Clinton: "We can't get the press to cover this — what he says about his plan is not true"

[sabra]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/02/25/clinton-tries-to-reassure-anxious-donors/#more-5533

<snip>

Clinton blamed her woes in part on unfair press coverage but said she believed Obama had come under increased media scrutiny in recent days. She urged the group to watch the latest episode of "Saturday Night Live," which featured a skit mocking last Thursday's CNN debate as little more than a love fest for Obama.

"People are starting to say, 'Hey, you know, we've got two candidates. We've been a little more focused on one than the other in terms of asking hard questions. Let's start looking at both of them. The voters of this country deserve to have a real election,"' she said.

Still, Clinton expressed frustration that her rival's record and questions about his health care reform plan had drawn little attention from national reporters.

"We can't get the press to cover this — what he says about his plan is not true," Clinton said of Obama's health plan, which he calls universal but which doesn't include a requirement that everyone purchase coverage, as hers does.

"You base your campaign on the politics of hope, and you're hoping people won't notice," she added.

[Medusa]

1. Someone should give her a crying towel

she sounds like a spoiled brat here. "The press loves him more." argument is getting a bit tired.

[KittyWampus]

16. she's lucky the Media has padded her numbers the whole time by including super delegates

[Tennessee Gal]

2. She is correct.

[cali]

11. She's a whiner

lashing out and whining is all she does lately.

[BlackVelvet04]

46. OMG....

the hypocrisy of calling HER a whiner.....especially after today.

[DURHAM D]

48. How would you know - you don't have tv. eom

[mckeown1128]

15. delete

[Window]

22. She is full of shit.

[Bad Thoughts]

31. She's also the beneficiary

How many times did Richardson, Dodd and Biden--experienced politicians--have to field questions about getting out in favor of Clinton? The MSM has been good to her, on the balance.

[UALRBSofL]

3. I know this is just an Op-Ed peice but

I agree with her. We need Universal Health Care but were not going to get it. That said, I think everyone needs to be covered instead of letting people op out of it. People that don't work in health care have no concept of how bad it is and how many people don't have coverage.

[maddiejoan]

5. Obama is driving to the Whitehouse

over all the bodies he's thrown under his bus.

[qazplm]

21. oh good grief

can you be anymore over-the-top?

criticizing a candidate is fine and good, but statements like that are so silly as to be nonsensical.

[maddiejoan]

24. LGBT

now UHC

what next?

[anonymous171]

43. LOL! nt

[NDambi]

32. maybe when he gets there...he can dig up the ones the Clinton's buried..lol

[1awake]

18. If Hillary's plan WAS true Universal

Health care, I'd be much more inclined to vote for her. I do not want to be mandated to a private corporation...

[Voice for Peace]

35. I agree about mandate.

I have never met an insurance company who covers the kind of medical care I would choose.

When Universal Health care really pays for me seeing the practitioners of my choice, and helps pay for the kind of nutritional & herbal medicines & healthy foods that help prevent illness, I'll be more enthusiastic. Until then, no mandate for me, please.

[pdxmom]

4. Criminy - the press, itself, hasn't covered either of their health plans. At least

not the television media. What I've seen is each side slamming the other side's plan, and the media basically doing little to no analysis about either plan. We've hard the charges and counter-charges ad nauseum from both sides, during their stump speeches and the debates and neither side is getting any traction, from what I've seen.

[Justyce]

6. I'm an HRC supporter, but her saying hers requires "everyone purchase coverage"

is not going to go over well when people are out of work, prices are soaring, and people are just trying to stay afloat and survive. When you're having trouble buying food & basic necessities for your family, it's hard to hear you'll be "forced" to buy something else by the government. This line might work better if the economy wasn't in such poor shape... JMO.

Edited to add: I do most definitely agree with her that the press is having a love-fest for Obama and trying to ignore/get rid of her, though. And anyone who doesn't question the reasons when the MSM pushes a candidate has blinders on.

