bosnia as a "gaffe." Enclosed here is documentation of her words, which does not align with the reality of what happened in Tuzla. Why are we having such a hard time calling a lie a lie? Why is she getting wiggle room on statements that were clearly not true? There was no sniper fire, and there was an extensive (and videotaped) ceremony on the tarmac.

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DECEMBER 29: Clinton Said That When She Went To Bosnia, "We Landed In One Of Those Corkscrew Landings And Ran Out Because They Said There Might Be Sniper Fire." Clinton, in Dubuque, Iowa on December 29, 2007, said "I was so honored to be able to travel around the world representing our country. You know, going to places that often times were, you know, not necessarily a place that a president could go. We used to say in the White House that if a place was too dangerous, too small or too poor, send the first lady. So, I had the time of my life. I was the first, you know, high- profile American to go into Bosnia after the peace accords were signed because we wanted to show that the United States was 100 percent behind the agreement. We wanted to make it clear to the Bosnians of all backgrounds. Plus we wanted to thank our American military and our allies for a great job. So, we landed in one of those corkscrew landings and ran out because they said there might be sniper fire. I don't remember anybody offering me tea on the tarmac. We got there and went to the base where our soldiers were and I went out to a lot of the forward operating bases to thank our young men and women in uniform and to thank the Europeans, including the Russians who were part of that effort." [CNN, 1/1/08]

FEBRUARY 29: Clinton Said That The Welcoming Ceremony In Bosnia "Had To Be Moved Inside Because Of Sniper Fire." "At the rally, she belittled the idea that Mr. Obama's 2002 speech 'at an antiwar rally' prepared him to serve as commander in chief. She said he was 'missing in action' on the recent Senate vote on Iran and as chairman of a subcommittee responsible for NATO policy in Afghanistan. Contrasting that with her own experience, she evoked foreign battlefields, recalling a trip to Bosnia as first lady, when the welcoming ceremony 'had to be moved inside because of sniper fire.' She said she had traveled to more than 80 countries and was 'on the front lines' as the United States made peace in Bosnia and Northern Ireland and helped save refugees from ethnic cleansing in Kosovo." [NYT, 3/1/08]

MARCH 17: Clinton, Speaking About Her Trip To Bosnia, Said "I Remember Landing Under Sniper Fire. There Was Supposed To Be Some Kind Of A Greeting Ceremony At The Airport, But Instead We Just Ran With Our Heads Down To Get Into Vehicles To Get To Our Base." Clinton: "Good morning. I want to thank Secretary West for his years of service, not only as Secretary of the Army, but also to the Veteran's Administration, to our men and women in uniform, to our country. I certainly do remember that trip to Bosnia, and as Togo said, there was a saying around the White House that if a place was too small, too poor, or too dangerous, the president couldn't go, so send the First Lady. That's where we went. I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base. But it was a moment of great pride for me to visit our troops, not only in our main base as Tuzla, but also at two outposts where they were serving in so many capacities to deactivate and remove landmines, to hunt and seek out those who had not complied with the Dayton Accords and put down their arms, and to build relationships with the people that might lead to a peace for them and their children." [Clinton speech (remarks as delivered), 3/17/08]

MARCH 17: Clinton That They Came In "In An Evasive Maneuver… There Was No Greeting Ceremony, And We Basically Were Told To Run To Our Cars. Now, That Is What Happened." "Just after the speech, Clinton reaffirmed the account of running from the plane to the cars when she was asked about it during a news conference. She said was moved into the cockpit of the C-17 cargo plane as they were flying into Tuzla Air Base. 'Everyone else was told to sit on their bulletproof vests,' Clinton said. 'And we came in, in an evasive maneuver. ... There was no greeting ceremony, and we basically were told to run to our cars. Now, that is what happened.'" [AP, 3/25/08]

http://www.americablog.com/2008/04/bill-clinton-outright-lied-about.html

[Brian Dell]

You can tell that Mr Super has good political judgment. He must either hold or have held office or be a senior DNC person.

[Jay]

One of the biggest issues in the Fall campaign (assuming our very green candidate Obama gets the nomination) will be Obama's lack of experience and his former associations. You can be a change agent but you must have a background that indicates its the type of change people want and you have the ability and experience to pull it off. Mr. Obama fails on almost all counts. Other than a good speechmaker, when you pull aside the mask, you see an inexperienced man, educated at all the top elite schools, unable to connect to the average worker with questionable associations in the past. That is not a recipe for victory but a recipe for disaster.

[TheSteve]

Jay, your arguments are specious at best. All of the politicians running have, "questionable associations," most people have had the wisdom to overlook the BS involved in guilt-by-association. Most Senators are considered, "inexperienced," in governance - which is an argument used against them every time they run for office. As for Obama's schooling- I don't see your point. G.W. got elected and he went to Yale. McCain went to a private, boarding school called Episcopal High School, then went on the the US Naval Academy (which he gained entrance to since he came from two generations of Admirals). Hillary went to Wellesley College, a small, private, all women university, and then went on to Yale. Not very much different from Obama's history in the least. Guess you'll need to find a new point of contention.

[Jay]

This Bush and Carter were the worst Presidents in the past 30 years. Neither had very much experience. If you try and compare the experience between McCain and Obama, the polls show a vast difference in the public's perception. Additionally, elitism isn't always measured by schooling. It's how the candidates relate to the public. Obama relates poorly to the average Joe-McCain does much better. These are the people that will decide this election, not those of us with Graduate Degrees. Also, Obama has a very serious problem with his wife similar to the problem Kerry had with Teresa. Although, I don't personally consider that important, the more I speak with women the more I realize she will be a liability as well. Even if it means a loss of only 2%, it could tip the election.