Schumer: 'Of Course' Neither Hillary Nor Obama's Word Is Good

Schumer: 'Of Course' Neither Hillary Nor Obama's Word Is Good

By Mark Finkelstein (Bio | Archive)
February 17, 2008 - 10:54 ET

For a guy who's supposedly a savvy pol, Chuck Schumer has sure made a damning admission about the Dem presidential candidates. The senior senator from New York has suggested that their word is worthless.

On today's Meet the Press, Tim Russert quizzed Schumer about the change in heart of the Clinton campaign regarding seating delegates from Michigan. The DNC ruled last year that none of Michigan's delegates would be seated at the convention, in punishment for the state having moved up the date of its primary in violation of party rules. Hillary would now like those delegates to be seated since she "won" the primary -- in which Obama's name wasn't on the ballot.

TIM RUSSERT: Senator Schumer, Senator Clinton said in October "you know it's clear this election they're having in Michigan is not going to count for anything." Is that your position?

CHARLES SCHUMER: Well, no. Here's the bottom line once again, Tim. Each candidate of course takes the position that benefits them at the moment.

On its face, Schumer's cynical statement applied to both Dems. But he was appearing explicitly in support of Hillary Clinton. And as her fellow NY senator, Schumer surely knows her well. So his character evidence is particularly relevant with regard to Hillary. Good to know. Thanks, Chuck!

Note: view here the video of Russert graphically laying out the evidence of how the Clinton campaign has changed its positions on the seating of the delegates.

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.

Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

so typical

February 17, 2008 - 11:26 ET by jondelwiche

This is a great snapshot of politics and =

love this post. Great link.

Did you see the Wallace interview
of the 2 Dem Govs? Doyle got the Ohio guy

agitated on the delegate issue,

and the guy then had head tremors like a bobblehead.

It was very, very uncomfortable to watch.

There's hijinks afoot in the Dem race, and it

should be fun to watch.

I've always thought of Ohio

February 17, 2008 - 11:55 ET by stratman

I've always thought of Ohio Gov. Strickland as a replica of Johnny Carson's Floyd R. Turbo character. Strickland also has a dash of Ronald Reagan head movements and verbalizations thrown in to make himself look authoritative. (Sorry, not working for me, Gov.)

After seeing the Meet The Press interview, I am convinced that Strickland has either a Movement Disorder, heavy metal poisoning (doubtful), a metabolic disorder like a thyroid disorder, or a side effect of some medication(s) which is causing his hyperkinesiac movements. It may just be an essential tremor, which is benign, but it is a horrible case of essential tremor to be sure.

Another thing I noticed was that Strickland blinked his eyes so much he made Nancy Pelosi look as if in slow-motion.

Killing them with kindness isn't working. Time to get scrappy with the Donkeys.

Strickland's Support

February 17, 2008 - 12:14 ET by Stencew

What an inarticulate lap dog....how could anyone seriously consider this guy as Clinton's V.P. running mate.

That said, I am delighted to see Strickland supporting Clinton...so should O'Bama.

I was surprised when the

February 17, 2008 - 19:40 ET by stratman

I was surprised when the press was talking about Strickland as Clinton's VP. Except possibly securing Ohio for Clinton, what else does Strickland bring to the table? Inexperience, obsequiousness, the ability to melt into the wallpaper?

I really dislike some of his cabinet choices such as rabid anti-gunners Lee Fischer as Lt. Governor and Eric Fingerhut as Chancellor of the Board of Regents. This morning on MTP, though, Strickland was quite emphatic that he will not seek nor accept the VP slot. How LBJ of him. I'm sure Lee Fischer is hoping he'll go VP!

Strickland is very quietly building a grassroots campaign for socialized medicine for the state of Ohio. Very few stories have appeared in the press despite an already extensive roadmap hammered out in Columbus, though it still is vague when it comes to financing. This plan will require an increase in taxes, a decrease in provider pay and a decrease in services. It is going to be a Charlie Foxtrot for the Ohio. Most of the people that will pony up for this probably not aware of it and I think Strickland wants it that way. Once the grassroots movement reaches a critical mass, Strickland and his comrades believe passing the legislation will be a push over. Bless their little subversive covert hearts.

I will never forget or forgive Strickland's calloused refusal to take in any Iraqi families immigrating to the US because of "budgetary" concerns. Strickland's cowardly proclamation was nothing more than political grandstanding, a way to stick his finger in the eye of Bush while pandering to the Liberal invertebrates of his "caring, compassionate and inclusive" Democrat Party. That he's a minister makes Strickland's behavior all the more repugnantly hypocritical.

I see Cuyahoga County overwhelmingly for Obama, and he could do well in Columbus and Dayton where there are either large concentrations of minority voters or young people that are attracted by the cult of personality that is BO. I'm not sure about Cincinati, but Youngstown may be squarely for Clinton as might most of the small counties and southern Ohio. Probably am wrong but that's the way I see it today.

I fear that whomever the Dems select, I will be on the losing side. It's like an inverted Sophie's Choice for me on whomever gets the delegates.