[UALRBSofL]

8. Justyce If a person is out of work

Then there healthcare is free. The part of her plan most people don't know because it's not mentioned in the MSM is it's prorated to your income. And it's capped at a point where people who make high wages aren't paying too much for care.

[Justyce]

13. True, but I'm not referring necessarily to just people out of work,

I'm also talking about the people caught in the gap left by Bush's economics -- people who once were able to survive fairly well but are now struggling due to the soaring prices, etc. If nothing else, I wish she'd find a way to phrase it differently to reflect what you said.

[mckeown1128]

17. What about the working poor...

people paying off huge debt but still earning a decent salary... how do they buy healthcare.... better yet how do they buy health care when their wages are being garnished because they can't afford healthcare.

[Recursion]

25. She also avoids the most important provision of Obama's plan

Under her plan, there's no way to force a provider to insure someone, so plenty of people will still simply be dropped.

[UALRBSofL]

39. That's not true because she has two choices

The insurers like the HMO's with your job, and the government insurers like what congress has. The government insurer can't refuse anyone even with pre-existing illness' which is very important when we talk about healthcare insurance.

[Recursion]

40. So it becomes like charter schools...

The rich and healthy get (all the more profitable) private plans while the sick have to go onto the government plan which will be more and more costly because the insurance companies dump all their sick onto it.

Obama is right: insurance companies have to pull their weight here, and be made to insure sick people too.

[Tatiana]

27. So what you are saying is that the government will subsidize the care of low-income people?

Because Obama's plan also includes a subsidy.

[RaleighNCDUer]

38. And who is it that decides what is 'affordable' - who sets the rates

by which the pro-rating is gauged?

This will KILL the middle-class. The poor are already covered under several different plans. It is the middle-class, who are mandated to purchase private insurance, who will suffer -- you know, the ones who are already facing a debt crisis, a mortgage crisis, a college tuition crisis...

Besides, it also includes in the calculation the charges on companies, which are also forced to provide health insurance - companies which are already facing razor thin margins because of NAFTA, and have difficulty competing as it is. Even if companies can bundle their coverage with other small companies, it is an added expense they don't currently have and cannot absorb. Why do you think so many small companies rely on part/time and temp workers? They can't afford to pay F/T workers health insurance. The local independent bookstore or coffee shop is not padding its profit margin - it's only trying to keep the doors open.

All because the system we have, and the system Hillary advocates, keeps an insurance industry in the loop which sucks away 30% of our healthcare dollars - to cover multi-million dollar ad campaigns, agents' salaries, and CEOs vacation homes.

Single-payer not-for-profit healthcare is the ONLY solution.

[DemzRock]

7. Yes, she's right. The press has been very harsh on team Clinton and

has given Obama a break. Now don't get me wring. I will vote Dem no matter what. But all this Obama worship is just a bubble ready to be popped. The GOP has some EXTREMELY nasty things on him. Many of the people voting for Obama have been Republicans. Some are honestly looking for change. Others want to avoid Clinton. I like Obama and would vote for him over McCain, but I refuse to worship ANY politician.

[CoffeeCat]

12. Please don't buy into the cynicism...

There is no "Obama worship" going on. Many people support Obama. It's not the craven bastion
of mindless dolts that Hillary would have you believe.

Hillary is playing right out of the Rove playbook and using his number one ploy: Attack your
opponent's strengths, shred them into something sinister.

What can she say about the millions of Obama supporters and the excitement that he has created?

She has to tear it down, position it as "not real" or idiotic or the product of some kind of
strange "cult-like" phenomena.

Oh please. Obama supporters are just Americans.

At our Iowa caucus, there were senior citizens, middle-aged moms like me, college students, community
leaders, blue-collar workers, sons with their fathers. It was a melting pot.

Hillary is being a craven cynic. Her inevitability went down the toilet, and her "experience" meme
didn't work. So, now she's Roving Obama and his supporters--by trying to make you think that it's
all a joke.

