In Debate, Hillary Clinton Will Display Skills Honed Over a Lifetime

[uawchild]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Warren Stupidity (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: New York Times

When Hillary Rodham’s high school government teacher in Park Ridge, Ill., insisted she play the role of Lyndon B. Johnson in a mock debate of the 1964 presidential election, she protested.

Ms. Rodham, one of the school’s standout debaters, was a proud Barry Goldwater supporter (she wore a hat with an “AuH2O” logo) and an active member of the Young Republicans. But the teacher, Jerry Baker, was intent on challenging her to argue the other side.

Always a dutiful student, she agreed, settling into the library to pore for hours over Mr. Johnson’s positions on civil rights, foreign policy and health care. She prepared with such ardor and delivered such a compelling case that she even convinced herself. By the time Ms. Rodham graduated from high school a year later, she was a Democrat.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/11/us/politics/in-debate-hillary-clinton-will-display-skills-honed-over-a-lifetime.html

---

I am looking forward to a vigorous discussion of the issues in the upcoming debate, if the format allows it!

And as a Bernie supporter, let me say I do respect Hill for being able to take in new information, digest it, and modify her positions accordingly as she did, apparently, even in high school.

The less she copies Bill's "triangulation" tactics and just be her true self, the better a candidate and possible future president she would be, imho.

[djean111]

1. The triangulation tactics ARE her true self.

And, IMO, she is just modifying her positions in order to win, not because she actually believes in the new positions.

[PDittie]

7. The skills of

prevarication, obfuscation, and triangulation. She hit the trifecta!

[cantbeserious]

2. Translation - HRC Will Shade The Truth - To Tell People What They Want To Hear

eom

[upaloopa]

3. She is not Bill 2.0

Why is it so hard to understand that she is a strong independent woman?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

11. strong independent women don't flip fop,

lie unnecessarily, or shift positions depending on her present audience.

She prefers hedging the truth, when the truth would actually serve her purposes better.

You are right, she is not Bill 2.0. Bill was a far more talented pol, and could wow an audience with ease.

[raindaddy]

4. It looks like more voters have developed a BS detector over the last thirty years..

Not great news for the Clintons...

[snooper2]

5. Yep, worked out GREAT for her last time ROFLMAO Obama Slam :)

[SHRED]

6. Let's say she does "take in new information" and changes

Problem is that her "new information" is not new.
Being that far behind in information gathering has me questioning her effectiveness as a leader.

[asjr]

8. Thank you for seeing both sides. It is a rare post.

[DFW]

9. I admire a president who sticks to reality

But I also admire a candidate who stakes out a position and pushes for it.

I was crestfallen when Obama chose Rahm Emmanuel as chief of staff because I thought it would have a very negative influence on his cabinet, and in retrospect, I think it did. Hillary has a less-than-stellar track record of picking less-than-stellar advisers, although I still respect Howard immensely, and suspect he has a far better influence on Hillary than Rahm ever had on Obama. I have liked Obama a lot better since Rahm took off back to Chicago. Should Hillary get elected and boot Howard out like Obama did at Rahm's urging, I'll have some vile things to say about that. If she wins and keeps him close, I'd count that as a point in her favor.

As for Bernie's friends and intimates, I don't have a clear picture of what kind team they are or even who they are. If Raúl Grijalva is part of it, that would be a big plus, and I read that he supports Bernie. Funny side note--I have no idea what Raúl Grijalva sounds like when he speaks English. He and I have only ever spoken Spanish together, and it was in a crowded room, so when he spoke to other Anglos, presumably in English, I couldn't hear what was being said.

But Reagan and Bush, Sr. raised taxes despite their campaign positions, and saved (if only barely, and on life-support) the economy from crashing. Cheney didn't and the economy DID crash. Say what you want during the campaign. The time of purity ends when you're in the White House and the country is looking your way and saying, OK, now what? The Senate, the House and the Supreme Court are still there whether you like it or not. You can't just hole up in the Oval Office and pretend they aren't there. After the inauguration, and you're forced to deal with hostiles, you will get trashed by those who expected you never to compromise. THAT'S when we see if we elected someone who is tough enough guide us through the storm. I don't have a clear picture of who would do that best, which is why I haven't made up my mind yet.

[djean111]

10. I do not think anyone is expecting "purity". "purity" is just a pejorative that gets flung.

[Jester Messiah]

12. What, is she going to simultaneously advocate both sides of an issue while raising corporate money?

That seems to be where she's most skilled.

[HomerRamone]

13. Does this qualify as Latest Breaking NEWS?

Or is it a Sunday (look at the date) puff piece?

[merrily]

14. We saw them in 2008.

[Warren Stupidity]

15. Locking. Not LBN.

Feel free to repost in GDP.