John McCain's real 'straight talking express' mother is correct: Eventually I'll have to hold my nose and vote for her son.

Up Chuck Schumer

February 17, 2008 - 11:45 ET by Edward Cropper

Who better than Chuckie boy would know that a politician says whatever best suits his position at the moment?

The Absolute Best

February 18, 2008 - 00:31 ET by neighb

"Each candidate of course takes the position that benefits them at the moment."

Absolutely the best description of the Democratic Party that has EVER been uttered by a member of the human race.

neighb

Ouch, Chuckie!

February 17, 2008 - 11:48 ET by Scout Finch

Your words are like a dagger to the heart of Hillary's and Obama's campaign!

Ding! Ding! Ding! LOL:

February 17, 2008 - 11:51 ET by Mark Finkelstein

Ding! Ding! Ding!

LOL: James Taranto would surely award you big bonus points!

That's a good one! But you

February 17, 2008 - 15:54 ET by motherbelt

That's a good one! But you have to have 3 or 4 to merit a "metaphor alert"!! LOL

chuckie?

February 17, 2008 - 12:28 ET by

like a dagger to the heart?

oooooh good one, botg!

February 17, 2008 - 15:54 ET by motherbelt

oooooh good one, botg! That's a groaner!

Hum - Did Schumer say something like this with the hanging chads

February 17, 2008 - 11:51 ET by Dee Bunk

??? I think not. But it's the same thing. Bush won in three recounts and he's supposed to support another one that tries to guess what someone meant to do and that guess favors the liberal candidate?

Now it favors the more liberal candidate (who Schumer must not support) to ignore the votes that were cast by innocent voters. Obama was stupid and treated the Florida voters unfairly by not putting his name on the ballot. He doesn't deserve their delegates and Hillary does. Penalizing the state is one thing but penalizing the voters who are innocent is another.

But then you are talking

February 17, 2008 - 12:19 ET by ghotifun

But then you are talking about the Democrat Party.

Just wait until the super(duper)delegates sweep Hillary in as the Dems "official" candidate. And just when and where will the "selection" outrage from the left begin...

Liberals know no bounds to their arrogance or hypocrisy...

This was not by accident.

February 17, 2008 - 13:08 ET by Lame Cherry

Great find Mr. Finkelstein as this is EXACTLY what I have been blogging about in what is being planned in neither Obama nor Clinton will be allowed to win the nomination.

Chuck Schumer is pure globalist Rockefeller operative. He was sent out today with a deliberate message aired on, you guessed it Timmy Russert's Face the Comrade show.
Schumer has signaled to the drooling masses that neither of these candidates is acceptable. When this builds and it will, it means that Hillary will be so worthless as a candidate Democrats will not want that looser "b*tch" and when Obama is indicted they will flee his rat ship too.

This is the worst news Obama could have and that is the cartel is in public signalling he is Hillary's equal in being a liar.

If this holds true (I believe it will as the Rockefeller cartel loathes minorities. They were the eugenics crowd who funded Hitler to take Germany into oblivion and instinct tells me they will never, ever allow a minority to "rule over them".), then it means the Democratic Party is about to be shelled.........and in "desperation" Al Gore should come on the scene to unite the party as a "drafted" candidate.

Gore has the biggest ego crammed into a 5 year old mind and for some reason he held out on this to play out this way, because of his Florida loss or rejection by the American people.
Gore does not seem so ticked at Bill, but he demanded that Hillary would be demeaned, disgraced and humiliated in having to toss this election she lusts after.

To heal his wounded pride, he must be begged, drafted, pleaded with to be the Democratic nominee. Yes he sold out 1000% for all of this, but this amazes me the absolute malevolence and planning which has gone into this operation.
One does not see the cartel cut their own loose like they are doing to Hillary often. As I wrote before, Bill stole the cartels Asian uranium contracts...........and I FIRMLY CONTEND THAT THE ROCKEFELLERS and ROTHSCHILDS ARE SENDING AN INTERNATIONAL MESSAGE TO THEIR MINIONS.........

You saw what we did to George Bush in screwing up Iraq, because he liberated that oil from our coffers.........Iraq settled down when we started skimming oil again.
Bill stole our uranium. You have now seen how we have taken Hillary down in the most degrading way possible in a black man beating her. You will see us choose a replacement to cheering DNC crowds. We are king makers. We build up and pull down.

DO NOT EVER ATTEMPT TO STEAL FROM US OR WE WILL DESTROY YOU.

PS. The cartel views all the world as "their's" so Romanian gold is their gold and Kazhakistan uranium is their's and all that mideast oil is their oil too.

People have got to start looking at this in not cheering Hillary being filleted, but just how pissed off the cartel is at the Clintons.
They are whipping their own for a message and doing all of this for Al Gore.

God help America if Gore is pushed into office as for all he is doing........the devil will demand the sovereignty of the United States.
I kid you not on this. Gore is to hand over all of America.

*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS

Blurting out the truth

February 17, 2008 - 14:57 ET by needle

Wow! Schumer just committed the cardinal sin of blurting out the truth. Often this can occasion intense beltway talking head babble with conjectures, ruminations, rumor, and “tsk, tsk.”

