Hillary's Howler -- 35 years fighting for change

[Girlieman]

Hillary keeps saying this, and as far as I know, nobody calls her on it. Why doesn't anybody ask her what changes she brought about sitting on the board of directors of Walmart Corporation?

Hillary spent most of her career, apart from being Bill Clinton's wife, as a corporate lawyer. From the website of her former law firm:

"We also advise clients on union avoidance, organizing campaigns and union representation elections."

Union avoidance!

And she was fighting for change as a partner in that law firm? What kind of change?

Hillary would make a fine republican, seriously. But she's no democrat.

[Lucinda]

1. Thats because its accurate. Here is a link for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton

[Girlieman]

4. I read it. Where's the battle for change?

From the wikipedia article:

"Clinton continued to practice law with the Rose Law Firm while she was First Lady of Arkansas. She earned less than all the other partners, due to fewer hours being billed, but still made over $200,000 in her final year there. She continued to rarely do trial work, but was considered a "rainmaker" at the firm for bringing in clients, partly due to the prestige she lent the firm and to her corporate board connections."


I can imagine how these referrals worked:

Exec one: Hey Joe, we've got some legal issues down in Arkansas, do you know anybody good down there?

Exec two: What kind of problems do you have?

Exec one: Oh, the usual, union issues, some environment stuff, taxes.

Exec two: Uh, you know, I do. There's a sharp lawyer down there named Rodham, she's working hard to bring change, you know, stuff like worker's rights, health care, protect the environment, civil rights. She really wants to shake up the power structure and change how business is done. I think she'd be a good fit with you guys.

I DON'T THINK SO.........

More like:

Exec two: Tell you who to call, Hillary Rodham, she's married to the governor and well connected. It will cost you, but her law firm can make problems go away.

Change indeed!

[terisan]

5. Worked for Eugene McCarthy in 1968-what did you do about the vietnam War?

[mitchum]

54. So...she has prior experience with a losing campaign...okay...

[Lucinda]

6. There are plenty of other sources if you really want information.

You could start by researching her work on women and childrens issues.

[terisan]

12. Check out her Yale days work for abused children. Or doesn't change for children matter?

[truedelphi]

23. Dead on. Hardly an agent for change except for

The huge amounts of chump change offered for her work at WalMarts as Walton's personal attorney none the less.

[truedelphi]

24. I've always thought her motto could be

It takes a village to raise a child unless your corporation has destroyed all the villages

The village (or let your boss destroy the village) while you sit back "chilling" with your homies on the BOD.

interesting too, the timeline.

I have consistently stood up and said that Hill was with WalMart during the time of its MidWest small town take over. Only to have many here tell me she was involved BEFORE they started to make war on small town America and she left before this bad deal went down.

Nope, in fact, 1986 to 1990 whatever is exactly as I remember her being a WalMart member of the oldest profession. In the mid-eighties, the small towns across the MidWest watched as WalMart came in and drove out the mom and pop store owners. Then after the small town businesses closed, IF WalMart felt it wasn't making a profit, it would then PULL LOUT. Leaving that town with no where to go or their dry goods and other supplies.

As it says in Jesse James song, You can rob 'em with a gun or rob 'em with a fountain pen.

And if it takes a village to raise a child, then Hillary, would you be ever so kind confess up and say, "Sorry" there were many a small town kid who watched mom and dad go broke under boss Walton's deal.

[LostinVA]

35. She wasn't Walton's personal attorney

She was never an attorney for WM.

[truedelphi]

39. I saw her on C Span at the time of her

release of her book "It takes a village"

And she ws asked about being Sam Walton's personal attorney.

The question came in a positive way, the reporters not being clued in to the irony of it all.

And she didn't correct them. But talked about what a great experience working with Sam was.

So I don't know which it was. Board of Directors at WM or the personal attorney for SW.

In the middle of campaign season, I don't know if she'd be very candid about it now.

[LostinVA]

50. She was NOT Walton's attorney

Good grief.