Do not buy into Hillary's cynicism. Do not fall for her inaccurate descriptions of real Americans--who
are just average citizens--your neighbors, friends, coworkers, relatives, community leaders--who want a better country.

[HeraldSquare212]

9. It's been covered extensively and discussed extensively.

He says his plan will be affordable enough for everyone to buy it. Neither says what they consider 'affordable' to be, but Clinton says unless everyone is required to have insurance there will still be costs that others will have to cover.

[cali]

10. What a monumental whiner she's turned out to be.

tough shit, Hilly. And stop with the lying. You are pathetic. Can't wait to see you drop out.

[mckeown1128]

14. They are playing the vicim card.... even when they are the ones

attacking unfairly.

[Cameron27]

19. The RW Harry and Louise ads

were disgusting and that's what she's attacking.

[mckeown1128]

41. Excuse me but I don't find a problem with Obama's mailer...

I have a big problem with Clinton's plan for mandated healthcare... (and garnishing wages for working people who can't afford healthcare)

[yellowcanine]

20. I am sorry Hillary but this is a losing line. And telling people to watch SNL? Obama is correct,

we are in the "Silly Season." Hillary's campaign is imploding. I had hoped she would go out with a little more dignity - not this whining, false outrage and cynicism.

[DemzRock]

28. Silly Season isn't BO's original line you know. It happens in every campaign.

[FlyingSquirrel]

23. Edwards: We can't get the press to cover our campaign

Worked for him, didn't it?

Oh...

Wait.

[SoxFan]

26. SNL skits are an issue now?

[indimuse]

29. Obama Doners begin trial any moment...Al Chaib and Ali Ata ...who are they???

http://www.hanania.com/profiles/Rezko06-08-05.htm


Arabs in Chicago discover political clout and controversy

June 8, 2005, Arab American Media Services

By Ray Hanania

For many years, Arab Americans in Chicago were relegated to behind-the-scenes fundraising, helping others to gain higher office while sitting on the sidelines waiting their turn.

Several ran for public office as "Arab American candidates" beginning in 1992, including this author, but all of the candidates lost. In one case, Miriam Zayed, a Democratic precinct captain and worker, ran for a prominent southwest suburban school district that included three high schools with the largest concentration of Arab students in the region.

Each year as she re-campaigned for office, her vote totals declined as her Arab heritage more and more became an issue.

This experience in Chicago contrasted from downstate Peoria, Illinois where mainly Lebanese Arabs have been able to win public office from municipal trustees to mayors, legislators and congressman. One of those, Congressman Ray LaHood, aid to former House Speaker Bob Michel, is now considered a strong possibility to challenge Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich next year.



Quietly, though, a group of wealthy Arab American businessmen based in Chicago forged alliances with key officials in state government in the mid-1990s. They locked in contracts and secured some low level jobs as state government changed from Republican to Democratic control.

In recent months, what was a quiet, deliberate assent to the top of Chicago and Illinois clout has exploded in front page newspaper controversies involving favoritism, poor job performance and allegations of wrongdoing.

The names and faces of these Arab American businessmen who have made it to the top include several nationally known players, such as Antoin Rezko and many more local players including the former head of the Chicago Chapter of the ADC, Ali Ata. Part of the challenge is the media bias against Arab Americans. Part of it is the lack of support Arab Americans get from their community. In the end, Arab American businessmen make easy targets for criticism and attacks.

Here's a look at the recent news reports:


rw...attack soon coming.

[BREMPRO]

30. she didn't complain about the media when the were anointing her as "inevitable"

now that she's losing, its not her fault, but the "media" ( being at best a mediocre candidate,running a bad campaign, bad management of campaign funds, confusing bi-polar contradictory messages, bill's attacks on Obama,etc...has nothing to do with it?). I'm reminded of Bill's pronouncement to the citizens of Ohio and Texas, "its up to you" something to the effect of: if you don't turn out it's your fault she won't win the nomination. The blame remains squarely on the Clintons.

