CNN’s Dan Lothian, during a report on Tuesday’s "The Situation Room," downplayed Hillary Clinton’s "sniper fire" statement on her trip to Tuzla, Bosnia during her time as First Lady, referring to it as a "misstep." Lothian, in his introduction to the report, referenced the "dangerous 1996 visit to Bosnia" and played Clinton’s now-famous false account of her arrival in the war-torn country. As file footage of Clinton’s arrival played, Lothian pointed out how the "video shot that day seemingly contradicts her version of events. No one seems to be running or ducking, and there does appear to be a ceremony." The video, which was first pointed out on NewsBusters by Rich Noyes, flatly proves Clinton’s statement to be false, not just "seemingly contradict" it.
After playing two more clips of Clinton, in which she admitted her "mistake" and how she "misspoke," Lothian rightly pointed out that this admission "is raising more questions, because she told the same story, not just last week, but in February and last December in Iowa. The question now -- will this hurt Clinton's credibility?"
Lothian then detailed how Barack Obama also "misspoke" at one point in the campaign. "Senator Barack Obama has had problems with history, too. Last year in Alabama, he talked about how his parents got together during the Selma voting rights march.... The problem is Obama was born in 1961. The march happened four years later."
At this conclusion of his report, Lothian twice used the term "misstep" in reference to these false statements by the Democratic candidates. "But how can these highly-vetted, heavily-advised campaigns make these missteps?... And political analysts say that every moment the candidates spend on these missteps, it takes them off message."
The report, which began about five minutes into the 4 pm Eastern hour of "The Situation Room," also featured two sound bites -- one from Democratic strategist Jenny Backus, and the other from Charles Mathesian of Politico.com -- which tried to downplay the significance of these "missteps."
The full transcript of Dan Lothian’s report from Tuesday’s "The Situation Room:"
WOLF BLITZER: Senator Clinton also told reporters just a short while ago that she's human and makes mistakes. Clinton now acknowledging she misspoke about the danger she faced during that 1996 trip to Bosnia. The Obama camp has suggested Clinton was intentionally exaggerating. Let's go to CNN's Dan Lothian. He's covering this part of the story for us in Pennsylvania. He's with the CNN 'Election Express.' Dan, the flap is going to the heart of Clinton's claims about her global national security experience. What's the latest today?
DAN LOTHIAN: That's right, Wolf, and that's why all day she's been saying that she really made a mistake. And at one point, when reporters kept questioning her about this issue, she told them, listen, get over it. But at least of now, this story isn't going anywhere.
LOTHIAN (voice-over): Senator Hillary Clinton is running on her resume, touting foreign policy experience and talking about trips taken abroad as First Lady, like she did last week about a dangerous 1996 visit to Bosnia.
SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON, NEW YORK: 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.
LOTHIAN: But video shot that day seemingly contradicts her version of events. No one seems to be running or ducking, and there does appear to be a ceremony.
CLINTON: I made a mistake. That happens. It proves I'm human which, you know, for some people is a revelation.
LOTHIAN: And this on KDKA radio in Pittsburgh.
CLINTON: Last week, you know, for the first time in 12 or so years, I mis-spoke.
LOTHIAN: But even that admission is raising more questions, because she told the same story, not just last week, but in February and last December in Iowa. The question now -- will this hurt Clinton's credibility?
JENNY BACKUS, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think it could hurt her credibility. But what, I think, hurts most is her claim that she is the candidate of more experience and that she's got more foreign policy experience and Commander-in-Chief experience than Barack Obama.
LOTHIAN: Senator Barack Obama has had problems with history, too. Last year in Alabama, he talked about how his parents got together during the Selma voting rights march.
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA, ILLINOIS: And so they got together. Barack Obama Jr. Was born.
LOTHIAN: The problem is Obama was born in 1961. The march happened four years later. His campaign clarified, said he was referring to the civil rights movement, not one event. But how can these highly-vetted, heavily-advised campaigns make these missteps?
CHARLES MATHESIAN, POLITICO.COM: Candidates are human, just like the rest of us. You know, their recollection, sometimes, can be spotty. They might not remember things. Maybe they remember things the way they prefer to. And sometimes it's just an outright exaggeration and they don't expect to get caught.
LOTHIAN (on-camera): And political analysts say that every moment the candidates spend on these missteps, it takes them off message. Wolf?
BLITZER: Dan Lothian, thank you.
—Matthew Balan is a news analyst at the Media Research Center.




















Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Seemingly Lied
March 25, 2008 - 17:50 ET by CapeCodScottWay to go out on a limb CNN.
Damn buddy!
March 25, 2008 - 17:54 ET by Army BratWhere do you get your info from? Hillary simply never lies. She "mis-speaks". Lying is beneath her.
Bwah ha ha ha ha!
Happy Trails...
Don't ask for too much
March 25, 2008 - 18:02 ET by Chris Norman"...flatly proves Clinton’s statement to be false, not just "seemingly contradict" it."
For the MSM talking about a Democrat, that's as about as harsh a language as we're ever going to get...