[truedelphi]

60. All I can tell ya is that the reporters asked her

About her being Sam Walton's personal attorney and she went off on a riff of what a wonderful experience that was.

[Sparkly]

41. Obviously, you know nothing about her.

When one doesn't know what one is talking about, it's better to say nothing.

[Sparkly]

40. Did you come across these?

Yale Review of Law and Social Action
Yale Child Study Center (law re: children and medicine)
Yale-New Haven Hospital (on child abuse)
New Haven Legal Services (free legal advice for the poor)
Marian Wright Edelman's Washington Research Project
Walter Mondale's Subcommittee on Migratory Labor
Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein (constitutional rights, civil liberties & radical causes)
George McGovern's presidential campaign
Children's Defense Fund
Carnegie Council on Children
House Committee on the Judiciary (adviser, Nixon impeachment)
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville School of Law (teacher)
Rose Law Firm (partner - patent infringement, intellectual property law, pro bono work in child advocacy)
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families (co-founder)
Legal Services Corporation board of directors (appointed by Carter; battled Reagan to retain funding)
Arkansas Rural Health Advisory Committee (expanded medical facilities in poor areas)

That's all before 1980. There's plenty more.

[Dawgs]

11. Maybe she's not doing it right, if it's taking her 35 years to change something.

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. "But she's no democrat"

I'll refrain from name calling, so please check the senate voting record.

[SoFlaJet]

3. Barnicle was saying it this morning

on Morning Joe...he said he was mathematical genius but 35 years makes that 1972 and he (rightly so) asked WTF did she do back then

[terisan]

15. Barnicle the Infamous Plagiarist? Maybe he should read her bio before retelling it.

[papau]

18. Barnicle saying 1972 - WTF did she do back then" makes Barnicle an asshole - Children's Defense Fund

is the answer - but Barnicle - like some others - will put their heads up their ass if it allows them to dump on all other than Obama candidates. GE sent out the promote Obama memo last June - and all on NBC are working hard to please.

[Tom Joad]

31. in '72 she was supporting McGovern. she was not a prowar jerk she

has become today.
as a matter of fact, in '72 i was supporting McGovern too.
but i still oppose war and imperialism.

[Marie26]

47. Ok... 1972

Actually, it goes even earlier, back to when she first entered Yale Law School in 1970.

"Rodham then entered Yale Law School, where she served on the Board of Editors of the Yale Review of Law and Social Action.<30> During her second year, she worked at the Yale Child Study Center,<31> learning about new research on early childhood brain development and working as a research assistant on the seminal work, Beyond the Best Interests of the Child (1973).<32><33> She also took on cases of child abuse at Yale-New Haven Hospital,<32> and volunteered at New Haven Legal Services to provide free advice for the poor.<31> In the summer of 1970, she was awarded a grant to work at Marian Wright Edelman's Washington Research Project, where she was assigned to Senator Walter Mondale's Subcommittee on Migratory Labor, researching migrant workers' problems in housing, sanitation, health and education;<34><35>

In the late spring of 1971, she began dating Bill Clinton, who was also a law student at Yale. That summer, she interned on child custody cases<36> at the Oakland, California, law firm of Treuhaft, Walker and Burnstein,<37><38> which was well-known for its support of constitutional rights, civil liberties, and radical causes;<38> two of its four partners were current or former communist party members.<38><39><40> ... The following summer, Rodham and Clinton campaigned in Texas for unsuccessful 1972 Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern.<42><43> She received a Juris Doctor degree from Yale in 1973,<8> ... She began a year of post-graduate study on children and medicine at the Yale Child Study Center.<45> Her first scholarly paper, "Children Under the Law", was published in the Harvard Educational Review in late 1973<46> and became frequently cited in the field."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Rodham_Clinton


By the time she was 25, she had accomplished more than most of us will in a lifetime.

