In January 1995 a dejected President Bill Clinton stood in front of the United States Congress and delivered his State of the Union address. President Clinton conceded: "Last year, we bit off more than we could chew. This year, let’s work together, step by step, to get something done."
President Clinton was speaking after a year of bruising political defeats that culminated in a sweeping Republican victory in the mid-term elections. His presidency was on the ropes. The reason: Hillary Clinton’s disastrous stewardship of the national healthcare proposal. Failing to heed advice or seek consensus Mrs. Clinton drove Bill Clinton’s grand plans for healthcare into a brick wall. The First Lady proved herself to be lacking in her major brush with policy during President Clinton’s tenure at the White House.
Reflecting on her role in the Clinton health care fiasco, Mrs. Clinton admitted in January of the following year that she had been "naive and dumb":
"I think I was naive and dumb, because my view was, ‘results speak for themselves,’ " she said. "I regret very much that the efforts on health care were badly misunderstood, taken out of context and used politically against the Administration. I take responsibility for that, and I’m very sorry for that."
Mrs. Clinton said she had thought she could reach an accommodation with the Republicans in Congress and had not sought strong political counsel. "I take responsibility for not understanding what was going on," she said. "There was a lack of politically savvy advice. No one had figured out the dynamics."
Mrs. Clinton also reflected on her image problem and her unpreparedness on day one:
Given her regret about the way she handled welfare and her own publicity, Mrs. Clinton was asked if she would have done things differently. "I would have done a lot of things differently, but I am confident I would have made different mistakes," she said. "There is no way in the world to figure out what it’s like to live here. There is so much about it no one ever tells you about. There are little things you never would have thought of. You have to start thinking about Christmas in April."
In 2008 Mrs. Clinton is now touting her experience as First Lady in the White House during the years her husband was running the country. However, other than her ceremonial duties she was entrusted by her husband to work on healthcare. She was woefully unprepared and failed miserably. She nearly sunk Bill Clinton’s presidency in the process.
She was most certainly not ready on Day One. Now Mrs. Clinton asks the voters to consider her experience as First Lady as a qualification for being elected President of the United States. The voters should do just that.
I’ve considered her qualifications and I’ve found her wanting. She will not get my vote, under any circumstances.
Great find, Mash.
Her experience, when not fictional, has been horrendous.
Sorry about Samantha Power. I wish she would have stayed on with Obama’s campaign.
Yea, I am guessing that they bring her back after the campaign. She represents the kind of thinker I would like to see involved in crafting American foreign policy. Hillary Clinton’s raze the village strategy is doing quite a lot of damage. I hope though that Hillary will be a distant memory soon as this country moves beyond her increasingly fearmongering and Rovian campaign.
Speaking of Rovian, of course Karl Rove is enjoying all this. He and all the other Republicans. You are, as usual, spot on. Great find indeed Mash. Although the last comment of the girl in the ad saying, she’d vote for Hillary if she won the nomination is EXACTLY why this two party system is so pathetic and useless. The ‘faithful’ is expected to support someone they are not all in the name of ‘us vs them’. If Obama does lose the nomination because of WHATever reason..I’d say a third party is born. At least in my mind and I’ll do anything I can to make it viable. This is the time when the schism within the Dem party is so unbelievably obvious that all the ‘dissenters’ ought to go and form their own party. This might be the opportune time. And with a person like Obama at the helm, this third party would be a veritable threat to both reps and dems and boy, would their similarity show.. but,I know that’s conjecture at this point..
Ingrid
Ingrid, if the superdelegates take the nomination from Obama they will only be assuring a Democratic loss. These folks aren’t that stupid. Its Clinton who is now looking at losing the Democratic party.
Mash,
I sure hope so. See?? I need ‘hope’!!
James (dh) was saying that he heard Clinton (Bill) mention something about a combo ticket of Hillary and Obama. I said NO bleepin’ way!! Since you have the astute politically analytical mind.. who would you think would make the best Obama VP? And if it might be different, who do you think might get it?
Ingrid
Ingrid, I know that Jim Webb comes up as good VP choice for Obama. I like Webb but am not sure a two Senator ticket is such a great idea. Although Webb may offset some of that concern since he has been Secretary of the Navy as well.
Either way, Virginia will be key to this election. I am convinced if Obama is the nominee Virginia is in serious play, and may decide the election (especially since I think Florida goes Republican this year). Again, Jim Webb figured out how to win Virginia so he is an attractive VP choice.
If Mark Warner wasnt running for Senate, that would be another possibility to look at as well (again with an eye to Virginia).
Beyond that, if the Democratic party could swallow it and the stars all aligned, I have always fancied a Obama/Hagel ticket 🙂 Think of the possibilities! (But of course that will never happen)
Ultimately, a lot will depend on how bloodied Hillary leaves Obama at the end of this kitchen sink nonsense. At that point he will have to assess where he is most weak and choose accordingly. Right now it looks like foreign policy, but that could change as the Clinton campaign buys more kitchen sinks.
Thank you in your assist!