Saturday, November 10, 2007
Hillary plants more than corn in Iowa
The Clinton campaign stands accused of planting questions from the audience at campaign events in Iowa. The press narrative is that this is an "embarrassment," presumably because she has been caught weaving the illusion of spontaneity where in fact none exists. This is one of the strange things about politicians -- they are not the least bit spontaneous, but in the United States at least there is a great expectation that they should appear spontaneous.
In any case, I think the blog-MSM narrative somewhat misses the point. It is not embarrassing that the Clinton campaign was caught planting questions per se, but that they were caught doing it in Iowa. That means that they thought they could get away with it in Iowa, which reveals an absolute failure to understand the social networks in small Iowa towns. I guarantee that everybody else in the room immediately knew that the question and, probably, the questioner had been planted at the instant he or she first flapped his or her gums. When it comes to manufactured sincerity at local political events, small-town Iowans are the least easily duped people in the entire country. So the embarrassment is not that Hillary's staff got caught planting questions -- I am sure that happens at political rallies all over the country all the time -- but that they thought they could get away with it in Newton, Iowa.
My qualifications to opine on this subject are greater than they usually are: As a "Teenage Republican" in the mid-'70s, I campaigned in small towns all over southeastern Iowa for Congressman Jim Leach.
11 Comments:
By 
Georg Felis, at
Sat Nov 10, 09:03:00 AM:
Ah, the famous Clinton Hubris. This won't be the last time either.
By Angevin13, at
Sat Nov 10, 09:28:00 AM:
Hmm, more of the left's "fake but accurate" narrative? What's wrong with the Senator addressing supposedly impromptu questions of global warming and energy policy, even if they're planted? I wouldn't bet against Hillary supporters making this argument...
By 
, at
Sat Nov 10, 11:57:00 AM:
This story is already old news. Who cares? Politicians have been planting fake reporters for years. It has absolutely no bearing on the fact that Hillary Clinton is our only hope to take back America. I got $35 in the bank that says she's the best candidate. Jerk.
By , at
Sat Nov 10, 12:12:00 PM:
Gee. The comment from Vote Hillary Online is certainly encouraging and suggests that persons supporting her are nothing if not forgiving. No doubt they got a lot of practice in having to forgive her husband for some of the most outrageous and incredible behaviour ever by a sitting President. You have to really like the "Jerk" at the end too . Open-minded and polite as well as forgiving. What more could one ask?
And what exactly are we "taking Amercia back" from? Back from prosperity, back to blowjobs in the Oval Office? I am confused.
By , at
Sat Nov 10, 01:31:00 PM:
I remember when she was running for Senator in NY and appeared on Letterman. She wasn't a New Yorker and had to overcome a reputation as a carpetbagger. Lettermman gave her a "test" on her knowledge of New York, several pretty easy questions (at least for a New Yorker).She got all of them.
Later, it was revealed that she had been given the questions in advance of the interview. It did not seem to matter to the stupid New Yorker, they elected her anyway.
I fear that's what will happen next November; females all over the country will vote for her out of sympathy for a sorority sister, no matter how criminal she is and no matter how corrupt her circle of advisers is, no matter how vigorously that criminality and corruption is demonstrated.
By Purple Avenger, at
Sat Nov 10, 04:13:00 PM:
If she's willing to rig questions, I'd have to say she's also willing to rig elections.
Integrity is like virginity.
By Andy B, at
Sat Nov 10, 07:06:00 PM:
UPDATE: Fox News is now reporting on another Q & A planting incident by the Clinton campaign. Below's an excerpt and here's the link:
"SIOUX CITY, Iowa — For the second time in as many days, Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has had to deal with accusations of planting questions during public appearances."
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,310417,00.html
By , at
Sat Nov 10, 07:27:00 PM:
The Vote for Hillary Online guy is being sarcastic. Take a look at his site; it's actually quite funny.
By , at
Sun Nov 11, 12:51:00 AM:
Oh listen to hillary turning her flying monkeys loose in the hawkeye state whats going to happen besides a few dead flying monkeys?
By , at
Sun Nov 11, 07:16:00 PM:
Hillary declines to speak to the issues - or at least provide real answers to real questions, while opting for the more PC Global Warming ones - even if she has to script them herself. How else could the Clinton staged media report Hillary’s remarkable comeback, after the Illegal Alien Driver’s License debacle.
But like most Americans, I don’t want that duo back in the White House. With the Clintons, what is past is prologue. Hillary will come back swinging. Then there’s the incidence of Al Qaeda flight students, trained at the University of Bill Clinton. Why does this remain a non-issue? Albert Einstein said, “The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it:” http://theseedsof9-11.com
Hillary: Positively Pandering, Definitely Duplicitous, and Ultimately Unelectable (Thanks to Jeff, in Arlington).
By , at
Mon Nov 12, 12:20:00 AM:
I,LL GET YOU MY PRETTY AND YOUR LITTLE DOG TO AS WELL AS YOUR STATE TAX ROAD TAX THUMB TAX AND YOUR GUNS AND YOUR KIDS AND EVERYTHING ELSE ITS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL
