Hillary Clinton Won't Commit to Renew the Constitution

[earth mom]

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/campaignmatters?bid=45&pid=239574

Illinois Senator Barack Obama has finally signed the American Freedom Pledge, joining his fellow Democratic presidential candidates in encouraging the restoration of basic Constitutional principles after the battering they have taken during the Bush-Cheney era.

All the Democrats, that is, except New York Senator Hillary Clinton .

The effort to get presidential contenders to sign on the American Freedom Pledge has been promoted by organizations ranging from the Center for Constitutional Rights to Human Rights Watch, MoveOn.org , Amnesty International USA, the Brennan Center for Justice, the Campaign to Defend the Constitution, the Electronic Frontier Foundation and True Majority.

The pledge is anything but radical. It simply asks candidates to affirm a statement that reads: "We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power. I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from attack by any President."

<snip>

"Any candidate who does not express strong support for defending the Constitution does not deserve to be president."

<snip>

King George or Queen Hillary..... you choose.

[sharp_stick]

1. You really equate Clinton with shrub?

That is one of the most depressing things I've seen all day.

[earth mom]

2. I wish it wasn't so. The truth is there if you look for it. nt

[sharp_stick]

9. Oh I'm not so sure

She wouldn't have invaded Iraq, appointed Alito and Roberts, stomped all over the rights of scientists to look for cures in stem cells, tortured people and called it legal and vetoed health care for millions of poor kids. Those are the ones I can come up with without even thinking. I'm sure I could find a few hundred more given a bit of time.

What do you have that says she and shrub are one in the same?

[earth mom]

14. Look at her record. She's a * enabler. Has she done anything to try and stop the war? NO.

Has she done anything more than cater to the corporate bastards that have paid for her campaign? Hell NO.

I could go on forever about what she hasn't done for the majority of people in this country.

[movonne]

17. Did she vote for the war?? Did she vote to let Alito and Roberts in?

Did she vote the Lieberman and Kyl amendment? was she the last one to sign on to the no torture...I think if she was going to be a leader she should have been the first to sign..

[Marr]

37. But! But! She also votes like a liberal--

She's right there with us on all the issues that don't matter! So what if she votes hard right on the big stuff? What's a couple of fascists on the Supreme Court mean anyway? She's got female genetalia! How novel!

[JackRiddler]

16. * yawn *

Make sure to bring in Shrub every time Hillary makes herself look bad.

:eyes:

[Skip Intro]

53. The OP brought the shrub into it.

"King George or Queen Hillary..... you choose."


The whole thing smells anyway - Biden and Edwards didn't sign - what is made of that?

[Old and In the Way]

3. Queen Hillary. nt

[Taverner]

4. Why stick your neck out for a token pledge?

[lumberjack_jeff]

34. "Stick your neck out for a pledge""

Like: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

There is very little about the pledge she refuses to sign that is not directly mandated by the oath of office.

[Perry Logan]

5. When we have a healthcare system, I hope the Hillary-bashers will get help.

Thread after thread has made it clear the anti-Hillary folks will say any damn thing that comes into their heads.

[DireStrike]

55. Yes, I look forward to being forced to pay insurance companies

But hey, it's a system right? That's what counts.

[niyad]

6. ummm, you do know that she has signed it, correct?

[earth mom]

7. Got a link? nt

[LittleClarkie]

41. No, she didn't sign it. She said that she was writing a letter of support

when the ABC report came out.

A half finished, and rather late, letter of support does not equal signing the document.

[SPKrazy]

8. probably too far to equate her with b*sh

but my feeling is that she isn't really someone that will bring change to the office and won't be a leader in that change.

she's ahead in the polls, and i imagine that she's also beatable at a national level too.

[durrrty libby]

10. Don't choke on your big steaming bowl of crow. OK?

[earth mom]

11. Wow does the truth hurt that much? nt

[durrrty libby]

12. I know the truth. It's you haters that can't ever seem to get it

[earth mom]

18. Even though I would love to see a woman in office, I don't want more of the same because

I love this country and what it was founded upon: The Constitution.

[durrrty libby]

19. Enjoy the koolaid. I know you do

[earth mom]

21. No, I think that is your beverage of choice. nt

[durrrty libby]

24. Nah, you need it to choke down that crow.

[earth mom]

25. No you need it to choke down that b.s. nt

[JuniperLea]

29. Don't the Hill lovers make you just hate her?

They do me! They are counter-productive, really.

[LittleClarkie]

43. I don't hate Hillary because of them. They annoy me separately

but they certainly don't make me feel like giving her another look, I must say.

[durrrty libby]

30. Honey you are the one who posted an outright lie and you have yet

to retract it. How fucking difficult is that?

[earth mom]

31. Why the hell should I retract anything? All you are doing is trying to stir the pot

because you haven't a leg to stand on.

Now where's that ignore button?

[LittleClarkie]

44. But she didn't sign it. She's only drafted a letter, allegedly, that hasn't been sent yet.

that is not signing the pledge. Hence, she has not signed the pledge and this person is not a liar.

[LittleClarkie]

42. Why do you hate America?

So does anyone who doesn't favor Hillary equal a "hater" or is it just a select group.

Being critical of someone doesn't make you a "hater" as if it were a blind thing with no reasons behind it.

We get that sort of talk enough from the Right Wing. We don't need it here.

[TahitiNut]

36. Is that what's important? Petty schoolyard taunts??

(Sheesh!)