[ronnykmarshall]

7. and the list keeps growing

[ElizabethDC]

8. She's not talking about her position as Bill's wife, or her job as a lawyer

she's talking about things such as how when she first graduated from law school, she went to work for the Children's Defense Fund, and later served on their national board. She ran a legal aid clinic in Arkansas and later was appointed by President Carter to serve on the U.S. Legal Services Corporation board, among a great many other things. The fact that she's Bill's wife and was a lawyer only scratches the surface. Dig deeper.

[Girlieman]

21. Doing Good Things Does Not Equal Change

You, and most Hillary defenders, seem to confuse the two . . .

The Legal Services Corporation provides legal services for the poor. It is a fine institution, and it is usually headed by somebody in a White Shoe law firm. It's a real resume feather, and to some extent a guilt appeaser, as the over privileged show their concern for the under privileged.

But it is not an organization for change. Not by a long shot. It's very much entrenched in the status quo, and it's always headed by those who are reliably invested in making sure the basic structure of things does not change.

Almost all of the good stuff in Hillary's background, and there is some good stuff, is just that -- working within the status quo to do good things for people. I don't knock that. It's fine. But it is not fighting for change.

[ElizabethDC]

30. Doing good things is what helps bring about change

she was helping to change things for the underprivileged, helping to change things for women, and for children. She didn't just sit on boards, she got stuff done. That's why I'm saying you need to look deeper.

[LostinVA]

52. f course it does -- wtf???

[Girlieman]

57. Huh? Are you for real

You don't understand the difference between doing something well, and doing something different?

[LostinVA]

58. What the hell are YOU talking about

Jesus. You're on Ignore. You've been so transparent and obvious it's sickening.

[Girlieman]

59. This is how you react to disagreement?

LOL.

Doing good deeds is not inconsistent with change, but it is not fair to say that a person has been fighting for change merely by being involved in various charitable organizations. Raising money for health care for children is not the same as fighting to bring about single payer health care.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

9. I think she's been too quiet on change (a little too late)

Obama snapped it up

[Uncle Sinister]

10. Once again, the circular firing squad

Damn, we dems are good at taking aim at each other instead of the real enemies.

I can't speak with authority to her early carrer, but 15 years ago she was fighting tooth and nail for universal health care, and was the darling of the left.

She HAS fought for change, and she IS in bed with corporations and lobbyists. Like everyone who still sucks air, she's a grab bag of contradictions and inconsistensies (even Dennis). Yo pays your money and you takes yo chance. I'm gambling on Edwards, but all this Hil bashing is...unseemly.

[progressivebydesign]

17. I despise the Repubs but they circle their wagons instead of a firing squad.

I've noticed that for years. DU in particular love to attack each other as tho there is some litmus test to be a Democrat, or progressive, or liberal. The repubs, dysfunctional as they may be, always have an air of unity. The attacks on Hillary here have actually made me MORe of a supporter of hers, as I tend to fight for the ones that are attacked the most.

[no name no slogan]

27. She was fighting for CORPORATE health care, and was NOT the "darling of the left"

Speaking as someone who has worked in health care policy and has fought for single-payer universal health care since the 1980s, I can tell you quite assuredly that HillaryCare WAS NOT a "universal" health care plan.

HillaryCare was a huge corporate give-away to the five largest insurance companies in the country, who would have made out like bandits under her plan (and will also make out quite well under her current, Nixon-inspired plan, too).

Hillary Clinton was as much a "darling of the left" as Laura Bush.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

13. I would agree since 1964 saw her in the GOP

working for Goldwater

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Alexander]

22. Wow, you sure do like to slime and smear Obama with GOP tactics.

I'll let the rest of DU look at this blatantly racist comment about Obama and crack.

[Colobo]

25. Tasteless comment.

[papau]

29. A 14 year old "Goldwater girl" is not a smear? - welcome to push back

[progressivebydesign]

14. WOw a new DUer here to educate us on Hillary Clinton's record.

WHo'da thunk it? Senator Clinton has an esteemed record of fighting for the rights of children and families. If you can recall, she was villified for having the AUDACITY to try and get us Universal Health Care back in the 90s. Can you imagine how many lives could have been saved if she was not thwarted in that effort by the BIG insurance companies who formed "grassroots" groups to attack her?

