Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:44 PM Jun 2014

Republicans attack Hillary's Comments About Leaving WH In Debt. DU Follows Suit:

The Clintons had to pay for their own lawyers. Both Bill AND Hillary had to pay for lawyers because of the rightwing smear campaign that was carried out over a period of many years while they were in the WH.

I may not like Hillary (she was my Senator), but I'm not stooping to rightwing crap flinging.


"American Rising, the pro-Republican opposition research shop that along with the Republican National Committee, takes the lead in criticizing Clinton, was quick to ping her over her comments aired Monday morning by ABC, saying they "reveal someone who is extremely out-of-touch with financial reality facing Americans."

On their website, America Rising said that the two homes the Clintons purchased after leaving the White House (Chappaqua, New York and Washington DC) combined cost around $4.5 million.

The Clintons departed the White House in debt, thanks to enormous legal fees. By the end of 2000, the Clintons carried debt totaling somewhere between $2.28 million to $10.6 million."

36 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Republicans attack Hillary's Comments About Leaving WH In Debt. DU Follows Suit: (Original Post) KittyWampus Jun 2014 OP
Or, maybe it was just a tone-deaf thing that Hillary should not have said. djean111 Jun 2014 #1
Apparently. nt enlightenment Jun 2014 #2
Can't she just say what is OBVIOUS to EVERYONE???? Or are we all afraid of offending madinmaryland Jun 2014 #3
No. But neither are you to twist a meaning Evergreen Emerald Jun 2014 #4
I don't think it was tone deaf. This is just more ecstatic Jun 2014 #6
Hillary was saying that she does not know or does not remember what it is to be really poor. JDPriestly Jun 2014 #31
How is it insensitive to say they had massive debt when they left the White House? She wasn't trying Metric System Jun 2014 #33
I'm one of Hillary's biggest fans here. Nye Bevan Jun 2014 #5
I agree nt Mojorabbit Jun 2014 #7
One of the things I find interesting Jenoch Jun 2014 #11
That's because they rented in Fay and then lived WhiteTara Jun 2014 #19
Oh I understand their living situation. Jenoch Jun 2014 #22
Not for a Senator. Most of them end up with 2 houses. n/t FSogol Jun 2014 #16
Yet just watching the interview in her own voice, it didn't sound bad at all OKNancy Jun 2014 #8
Hitlery Killed Vince Foster! onehandle Jun 2014 #9
Technically what she said may be true tularetom Jun 2014 #10
and the fans freak out! cali Jun 2014 #12
Been here since the beginning. I am not a fan. But then I also don't stoop to rightwing levels KittyWampus Jun 2014 #17
But you do recognize that since they left the WH they each have made millions. nm rhett o rick Jun 2014 #25
The only people "freaking out" are the ones salivating at any chance to attack a Clinton. NYC Liberal Jun 2014 #23
Don't fret ProudToBeBlueInRhody Jun 2014 #28
This is NOT the GD theme song. hobbit709 Jun 2014 #13
Agreed. It is disgusting when RW memes are promoted on DU. n/t FSogol Jun 2014 #14
Sometimes these RW memes are on DU even before Fox & Hate radio, pushed & recommended by AnotherMother4Peace Jun 2014 #21
That would make them our memes Union Scribe Jun 2014 #24
Really? So you're saying that you helped prepare RW memes, & are now on DU to rec them. AnotherMother4Peace Jun 2014 #35
the DU left has always looked to the right for canon fodder against Democrats wyldwolf Jun 2014 #15
Tough. The Democrats look to the right for policy n/t leftstreet Jun 2014 #18
Sorry I'm sick of "RWingers here at DU" meme ChangeUp106 Jun 2014 #20
Hillary mentioned DU? freshwest Jun 2014 #29
So I suppose that if the Right Wing points out the $400,000 given to H. Clinton rhett o rick Jun 2014 #26
Thank you. elleng Jun 2014 #27
that's rich bigtree Jun 2014 #30
Thank you, Kitty. For years they were persecuted by the VRWC, which is a real thing.... Hekate Jun 2014 #32
And writing books and giving speeches for money betsuni Jun 2014 #34
I guess she's too broke to hire a better speechwriter. Tierra_y_Libertad Jun 2014 #36
 

djean111

(14,255 posts)
1. Or, maybe it was just a tone-deaf thing that Hillary should not have said.
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:48 PM
Jun 2014

Are we already supposed to endorse everything and anything she says, because she is the Chosen One, with a big D?

Evergreen Emerald

(13,069 posts)
4. No. But neither are you to twist a meaning
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:51 PM
Jun 2014

into an unrecognizable pretzel just to attack her ala rightwing.

ecstatic

(32,567 posts)
6. I don't think it was tone deaf. This is just more
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:55 PM
Jun 2014

foolishness from the right wing. Grown ups with normal or above IQs understood what she was saying.

JDPriestly

(57,936 posts)
31. Hillary was saying that she does not know or does not remember what it is to be really poor.
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 04:36 AM
Jun 2014

I think that if she wants to run for president, she should spend the next year working at a homeless shelter and surviving solely on the pay she gets for that work.

Does Hillary even remember what it is to be middle class?

I'm sorry but her statement about their financial situation when they left the White House was insensitive and reveals her lack of political talent.

