It’s not just two Clintons that rival Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama now must contend with on the campaign trail. Hillary and Bill Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, is now taking a much more vocal and prominent role.
While Chelsea Clinton refuses to talk to reporters, the campaign has allowed her to be filmed phoning voters in New Hampshire, she has stood by her mother’s side at speeches and rallies, and she now takes a few questions from audience participants during campaign events.
The Clinton campaign on Thursday also issued an appeal in her name to supporters offering one lucky contributor an invitation to join the 27-year-old former first daughter at the Jan. 31 debate in Los Angeles and to meet the candidate.
“I’ve knocked on doors, made calls, visited our field offices, and joined my mom at rallies. I can tell you firsthand that my mom is doing a great job, and that we have a big job ahead of us; she needs help from every last one of us right now,” she said in the e-mail appeal.
Obama complained at the last debate that he was not sure who really was his opponent for the party’s presidential nomination because of all the attacks by former President Bill Clinton.
On Wednesday, Chelsea Clinton took a couple questions at a college in Charleston, South Carolina, and she argued that her mother’s gender should not matter to the military should she become their commander-in-chief.
Here’s the transcript:
Q: How would she handle some of the negative sentiment that a lot of military leaders, generals, colonels, admirals have toward a woman commander in chief?
CLINTON: Well, I think one of the things — I’m really proud of my mom is that through her work on the Armed Services Committee, she has built a strong coalition of support within the military, both retired officers as well active duty officers. Those are the things that will really matter to people. And I would hope that those would matter more than her sex.
Q: Let’s ask you a tough one. What do you think of the debate Monday night?
CLINTON: I thought when we were talking about substantial issues, it was great — and that’s what I certainly want to hear as a voter. And I’m proud that my mom stood up and fought back.
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
- Photo credit: Reuters/Rick Wilking (Chelsea Clinton arrives at a campaign event in Las Vegas earlier this month.)
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12 comments so far
Next thing you know, Senator Obama will be whining how “unfair” it is that the big bad Chelsea is supporting her mom as well. Maybe he’ll go crying to Patrick Leahy again to call off the meanies.
Geez, I have never in all my years following politics seen such a whiner.
- Posted by SallySAIt’s fine for her to campaign. That’s great. Bill should as well. The manner you campaign and the role you take do matter.
- Posted by AliciaCan you imagine George Bush Sr campaign for his son W? They would have been ridiculed and W would be accused of not being able to stand up for himself. How about our genius left wing bias media talking about, huh?
Talking about women standing up for themselves. Here is a woman who clearly cannot do it without her husband because he is not just campaigning for her. He is doing all the talking. She did not lose ever since he started talking. The attendance where Bill talks is often time much higher. I went once to listen to him, not her.
Tough spot for Barack. If he responds to attacks, he’s a whiner. If he tries to ignore them, he’s a wimp. If he goes on the attack himself, he’s branded as “just another dirty pol.” Maybe he should try some tears and a trembling little voice. It worked for Hillary.
- Posted by ScottLGSally,
You are calling Obama a whiner??? Hillary cried to get the NH vote, and Obama is the whiner?
Obama grew up without his father, went to Harvard Law Schools and built his career himself (no mean feat for a black man), is running against an ex-president and his wife (two against one), and you call Obama a whiner?
You are just a disgusting woman, with no empathy or compassion in your soul.
- Posted by AmazedIf Chelsea Clinton, a millionaire cannot give interviews, than she should not get media coverage. Simple as that. If she had anything interesting to present to the world, at 27 years old, millions of dollars in the bank, access to eveybody, what has she brought to the world? Repeating the phrase, “Are you going to vote for my mom?”
- Posted by CCObama whines that he is competing against the Clintons, and he does use his wife and Oprah. I feel sorry for Obama, how will he be able to negotiate with foreign leaders if he can not compete against the Clintons.
- Posted by Paul DearHow is hillbill going to negotiage with foreign leaders…? Is bubba going to wag his finger if the leaders are tough on Hillary? Or is she going to cry and ask her ’sisters’ to bail her out?
- Posted by AmazedBill Clinton’s fairy tale is saying that I did not have sex with that woman.
- Posted by JJHere are a list of names and events that people should take the time to google when they get a chance:
Bernard Nussbaum, Billy Dale, “Cattlegate”, Castle Grande Deal, Whitewater, Mike Espy, “Filegate”, David Watkins, Hubbell, Lippo, William Kennedy, Craig Livingstone, Dick Morris, Vince Foster, Hazel O’Leary, Harold Ickles, Sherry Rowlands, Harry Thomason, Bob Fiske, Gennifer Flowers… the list goes on and on. Do we really want to relive these events?
People get real!!!!!
Anyone but the Clintons!!!!
- Posted by JayFolks, the Billary onslaught, coming so early in the process, is the best thing that could happen to the Obama campaign. Burn off some potential vulnerabilities now, toughen him up for a real fight, so he doesn’t get sunk in this kind of sleazy attack in the general election (think “swiftboating”). Obama says he prays daily to keep focused on God’s will and keep his own ego in the background in this campaign. Well, sometimes we are tested for our own good, to strengthen us, not to punish us. Obama hasn’t been attacked like this before, he’s obviously a little shocked and shaken off message. God willing he will soon discern the right way to handle this kind of nasty attack, because it’s something he’s going to face again from other opponents. It’s a process, and it’s all good.
I hope and pray that he will win (and am giving money and time for that end) — but even if he loses, his campaign is not just about him. It’s about community organizing writ large. It’s a movement. It’s more about all of US, it’s about galvanizing Americans to come together in order to challenge the powers that be, politicians, corporations, etc., to achieve needed changes. Most of us feel pretty powerless; Obama’s message is that “in unity there is strength.” It’s “if we fight TOGETHER for change we will achieve it. If you come together and DEMAND change, demand healthcare, demand rational economic policies, demand an international stance that is worthy of respect, demand functional gov’t, etc. … then you’ll make it possible for me, as your Prez, to get it done.” Clinton’s message is “you need strong politicians to fight your fights for you.” Trouble is she’s fighting against EVERYBODY, even Obama who pretty much agrees with her on all the policy issues….. She’s right, and everybody else is wrong, and oh, it’s that vast right-wing conspiracy…. She’s gonna get a lot of cooperation from Congress with that attitude?
Keep the faith Obama, and keep the hope America.
*PS, this is so cute … the anti-spam word I got was “love”! yes yes yes.
- Posted by ReginaFor the record:
- Posted by maureenGeorge Bush Senior DID campaign for his son W. So did his mother, his wife, and his brother.
[...] MSNBC’s David Shuster during a discussion on the cable news network on Thursday about her increased participation in her mother’s campaign. On Friday, Hillary Clinton’s communications director Howard Wolfson tore into the network [...]
- Posted by MSNBC causes stir over “pimp” comment about Chelsea Clinton - Tales from the Trail: 2008