[DemGa]

33. She's right of course -- Obama deserves some hard scrutiny

He's walked from it thus far -- the media is dropping the ball just like with George Bush.

[milkyway]

34. Is she fucking kidding? CNN!!! They've deliberately misled their viewers into thinking Hillary has

been the leader in this contest, when it is Obama who has been leading in pledged delegates from Day One in Iowa, and has only expanded that lead since.

CNN's decision to include superdelegates, which are only based on their own polls of supers about who they will vote for at the convention, with pledged delegates that have been already been won by past voting, has allowed her to maintain the mantle of frontrunner, even though that has never been the case once actual voting began. This has given the illusion that the race has been very close, when in fact it has been a consistently solid lead for Obama. Perpetuating this myth has helped Clinton be competitive in state polls until the actual voting occurs. It has also helped with her fundraising, helping hide the fact that her campaign has been tanking since Iowa.

I stopped watching the SNL clip after the first minute. Satire has to at least be based on a sliver of truth to be effective. MSNBC would have been a much more appropriate, and justified, target for this kind of satire.

[madrchsod]

36. watch the latest episode of "saturday night live"?

for proof that she`s being treated unfairly? i doubt that is a good source to prove anything..well to prove the show should have been canceled a long time ago.

[Prophet 451]

37. I actually think she has something of a point

I'm trying to think of a good way to phrase this because while I think either would make a decent president, I don't actually support either of them.

That said, I think, amongst the self-pity, there's a reasonable point here. Granted, I'm British so my exposure to your media isn't complete but from what I've seen over here, the coverage of Obama has been, not more positive exactly but less vicious. Of course, part of that is going to be simply because Obama is the fresh story, young, handsome and wildly charismatic (No, I'm not saying that's why Obamaniacs support him but let's be honest, that kind of thing never hurts your coverage) and another part of it is probably going to be because the political press corp has just never seemed to much like any of the Clintons.

[jillan]

42. 2008 - the year the media will pick our President.

[anigbrowl]

47. Shows how much respect you have for the voters.

They're ll so brainwashed, except you, of course.

[jillan]

49. Why don't you ask the Edwards, Kucinich, Biden, Dodd, Gravel

supporters about that????

[THUNDER HANDS]

44. I doubt very much Hillary Clinton has trouble attracting press attention

unfortunately for her, the way she goes about things, the story ends up being more about how she's saying things instead of what she's saying.

[HeraldSquare212]

45. I think everyone's well aware of the differences in their plans by now.

[JimGinPA]

50. Here's What She Should Try...

[eridani]

51. What we can't get the press to do is to advocate real single payer health care

CARE, not "coverage."

[TexasObserver]

52. Hillary will never accept that she's unlikable and has a nasty temper that puts voters off.

Nobody likes me
everybody hates me
guess I'll eat some worms
--- Hillary's chronic refrain

Maybe, just maybe, it's because you earned it, Hillary.

[MadHound]

53. In other words the press is no longer in her corner, and are actually doing their job

Sorry Hillary, but the press was in your corner from the day that you announced, all the way through Super Tuesday. They helped you create an air of inevitability and an impression that this was all a formality on the way to your coronation.

When Obama was still standing after Super Tuesday, the press realized that they'd better do their job and they became much more *gasp* objective in their coverage. And yet here you are, whining about it. Sad, really sad Hillary. Every day you and your campaign continues to make excuses, every day that you and your campaign continue to make over the top, vicious attacks on Obama is just one more day that you're looking increasingly desperate and pathetic. If she loses either Texas or Ohio, I really hope that she does the right thing and drops out. I really don't want to watch this absurd spectacle all the way to the convention, and I don't want to see the potential damage done.

[workinclasszero]

54. Maybe if Hillary stopped advocating stealing the election

from the people via super-delegates the press would like her more?:shrug:

And maybe if she stopped trying to win by cheating, seating the bogus FL and MI delegates, they might like her better.:think:

Hey the press doesn't like a cheat and a thief. Who knew??:shrug: