It's all the same ruling class patter anyway. They tend to talk alike.

or in Clinton's case, bursts of laughter, revealing her and their true contempt for the people.

forever. she needs to shut the hell up. honesty, I could scream.

I so wish she hadn't said this.

There are plenty of very hard-working - often well-educated - people out there who struggle every day to cover their basic needs. This statement betrays an awesome lack of connection with the average person.

but they are music to the ears of her target constituency.

They are very wealthy, but think that they are struggling. When the big crash hit in 2008, we were at a party together and they were wailing and gnashing their teeth. The object of their misery was the fact that the downturn in the real estate market meant that they would have to give up one of their two vacation homes if they wanted to keep their cabin on Mt. Hood.

Oh, the poor things.

Hillary is speaking to these people, the ones who see inconvenience as tragedy.

Reminds me of my grandfather. That's what he called cursing. lol! Well, except for ass. He used that, too.

He used to tell my brother that he looked like he had swapped legs with a killdeer (he pronounced it killdee) and got cheated out of his ass.

She seems to be masterful at providing sound bites for the opposition.
Also seems transcendentally and monumentally and extravagantly clueless.

Fucking waste of time. Just compare campaign chests and declare the winner in lights, in Times Square.
Followed by a list of "Brought to you by...." and the big money contributors.
Then hand the money over to the media or whatever, and they can all go on luxury vacations or something.

to make Hillary more likable to working people by having her paint herself as one of us...someone who, as someone she knows quite well once famously said, "feels our pain".

If so, they really need to rethink that strategy because it's not working.

And anyone who thinks the general public is going to parse her words in order to make her words seem less clueless - hope they are not campaign managers.

Poor Clintons, they werk so hard, not like the 99% lazy slackers who deserve poverty and insecurity - is what she is saying.

Keep them coming, Hillary. You are a great stand up comic.

Let's start with Bill who was the poor son of a single mom and worked fucking hard for scholarships to Yale and then to Oxford. He then became the longest serving governor of Arkansas and worked hard again to become President. Hillary graduated valedictorian of Welsey and then became the only female partner of her law firm, then the first female Senator from New York, and Secreatary of State but no neither of them worked a day in their lives.

Right up until they became powerful & privileged.

It's true they left the White House in debt for all the lawyer fees incurred during all the fake scandals the Right manufactured. It's true Hillary had the rep for being a hard-working senator.

However, by the time Bill left the White House, the power couple was in line for extravagant speaking fees, exorbitant book deals, & outrageous sums for Chelsea to do something or other.

That's what's being discussed here, that certain brand of out-of-touchness that only the elite have the ability to experience.

He also left office broke, in his case his investments performed poorly when placed in a blind trust, but he used book writing to get back to being in decent shape financially. Yes, he made less than the Clintons did but he did still make money.

Somehow, in a country where narcissism is epidemic, he remained true to his roots.

Being "dead broke" means something different to the Clinton's than it does for we proles who know that we won't be getting book or speaking deals. I would remind Clinton that she's running for office & needs the kind of enthusiastic support from people that's hard to get when you behave in a way that allows folks to believe she's entitled & out of touch.

He was one of the very few truly honest and good people to server as President..

Can you imagine him renting out the Lincoln bedroom to friends? <---- This is what kind of people the Clintons are, and there are many other, tons more, examples of what kind of people they really are.

won his governor's primary by distributing fliers of his opponent congratulating a black basketball team in 1970's Georgia.

were behind that story. Just saying....

That is a serious charge, and something I think Carter would not do so if you would provide some backup for that with a credible source/link.

and they got it from a biographer of Carter.

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

During his 1970 campaign, Carter ran a vicious Wallacite primary campaign against the more liberal former governor, Carl Sanders. While some would label his Democratic primary campaign as populist in the Democratic tradition (he labeled his opponent "Cufflinks Carl&quot , Carter's campaign was much worse and was aimed at inciting racial animosity among Whites towards Sanders.

The historian E. Stanley Godbold wrote,


Carter himself was not a segregationist in 1970. But he did say things that the segregationists wanted to hear. He was opposed to busing. He was in favor of private schools. He said that he would invite segregationist governor George Wallace to come to Georgia to give a speech.[25]

Carter's campaign aides handed out a photograph of his opponent Sanders celebrating with black basketball players.[26][27] Following his close victory over Sanders in the primary, Carter was elected governor over the Republican Hal Suit.

Bill is a cigar chomping pol raking in half a mil or more per speech. Hillary is the female equivalent.

