Democrat Presidential Candidate Hillary Clinton was hundreds of miles from a hostage crisis that occurred at a campaign facility in Rochester, New Hampshire, Friday, and had absolutely nothing to do with the matter's resolution.
Yet, the Associated Press - almost as if parroting talking points from one of Hillary's campaign workers - managed to not only give her credit for what local officials in the area did to quickly solve the takeover without any injury or loss of life, but also painted a picture of the junior senator as being presidential in the midst of a crisis.
NewsBuster Jason Aslinger reported earlier that Politico.com was similarly guilty of Clinton-sycophancy concerning this unfortunate event.
With that in mind, what follows is nothing less than sick-making, and I apologize for ruining your Saturday by sharing it with you (disgusted emphasis added because misery loves company, h/t to NB reader Damian G):
When the hostages had been released and their alleged captor arrested, a regal-looking Hillary Rodham Clinton strolled out of her Washington home, the picture of calm in the face of crisis.
The image, broadcast just as the network news began, conveyed the message a thousand town hall meetings and campaign commercials strive for-namely, that the Democratic presidential contender can face disorder in a most orderly manner.
You believe this nonsense? What did she actually do to deserve such plaudits? Well, before the AP discussed her roll, she apparently deserved more credit:
It was a vintage example of a candidate taking a negative and turning it into a positive. And coming just six weeks before the presidential voting begins, the timing could hardly have been more beneficial to someone hoping to stave off a loss in the Iowa caucuses and secure a win in the New Hampshire primary.
Still don't know what she did to deserve such praise? Well, how could you, because it wasn't until paragraph eight that we actually learned what her involvement was:
The aides said Clinton immediately canceled her trip and began working the phones. She later told reporters she had New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a fellow Democrat, on the phone in eight minutes.
Over the ensuing five hours, as a state trooper negotiated with the suspect and hostages were released one-by-one, Clinton continued to call up and down the law enforcement food chain, from local to county to state to federal officials.
Isn't that fabulous? She made a few phone calls, and as far as this AP author is concerned, she should be given a medal.
Amazing. But there was more:
At the same time, the woman striving to move from former first lady to the first female president was eager to convey that she knew the traditional lines of command and control in a crisis, even if the events inside the storefront on North Main Street were far short of a world calamity.
Now read this inanity:
Along with taking charge while giving the professionals free rein, Clinton offered up a third dimension to her crisis character: humanity. She said she felt "grave concern" when she first heard the news of the hostage-taking.
Can someone explain how you take charge while giving others free rein? Hello?
Alas, after sycophantically praising the junior senator, the AP chose now to present her soft, humanitarian side:
"It affected me not only because they were my staff members and volunteers, but as a mother, it was just a horrible sense of bewilderment, confusion, outrage, frustration, anger, everything at the same time," Clinton said.
It was a thawing moment for a stoic figure who once snapped that she opted for professional life instead of staying home to bake cookies.
She buttressed it with one final message. Clinton sought to use the sad moment as a national teaching opportunity, another skill often employed by presidents.
How disgusting. Honestly, this reads like one of her aides wrote it instead of someone calling himself a journalist.
Talk amongst yourselves, for I need to take another shower and disinfect my keyboard.
Post facto food for thought: Having staged questions at campaign events and debates, is it possible that Hillary, in the midst of several very bad weeks on the stump, orchestrated this entire crisis to make herself look battle-hardened? Or, does even considering such lower one to the level of a 9/11 Truther?
I'm just asking.
—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.
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Comments Policy
this is so over the top that
December 1, 2007 - 14:48 ET by jwm45this is so over the top that Glen Johnson should lose his job along with whatever editor let it pass.
Weekend Today
December 1, 2007 - 16:11 ET by capavThis morning, while reporting on Clinton's bravado, Craig Crawford (frequent Olberloon guest) also stated that she appeared quite presidential. Of course getting it out is somewhat lengthy with him when he takes in those annoying breaths or whatever he does in his delivery of statements. Does anyone else notice this about him? It bugs me!
It takes a village to stage
December 1, 2007 - 14:49 ET by fitzfongIt takes a village to stage a hostage crisis.
Business as usual
December 1, 2007 - 22:44 ET by Cape Conservativefor the Clintons!
It's "Wag the Dog" time!
December 2, 2007 - 23:35 ET by goldenthroatfitzfong,
You and I are both on the same wavelength! Strange, isn't it, that Shmillary's popularity was on the slippery slope when this so-called "hostage crisis" all came down - great timing, huh?
I will not believe for one nano second that this media circus wasn't staged to make Shmillary look like the poor victim - again. But that's how she is running her campaign, isn't it? She can't run on facts so it's 'wag the dog' time once again for the Clintons!
"Yeah! That's the ticket!" - Tommy Flanagan
It takes a village idiot, don't you know!
December 1, 2007 - 14:53 ET by upcountrywaterGeez now we are going to get HELLERYCARE, told you so, poop, from our buddies from the MSM.. UGG
iranian uranium; iranian uranium, iranian uranium..
So when ARE the Russians going to finish the iranian atoms for peace power plant?
Hey don't poke fun at her.
December 1, 2007 - 14:59 ET by bws53Hey don't poke fun at her. We've had three major floods in our area in the past four years. Each time, while I did nothing to make them dissipate, I took pride in knowing I had the situation under control at all times. I know exactly how in control of the situation Her Fraudulence really was.
First off Noel....I LOVE
December 1, 2007 - 15:00 ET by bigtimerFirst off Noel....
I LOVE THAT PICTURE of her...now that would of been a great captionfest.
