Questioner Responds to Clinton

At Hillary Clinton's rally in Eugene last weekend, one of the questions the Senator took from an audience member and her response to it has been widely reported on in the national media.

From MSNBC:

"I am an Obama supporter -- don’t boo me -- I am being respectful. I came here to listen to you," the man said. "I was an Edwards supporter then Obama. But recently, some of the things your supporters have said -- some of it self serving. So my question is, is electing the Democrat the most important thing? And is there anything you said or one of your surrogates that might have hurt Sen. Obama? Anything that you would like to apologize for?"

Clinton responded, "Every question is a fair question, and I am happy that you came. I am happy that you asked your question. I obviously see it differently. First of all, I think this has been, by and large, one of the [most] positive and civil campaigns that I know of or have been a part of. Now for those of you who are new to politics ... it can be a little eye-opening, especially when you choose sides and you are for one or the other of us."

She went on, "I have to tell you there have been some things, believe it or not, said about me by his campaign. And you know, I don't take any of it personally. I don't take of it seriously. That is what happens in politics, and if you can't stand the heat, don't run for president because it is a really hot kitchen in the White House. I will tell you that much. So for my perspective, the goal is to elect the Democrat. And I believe we will be a stronger Democratic Party -- because look at all the people we are bringing into this contest.

Over at Daily Kos, the young man who asked the question, Curtis Haley, describes his experience leading up to that moment, and then responds to Clinton's answer:

Finally, Senator Clinton, allow me to make one last observation:

You are losing this race.

You're losing it because you no longer grasp what America wants and needs above all else. You're losing it because you're still trying to project yourself as the best fighter in the race, showing it by battering someone that stands for almost all the same values you do, when the majority of Democrats and everyone are saying that they're tired of the fighting that has been raging for decades.

You're losing this race for the same reason you have now lost my vote for good.

When I asked you a question, you dismissed the very real feelings behind it. You told me that I was young, that I was naive, that I didn't understand. You tried to "inform" me about the nature of politics, and you implied that my belief in a better way was misplaced, misguided and incorrect.

Well, Senator, I'm not just some punk kid. I'm a voter. I'm a voter just the same as the women, African-Americans, college kids, veterans, Republicans, senior citizens, and latte-sipping Prius drivers around this country are voters - and all of our votes are equally powerful, which makes all of our feelings and hopes and desires for the future of this country equally valid.

The majority of those people aren't voting for you, Senator. You're losing this race, and there's a reason for that. I tried to explain that reason, tried to ask you to acknowledge my worries as valid and real...

And you just gave another speech telling me about the "realities" of this rough and tumble political world of ours.

I'm young, Senator Clinton, but I understand a lot of the realities of this political world. And one of these realities is that you're losing because you no longer are fighting for what the majority of America wants.

Read the rest and comment at Daily Kos.

April 08, 2008 Posted in elsewhere.