Can the standards of 'discussion' get any lower around here? :eyes:

[earth mom]

38. You're right and I should have ignored the taunts-but replying to them did kick up the thread.

:evilgrin:

[TahitiNut]

45. Until I came to DU

... I don't think I've ever heard (alleged) adults engage in rhetoric that doesn't even rise to such traditional favorites as "You'll be sorry!" and "My dad can beat up your dad!" or, the perpetual favorite of 3rd graders forever, "I told you so! Nyah, nyah, nyah!"

When candidates attract such 'supporters,' I really have to doubt the maturity of their positions. :shrug:

Despite these little trips down Nostalgia Lane, I'm sure not inclined to feel more favorable toward Hillary with such a feces-flinging fan club. :eyes:

[LittleClarkie]

46. I know you are, but what am I.

That's the one I was thinking of.

[gateley]

13. I read that earlier and it's The Nation's inflammatory choice of headline.

It's actually about signing the Anti-Terrorist Pledge, but The Nation knew presenting it thusly would push buttons. And it did. Ours.

[Wildewolfe]

15. Not that I greatly care at this point today....

... but wasn't it about 4 hours ago that this same type of post was going on about hilary not signing the anti torture thing and that had already been in the works for some hours before all the hyperbolic omg she's a repub stuff got posted here?

I'm not a huge fan of her but geez guys...

[earth mom]

20. I don't post many threads. I saw this and it resonated with me because I see it at the core

of what is wrong with * and so many elected officials in Washington DC. They have forgotten or don't care that the Constitution is what this country was founded upon.

That piece of paper is what is standing between freedom and fascism.

We should all care. A LOT.

[DURHAM D]

22. Please don't talk with your mouth full.

As in you should eat your false words.

[earth mom]

23. Want to translate that one?

edited to add:

:wtf:

[durrrty libby]

26. They either play dumb or they are dumb. It gets tedious

[DURHAM D]

27. I think many are overcome by their own verbiage. eom

[earth mom]

28. Talking about yourself eh? nt

[LittleClarkie]

51. Endorsed or not, she still hasn't signed it.

Therefore the story is true. It asserts that she hasn't signed the pledge, and she hasn't.

[LittleClarkie]

48. But isn't that an easy thing to say and hard to prove?

I was just about to do that when you guys came out with your report. Not sign, I mean, but send a letter of support. I was JUST about to do it, really. So what if I'm sorta late.

I also think it was a cop out for Biden and Edwards. And if Obama was rather slow as well.

[lumberjack_jeff]

32. That's a pretty basic statement of principles.

What part of "in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power." does she have a problem with?

Oh. That's right. I "hate" her "because she's a strong woman". I need DU to remind me periodically what I *really* think.

[HughMoran]

33. Yep, we're all fucking morons and signing a grade-school pledge will change everything

This is infantile.

[scarletwoman]

35. Hillary is the Warrior Queen of the New World Order.

I coined this phrase, btw.

She will NOT get my vote. No way, no how.

sw

[durrrty libby]

54. "I coined this phrase, btw. " Well isn't that special

[Zandor]

39. *** Clinton Endorses Anti-Torture Pledge ***

October 04, 2007 3:19 PM

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports : Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has endorsed the principles of an anti-torture pledge circulated by a liberal organization, after facing criticism as the only Democratic candidate for president to withhold her support for a blanket statement condemning torture.

ABC reported earlier Thursday that Clinton had not yet responded the group's request to sign the pledge. However, the Clinton campaign said its response to the group was being drafted prior to receiving media inquiries.

The anti-torture pledge, initiated by the American Freedom Campaign -- a group founded by a coalition of civil-liberties groups and liberal activists -- commits the candidates to disavowing some of the controversial tactics employed by the Bush administration.

"We are Americans, and in our America we do not torture, we do not imprison people without charge or legal remedy, we do not tap people's phones and emails without a court order, and above all we do not give any President unchecked power," the statement reads. "I pledge to fight to protect and defend the Constitution from assault by any President."

In a letter to the group sent Thursday afternoon, Clinton writes that she agrees with the statement.

"To lead, our country must uphold its most fundamental rules and standards," she writes. "The next president must not only possess a clear-eyed assessment of the terrorist threat, but must demonstrate the moral courage to face that threat without forsaking the values which set our Nation apart."

Technically, Clinton did not sign the pledge. Instead, she sent a letter outlining her principles and broad agreement with the group's stance, in a manner similar to responses sent by Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and former senator John Edwards, D-N.C...........

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/10/clinton-wont-si.html

[HughMoran]

47. Irrelevant

Don't try to spoil a good pig pile - K?

:sarcasm:

[Zandor]

49. Got quiet didn't it? n/t

[LittleClarkie]

50. The check was in the mail. Honest.

Why does she not just sign the damn thing, as opposed to endorsing its principles. Is she afraid it will surface later with her signature on it?

[Xenotime]

40. Too weak. What about the AWB? Are they going to bring that back?

What about the troops? Are they bringing them back?

[Skip Intro]

52. BULLS**T. Edwards, Biden didn't sign either. Blatant hit piece.

the reporter says they "expressed support" - ok.

What was Hillary's response? We don't know from this article, because they say nothing about having contacted her campaign or about any statement she'd made regarding this pledge. No, "the Clinton campaign refused to comment." Nothing. Evidently, the writer didn't think that relevant.

Real fair and balanced piece.

And The Nation at that. Shame.

[MyNameGoesHere]

56. Maybe these people signed away

the constitution and the American values, i did not and i don't need a goddamn reaffirmation signing either. American freedom Pledge? For fucks sake we have that already it's the goddamn constitution.