Hillary's Latest Endorsement: Joseph Wilson

By Jeralyn, Section Hillary Clinton
Posted on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 01:40:37 PM EST
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I just finished a blogger conference conference call with the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Hillary has picked up a big new endorsement: Former Ambassador Joseph Wilson.

Joe says he has known Hillary for over a decade and has spent a lot of time discussing Iraq with her. He thinks she is the most likely to get us out of there.

During the last four years while he and Valerie went through the Republican meat-grinder process, Hillary reached out to them repeatedly to share the lessons she learned from her experience in the meat-grinder.

She has the leadership ability. She understands the political process. She has an enormous commitment to this country. She is the best equipped to fight for us.

The call then opened up for questions. Taylor Marsh, Steve Clemons, Dave Johnson, Tom Burka were among those who questioned him. Check out their blogs for their reactions.

More...

I asked him whether Iraq was the only issue that led him to endorse Hillary, or whether there were other issues on which he saw a difference between her and the other candidates.

He didn't answer by naming any specific other issues but asserted again that he has known her for more than ten years and is convinced she is the best to lead our country. His familiarity with her dates back to the Clinton presidency, when he spent time in Africa with her. More recently, he's had a chance to bring people to meet with her on Iraq, and everyone comes away impressed with her grasp of the facts and the issues and her willingness to listen and to engage.

He and Valerie had dinner with Hillary in Washington before they moved to Santa Fe. Joe was talking about the revenge he'd like to take on the Republicans for what they put him and Valerie through. Hillary leaned across the table and said, "Joe, let it go." Don't get bogged down.

They are friends who speak often.

So, the question is: Will Joe Wilson be a boon for the Hillary campaign and with whom? Will bloggers who have continued to be harsh on Hillary for her early position on Iraq now change course based on the strength of Joe's belief that she is the one candidate who knows how to and will get us out of there?

I agree Hillary has the strength, the smarts and the commitment to be a great President. I believe she will get us out of Iraq.

I also think she will appoint excellent judges, improve our health care system and protect social security.

This is not to say Hillary is the only candidate who fits the bill. As Taylor says,

The '08 selection season is not over by a long shot and I am staying neutral in the primary. But the endorsement of Clinton by Joseph Wilson is a big step for her campaign. That Clinton offered the scoop to a group of bloggers shows just how far she's come and how far she's willing to engage a community, which on the hole is very critical of her on all fronts. She's also accepted the invitation to YearlyKos, which I'm looking forward to very much. Clinton is illustrating her ability to engage on all fronts, even where she knows she'll take heat. The strength of Clinton's candidacy continues to expand.

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Hillary's Latest Endorsement: Joseph Wilson | 26 comments (26 topical)

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Clinton is going to get the vast majority of (5.00 / 1) (#8)
by Geekesque on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 07:00:08 PM EST

party leaders, establishment figures, and other elites to support her. She is a formidable opponent for any challenger.

I Agree (none / 0) (#10)
by squeaky on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 08:54:19 PM EST

She is an awsome presence. It may not be so bad to have a woman president. American has a lot of 'splainin' to do and a woman can typically offer a softer more nuanced approach.

In person she is super focused while totally relaxed and warm. She has an awesome presence whether you like what she says or not. A star for sure.

My guess is that she would be more liberal than she appears today, if elected president.

[ Parent ]

more liberal than she appears today (none / 0) (#11)
by Edger on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:00:24 PM EST

I hope you're right. I think she has a good shot.

[ Parent ]

At The Very Least (none / 0) (#12)
by squeaky on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:04:46 PM EST

She will be a gazillion times better than THe Chinp

[ Parent ]

Heh. (5.00 / 1) (#14)
by Edger on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:07:28 PM EST

Even if she was nearly brain dead. :>0

[ Parent ]

But (none / 0) (#15)
by squeaky on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:09:57 PM EST

That is hardly the case.

[ Parent ]

: No (none / 0) (#19)
by Edger on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 07:31:51 AM EST

I was just a way of saying it doesn't take very much to be better than Bush.

[ Parent ]

And His Minions (none / 0) (#13)
by squeaky on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:05:54 PM EST

[ Parent ]

Well, you're right! (none / 0) (#1)
by JHFarr on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 02:07:33 PM EST

Concerning this:

I agree Hillary has the strength, the smarts and the commitment to be a great President. I believe she will get us out of Iraq.I also think she will appoint excellent judges, improve our health care system and protect social security.

As much as I simply cannot stand virtually anything any more, especially the defeatist Democrats, when I look at the field, she's miles above the rest in depth and toughness. She's still an establishment candidate, which means she'd ultimately fail to make substantive changes, but I think we could count on the modest points you make above.

Unlike you, I have zero faith she will get us out of Iraq, but I might actually go to the polls and vote just to have my man Bill sleeping in the White House again. Or would she let him? :-)

Friends? (none / 0) (#2)
by Fritz on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 04:01:40 PM EST

One would have thought the only expert on Iraqi WMD would have told his friend Hillary they didn't exist. Joe took his trip in February of 2002, 8 months before his friend Hillary voted for the Iraq Resolution. It would make sense she accept his endorsement; he is a fraud and so is Hillary.

Fritz (1.00 / 0) (#7)
by jimakaPPJ on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 05:24:27 PM EST

Because he had told the CIA that the meeting had happened and that the Niger ex-PM said he believed Iraq had wanted to purhase...

[ Parent ]

Fritz (none / 0) (#3)
by Edger on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 04:05:52 PM EST

Why is it that it always takes you so long to realize what the rest of the world has known forever?

[ Parent ]

Fritz (none / 0) (#17)
by ding7777 on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 04:01:45 AM EST

I don't remember Wilson ever claiming to be "the only expert on Iraqi WMD" but then again, I don't watch FoxNews or read the WSJ editorial page.

[ Parent ]

: Of course he is (none / 0) (#18)
by Fritz on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 07:23:36 AM EST

The story line is, Joe Wilson spilled the beans, Saddam's effort to acquire yellow cake in Niger never happened and that Vice President Cheney ignored Joe Wilson's report. I simply don't know why Joe Wilson didn't inform his friend Hillary of this in 2002.

[ Parent ]

Clearly this endorsement will not (none / 0) (#4)
by oculus on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 04:27:58 PM EST

change the hearts and minds of true Hillary-bashers.

: I guess she ::would be:: (none / 0) (#5)
by Edger on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 04:55:04 PM EST

better than Bush..... :-/

[ Parent ]

Hillary set to charm bloggers (none / 0) (#6)
by pioneer111 on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 04:59:04 PM EST

Clinton is very smart and playing bloggers well. If you recall last September after Lamont won the primary Bill Clinton invited bloggers to meet with him. They all went gaga over the opportunity. Look up the posts at the time. I was perplexed. That softened the criticism for a while of Clinton not helping Lamont. However the more important result was that Bill determined that Hillary could ignore the bloggers. She did for quite a while. Now that they are struggling and not getting way out ahead in Iowa, they are setting to charm the blogging community.

Joe Wilson is a good guy but he was a Republican. He would be most comfortable with someone who has been in the halls of power for a long time - the Clintons. The bloggers were the ones that drove interest in the Plame story.

She is getting ready for YK. This is perfect timing. We will see how readily the blogging community will be charmed.

: Given the things people type about her (none / 0) (#16)
by oculus on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 09:38:48 PM EST

at DK, I give her a lot of credit for committing to showing up. Kind of like Bush and the NAACP.

[ Parent ]

getting out of iraq (none / 0) (#9)
by wakeupamerica on Mon Jul 16, 2007 at 07:39:20 PM EST

I heard Joe Wilson say on the ed shultz show that he didnt think we should leave iraq and we owed it to the iraqis to get it right so we have to stay and do what bush promisrd.so the only coclusion i can draw is the reason he supports hilery is becouse he knowes she will keep us in iraq.

Fraud (none / 0) (#20)
by Cheesehead on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 08:14:24 AM EST

As an independent libertarian, I'll never vote for Hillary. The woman is a fraud, who can't make a decision without polls or support of the DNC. I for one, am fed up with the Clinton/Bush family hold on the Presidency. The reason she's getting such monetary support is that her donors are betting she'll win, regardless, and then they'll expect their payback. Are they going to be any more competent than GWB's cronies? I think not.

1988-2016 (none / 0) (#21)
by Peaches on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 08:47:54 AM EST

Bush, Clinton, Clinton, Bush, Bush, Clinton, Clinton

How old with Jeb be in 2016? Any other Bush coming along the pipeline? Neil?

Sheezus, people, wake up. As if all it takes is to hold a press conference with the blogging community to restore our democracy. These candidates are chosen for us. It is all about how much money is in their coffers. This is no secret. Hilary has Murdoch's money and she will represent his interests. He could care less about right and left. He only cares about money and power and he has both. Democracy means nothing to him.

Yeah... (none / 0) (#22)
by kdog on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 08:58:18 AM EST

thats a long time for 2 sets of cronies to get all the spoils...lets give a new set of cronies a chance to cash in at liberty's expense.

[ Parent ]

Yep, (none / 0) (#23)
by Peaches on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 09:17:54 AM EST

That's what it is.

What gets me is that this thing we call the blogging community is supposed to be a democracy that is powered by voices of the people. And, look what's happened. We measure progress by the influence leading bloggers are having on picking our campaigns and we are going to end up having Hilary as our next President.

Sorry, but I think if this thing we call the blogging community is going to have any credibility, we had better not keep getting the same old. At least in the last campaign for a month or two we had Howard Dean to scare the hell out of the elites. This time we got nothing. We're measuring success by how much access Hilary is giving leading bloggers to her campaign rather than by the blogging communities ability to challenge the elites and bring one of their candidates down. Who cares who Joe Wilson endorses or Steven Spielberg? Who even cares who is the better candidate Obama or Hilary?

What matters is where the funding comes from these days and who is deciding who are next President is going to be.

[ Parent ]

: Amen (none / 0) (#24)
by Jlvngstn on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 10:06:52 AM EST

[ Parent ]

Character (none / 0) (#25)
by diogenes on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 10:43:41 AM EST

Richard Nixon had his strong points too. When you look at Hillary, don't you see Nixon, for good and for bad?

: hahahhahaha (5.00 / 1) (#26)
by squeaky on Tue Jul 17, 2007 at 11:07:15 AM EST

When you look at Hillary, don't you see Nixon, for good and for bad?
Didn't you mean Hitler?

[ Parent ]