EUGENE - Sen. Hillary Clinton defended the critical and sometimes harsh exchanges between her presidential campaign and that of rival Barack Obama, saying, “It is not a coronation, it is a contest.”
“I don’t take any of it personally, and I don’t take most of it seriously. That’s what happens in politics,” she said at a rally in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday.
“If you can’t stand the heat, don’t run for president because it’s a really hot kitchen in the White House, I’ll tell you that much,” she said.
Her comments came in response to a young man in the crowd who said he was an Obama supporter. He asked if anything said by her campaign might have hurt the Illinois senator and might merit an apology.
“I think this has been, by and large, one of the most positive and civil campaigns I’ve ever been a part of or know about,” she replied. “For those who are new to politics … it can be eye-opening especially when you choose sides and you’re for one or the other of us, that you can take very personally anything anybody says.”
“Elections are about choices,” she continued. “You’re supposed to present your case, and you’re supposed to critique the other case. That’s what you do in an election. It is not a coronation. It is a contest.”
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Photo: Reuters/Rebecca Cook (Clinton supporter at campaign stop in Detroit)
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Hey! Why leave out the last bit of her answer? Hillary Clinton continued to say, “This country is worth fighting for, and I am going to fight for it. I’d rather you be involved and not for me than to be apathetic and not involved.” Ellen Wulfhorst: you haven’t been fair.
- Posted by zfmelody, Snohomish, wa, It will do you well to listen to the entire sermon and more of Rev Wright’s sermons. The US needs to become reacquainted with who God is. You do know that God punishes even those he loves, right? You do know that to highlight the wrongs of a people does not indicate hatred. You do know that everything the rev said God damn America for is true, right? Whether or not God will ursher ultimate damnation is yet to be seen, but you could not convince me that the US has not yet started paying for some of its evils. God is love, but He is also a just God–Get to know Him. He will not be mocked!
- Posted by Clara MabryI see Hillary as thebest choice for the white house. As a democrat if Obama wins I will still vote for him because i can’t take anymore of these republicans but I will be disappointed as I don’t want a preacher and Obama is showing thathe is not pro gay. His reverand spiritual advisor Rev meek(I am not talking abou wright)is antigay. Obama is not for everyone just some that is not real change.
- Posted by RyanIf you can’t stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen!? This is the woman who started crying out of frustration because she thought things weren’t going her way in New Hampshire. Anyway, how would Hillary know anything about kitchens?
- Posted by Noel KochI am glad Hillary told the Obama supporter what she did! I am sick and tired of hearing the Obama people saying the Clinton campaign has been negative. The Obama campaign and him, himself, were attacking Hillary for months before she or her campaign ever said a single word against him!
Obama has said some very nasty things about Hillary that could be damaging to HER, too, but I guess that’s OK as far as those Obamamaniacs are concerned! Sheesh!!!
- Posted by AlwaysforHillaryThis person is without shame…She who uses ‘tears for votes’, big boy’s bullying me’, i’m your girl’, 35 yrs of stolen experience, Tulza lie, pregnant girl lie, Ireland lie, Kosovo lie, backpack lie, maybe armband lie, “not that I know of” innuendo.
A look at her CV tells you that— for a woman of 61 years her’s is best described as ‘thin’. More lately found to be ‘presumed’. She was fired for being a liar at 27 in the Watergate investigation. She was low billible at the Rose Law firm. She can not longer practice law-CLESUSPEN’. She plays the victim/gender card ad nauseum. and to no effect lately.
Then we have ’speeches are just words and don’t put food on the table’—interesting that it put $52 million on her table. Interesting that it is her integrity and character being proven lacking- not Obama’s. Interesting her management skills are evident in the handling of her $120million and her campaign.
A look at his shows in the top 10% for his age!!!!
- Posted by DocbSHE WAS HOPING FOR A CORONATION AND IS GETTING A THUMPING.
the comment given by Noemi for me deserves to be awarded five Peter Pan , very wise statement indeed
- Posted by lucky tomTo the comments above. obama is no different than any other politician. He has not been truthful. We still do not know all the details of the Rezko relationship. He is not a law professor. And he sat in a church for twenty years with his family listening to a preacher who was spouting hate to white people and America. And you call this a breath of fresh air. His resume is paper thin. And he claimed the Kennedy’s brought his father to America and gave him a free ride to education, housing, and clothing and food. His father came a whole year earlier, then when the Kennedy’s gave the money to the fund. But either way his father got a free ride. So before you start preaching how pure he is, you better inform yourselves. Hillary has worked her entire life to get where she is today. There was no free rides for anyone in her family. SHE WILL BE THE BEST PRESIDENT.
- Posted by melody, Snohomish, wabeautiful speeches does not make a president. i would rather have a workhorse with intelligence and experience in the white house. that’s why sen. clinton is the best candidate for president. as the primaries continue, i am finding more about obama and i don’t like it.
obama needs to do a lot more learning and serving!
- Posted by mikelAll politicians misrepresent issues and positions. As the voting public we need to be able to discern which of them is the most qualified despite their “misrepresentations.” Wilma, I’m glad you’ve done your research but it seems that you only did so selectively.