As far as the msm going absolutely unrealistically bonkers about her over this since last night I have been laughing out loud at all of them.
Wow...she worked the phones and called some in law enforcement...what a gal! She can protect us from terrorists and run a war for sure don'tcha' know...
Why this performance and that is just what it was qualifies her to be the Prez for sure!
She is in total desperation at the moment in my opinion with her numbers sinking, I don't think this will help her one iota.
Time will tell.
Btw...Speaking of her....here is a Hillary Xmas gift.
Wow...she worked the phones
December 1, 2007 - 15:52 ET by motherbeltWow...she worked the phones and called some in law enforcement...what a gal! -bigtimer
So, her campaign workers called her before they called the police?
Wouldn't surprise me, actually. Gotta get a handle on the early publicity, you know....decide how to "play" it.
And even if the campaign workers called the cops first, we all know those State Police wouldn't have done a damn thing if she hadn't called and gotten them moving. <sarc>
Next we'll hear that nothing was said by the SP negotiator that wasn't
cleared through her first....she was in complete control of the
situation at all times.
What courage...what leadership!
it was just a horrible sense of bewilderment, confusion, outrage,
frustration, anger, everything at the same time," Clinton said.
Bewilderment? Confusion? No! Can't be! But there you have it, right from her own mouth.
I agree with whoever said the reporter and editor should both lose
their jobs. She had NOTHING to do with the resolution of this crisis. This was nothing but a WAY over-the-top, almost comic-book-quality description of the situation. It's made to take the fact that she kept abreast of what was going on, and blow it up into her single-handedly solving the crisis, while holding a baby (a la Her Speakerness Pelosi) and rescuing the falling dollar, all at the same time.
Taking care of the hostages and taking care of the country.....
PS...I agree about the photo..."Yes, my humble subjects "I" have solved the crisis....you may line up to kiss my ring and I will accept your homage......"
Gag.
We all know Hillary set
December 1, 2007 - 15:01 ET by charlietexasWe all know Hillary set this up. Her poll numbers slipped so she
made herself look like a victim again. The nut case that did this
will be working for soon. He'll be the poster boy for why the mental
health has failed us in the USA, and blame Bush. Just wait
folks. By Monday it will be Bush's fault.
MOM
Isn't that fabulous? She
December 1, 2007 - 15:05 ET by MidAmericaIsn't that fabulous? She made a few phone calls, and as far as this AP author is concerned, she should be given a medal.
Nobel Committee are you listening?
Noel we need to know
December 1, 2007 - 15:08 ET byHow many hours did it take Hilda to do anything of substance other than phone a friend in response to this national security issue?
Why did Hilda not have proper security at her campaign?
Why was Hilda not flying to the scene?
GoHunter08
Be fair, now. Her only
December 1, 2007 - 15:16 ET by fitzfongBe fair, now. Her only option was to phone a friend. She had already polled the audience and used up her 50/50.
fitz: why this happened
December 1, 2007 - 15:17 ET byEasy: "Hillary Clinton hates white people"
GoHunter08
<sarc beacon> making fun
December 1, 2007 - 15:24 ET by<sarc beacon> making fun of someone who's name escapes me (thank God)
GoHunter08
Very good fitzfong! And
December 1, 2007 - 15:23 ET by HumanEventsVery good fitzfong! And don't forget she also loves to use her "switch the question" lifeline to a planted one.
Defeat the she-devil in 2008!
botg
December 1, 2007 - 15:15 ET by shawn228I agree with Noel that HRC does not deserve the "hero" tag, but she only had a few hrs to decide what to do. Would you be as nitpicky if Mitch Romney did not have the proper security or did not fly out to the scene at a moments notice?
"I wonder if Hillary orchestrated this whole thing to try to gain ground in the polls" is eminently reasonable.
This was posted by the Poster below you. Isn't this almost as far fetched as a "vast right wing conspiricy?"
No once again, Hillary
December 1, 2007 - 15:20 ET by HumanEventsNo once again, Hillary asserted as definite that there is a vast right wing conspiracy against my husband.
I clearly said to simply wonder if Hillary orchestrated this is reasonable since we should never put anything past the Clinton sleazeballs who don't have a genuine bone (or cell) in their bodies.
Defeat the she-devil in 2008!
human events
December 1, 2007 - 15:24 ET by shawn228What Hillary did planting the questions was disgusting! I agree with that. But to think that even she would capable of asking someone to go into one of her campaign headquarters and pretend to have a bomb is little out there. I will eat my words and vote republican if what you accuse her of is true
I'm not accusing her of
December 1, 2007 - 15:27 ET by HumanEventsI'm not accusing her of that. I don't think she orchestrated it. I was simply answering Noel's questions and making the point that I wouldn't ever rule out anything when it comes to the Clintons and what they are capable of doing.
Defeat the she-devil in 2008!
HE... Neither would
December 1, 2007 - 15:34 ET by bigtimerHE...
Neither would I.
It is also almost impossible when it comes to the most controlling orchestrated political whore there is ...to not immediately wonder about situations that involve her now and then.
The guy from what I heard was on his way to court for one of his divorce proceedings or such...seeing a picture of Hillary and maybe thinking of her cackle may have made him go off the deep end...you never know...the leftists need to call in the therapists and seek this out, dig deep you know what I mean? If this was a Romney headquarters for instance they would be blaming it on the Mormon religion somehow by now, instead of the person who did it.
shawn
December 1, 2007 - 15:22 ET byfirst off i should have posted my </sarc off> beacon. I was making fun of the Mikey Moron spin on Ws handling 911.
as to whether Hilda orchestrated; i'd say psychos happen this was a case of nut looking for attention.
GoHunter08
Why did Bush sit there for
December 1, 2007 - 15:31 ET by MrShyWhy did Bush sit there for 9 MINUTES !!!
Why did Bush sit there for 9 MINUTES !!!
Why did Bush sit there for 9 MINUTES !!!
Right fat-boy, in those nine minutes he should have already been in the mountains of Afghanistan capturing Bin Laden (instead of going after Saddam, who had nothing to do with 9/11.... and where were the WMD's? .... NO WMD's !!!!!)
yawn
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
????????????????
December 1, 2007 - 15:35 ET by shawn228Sorry MrShy, My limited liberal mind is not getting you. Are you referring to something pt said in another tread that has some sort of relevence to this one?
Shawn, in botg's first post
December 1, 2007 - 15:57 ET by MrShyShawn, in botg's first post on this thread, he's pointing out the very obvious opposites of how the media react to Hillary taking action several hours later about a crisis and being lauded for it, and Bush who sat in a classroom for a few minutes (ok, 9 minutes, woop-dee-do... and the cameras caught this, so it delivered great, cheap fodder for everyone who already hated him) after hearing about 9/11 and being tarred and feathered for it by the media, every BDS leftard, and even in a MOVIE.
The guy can't do anything until he's first escorted away from the school and taken back to the war room/bunker, or wherever they went.
Has your limited liberal mind wrapped itself around that clarification at all? Let me know.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
shy
December 1, 2007 - 15:59 ET by shawn228botgs first post did not mention anything about Bush and the 9 minutes, i'm assuming when he read "My Pet Goat". You also s referred to "fat boy" Was that directed at botg?
If he did say something about it, i must have missed it.Too much tofu and soymilk messes with the brain y'know.
shaaaawwn!! (& botg)
December 1, 2007 - 16:14 ET by MrShyOkay, have you put down the tofu and soymilk? (yuuuuck) Do I have to do all the heavy lifting for you?
Here's what he first posted:
How many hours did it take Hilda to do anything of substance other than phone a friend in response to this national security issue?
Why did Hilda not have proper security at her campaign?
Why was Hilda not flying to the scene?
And that was a sarcastic joke referring to all the junk Mikey (see below) Moore-on put in his little cute flick. Then, he posted this:
first off i should have posted my beacon. I was making fun of the Mikey Moron spin on Ws handling 911.
I'm pretty sure botg, in his first sentence in the first post, was referring to the shot of Bush not doing anything when he got the news, for 8-9 minutes... just sitting there.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
why the discrimination shy?
December 1, 2007 - 16:46 ET by shawn228Ok Shy, i gotcha. Moving on, why all the
discrimination?, why don't you think Helen Thomas or Rosie O' Donnell will look great in
Shywear? Especially the tight bikini bottoms:-)
shawn
December 1, 2007 - 16:49 ET by MrShyThat was below the belt, no pun intended.
And now I must run to the bathroom.... fast.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Thanks for the nightmares
December 1, 2007 - 17:54 ET by well99You just scared 10 years off of my life.I really dont have that many to use up.Thanks Shawn
well99
December 1, 2007 - 18:19 ET by shawn228No problem well99. Now picture both Rosie and Helen fighting over a piece of succulent white meat.:) Come over to dark side my friend......lol.
shawn
December 1, 2007 - 18:47 ET by'succulent white meat' ---- that's not your nickname is it?
GoHunter08
(sorry couldn't resist)
botg
December 1, 2007 - 18:54 ET by shawn228Only in my day job as porn star botg. Lol it is a inside joke. I am trying to get well99 in seeing the error of his ways when he says dry and chewy white meat taste better than delicious dark meat.
LOL
December 1, 2007 - 18:59 ET by well99I wonder if their is a monastery near where I live.
Speaking of the Dark Side Shawn.Rap with typical rap language
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yH8b5ruc_-E
"fat boy" is NOT botg
December 1, 2007 - 17:03 ET by MrShyNo, Shawn, fat boy was referring to... well, you know..... fat boy.... Michael Moore.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Shy
December 1, 2007 - 15:37 ET bybecause he wasn't frozen for four hours like Kerry and the Dems
GoHunter08
shy
December 1, 2007 - 15:42 ET by shawn228btw, Damn, now I can't get the image of Dana Perino in Shywar out of my mind.
MrShy....I was unable to
December 1, 2007 - 16:59 ET by JerMrShy....I was unable to access this AP article in order to verify it wasn't actually a press release from Hillary's staff. It sounded like something a North Korean government media lackey would have written about the late "Dear Leader".
Regarding Bush and 9/11, his overall performance in those first few days was outstanding--what he did and said struck just the right notes. The first few minutes, however, were not his finest. [It was less than nine minutes, but, on the other hand, in light of the terrorism intelligence which had been increasingly ominous over the summer, he arguably should have excused himself after the first attack --767s don't accidentally slam into a Manhattan skyscraper in perfect weather.] Also, the "didn't want to upset the little children" excuse was comically lame. Once he recovered from the shock, he did just fine.
Jer
Jer
December 1, 2007 - 17:19 ET by MrShyThat you dedicate a rather lengthy paragraph to the Bush/8-9 minutes thing tells me all I need to know.
He's not sitting there like a dumba**, but those that think of him as one regardless of what he does, naturally perceive it that way. He's looking pensive and terrified himself, if you ask me, because he's a human being. I'm also sure a million things were running through his head. And, AGAIN, it's simply a few minutes while he's waiting/preparing to leave, and phone lines could also have very well been down in DC. Who really knows why he didn't spring up for the cameras within seconds, vs. minutes, and "save the day" ( ???? ) Who cares, other than liberals and Bush-haters-from-the-moment-AlGore-lost-but-should-have-won.
