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CLINTON ONLY.
It's been remarked upon before that Hillary Clinton's speeches are energetic, smooth, and detailed performances. Here in Ottumwa, in front of an all-ages crowd of almost 1,000 people, Clinton has spent a significant amount of time talking about domestic policies that her front-running rivals aren't mentioning in their stump speeches, or don't speak about in equal depth.
Just to be clear, Edwards and Obama have proposed many of these same policies, but aren't focusing on them in Iowa. Here they are:
Disability rights. Clinton talks about her post-law school work at the Children's Defense Fund, where she worked on legislation to guarantee that every disabled child would have access to an accessible, public education.
Military issues. Like Clinton, Edwards and Obama want to pass a new G.I. Bill. But Clinton talks about two specific policy successes she's already had caring for soldiers and veterans: First, Clinton co-sponsored legislation, which passed, that required that National Guardsmen and women and their families be offered health insurance, against the wishes of the Pentagon and White House. She also passed a bill disallowing the Pentagon from retracting the signing bonuses of wounded soldiers.
"Fiscal responsibility." All the candidates talk about rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. But only Clinton uses this particular language. This is a comfortable talking point for her, since her own husband balanced the budget. It's something she touts at every appearance.
Job training. Hillary gets big applause when she promises to make college affordable. But then she continues by talking about the invisible class of young Americans who don't attend college, using construction workers as an example. "I don't think we're showing them enough respect," she says. "We need to do more with job training and apprenticeship programs. Any young person in America who is willing to work hard should have a chance at a middle class lifestyle and a job that's secure in the global economy."
--Dana Goldstein
COMMENTS (12)
Wow Dana,
She sounds awesome! And, no "um colorful" music!
Posted by: Kay | January 2, 2008 9:55 PM
I really like the way Clinton emphasizes career training for non-four-year-college workers. Mark Warner did a lot of it too. Edwards does a bit when not on the stump.
Posted by: Nicholas Beaudrot | January 2, 2008 10:34 PM
Wow, that's great! Of course, I could have just looked at her website or transcripts of her past speeches, but at least the travel industry made a few bucks.
As for her support for making college affordable, what I would do is try to ask her - or at least one of her minions - this question. Eventually someone's going to ask about that, but I guess TPTB don't mind if it's asked in October.
Posted by: TLB | January 2, 2008 10:42 PM
I thought I clicked on the American Prospect website--must have been redirected to HRC's campaign site...
Seriously...this is an embarrassingly partisan post.
Posted by: sdwight | January 2, 2008 11:24 PM
"Fiscal responsibility" is a phrase I associate with Howard Dean. Very interesting.
Posted by: marijane | January 3, 2008 1:19 AM
I don't know. Unionized construction workers make middle class wages and benefits. Community college tuition is by no means life's greatest hurdle. The truth is they need to be able to keep their day jobs. Why is this elitist twit making it okay to undermine them by proposing that, really, the best thing is to retrain them for the low paid service industry? That's magical thinking-- "Education solves everything."
Get lost, twit.
Posted by: Anonymous | January 3, 2008 11:21 AM
Below is a direct quote that tells you all you need to know about TLB:
Regarding the extremely dangerous situation I refered to, millions of Americans have noted that hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens are marching in our streets and demanding that we capitulate to their demands.
Obvious to those millions of Americans, this is an extremely dangerous situation, and it's important to back away slowly from it lest those foreign citizens begin rioting and burning our cities.
Those who support illegal immigration - including almost all Democratic leaders and bloggers such as our host - stand a very real risk of being considered Quislings by those millions of Americans.
Posted by: PaulB | January 3, 2008 12:23 PM
I've got a publicist?!?! Why, thank you for your spirit of volunteerism. It took a while, but I found the preceding as a comment on this thread, and "our host" refered to the wonderful Kevin Drum.
Now, "liberals" can tell me what's wrong with the quote. Make sure you know as much as I do about this issue first; that was written in April 2006 and since that time I uncovered even more direct or indirect links between elected Democratic and the MexicanGovernment. See, for instance, this: tinyurl.com/ygbclj
Posted by: TLB | January 3, 2008 1:26 PM
"Now, "liberals" can tell me what's wrong with the quote."
You mean aside from the fact that it's certifiably insane? That it falsely projects your own wholly irrational fears on the rest of the populace? That it is entirely wrong about the behavior and motifivation of those who participated in the demonstrations? That the "danger" exists, and existed, solely in your own fevered imagination? That you are lying about Democratic leaders "support[ing]" illegal immigration?
Gee, I can't imagine how I could possibly have used it as an example of just what a nutcase you are.
Posted by: PaulB | January 3, 2008 4:37 PM
Do I need to tell anyone that PaulB is being completely ahistoric and is living in a fantasy world where suddenly all the things that have happened throughout all recorded human history will never happen here because we're somehow special?
And, do I need to note that since I wrote that both JohnMcCain and AndresOppenheimer - both rather establishment figures - have warned of ParisStyleRiots and a LatinoIntifada respectively.
Just because "liberals" are too scared to discuss these issues doesn't mean that they're going to go away. In fact, they're a huge vulnerability for the Dem candidates, and one that I hope will be fully exploited.
Posted by: TLB | January 3, 2008 5:52 PM
i think that Hilary Clinton would make a great women president and i like her plans on putting a stop to the war in Iraq. it's about time we send those fighters home. they deserve that much. Hilary Clinton has great plans and if she gets elected she'll definately change alot of things for the good.
Posted by: LindsayM | January 7, 2008 4:36 PM
If one compares the voting records and legislative accomplishments of Senators Clinton, Obama and Edwards they will find that Senator Clinton is long on results and accomplishments. They will find that Senator Obama was (present) but didn't cast many yes or no votes and that Senator Edwards was perpetually out of the Senate running for office. Senator Clinton is definitely the A+ Senator who should be our next President. The other candidates are marginal C candidates.
Posted by: JerryDTX | January 9, 2008 6:49 PM