Yesterday, Hail to the Chief; Today, Hail to the Senator

[gristy]

By IAN FISHER
NY Times

Published: November 29, 2003

BAGHDAD, Iraq, Nov. 28 ? The first surprise waiting for Dr. Raja Habib Khuzai, a member of the Iraqi Governing Council, was President Bush in the flesh, telling her and other politicians that even his mother did not know he had come to Iraq for Thanksgiving. Then, on Friday, she was summoned by American officials again.

An occupation official told her, "You will have another surprise," Dr. Khuzai said, and she was ushered in to meet Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, here to visit American soldiers and officials and to discuss the role of women in the new Iraq.

While Mrs. Clinton's visit was not wrapped in the same vacuum-sealed secrecy as Mr. Bush's, the back-to-back appearances by a sitting president and someone who might run for the job, were, for most Iraqis, certainly unexpected.

link

[PaDUer]

1. Such a difference...he thinks they didn't notice!

"During his two-and-a-half-hour visit on Thursday, Mr. Bush stayed inside the heavily fortified airport complex. Mrs. Clinton, a Democrat from New York, ventured outside the complex on her trip here with Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island. She said they came mostly to see the troops, after stops in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where they met with American soldiers and leaders of those nations."

[doc03]

29. Bush Courageous!

The local talk show host went nuts over Bush yesterday. He said Bush has brass balls. While Hillary's trip was just political. I would like to see Bush attend a funeral or go to visit his victoms in a military hospital.

[Malva Zebrina]

2. Hillary looking real good

She looks like a sane, intelligent senator doing her job as opposed to the insane looking, jocular and tearful (bi-polar) , puffy faced , costumed idiot that thinks his job is to dress up in a flashy army jacket and play hide and seek in order to make a big photo op display on the front page of all the newspapers

[robbedvoter]

3. Wow! They actually covered it! I am in shock!

Crossfire e-mail yesterday: Did W;s visit eclipse Hillary? (you know the reasons for the timing of this now)

[Paschall]

4. I've been waiting for this, too

We got coverage in the French papers yesterday. They all led with the bit about Hill leaving the fortified palace after lunch for a stroll beyond the highest-security zone. (Take that, W!)

[moondust]

5. The difference.

How much input from the troops and Iraqi population did Bush get on his 2-1/2-hour stay? Next to none. Why did he rush home so fast? Couldn't miss another "quiet day in Crawford"?

His unnecessarily short stay proves he doesn't give a damn about Iraq OR the troops. He just needed some pictures for his campaign.

Hillary and Jack, on the other hand, are investing their time to find out first hand what's going on over there, and will be better prepared to deal with it as a result.

[Noordam]

6. I am not sure about Hillary BUT

Senator Jack Reed does not look like he is wearing bullet proof vests.

[CBHagman]

31. And Jack Reed is a veteran.

He was a career Army officer, if I recall correctly.

[Snellius]

7. I don't see Hillary holding up a turkey and mugging for the press

Hillary's in as much danger as Bush and I don't see her cringing around, fearful and hiding, and running away first chance she gets. Bush's visit was just a PR photo-op. If not, why did they make sure that the video wasn't shot by CNN, which was next in line, but by their ministry of propaganda at FOX.

[Eric J in MN]

8. while I want Bush defeated as much as anyone

While I want Bush defeated as much as anyone, there are bigger security issues with a Bush visit.

There are probably some Iraquis who are angry at Bush for their treatment by Americans. Iraquis have no reason to be angry at Hillary Clinton.

[Snellius]

10. They had no reason to be angry at the U.N. and Red Cross

either. Hillary is a high-profile American celebrity who puts herself in as much danger as Bush, without the army of security that surrounds the President of the United States. Do you really think the terrorists really care?

[westman]

24. Actually, she has

just as much security as the Prez--her secret service detail stays with her for life.

[lancdem]

27. But she has less Secret Service protection than when she was First Lady

and certainly not as much as the president. BTW, welcome to DU. :)

[newyawker99]

30. Hi westman!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Media_Lies_Daily]

13. So, seeing as how Bunnypants is not the real president...

...what were the security concerns for him?

IMHO, as a former REAL First Lady and current ELECTED senator, Hillary is a much more important target than Herr Coke-n-Smoke.

ONE MORE NEWSFLASH:

The Iraqis have been killing EVERYBODY lately. In addition to the Americans and Brits, they've also targeted the UN, the Red Cross, the Italians, the Polish, and anyone else that looks like an unwelcome tourist.