Arg, and now you made me respond with a longer paragraph than yours. Trying to teach people that that moment means nothing and is used just to further mud-sling Bush gets exhausting.
And then you go off-topic on all the things Bush should have done in the summer of '01. Doesn't matter who would have been in the WH pre-9/11, they all would have given any terrorist report thrown on their desk the same weight as he did, as 100's of things I'm sure are on the desk every day and have to be prioritized, like any CEO at a company. 9/11 happened, and then the threat was finally "on the map", so to speak, and from that point on was a top priority, of course. We all agree it should have been before this, but hindsight is 20/20.
I like you Jer, but to defend the whole 8-mins thing -- and to a lesser extent, pre-9/11 thing -- is absurd, and I thought you were smarter than that.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
It's funny that the
December 1, 2007 - 17:52 ET by DaBirdIt's funny that the President Bush 8 minute thing comes up. Do you think this was a coincidence?
The aides said Clinton immediately canceled her trip and began working the phones. She later told reporters she had New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a fellow Democrat, on the phone in eight minutes.
Not 5 minutes, not 10 minutes, not even 5 or 10 minutes. It was EIGHT minutes.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071201/ap_on_go_pr_wh/clinton_hostage_leadership
Gosh, MrShy, I didn't
December 1, 2007 - 18:34 ET by JerGosh, MrShy, I didn't realize passing an intelligence test was a precondition to commenting critically on an issue you had addressed in at least two separate posts.
Is it likewise a requirement regarding my negative remarks about the Hillary-biased AP article, as well as my praise for Bush's performance following 9/11?
By the way, I hope you are not lumping me in with the Bush-hating crowd--though you appear to be doing exactly that. I have voiced my admiration and respect for Bush more than once at NB. Interestingly, while I [and the overwhelming majority of Democrats--including the Clintons] were rallying behind the President and applaudiing his actions immediately after 9/11, talk radio conservative hosts were screaming "it's all Clinton's fault", "Clinton didn't have the balls to go after bin Laden" and "blood is on Clinton's hands". So much for bipartisanship.
Jer
Jer
December 1, 2007 - 18:39 ET by Noel SheppardJer,
Happy Saturday. Hope your weekend is going well.
I wanted to chime in concerning your last paragraph. How long do you think it was after 9/11 before this so-called bipartisanship ended? Similarly, how quickly do you feel conservative radio hosts were pointing the finger at Clinton? ns
Yeah Jer! (hides behind
December 1, 2007 - 18:46 ET by MrShyYeah Jer! (hides behind Noel)
Come on, what ya' got!?!? (hides behind Noel again)
:p
(NOTE: This is purely a Noel-as-Newsbusters-father/authority-figure joke)
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Father Knows Best
December 1, 2007 - 18:50 ET by saw the light"(NOTE: This is purely a Noel-as-Newsbusters-father/authority-figure joke)"
In that case, "Dad," will you buy me some beer for tonight's game? How 'bout a big screen too?
Go MU!
stl
December 1, 2007 - 18:54 ET by BlondeI'm for MU tonight as well....must support the family member's teams.
Since my Gators are out of the hunt....alas.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
-
December 1, 2007 - 21:11 ET by dahliatraversYeah Jer! (hides behind Noel)
lol
Thanks, Noel...and yours,
December 1, 2007 - 18:45 ET by JerThanks, Noel...and yours, too.
Neal Boortz and Kim Peterson (in Atlanta) started the afternoon of 9/11, and never let up.
Jer
Um, Jer.... who? and who?
December 1, 2007 - 18:48 ET by MrShyUm, Jer.... who? and who? in Atlanta?
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
MrShy...I assume you're
December 1, 2007 - 19:07 ET by JerMrShy...I assume you're kidding about Boortz. Kim "The Great American" Peterson for years had an afternoon talk show on WGST radio which was also streamed live on the net.
By the way, within days of 9/11, Fox News picked up on the "it was all Clinton's fault" theme, and pounded it relentlessly [primarily on O'Reilly and H&C] for months afterwards. In fact, they still do on occasion.
Jer
Jer
December 1, 2007 - 19:30 ET by MrShySee my dad's (NB's dad, sorry) post below... you named a nobody, and a slightly rising nobody who's basically only been big in a local market.
Again, this site is about M (stands for "mainstream" -- major outlets that reach people nationally, and even globally) SM bias that leans left all over the place. You named two small conservative media people.
"Fox News" started pounding on it relentlessly with the Clinton-fault theme? Dunno, but maybe there's some truth there.
Again #2, you site just one (because there's ONLY one, Fox) major media outlet. And, I put Fox News in quotes above because you claimed "Fox - News" was doing this, but then in the same sentence conceded it was "primarily" the specific shows that are not "news" shows, and don't make claims of being unbiased -- nor do they have any a responsibility for unbiased views -- not general news programs designed to report the news.
We are exposing heaps and heaps of liberal-leaning bias from major print and TV news outlets that go on daily (hence, NB posts about 30 posts a day on average) on this site. The great "Newsbusters".
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Jer
December 1, 2007 - 19:07 ET by Noel SheppardJer,
Gotcha. Don't know Kim, and we just started getting Boortz in the Bay Area a few months ago. Really like him.
In fairness, I wasn't listening to a lot of talk radio back then. Peculiar time in my business when I wasn't on the road, and just didn't have time to have the radio on in my office.
