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Clinton Campaign Attacks Obama for Being a Good Speaker

Posted by Mike Lux, Open Left at 2:10 PM on February 15, 2008.


To my old friends at the Clinton campaign: I love y'all, but you gotta come up with something better than this.
080126obamavmed7p.widec1

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So now that I've done a post on something other than the Presidential race, I just have to say one thing about the Presidential race- sorry.

Hillary Clinton's new attack line against Barack Obama is that he gives great speeches. Seriously, here's her quote:

Speeches don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank, or fill up your prescription, or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night. My opponent gives speeches. I offer solutions.

So let me flow this argument out, as we used to say on the debate team: her argument seems to be that Obama gives good speeches, and I don't, so I will be a better President.

Apparently since Obama gives great speeches, so he must not be good at getting things done. It's a bullshit argument, but it can be very effective with working class folks who are cynical about politicians and the speeches they give. To push back, Obama has to keep his speeches rooted to the real issues people are facing, and tie those real issues to the hope message he is bringing. He's doing a pretty good job of that at the moment, so I am guessing that these new attacks by Clinton will fall flat.

To my old friends at the Clinton campaign: I love y'all, but you gotta come up with something better than this.

Digg!

Tagged as: clinton, obama

Mike Lux is the founder of Progressive Strategies LLC and a director of the Center for Progressive Leadership, the Proteus Fund and the Arca Foundation.


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Is that really what Hillary is saying?
Posted by: arieden on Feb 15, 2008 2:50 PM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The author is being disingenuous - Hillary is really saying that Obama is talk and she is action. I kind of agree with her - as Maureen Dowd wrote the other day in the NY Times - Obama [could be seen] as the glib golden boy sailing through on charm and a smile.
The Hillary bashing on this site is getting out of control. Newsflash: Obama is NOT the second coming.

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» Oh yeah, she gets things done. Posted by: Gulliver
You Jim Lux's bro?
Posted by: g50 on Feb 15, 2008 3:13 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Heh. When I heard Hillary say this on TV, I was like - this "I'll put food on your table, fill your prescription, and take care of that pile of bills!" was exactly the kind of nanny-state nonsense that is the worst expression of liberalism.

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» RE: You Jim Lux's bro? Posted by: Suz
» RE: You Jim Lux's bro? Posted by: Bec59
talk is cheap
Posted by: cwilsondrum on Feb 15, 2008 4:33 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
hilary's voting record is abysmall when it comed to the working stiff. she likes to talk the talk,but don't ever walk the walk. war,domestic spying on me and you,bankruptcy bill,should I go on?

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» RE: talk is cheap Posted by: Bec59
Weak attack
Posted by: RobNLA on Feb 15, 2008 6:01 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Funny thing about throwing mud, if you keep missing the only one who ends up dirty is you.

And Clinton's message is looking pretty muddy lately.

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Really?
Posted by: parochial on Feb 15, 2008 7:33 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Did she say what the solutions are -- like do we get to send her all our other bills so we can pay for her mandatory health plan?

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Yes, she's all action -- all the wrong actions, unfortunately
Posted by: wagadog on Feb 16, 2008 6:19 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"Speeches don't put food on the table. "


....and selling our jobs down the river with NAFTA does? Providing trade incentives for clothing manufacturers to relocate their sweatshops in the DR rather than bringing illegals up here? Gee, I bet the ILGWU is just brimming with gratitude towards you for all the food they can put on the table tonight, thanks to you and Bill. Sheesh!

"Speeches don't fill up your tank,"

....and how long have YOU been pumping gas, Hil? You know I heard you had some experience doing that -- didn't you the tanks of the first contractor planes conducting EXTRAORDINARY RENDITION -- a program started by her husband, Bill. So nice you have the EXPERIENCE to lend a hand when needed.

"... or fill up your prescription,"

....hmm. I recall a health plan that was so complex, so top-down, and so poorly executed that it went nowhere. And I'm sure you meant it to go somewhere, right?