Peddle your BS elsewhere.

[Tom Joad]

16. Fighting against progressive causes for 35 years! and she has so

many wins under her belt! She should be in the WWF

[damntexdem]

20. Just think of it as loose change.

;-)

[pberq]

26. Good one!!

:rofl:

[philly_bob]

28. Not a howler at all!

For the world as it was 35 years ago, HC was on the right side of the issues of the day.

You can't take that away from her.

Maybe she's made some compromises since then. Haven't we all?

And to deny she's a Democrat... She's in the DLC, pro-business wing of the Democratic party. That's still in the Democratic Party.

There's a battle for power between that DLC-wing and the progressive-wing. Most of us on this board are in the progressive-wing. But I don't think anyone seriously suggests expelling the DLC-wing from the Democratic Party.

[truedelphi]

32. I have suggested doing that.

THe DLC is nothing but Nixonian era Repulcianism.

A Corporate controlled government.

I see no differences between what the DLC wants, and what Gov Ahnold (R) wants.

If you can point out any differemnces, I'd love to see 'em.

[philly_bob]

37. I think DLC & Repubs disagree on tax policy at least.

Probably on immigration and foreign policy, too. Sorry, don't have time to find links, maybe someone else could.

They're both corporate gangs. DLC gang members are different from Republican gang members, and have different interests.

The current Republicans gang of corporations is headed by the oil and defense industries. Crude monarchical stone agers, who'd be happy if there were a few incredibly wealthy ruling families and the rest of us were employee/peasants. The DLC gang is headed by financial institutions, media & technology. A bit more modern, willing to allow a middle class.

I'd rather live under the DLC gang than the Republican gang.

Of course, best of all, would be if someone -- Edwards? -- really does eliminate corporate control of the government, by encouraging countervailing power groups, like labor unions, government regulators, and consumer advocacy groups. <FINGERS CROSSED>

And as for Gov. Ahnold (R). He's a special case. I don't get him at all.

Also: I think kicking out the DLC would guarantee a loss in 2008.

[truedelphi]

38. I'll echo my favorite part of your reply

You say - Of course, best of all, would be if someone -- Edwards? -- really does eliminate corporate control of the government, by encouraging countervailing power groups, like labor unions, government regulators, and consumer advocacy groups. <FINGERS CROSSED>

May it be so.

[philly_bob]

44. May it be so. nt

[THUNDER HANDS]

33. corporate lawyers aren't evil

I know corporate lawyers, they're good people.

[LostinVA]

34. You need to quit harping on the Wal-Mart thing

I haven't set foot in one in ten years, my father works in textiles, but HRC LEFT the board and publicly disagreed with their practices. She also spearheaded some positive changes in that soulless corporation. She also was NEVER an attorney for them.

She also is firmly backed by unions. do not back union busters.

*cue Mark Penn stuff*

Hillary has done alot of good in her time, as has Edwards, Biden, etc.

Instead of constantly ATTACKING another candidate why don't you post something positive about YOURS.

[Hart2008]

36. Who can forget Hillary's fundraising support for the Contras?

Even Hillary Clinton was a Cold Warrior of sorts. Described in
Morris's book as "a closet Contra supporter", she quietly aided Contra
fund-raising in Little Rock. She also used her influence in US liberal
circles to undercut the legitimacy of peace activists and
pro-Sandinista church groups opposed to President Reagan's policies in
Central America.

The point is not that Bill and Hillary Clinton are Right-wingers in
disguise - although Morris demolishes the pretence that they were
progressive reformers in Arkansas. It is that they have no conviction,
no ideology, no guiding purpose. Driven by raw ambition, they will
make any compromise necessary to advance their interests.

http://www.theconspiracy.us/cati2/0032.html

The author Bill Morris (NOT Dick Morris) was appointed to the NSC by LBJ. He resigned from the NSC to protest Nixon's invasion of Cambodia. Bill Morris hardly can be considered a right winger, but he did retain excellent sources in the intelligence communities.