I’d rather deal with sniper fire than 20 years of listening and, by his presence consenting to, the worst kind of bigotry and anti-American diatribes. I’m sick to death of the double standard used by the media and the gullible public to excuse unaceptable views — I don’t care what color anyone is, what is unacceptable for one group is unacceptable for all. If the Reverend Wright gets a free pass, then why is everyone so incensed with Geraldine Ferraro? Wasn’t she exercising her right to free speech too.
Finally, if Obama wins, I hope you and the rest of his naive devotees prepare yourselves for the letdown of learning that he is just human. And, that the great uniter has a claim to the title because he is a “great avoider of taking a stand” as his legislative record clearly indicates. You can’t make enemies across the aisle if you don’t take stands. And, please don’t insult my intelligence by claiming that his speech on race is a stand — that speech, brilliant though it may be, was done as a politial necesity and diversion tactic to shift attention away from the Wright scandal.
Looks like Obama is a liar like the rest of them after all.
Noemi
- Posted by NoemiHonestly now, we all know politics are corrupt, that you have to be bought and paid for in order to become President otherwise why lend a candidate millions if you’re already a billionaire? You lend a presidential hopeful millions because of the power and money promised you, that’s why. The President’s job is to repay that debt and strengthen the country regardless. You accept money from oil companies to stay out of their price hikes and tack on enough taxes to cause oil prices to skyrocket but hell, you’ve paid them to take the heat in the media. So they do. And both parties get richer. A good president will keep that cycle going but spend what’s left of his cut on finding alternative and domestic fuel sources.
Essentially one has to be corrupt with a heart of gold, because that’s the only way to get in and change things.
- Posted by WilliamIt’s really a null argument over who can stand the heat. The elephant in the room that no one talks about is superdelegates. In February Hillary had a lead of 87 with them. Now she’s down to 30 or less. That was her last ‘bastion’, and it’s crashing down around her ears. There is a theory that Hillary knows she can’t win the nomination but if she stays in long enough she might trash Obama’s ability to win the general election, leaving her open to run in 2012. If you told me that about any other Democrat I’d laugh…
- Posted by ChadI have read and listen and researched almost all of the blunders and misstatements of all of the canidates, but honestly people- Hillary is a liar. We already have one of those in office, why put another one in?
- Posted by WilmaHillary Clinton is an example of all that is good in this country. That you can rise from nothing to be something. The fact that she never lost her principles on the way up, that she continued to fight for justice in civil rights and a leg up for the poor is a testament to her character.
She is a woman of the ages. We need a president like her.
Carolyn Kay
- Posted by Carolyn KayMakeThemAccountable.com
“I don’t take most of it seriously. That’s what happens in politics”
“It is not a coronation, it is a contest.”
Yes indeed, it is a contest, I suspect to Sen. Clinton’s profound regret… she was hoping for a coronation.
And the person winning the contest is the one who is taking it seriously, who sees clearly the damage that politics as usual has caused, including deep cynicism by voters.
Many of us ARE taking our politics seriously now, thanks to Senator Obama.
- Posted by TrilliumMouth all mighty, then lying and silly season enroute from Hillary. She is a bad poof of stale air. Like a pressure cooker, when the lid pops off. Ooops! Pop goes the weasel. She needs to get a grip, or retire to her rocker and wait on them grandkids Chelsea said she wanted. Obama has been ready and established since ‘DAY ONE’. It’s so sad that he has to put up with a disaster of a character from Hillary. True the heat is on, but actually it should be on against the opponent McCain and not between the two of you in the same party. How could she know the difference, a misfit on the wild path talking out of her head. No match for Obama. Under fire Hillary has already awared the American people that she can duck, whether there was truth in it or not. Another chance for your ducking ability, but not in Bosnia. It’ll be the heat trailing from the campaige this time. So (((DUCK))), this is real.
- Posted by Nisey01Mr Austin,
- Posted by AmitYou seem like a sexist capitalizing MIS
This election is not for a college president. It is for the President of the USA. Please, give us all a break. We need an executionist in these troubled times, not a preacher. May Hillary can hire him as her speech writer after she becomes the President. Maybe then she could convince you.
How can anyone say that Obama’s integrity is intact when he has obviously lied about not hearing the inflamatory sermons of Dr. Wright, dealing with a felon when buying his house, not taking money from corporations and special interest groups, (when Oprah is alone is both), when he talks about how financial institutions are responsible for some of the foreclosures, etc, but then goes to lunch to raise money at one of their offices. Those that think he is impecable, or any other politician for that matter, are imbeciles. Wake up and smell the coffee brewing in the kitchen!
- Posted by Cari ComptonI believe the world not only America will witness the Change in the next election.
I support Obama because He walk the talk. I look at the Hilary I see false statement, I look at Macain, I see revenge But when I listen and look at Obama is truth and I see Change. Only one man walk this and he always send us is messages once in a while. America the whole world is behind Obama and believe it Heaven is also behind Him.
- Posted by Prince FemiObama can stand the heat and he is living and voting proof of it. His campaign is intact. His integrity is intact. His need to not “misspoke” is intact.His financial management skills are intact.His need to not misrepresent is intact.His positive poll is intact. His lead with the delegates is intact.His positive increase of superdelegates is intact.These actions are clear to be seen.There is heat;lots of heat , but who is scorching?.Whose pudding is burning and deteriorating under the heat? Remember the proof
- Posted by Pat S Austinof the pudding…
Oh what irony when we MISREPRESENT!