Anyway, the reason I asked both questions was because in my view, the so-called bipartisanship lasted a couple of weeks. I remember like three weeks after 9/11, ABC did a show on how we all needed to better understand Islam, and what we're doing that angers them as well as fosters terrorism.
To me, that was the beginning of the turn away from bipartisanship.
As for what conservative talk show hosts might have been saying, as Bush had been in office for less than eight months, and bin Laden's fatwa against us began in 1996 I believe, was it not appropriate for folks to look backwards at some of our failures prior to 9/11? Should such an examination have only gone back as far as inauguration day 2001? ns
Noel...A look back at the
December 1, 2007 - 20:09 ET by JerNoel...A look back at the root causes of 9/11 and a historical analysis of events leading up to the attacks was both proper and necessary regardless of which administration(s) might be embarrassed or more culpable. Indeed, those were precisely the objectives of the 9/11 Commisssion.
I think it's fair to say both administrations bear some responsibility--along with the media, intelligence agencies, Congress, and us. Of course, the ultimate responsibility must be borne by the radical Islamic terrorist-murderers themselves.
Jer
Pardon the Intrusion...
December 1, 2007 - 21:03 ET by Del DolemonteJer, you state, and I quote:
"A look back at the root causes of 9/11 and a historical analysis of events leading up to the attacks was both proper and necessary regardless of which administration(s) might be embarrassed or more culpable. Indeed, those were precisely the objectives of the 9/11 Commisssion."
Would you care to tell us why, then, the Democrats snuck someone from the Clinton Administration onto the 9/11 Commission who should have, in reality, been questioned under oath by said Commission? That would be former Clinton Assistant Attorney General Jaime Gorelick.
And why was Hillary confidante Richard Ben-Veniste on the 9/11 Commission?
And finally, why did Clinton National Security Chief Sandy Berger have to steal and destroy classified documents from the National Archives relating to Clinton's actions or non-actions in going after bin Laden?
Del...Have to go pick up
December 1, 2007 - 21:11 ET by JerDel...Have to go pick up pizza for my son. I will try to respond later on, but it may be tomorrow.
Jer
Jer
December 1, 2007 - 18:43 ET by MrShyThe 8 Minutes thing is a softspot, sorry, being as it was so milked and exploited, when it's really.... I mean, really.... NOTHING. A non-thing. I'm just surprised that's on any kind of love-hate Bush list of yours at all.
It's akin to camera's rolling before/after a reporter shoots his spot, and it gets leaked out to the public, because it's really only making us voyuers (sp? Blonde, help me out! :p) into what reporters do to prepare for their jobs and the many things involved before and after, so we have no business judging it against the serious news they're about to report on-air.
And, no, when you are critical of Shrillary's shananigans and recognize the good things Bush does, you immediately become sharp as a knife again :)
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
"The 8 minutes"...a non
December 1, 2007 - 19:47 ET by Jer"The 8 minutes"...a non thing? Maybe so, maybe not. Assessing the events of the morning of 9/11 lead to one inescapable conclusion: the lack of quick, decisive action up and down the chain of command and throughout much of the government. Someone, for example, should have immediately ordered the scrambling of F-15s and F-16s to protect D.C. Listening to the tapes of the clueless confusion which enveloped the FAA is infuriating.
Look, I agree the 9/11 attacks were unprecedented...nor am I suggesting the reaction of another President or another administration would have been substantially different or better. But I am absolutely certain of one thing: If it had been Clinton sitting there looking stunned for 8 or however many minutes, his critics, of which there were legion, would have made mincemeat of him.
Jer
Jer,
December 1, 2007 - 19:55 ET by BlondeI hate to stick my two cents in here....so late in the argument.
Eight minutes is nothing at all.
Think about it. The presidential communications is the best in the world. Think of the flood of information that was flashing across those wires.
Truly, eight minutes was a minute amount of time to make sense of everything that had happened, and to fashion an action plan.
And President Bush had to sit there, composed, and not publicly panic. That was possible one of the bravest things he's ever done.
BTW, I am over the Clinton comparisons. Sheesh. Done w/that.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
correct Blonde...8 minutes was nada...
December 1, 2007 - 20:13 ET by JayTeeTalk about a non event....did it take any votes that Bush needed to serve 8 yrs as President ?
I don't think so. Americans spent more than 8 minutes in shock after 911, they had empathy with the Pres.....some spent 20 times that amount at the Local Bar, staring at the TV Screen......Bush didn't have that Luxury.
Blonde...The 9/11 attacks
December 1, 2007 - 20:40 ET by JerBlonde...The 9/11 attacks were unprecedented, but they didn't occur in a vacuum. To reiterate an earlier point, I think Bush, Tenet, and many others should have, at the initial WTC attack on 9/11, recognized what was most probably occurring and sprung into action.
Again, in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, I thought then, and still think, that Bush's performance as President and Commander-in-Chief was magnificent and flawless. But the eight minutes being an act of bravery? I guess we disagree.
Finally, if this site were devoid of Clinton comparisons, NB would have to significantly reduce its staff. It would be just Noel and global warming threads. [What's the symbol for friendly sarcasm?]
Jer
Thanks, Jer, for getting most of my point
December 1, 2007 - 20:55 ET by BlondeI do think President Bush sitting still for 8 minutes was probably one of the hardest things he's ever had to do, either personally or professionally....so yes, a brave act. Sitting still, when all one wants to do is react, or scream, is the hardest thing to accomplish.
I am sick to death of the Clintons. Any way you wish to take that is fine. And I'm sick of the Clinton equivalencies, too.
Go figure...I'm a glass half full kind of girl. I prefer to look forward, rather than in my rearview mirror.