Everybody makes mistakes, but Hillary lost to Barack Obama in 2008 for a reason. She has good name recognition and admirers who are willing to forgive her mistakes, but we need a better candidate.

Metric System

(6,048 posts)
33. How is it insensitive to say they had massive debt when they left the White House? She wasn't trying
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 04:55 AM
Jun 2014

to say, "poor me" or even "I feel your pain." As other posters have pointed out, being broke is not the same as being poor. At no point did she say they were poor. She was responding to a specific question regarding speech fees. Context is key.

Nye Bevan

(25,406 posts)
5. I'm one of Hillary's biggest fans here.
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 09:52 PM
Jun 2014

But talking about your "mortgages" and "houses" in the plural is, I admit, politically tone-deaf.

 

Jenoch

(7,720 posts)
11. One of the things I find interesting
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 10:14 PM
Jun 2014

is that the Clintons never paid a mortgage until after leaving the Whitehouse.

 

Jenoch

(7,720 posts)
22. Oh I understand their living situation.
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 11:03 PM
Jun 2014

They lived in public housing for most of their marriage until 1997.

OKNancy

(41,832 posts)
8. Yet just watching the interview in her own voice, it didn't sound bad at all
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 10:02 PM
Jun 2014

In fact the whole interview was really good

tularetom

(23,664 posts)
10. Technically what she said may be true
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 10:11 PM
Jun 2014

But before leaving the WH Hillary had signed a book contract for $8 million. I don't know how much she got in advance but any bank would lend her a ton of $ on the basis of that book deal.

Furthermore, the Clintons didn't need to purchase two ginormous mansions. She needed one to establish NY residency so she could run for the senate. But why one in DC?

During calendar year 2001 there were two significant positive impacts on the Clinton's financial status. Bill "earned" $9.2 million in speaking fees during the year and in August he signed his own book deal worth $10 million.

So, again, they may have nominally been in debt when they left the WH, but they both knew that was a short term situation, and that the mechanics were in place to pay off the debt and put a lot of money in the bank. And it happened pretty much that way. By 2004, the debt had disappeared and the family's net worth was in the 8-figure range.

When somebody makes a statement like the one Ms Clinton made tonight, it makes me think that she believes her listeners aren't smart enough to see through it.

NYC Liberal

(20,132 posts)
23. The only people "freaking out" are the ones salivating at any chance to attack a Clinton.
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 11:24 PM
Jun 2014

Well, their attacks are right in line with those being made by the right-wing. Now what does that say?

ProudToBeBlueInRhody

(16,399 posts)
28. Don't fret
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 01:03 AM
Jun 2014

The GOP will fuck it up when they try to impeach Obama and do the same thing that was done to the Clintons. And there will be people here who will curse the Republicans said fuck up, not because of the disrespect to Obama, but because it will help Hillary.

AnotherMother4Peace

(4,225 posts)
21. Sometimes these RW memes are on DU even before Fox & Hate radio, pushed & recommended by
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 10:44 PM
Jun 2014

the same posters - so much so that they quickly rack up the rec's.

Union Scribe

(7,099 posts)
24. That would make them our memes
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 12:06 AM
Jun 2014

And thanks for the reminder to go rec cali's thread on Clinton's dumb comment.

AnotherMother4Peace

(4,225 posts)
35. Really? So you're saying that you helped prepare RW memes, & are now on DU to rec them.
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 06:45 PM
Jun 2014

And that by "our", you mean there's a group you're associated with that are doing the same thing?

ChangeUp106

(549 posts)
20. Sorry I'm sick of "RWingers here at DU" meme
Mon Jun 9, 2014, 10:42 PM
Jun 2014

I don't give a shi* what the right thinks of Hillary. I certainly didn't look it up before posting my thoughts. It was a dumb thing for Hillary to say and it again gives me pause about whether or not she should be the nominee in 2016. I rolled my eyes when Ann Romney said they "chose to live in Mitt's parents' basement" after college and I do the same here.

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
26. So I suppose that if the Right Wing points out the $400,000 given to H. Clinton
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 12:45 AM
Jun 2014

by Goldman-Sachs-O-Gold, then the left can no longer point that out.

I think that H. Clinton-Sachs is worth like $13 million and William is worth about $55 million. Not a bad increase in the last 14 years.

Hekate

(90,202 posts)
32. Thank you, Kitty. For years they were persecuted by the VRWC, which is a real thing....
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 04:47 AM
Jun 2014

(who do you think is after Obama even now?!) .... and had to pay their own legal expenses.

Both Bushes went out and immediately started giving speeches for lots of money, and that family has been rolling in dough for generations. But somehow the Clintons (and Obama) are not supposed to do that themselves once they leave the White House?

Craziness.

betsuni

(25,138 posts)
34. And writing books and giving speeches for money
Tue Jun 10, 2014, 04:58 AM
Jun 2014

is only bad when someone on or near or in the general vicinity of the Left does it. Then entrepreneurship is suspicious. Like Michael Moore making a profit from his documentaries and books means he's a hypocrite. Somehow H. Clinton speaking about her particular money situation means she doesn't understand the average American. She said she thought getting out there and earning money by giving speeches was better than taking money from one group or company like many people who leave private life do. That part is being ignored.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Republicans attack Hillar...