Cnn
March 25, 2008 - 18:02 ET by Jerry MackYou can always count on Cnn to tell it like it is. Oops, You can always count on Cnn to tell it like they want you to hear it.
all lies
March 25, 2008 - 18:04 ET by goldbough"Last week, you know, for the first time in 12 or so years, I mis-spoke." That was her first time to every misspeak?!?! Give me a break. I've misspoken before, but not flat-out lied. She and Bill are so full of themselves that they actually think they won't get caught with blatant lies. She knows what she's going to talk about before she goes out there and I'm sure all her advisors know too. There's no way this was a mistake; it was a lie to prop up her credentials.
I won't be surprised when the next lie is discovered.
Why don't we just have an
March 25, 2008 - 18:16 ET by fitzfongWhy don't we just have an NFL referee review the video?
"Upon further review, the call stands. The Pantsuit is a pathological liar."
4th Down.
ROFL Fitz
March 25, 2008 - 19:56 ET by candanceThat was hilarious!
Pants on Fire
March 25, 2008 - 18:25 ET by CellaHRC says that the "mispeaking" proves she is human.
No, Hitlary, it proves you are a liar!
Who are we going to believe? You or our lying eyes?
The headline on Drudge says
March 25, 2008 - 18:32 ET by the strugglerThe headline on Drudge says "I'm human"
Is that your final answer? Hell you could use that answer for everything.
That noise
March 25, 2008 - 18:35 ET by doug1950you hear in the background is the sound of the BS flag flapping in the breeze.
Where do I start?
March 25, 2008 - 18:46 ET by m4ster chiefSo many points to make, so little room or time:
1. I always thought Dan Lothian was a white guy, but that picture of him seemingly contradicts my assumption.
2. But seriously, all the heads are saying she claims that, "running from an aircraft to a vehicle, and speeding away from the airport enhances her 'foreign policy credentials...'" in the race for president. So that makes me wonder: if, when I run from my car, up to my front porch when it is raining...would that enhance my credentials and qualifications for the U. S. Olympic Water Polo team...'cause I'd really like to go to China and breathe in some of that fresh Beijing air...cough-cough, hack-hack...hoickkkk-spittooeee...(and another liberal dem is created.)
3. Okay, now I am REALLY serious; Lothian wonders if this lie...I mean, mis-step will damage her "credibility?" My answer is: what credibility?
4. The following question actually appears on the basic screening and qualification examination for prospective Foreign Service Officers; if Hillary could answer this question, and questions like these, she would be at least as qualified as Barack Hussein Obama to be prez. Here's the question: If people from Poland are called "Poles," what are people from Holland called" Answer: Holes, of course.
I am a typical white person, with a pinkish-tan hue when viewed in certain light.
"Missteps" my a**!
March 25, 2008 - 18:47 ET by Indiana JoeThese are what you call LIES, folks!
Obama's parents met at a march that happened 4 years after he was born. OOPS!
Hillary is named after someone no one had heard of until she was, what, 7? OOPS!!
She "mis-spoke" when she thought she had to dodge snipers in Bosnia. Must have confused it with another time she was being shot at! OOPS!!!
ROTFLMAO!
Mrs. Clinton “Misspoke” about under sniper fire...
March 25, 2008 - 18:48 ET by Extirpater“Misspoke” is politician talk for how to extricate yourself from your own lies,
She really meant over sniper fire; despite super sonic bullets and telescopic aiming, her intrepid party escaped and evaded without any noticeable gunshot wounds.
CNN to be Renamed!!!
March 25, 2008 - 18:59 ET by IgnatzJFahrquarRenamed to SNN ... Seemingly News Network
"All generalizations are false, including this one.” Mark Twain
HILLARY: FACT-CHECKING HER AT LAST
March 25, 2008 - 20:01 ET by reelman46HILLARY: FACT-CHECKING HER AT LAST
March
25 (Bloomberg) — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and
her staff said she misspoke when saying she landed under sniper fire
during a March 1996 trip to Bosnia as first lady.
“I did make a mistake in talking about it the last time, and
recently,'’ Clinton told reporters in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. “I made
a mistake. I have a different memory. That happens. I’m human. For some
people that’s a revelation.’
CRAWFISH NOTE: We are told for a decade how smart HRC
is and how lucky this country is to have such a divine being. This is
the woman who, when placed under oath, said “I don’t recall” 98 times.
Just think about that for a few seconds. This is the woman who trashed
the Travel Office staff and fired them. She lost in court because she
lied. Think about that a few seconds.
Did she ask known photo-mind HornDog about Bosnia before she made this
factless sniper fire assertion? (knowing she is at a very sensitive
time and losing the delegate race… not too smart)
This is the woman that illegally formed the Heath Care Task Force and that was exposed… a smart lawyer would check first.
This is the woman who claimed not to know where the Rose Law Firm
billing records were for 2 years… they turned up near her of course.
The only difference is that now, as fate would have it, the libmedia
are actually fact-checking the Klintons because they are just gushy
about the clueless radical liberal B. H. Obama. Life takes mysterious
turns.
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
truth?
March 25, 2008 - 21:38 ET by jondelwicheThis hyperbolic (= lies) story is just begging
for an SNL Amy Poehler send up skit!
Her "war" experience could be a hoot.
Or like John Kerry in Vietnam, Hil should just
"reshoot" some of her war experiences on a
home video camera. She could create a
Cloverfield type of dange---that she survives!
Thomason could direct the reshoot?
Words have Meaning
March 25, 2008 - 23:14 ET by CapeCodScottHere is a Graphic to help You decide if Hillary Misstepped..Pass it along
http://thumbsnap.com...
www.scottoncapecod.c... (De-motivational Posters)