Why, she even collected money from big Pharma, and listened to their advice. I'm sure that helped it get where it was going to, in the end.

And what about the prescriptions for the children you and Bill sent over a nice -- was it a cruise missile? -- you sent for them that Christmas. You know, those civilians you bombed because some planes from their country crossed an invisible line in the sky? Sure sounds like a hangin' offense to me, but...I mean, after you bombed the babies, you did send them some medicine to make them better, right, Hillary? You know, one of those prescriptions you're so good at helping us fill?

"...or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night."

Ah, yes, the ones you're going to pay for us, so we can afford your "new" health plan -- the one where we're all compelled to purchase outrageously inflated and completely useless health coverage-- with the gubmint garnishing our wages right when things couldn't get any worse. Where do I sign up.


"My opponent gives speeches. I offer solutions."

I think I prefer speeches to the positively destructive "solutions" that Hil has so much "experience" implementing.

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They're both terrible candidates, but this article is off on Hillary
Posted by: AI on Feb 16, 2008 8:39 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think all Hillary said is what's true - Obama's riding the wave of being a phenomenal speaker, but isn't giving the public anything of substance. No specific solutions, no serious plans, just a lot of misplaced appeals to middle America's desperate desire to believe no one needs to worry about racism or classism anymore. He's dangerous for minorities and the middle and lower class. Don't get me wrong - so is Hillary. But hers wasn't an attack on Obama's pretty speeches - it was a long overdue public acknowledgment that pretty speeches are all he's giving us.

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An alternate take.
Posted by: heathehren on Feb 16, 2008 9:18 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I wasn't on the debate team, but I did sit through one of Barack's 30 minute fundraiser speeches. I understand that sound clips don't do the candidates justice, so I went to hear for myself. If I place this statement within the context of that speech, I would agree with what Clinton said. Which is rare. However, I left asking others who had joined me if Obama had actually "said anything."

Speeches are great, and meant to inspire. Yeah yeah, we can take our country back. How? Together. okay, details? I understand that you have to get out the vote, but I came to hear him speak about issues and all I got were a bunch of lousy slogans. I appreciate the little old lady that shouted fire it up that day he was really really tired of campaigning, but she wasn't the one who voted to re-authorize the Patriot Act. She didn't vote for the Real ID Act. I don't know, maybe that little old lady is somewhere talking about my civil liberties but I don't hear Obama talking about them. I did vote for Obama in the primary as an anti-clinton vote. I based this on her voting against a ban on cluster bombs, and Barack not.

However, I hear him talking, like the other newly minted frontrunners with very similar voting records, about a economic stimulus package. This seems to be the new jargon for printing up money and bailing out industry/banking and sending us "refund" checks. If this is true, we all know who gets the money first. Obama is the top fundraiser on Wall Street, but you won't see that listed on the website. Looks like we'll actually be getting what we're offered this time
....the change.

http://www.washingtonpost.com /wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/17/AR2007041701688.html

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Go to their Websites for specifics or do not complain.
Posted by: Christie on Feb 16, 2008 9:53 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Political speeches are for inspiring people or at least getting the voters interested in the candidate. Those wanting the specifics of a candidate’s policy should go to his or her Website for a lengthy explanaion of each issue. Have you done that or are your eyes glazing over at my suggestion ? I suspect that most of those complaining about lack of specifics in Obama’s speeches have not gone to his Website to read his substantial explanation of his stand on each issue. Here is a link if you are interested:

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/

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Follow the pack?
Posted by: mkdelta69 on Feb 16, 2008 11:05 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Sounds like kindergarten flow to me.

Here is what she really means, not what an agent of blind faith lamely posits.

He's all talk, I am action. Short, simple, truthful. Neophyte, skilled politician.

A politician is a politician, not the Pope, not a God. A person that gets things done. Like Bill Clinton as opposed to George Bush.

And the ultimate proof is that he doesn't like to discuss specifics of policy. He has his staffers refer people to his website because he is unsure that a top of the head statement would open himself up to attack. Like 15 million more covered under Hillary's health plan than Obama's for not much more money.

He is favored by upper income and college students because they don't want to destroy the gravey train of misery completely. At least not till they get theirs.

HE IS PURPOSLY VAGUE. NOT THE SIGN OF SOMEONE CONFIDENT OF HIS IDEAS.

Reminds me of the Matrix. I don't know how this is going to end. But things are going to change. Exactly how will they change?

Bill Clinton, great politician for all people. Rich, middle class, poor. Yet democrats rolled over like cowards under the sustained Group Of Pigs attack. Then I start hearing the same old GOP attacks again. That were not true then and aren't now. But you have been beaten over the head for so long with lies now they dominate your thoughts.

Webb ran on change, now look at the excellent story on reality of people with good intentions when they run up against a world wide war machine.

Google PsyOpps operations, CNN and how many people are on COINTELPRO payroll willingly or so stupid they don't have a clue their part of the war machine.

PsyOpps, using people to lead discussions to conclusions they believe are their own but really are the conclusions of the war machine. Daaaaaaaaa, like net discussion?

If you fail to learn from history you are doomed to repeat it.

I'm tired of repetition.

ARE YOU TOO INERT TO REALISE YOUR PART OF THE WAR MACHINE?

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» Question... Posted by: Gungneir
» RE: Question... Posted by: mkdelta69
» Hahaha... Posted by: Gungneir
Clinton Campaign Attacks Obama for Being a Good Speaker
Posted by: Quannah on Feb 16, 2008 1:39 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Looks like a headline from The Onion :)

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Remember Way Back To 2000 and 2004 When ...
Posted by: gazooks on Feb 16, 2008 7:53 PM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... Demo's were complaining while comparing Al Gore to a boringly articulate cardboard candidate, and the much parodied drone of the good John Kerry going on and on and on in exquisite detail of well worn but worthy issues?

Both bright, experienced people, both terrible speakers, both lost to the not so bright, not so glib, not so terribly concerned about getting caught in the snare of campaign issue detail, I'm A National Guard Pilot and So Can You candidate.

But the speeches that Clinton makes complaining of the speeches that Obama makes, makes me think that Dem's are dim, and that enough of this shit will net nothing but mileage for the Straight Talk Express in the fast lane to hell.

This bitchy bickering is the bullshit of which the Rethugs dream.

Fucking idiocy.

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Mike, give it a rest
Posted by: derfmoosepatrol on Feb 16, 2008 11:16 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
You're really digging with this one. Obama does a good sermon, but there's no substance. Your headline is amateurish at best.

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STICKS AND STONES
Posted by: outrider on Feb 17, 2008 3:24 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Posts like this and the ensuing comments make me wonder why I waste time reading AlterNet. All opinions, no justifications therefore. No redeeming value.

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Rebecca
Posted by: Bec59 on Feb 17, 2008 10:24 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
There have been many inspiring speakers throughout history---some were evil (ex; Hitler); some were not (ex; Churchill). Some deliver on the promises; others don't. Obama's words come mostly from his speech writer, Mr. Sorenson--the same one who did JFK's speeches--

You remember, the same one who penned for Kennedy, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

-Perhaps Obama does not want any more debates with Hillary because his handlers are deathly afraid he'll be seen for the straw man (he might just blow over without that stick up his back) he seems (to me) to be.

I can provide my own "Hope", thank you--give me some one who knows how to get things done in Washington DC, please!

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Rebecca from OHIO
Posted by: Bec59 on Feb 18, 2008 12:13 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Go read about Obama and follow the other links suggested in the additional articles then ya'll will see what we are up against if Obama gets the noma. The democrats will lose it all. Obama has a lot of dirt on him---go see it for yourselves----this is only the tip of the ice berg. VOTE FOR HILLARY.



no-he-cant-because-yes-they-will/

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