Considering this particular case, do you think such babble will go on for 72 hours? 48 hours? 24 hours? 24 minutes? 24 seconds? 24 milliseconds?

Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat.

My thought exactly, needle.

February 17, 2008 - 15:56 ET by motherbelt

My thought exactly, needle. It brought to mind a saying I heard a long time ago...No one ever blurts out a lie!

I'm not so sure . .

February 17, 2008 - 19:59 ET by FastEd

sounds like the real junior senator from NY is setting up a situation that allows for complete spin later on. If the hill loses, he can blame it on her not telling the "truth", or that Obama lied more; if she wins, he can say the O man lost becasue of it! For him, in NY, it's a win-win.

There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V

So. I'm listenting to the

February 17, 2008 - 15:52 ET by motherbelt

So. I'm listenting to the February statement, and Russert gets to the part where Wolfson says I don't think anyone seriously thinks we're going to have a national convention in which Florida and Michigan don't have a say...

and honest to God, when it got to the "don't think anyone seriously thinks" part, I swear I thought he was going to say "that we are going to stand by our word from September...." LOL

Naaah! That would have been honest.

Twist and spin, it is

February 17, 2008 - 16:12 ET by bigtimer

Twist and spin, it is getting to be entertaining watching the leftist talking heads question the other leftists how they can possibly lie to get their way politically...even when presented with statements from the candidate they support, but what is more fun for me is when they are presented with their own statements...and they still lie.

Hillary is done IMHO, but then again knowing her she will even try to take some of this to a leftist judge near her when it comes to anything she can put a finger on that will help her cheat to gain the power she feels owed her....

Wouldn't be the first time now would it.

When it comes to Schumer...well just his name is enough said.

Glad to see Schmuckie

February 17, 2008 - 17:25 ET by fitzfong

Glad to see Schmuckie Schumer took time out of his busy day stealing opponents' credit reports to equivocate for Hillary on Meet the Press. Now, back to work, Schmuckie. You have lives to ruin.

fitz... Yep there was no

February 17, 2008 - 17:33 ET by bigtimer

fitz...

Yep there was no cry of racism or anything remotely near the real facts with these leftists and the defeat of Michael Steele now was there...

Of course Chuckie didn't get any admonishment of any kind, no...one of his aide's took the rap for him...but then that is the dem. party for you, with the protection and urging on of the msm...that is until it is done to there own new cult leader that they are in the bag for now...

...going to be interesting as this race continues on down the road.

Either Chuckie has recently developed a death wish...

February 17, 2008 - 22:20 ET by R D Helm

..or he has absolutely no fear of the Clintonistas.

Why would he fear them?

February 17, 2008 - 22:22 ET by fitzfong

Why would he fear them? He's one of their operatives.

fitz, Shumer is essentially publicly calling Hillary a liar.

February 17, 2008 - 22:47 ET by R D Helm

Most dems would be afraid to do that.

I am seriously begining to think the DNC finds both Hilary and Obama to be unacceptable candidates. Hillary is widely despised and Obama, among other things, is an empty suit.

I'm guessing there are some high-powered dems who are working toward another option.

But that's just me.

R D, I think you may be

February 17, 2008 - 23:14 ET by fitzfong

R D,

I think you may be reading into Schumer's statement a bit too much. Schumer is a smarmy trial lawyer...this was a classic "non-denial denial". His motivation in this scenario was to evade the question by spinning the response into a segue. Essentially, Schumer was conducting the interview, and firmly moving Russert into the next question without actually answering the one that had been asked.

fitz, you're are probably right.

February 17, 2008 - 23:28 ET by R D Helm

Just got home from watching the race at a friend's house. Perhaps I had too much fun. :-)

But I still think there is something afoot in the DNC over both of their current front-runners. The party is becoming dangerously polarized (for the dems, anyway).

If Hillary gets the nod, Obama's people will most likely stay home. If Obama is the nominee, I am beginning to think even McCain, despite what I perceive to be his diminished capacity, could probably beat him.

That's right. And it's

February 17, 2008 - 23:38 ET by fitzfong

That's right. And it's still only February. We have a loooooooooooooooooooooooong way to go. We'll have plenty of time to get somewhere approaching nearly as sick of Obama as we already are of the Clintons and their hacks.

RD...Heck he's in bed

February 17, 2008 - 22:28 ET by bigtimer

RD...

Heck he's in bed with the Clintons'...has been for quite awhile...for the time being that is...lol!

He's playing it safe for a bit yet...he's not quite sure which way is safe to jump yet...like a lot of the rest of his ilk.

Yeah, who do you think

February 17, 2008 - 22:39 ET by fitzfong

Yeah, who do you think taught Schumer how to steal private financial files to dig up dirt on opponents? But there's something about rats and a sinking ship...they all have powerful survival instincts. No doubt that if the SS Hillary hits the proverbial iceberg, Chuckie will cut across the women and children to grab a place on one of the Obama lifeboats.