I know you're emoticon deficient, Jer. It's one of the reasons I really like you. (insert emoticon here).
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Blonde
December 1, 2007 - 21:19 ET by MrShyGood point (not talking point, just point :p) about Bush in fact being brave, to sit there stoicly (sp? blonde? :p:p) and the fact that the cameras are on means he DOES have to look strong and resolute. And again, I am sure there was nothing he could phyiscally do in those first minutes, as they probably whispered to him to sit tight and they'll get more info... again, who knows why he didn't up and leave in an instant, but it's NOT because he was some uncaring moron.
Which brings me to the delicious contradiction from libs that Bush is both a moronic "chimp" -- AND -- a genius who fooled everyone into a war and is brilliantly, somehow, highjacking the Constitution.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Well, Shy
December 1, 2007 - 21:37 ET by BlondeBushy ChimpMcHitler is too stupid to tie his own shoes....but the evil Karl Rove and Darth Cheny are the puppet masters. You know...the most conniving, evil person ever (did you know he singlehandedly brought down the Trade Centers) in the world is too stupid to put sugar in his coffee? He's a functional illiterate, after all...you know, he can't get out a cogent sentence.
Sheesh!
Sorry, you didn't get that memo?
Seriously....the leftist talking points are so silly...which is why I just have to laugh at all of the new libtrolls who show up here on a regular basis. They're kind of fun to bat around for a bit...then just become boring (think the "Perfesser"....qu'elle idiot).
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
"If it had been Clinton
December 1, 2007 - 20:00 ET by MrShy"If it had been Clinton sitting there looking stunned for 8 or however
many minutes, his critics, of which there were legion, would have made
mincemeat of him."
Jer, it's quite possible he'd be taken to task. But also to be made into a scene in some over-the-top "documentary" done by some rightwing movie maker? (working in an alternate univers now, of course) I doubt that.
But therein lies the difference between the two. Clinton cared so much about appearances -- to look compassionate when an issue called for compassion, look "aw-shucks" when someone points out his positives so as to convey that he has no ego at all, etc..
Bush was told planes went into buildings, and I am sure there was nothing he could do for those few minutes, and while cameras were rolling (and he should know they are, since the school thing was a photo-op as well) he didn't spend his energy thinking "I need to look this way, or that way, or move around" but was thinking hard about what just took place and already projecting into the future about what might need to bed done, or that he SHOULD HAVE taken more heed over the summer, who knows.
Dana Perino and Newsbusters gals will look great in Shywear
(*NB guys, too)
Scrambling Planes
December 1, 2007 - 21:24 ET by Del Dolemonte"Someone, for example, should have immediately ordered the scrambling of F-15s and F-16s to protect D.C. Listening to the tapes of the clueless confusion which enveloped the FAA is infuriating."
First of all, you need to read all of the FAA transcripts en toto, not just selected tapes. Planes WERE scrambled-in fact, when the second plane hit the WTC, fighters were already on their way to try and head it off. But since Clinton had gutted some of the military, the closest planes to New York City were way out on Cape Cod someplace.
Remember, the government never expected such an event to happen the way it did ("a failure of imagination", as the 9/11 Commission called it). If someone were going to attack us, they would most likely come from outside of the US, not from a domestically hijacked commercial aircraft.
It's interesting to note that a couple of years prior to 9/11, pro golfer Payne Stewart and his entourage died when their Learjet lost pressurization and the pilots and everyone else aboard were incapacitated. The plane flew on autopilot for a long time before the plane finally ran out of fuel and crashed up near Canada someplace.
In that incident, it took at least 20 minutes to scramble fighters to intercept the plane. And that was on Clinton's watch
Del...I'm aware jet
December 3, 2007 - 03:59 ET by JerDel...I'm aware jet fighters were put in the air while the attacks were in progress, but my problems are with the timing of the scrambling, the incorrect intercept zones to which they were directed, and the ambiguous "shoot-down" orders given to the pilots. The decison-making with respect thereto was not exactly confidence-inspiring.
Granted, these are issues that easily lend themselves to Monday morning quarterbacking. However, there were enough intelligence "dots" occurring prior to 9/11 that a connection could have been made to this general type of terrorist assault. It truly was a "failure of imagination".
The Republican Congress would have had to authorize any closing of military facilities. Do you have evidence that Clinton closed air bases that would have materially affected response time on 9/11, or were you merely inserting the obligatory dig at Clinton in your post? [sarc symbol]
I remember well the Payne Stewart tragedy. I was listening to the radio in my car when a news bulletin aired stating that "golfer Payne Stewart will perish in a plane crash to occur within the next few hours"...Very befuddling until a later explanation. [BTW, in my opinion, Stewart, as the reigning U.S. Open champion, should have had the trophy thereafter named for him in his memory.] As for the 20-min. delay in scrambling...that episode--unlike 9/11-- really had no earmarks of anything other than that of a very unfortunate, freak accident.
Jer
Shawn
December 1, 2007 - 15:32 ET by Noel SheppardShawn,
Actually, she couldn't go to Rochester because her presence could have enflamed the situation. One of the articles I read on the subject addressed that. A bargaining chip from the police's perspective was that she wasn't in town. She shows up, and that can complicate matters.
As such, I'm not chastizing her for not being there. I'm chastizing the AP for making her look like a hero. ns
Noel
December 1, 2007 - 15:39 ET by shawn228I agree Noel, I was just responding to botg's post.
Why did Hilda not have proper security at her campaign?
Why was Hilda not flying to the scene?