Interesting comment in your post: "There are probably SOME Iraqis who are angry at Bush for their treatment by Americans..."??? So, in your world when you whack an hornets' nest with a stick do only SOME of the hornets get angry?

[ClintonTyree]

9. To all of you "Bush Bashers".........

I ask you this? How long could YOU stand around with a load of shit in your pants? I'll bet you couldn't even make the 2 1/2 hours that our glorious leader did! And he is NOT just a cowardly, scared pathetic little man who had to be coaxed by his advisors to make the trip because Hitlery was going there to REALLY visit the troops and find out what is going on and it was NOT a just a photo-op because his flight suit fantasy on the circling aircraft carrier in the Pacific didn't turn out the way Karl wanted becuase those sailors put up the "missions accomplished" sign, not him, SO STOP SAYING THAT!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

12. So THAT's why he had to leave so quickly! That...

...pair of Depends was starting to chafe Bunnypants' privates.

That's assuming that he has ANY privates at all.

[Prodemsouth]

16. Do you write the Bob columns- that was perfect.

n/t

[wryter2000]

22. Good one! LOL

:yourock:

[kysrsoze]

34. forget it - just got the joke

[Snellius]

11. We're really doomed if even DUers are falling for this Bu**sh**

Whether political or personal, whether a photo-op or act of valor, those brave men and women should not be there, killing and dying because the Commander in Chief fucked up. All those who seem to think this was such a grand gesture on the part of the president, seem to forget what are we doing there in the first place when the real terrorist are approaching from our opposite flank.

[wildmanj]

14. hillary

once again hillary proves she has more BALLS than the pResident:shrug:

[booksenkatz]

26. Something often better'n balls: ovaries <eom>

*

[PROGRESSIVE1]

25. Agreed! Question, is DUMPGUMP a FReeper or something!

.

[Judi Lynn]

15. Great article. Hooray for Hillary. Here's another article.

Under tight security, Hillary Clinton meets governor of oil-rich province in northern Iraq




By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press Writer

November 29, 2003, 9:27 AM EST


KIRKUK, Iraq -- U.S. senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Jack Reed met in this oil-rich northern city Saturday with local officials who urged the visitors to raise the problems of their city with U.S. officials back home.

After the 90-minute private meeting, Kirkuk's governor Abdel-Rahman Mustafa said the senators were briefed on the severe economic problems and high unemployment facing the city.

Clinton, D-N.Y., and Reed, D-R.I., arrived under tight security. Their convoy, which included an armored personnel carrier and a Humvee, was protected from the air by two Apache helicopters.

Kirkuk has some of Iraq's biggest oil fields, but former President Saddam Hussein neglected the city and oppressed its large Kurdish population. (snip/...)

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--iraq-hillaryclint1129nov29,0,4019832.story?coll=ny-ap-regional-wire

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't think _Bush planned to be anywhere other than his house in Texas. I truly believe they rushed this thing together at the last minute when they realized Hillary Clinton was in Afghanistan, or on the way.

[warrior1]

17. those two and half hours

will come back to bite bunnypants n the ass. The turkey has lander indeed.

[Prodemsouth]

18. I agree - Amen

it was political maybe cnn, now that it is pissed off that it was out of the loop- will dig and find proof of what you said to be true. but I believe that is the only reason he went-cause she did.

[Benhurst]

19. Poor Bush*. He steals into Baghdad like a thief in the night

and then heads back to his pig farm. He's afraid of the people in every country he visits, and he's afraid of the horses in Texas.
Thank God he has his pig farm, where neither the people nor horses have access.

[demgrrrll]

20. I think Bush looks like a photo op coward now. Brilliant move by

Hillary.

[Fovea]

21. Or more accurately

Profoundly stupid move by Karl.

[demgrrrll]

23. Agreed. I was thinking that this is the way to win. Make a move that

forces them to make a quick move and a mistake.

[opihimoimoi]

28. Bush:: All Puff, All Bluff, NO STUPH

in a poker game, the prez would get creamed.

[jsw_81]

32. Pols in Iraq

I really don't like seeing politicians of either party doing photo-ops with the troops. The only exception should be for the president or vice president (elected presidents and vice presidents, not phony usurpers like Bush and Cheney). Just my opinion.

[demgrrrll]

33. Hillary is part of the Senate Armed Services commitee and has

a policy making role in this area, she did have a reason for
going other than a photo op.