I have yet to hear Hillary address or explain her support for the contras, but it similar to her long support for Bush Jr.'s Iraq policies.

Bill Morris also wrote on pg.433-434 of his book Partners In Power how the Clinton's sabotaged Gary Hart's '88 campaign. No one I know from that campaign disagrees with Morris.

[LostinVA]

42. Any LEGIT source that says this?

No, I thought not.

I looked at this site. Ugh.

[Hart2008]

43. ROGER MORRIS is a credible source and no friend of neocons!.

Consider the man, and not the website that published the story.

The man's name is Roger Morris. (I keeping wanting to call him "Bill".)

He is no right winger.

Read the following where he called the Bush regime "the worst regime by far in the history of the republic", and asks those in the diplomatic corps and intelligence community to resign in protest, as he did:

It is your dedicated work that has been violated -- the flouted treaties you devotedly drew and negotiated, the estranged allies you patiently cultivated, the now thronging enemies you worked so hard to win over. You know what will happen. Sooner or later, the neoconservative cabal will go back to its incestuous think tanks and sinecures, the vice president to his lavish Halliburton retirement, Bush to his Crawford, Texas, ranch -- and you will be left in the contemptuous chancelleries and back alleys, the stiflingly guarded compounds and fear-clammy, pulse-racing convoys, to clean up the mess for generations to come.

You know that showcase resignations at the top -- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld or flag officers fingered for Abu Ghraib -- change nothing, are only part of the charade. It is the same with Secretary of State Colin Powell, who may have been your lone relative champion in this perverse company, but who remains the political general he always was, never honoring your loss by giving up his office when he might have stemmed the descent.

No, it is you whose voices are so important now. You alone stand above ambition and partisanship. This administration no longer deserves your allegiance or participation. America deserves the leadership and example, the decisive revelation, of your resignations.

Your resignations alone would speak to America the truth that beyond any politics, this Bush regime is intolerable -- and to an increasingly cynical world the truth that there are still Americans who uphold with their lives and honor the highest principles of our foreign policy.

http://www.wagingpeace.org/articles/2004/05/21_morris_call-conscience.htm

[LostinVA]

45. So I guess that's a "no"

Morris' book is a Freeper's wet dream, and much of it is totally unsubstantiated.

But hey, keep tearing down Dems. The folks at FR may need a break.

[Hart2008]

48. A man who resigned in protest of Nixon's illegal war in Cambodia is credible.

There are people who don't like either the Bushes or the Clinton's.

Deal with it.

Twenty years of these two families rotating control of the Presidency is enough.

[LostinVA]

49. As I said: that's a no

Deal with what? A book that's full of unsubstantiated scandals as outlandish as any RW book about the Clintons?

I've read the book. I know what it is. I know the Clintons' faults -- I don't need to make stuff up.

So, YOU deal with hit jobs against Dems on DU.

[Hart2008]

55. So you supported NIxon's illegal war in Cambodia?

Did you ever resign a comfortable government job with a pension to protest a policy you thought was wrong?

I didn't think so.

I have yet to hear Hillary address the issue of raising money for the Contras. She is taking questions now, right? Let her deny the claim.

Eugene Hasenfus, the CIA employee shot down in Nicaragua, did fly to Nicaragua from Arkansas.

There were connections with the Contras in the state of Arkansas. Bill Clinton as President stopped the inquiry into the matter.

"A man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest."-Paul Simon

[Marie26]

51. Oh puh-lease

Who can argue with a link from "Conspiracy Nation?"

[Hart2008]

56. Try refuting the author, not the website that republished his comments.

If you had been in the streets protesting Nixon's illegal war in Cambodia, you might understand why this man is credible to people who did.

[LostinVA]

53. Know what? You're on Ignore

I'm tired of the latest infestation.

[Quixote1818]

46. Well, saying that probably hurts her more than helps her

People don't like career politicians and she sounds like Richardson bragging about all the things he has done.