You Can't Get There From Here
December 1, 2007 - 21:23 ET by Del DolemonteEven if she had wanted to, she probably wouldn't have been able to get from DC to Rochester that quickly anyway-unless she had her own plane.
The closest airport, Pease Tradeport about 15 miles south of Rochester, is only served by two rather small airlines (the new "Skybus" and the reincarnation of the once-proud Pan Am), and the only other close airports, Manchester NH and Portland Maine, are each 45 minutes away from Rochester.
Whata pimp
December 1, 2007 - 15:17 ET by SlasherThe press has once again pimped her. Must have been really difficult to remain calm when your more than 500 miles away from where the "incident" took place.
Sure hope it wasn't a plant similar to the recent actions we have witnessed! Then again, that wouldn't suprise me.
Hey Slasher
December 1, 2007 - 15:42 ET byYou and I should see our medals soon, we didn't panic either
GoHunter08
"a regal-looking Hillary
December 1, 2007 - 16:17 ET by HumanEvents"a regal-looking Hillary Rodham Clinton strolled out of her Washington home, the picture of calm in the face of crisis."
Yeah really, slasher! She strolls out of her Washington home, 500 miles away!, and looks calm! Wow, I'm so impressed! Poor Hillary. She must have been really shaken up inside (much more so than the hostages who were actually held at gunpoint, of course) but because of her strength, experience, and presidential qualities was able to display a relaxed attitude.
Hope she is busy finding a ghostwriter now to write a new book, "How to stay calm in a crisis" by Hillary Rodham Clinton. (With a forward by Ted Kennedy).
"Post facto food for
December 1, 2007 - 15:12 ET by HumanEvents"Post facto food for thought: Having staged questions at campaign events and debates, is it possible that Hillary, in the midst of several very bad weeks on the stump, orchestrated this entire crisis to make herself look battle-hardened? Or, does even considering such lower one to the level of a 9/11 Truther?
I'm just asking."
I think it is possible. We should never put anything past the Clintons. They have no shame and are literally willing to do ANYTHING to gain power.
And I don't think it lowers one to the level of a 9/11 truther by simply pondering the possibility. If we asserted it as definitive despite actual evidence then it would. But to say, "I wonder if Hillary orchestrated this whole thing to try to gain ground in the polls" is eminently reasonable.
What's sick, besides the Dragon Lady herself, is how the msm is willing to do all they can to put her in The White House. Not only is that dishonest and unobjective journalism and reporting, but knowing how blatantly corrupt and phony she is and yet still promoting her no matter what anyway just because she's a Democrat, a Clinton, and a Marxist and socialist is, like I said, S I C K.
Defeat the she-devil in 2008!
The image, broadcast just
December 1, 2007 - 15:17 ET by MidAmericaThe image, broadcast just as the network news began, conveyed the message a thousand town hall meetings and campaign commercials strive for-namely, that the Democratic presidential contender can face disorder in a most orderly manner.
After a lifetime of cleaning up after the circus that is her husband this isn't the first disorder she's faced.
delete
December 1, 2007 - 15:35 ET by motherbeltdelete
We mustn't forget it was
December 1, 2007 - 15:25 ET by MidAmericaWe mustn't forget it was just a few weeks ago when she messed up her debate question and she had a real crisis. She ran back to her girls school and billy had to go out and defend her from the boys that were picking on her.
OK here's a fair question
December 1, 2007 - 15:28 ET by MidAmericaOK here's a fair question for her. Since she and billy are running as a team, are her actions in regards to this matter hers or is she merely a front for what her husband says to do?
Sure there no connection
December 1, 2007 - 15:31 ET by midnight cowboySure there no connection that it takes the attention away from the Hillary debate plant.
Liberals new definition of crisis. "A nut with a couple of road flares taped to him"
mc...That is exactly
December 1, 2007 - 15:38 ET by bigtimermc...
That is exactly what I was thinking, first Billy gets in trouble and attention to his outright lying about the war, he gets out-ted with words and video, then that is deflected by Hillary and her plants plus takes the heat off of CNN...which they all go hand in hand...
It is normal for people to think this way when these two despicable people have gotten away with everything they have ever orchestrated, with Hillary leading the way doing the majority of the planning when it comes to the orchestration.
And that's what's sick and
December 1, 2007 - 15:49 ET by HumanEventsAnd that's what's sick and disturbing about the msm using this to try to make a hero out of her for nothing at all. They clearly know who slippery and phony she is but yet will always be in her corner to try to manipulate the voters to put her in the White House. The same thing is disturbing about many garden variety liberals. I know people who are going to vote for her no matter what, and to never be fazed by any bad thing she ever says or does is ridiculous and terrible. Conservatives, by contrast, don't brush under the rug negative words or conduct by a Republican just beacuse they agree politically! But to the msm and many libs, ideology and political correctness (and to promote Democrats, esp. a Clinton IS politcially correct) is all that matters.
No question that liberalism IS a religion to them.
Defeat the she-devil in 2008!
Yes, but . . . .
December 1, 2007 - 17:03 ET by BourbeauYes, but did the idiot work for CNN? Wouldn't that be a hoot? Ah well, I'm just day dreaming here; wishing this stupid non-story would go away. And by the way Fox News, get your heads out of your ass and tell Carl Cameron it wasn't a freaking crisis; the guy was deranged, had flares, and was looking for attention. How did he know that Hillary would beat him to the cameras?
Funny, but I thought
December 1, 2007 - 15:40 ET by Teddyit was the Rochester cops and NH State Police who handled the hostage crisis?
Shame Bilal Hussein wasn't available so AP and Hilda could take ALL the credit for "handling" it.
Sap shortage?
December 1, 2007 - 15:40 ET by saw the lightI bet there is a shortage of maple sap in Vermont right now, what with all the syrup gushing forth from the tripe disguised as a news article.
No doubt the real culprit will be global warming, though.
Go MU!
AP/Yahoo Version
December 1, 2007 - 15:58 ET by YahooWatcherCheck the Yahoo version of this story at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071201/ap_po/clinton_hostage_leadership;_ylt=ApJkpeqkSTxAt_2GSkyYm32s0NUE
Ending with "Class Dismissed." ?!?!?
If not for anything, I get tremendous entertainment value reading crap like this.
Well they were quick to
December 1, 2007 - 16:43 ET by USA4freedomWell they were quick to tell us just how firm she was with a drunk man and road flares.
I wonder how firm she is with her cheeting husband..
I guess its easy to stay calm with its not your life you worry about..
Yet these same people will run down Rudy non stop.
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Reading the article is like
December 1, 2007 - 16:58 ET by Gary P JacksonReading the article is like reading a cartoon version of a "Dear Leader" type of story we imagine would have appeared in Pravda, or some North Korean daily!
The story should be considered a great satirical effort, instead of a serious piece of journalism. Maybe the author is angling for a job at the The Tonight Show!
NYT's
December 1, 2007 - 18:39 ET by Clear thinkerMore than likely they want a job at the NYT's. They would be a good match!
"Rush Limbaugh stated that of the top 5 Republicans running for the presidency, only one was a true conservative. http://www.fred08.com/ Rush then stated that the conservative was Fred Thompson.
Hillary's Fawning Media
December 1, 2007 - 17:50 ET by BritcomNo matter how they try, they can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I never heard a more insincere press conference from a politician. Another Bill "Ah feel yore paahn" Clinton she ain't.
Aspiring leader of the free world? Don't make me laugh.
Noel...
December 1, 2007 - 18:37 ET by Clear thinkerThis fawning over her Thighness is disgusting. Good thing my dinner had already digested.
"Rush Limbaugh stated that of the top 5 Republicans running for the presidency, only one was a true conservative. http://www.fred08.com/ Rush then stated that the conservative was Fred Thompson.
OK MSM, lets compare Rudy's response in NY, with HRC's
December 1, 2007 - 18:51 ET by JayTeeHey, MSM, lets compare Rudy's NY 9/11 Emergency response to Hillary's "Road Flares" emergency response.........
Take a poll on who was MORE Presidential...Please.
I think we're beginning to see some "Desperation" by MSM.....The Titanic is going down, throw out some Road Flares, get MSM help.
A man is walking on a Tight wire 100 ft. above the Ground. Bill Clinton is getting a BJ from Hillary, and they are both thinking about the same thing, what is it ? ? ? What are they thinking ? ? ?
IT's .................."Don't look down, Don't look down !"
Looking presidential
December 1, 2007 - 19:27 ET by djm159I would not be at all surprised if the entire "hostage crisis" was a set up to make her look presidential. She has been taking a few lumps lately. Odd that her campaign staff called her before the po-po. Of course, this being Hillary we will never know the truth.
-
December 1, 2007 - 21:09 ET by dahliatraversWait a minute, she made phone calls?? She kept herself briefed and that's what the AP is swooning about?
The timing could hardly have been more beneficial ...
Clinton sought to use the sad moment as a national teaching opportunity, another skill often employed by presidents
"Beneficial". Nice. Actually, AP, you're using a sad moment to hype a candidate.
Clinton offered up a third dimension to her crisis character: humanity. She said she felt "grave concern" when she first heard the news of the hostage-taking.
Cause, ya know, all of the other candidates would have been blithely indifferent if it had happened at their office.
Yes, complete, embarrassing nonsense.
-
December 2, 2007 - 08:36 ET by dahliatraversOn the google news link of this story, there are still way too many newspapers praising Hillary Clinton.
Note to them and to the AP. The Boston Herald article below describing the aftermath is the correct way to have covered this incident. The emphasis is on the hostages and the kidnapper and Senator Clinton is mentioned appropriately.
By the way, it sounds like the hostages themselves did a lot more to assist with defusing the incident than H.R. Clinton. Yet another danger of being too eager to praise someone's role before all of the facts are in.
Authorities said Friday night that hostages played a key role in getting convicted rapist Eisenberg, 46, of Somersworth, N.H., to surrender during the hours-long ordeal. At times Eisenberg refused to talk to a police negotiator and the hostages took the phone, relaying information to Eisenberg and keeping lines of communication open.
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/2008/view.bg?articleid=1048283
THAT PICTURE
December 2, 2007 - 12:54 ET by sherlock1Where is that picture of her and the troopers from? Was it run in conjunction with this incident in the MSM? Please tell me it is a Newsbusters parody, and not something real.
Sherlock
December 2, 2007 - 14:13 ET by Noel SheppardSherlock,
Real picture. Came from one of the articles on the subject, don't remember which one. No Photoshop. Doesn't she look regal and presidential? :-) ns
-
December 2, 2007 - 14:21 ET by dahliatravers... yet feeling everyone's pain at the same time. Gosh, she's the whole package.
WOUMMMPH... I think I'm gonna HURL!
December 2, 2007 - 23:18 ET by Britcom-
Regarding the Hillary/Trooper photo, Noel
December 2, 2007 - 23:27 ET by RJSeeing it reminds me of the incident during her run for Senator, when the pro-Hillary audience SPIT on the State Trooper Color Guard as they passed up the aisle.
This photo is probably not from the same event, but it's still worth keeping in our memory banks.