Hillary worked hard as SOS, but was completely incompetent. We would have been better with no SOS.

They spawned a hedge fund type.

Biden 2016. Sanders 2016. Almost any actual Dem 2016.

She really rubs me the wrong way.

Because this and other such moments are like sending a billion dollars to the GOP for use in the next presidential campaign. They will pop up in campaign ads everywhere, and they will still hurt many potential voters acutely.

There are so many people suffering so much that no functional politician can go around saying things like this. There are a number of very good potential Democratic nominees. We should look elsewhere for the next candidate.

We better hope that the Rethugs don't nominate a competent politician.

$100m from giving speeches and writing books, and she's a hard worker who isn't "well off"? Clueless

The work of us common folk is easy and we are quite lazy, how else can one explain why we don't also have several millions of dollars.

They struggled like mad not to run Mitt, and he was the most electable they had by far. It's been nothing but clown car for the last two cycles, and it seems to be shaping up for clown car 3, which is why the RNC is so desperate to shorten their primary and have as few debates as possible.

In order to shield that wealth from the federal government's rapacious tax collectors at the IRS, they are using a financial planning strategy to shift ownership of their houses to a private trust, and then to their daughter Chelsea.
This leaves the power couple free to reap the tax advantage of making such a generous gift before they die, while they rent the property back from her at a bargain price.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2660435/The-optics-terrible-Middle-class-champions-Bill-Hillary-Clinton-wanted-raise-death-tax-dodging-creative-accounting.html#ixzz35NsKNcfD


Its totally legal but hardly 'ordinary'
how many of you have shares on your house?

or consult a tax lawyer like they did on how it effects your taxable income.

and her income tax liability? And it's not like Chelsea is Dubya. She applied herself at University.

tone deaf comments.

Perhaps her "not well off" comment was intended to be asking Wall St for a raise.

Clinton, get your shit together. Just because you can't get away with shit tax loopholes, doesn't make you fucking poor.

Taxes matter to the poor or middle class. The rich don't even have to think about it, they have accountants for that.

force. By the "force of their efforts".

I always think to myself "oh no, you dint"

Totally ridiculous!

He knows how to connect - and at times he's more self deprecating about their wealth. She strikes me as tone deaf at times.

It almost seems like she's doubling down on her "dead broke" comment. Why can't she simply admit that her and family have done extremely well financially and the difference between them and republicans is that they expect to pay their share back in taxes? Or that she felt that after legal bills after Bill's presidency, they wanted to maintain a certain lifestyle and standard of living and they were fortunate enough to have lucrative opportunities they could take advantage of?

Then again, is it the case that all of that money wasn't always made through hard work? It seems that way with Chelsea - working for hedge funds and being paid over half a million dollars by NBC for being the daughter of an ex-president isn't exactly through toiling away. And it looks like they are taking advantage of the shady tax shelters the Romneys and other top 1 percenters use.

It seems this is a something that plays loud internally.

They have to actually do stuff to bring in the money as big as it is and it ain't the multi generational stack up of property, possesions, wealth, and connections.
They just aren't in the same blue blood class as they run with so it all probably seems similar, if on a different level as just as they have progressed through life. Always playing a kind of catch up.

I think this does explain their (somewhat delusional) psychology. The same probably goes with Chelsea's comments about money not being a motivating factor in her career choices.

It just strikes me as incredibly patronizing to the general public. If they're going to mention money, they need to at least acknowledge the fact that they are extremely wealthy and that buys them choices and a lifestyle most of us can only dream about. I'm not knocking their success (even the "success" of being the daughter of an ex-president), but nobody is buying this bizarre act that they're "not that rich".

Talk about tone deaf....

Is she channeling Mitt Romney?

She can "feel your pain" with the deft touch of Mitt Romney and can call "obliterate Iran" with the zeal of John McCain, has the HR acumen to bring in the steady hand of a Mark Penn, and seeks the council and fellowship of the family.

Folks love them brand recognition but what is the product? Stale, wrong for the times, and kind of a hack. This is the unbeatable professional? Please, mediocre at best buoyed by familiarity and powerful connections, many nefarious and almost all questionable on the best days.

She's not a natural polititian who can connect with voters. She's not a skilled leader, who can designate the right competent people to help develop and carry out a plan. She votes what she percieves as political expediency, but fails to recognize the populace has moved in a different direction.

of America's first legacy president, GW bush.

The similarities are frightening. And real.

Astute analysis.

sums up things perfectly

had finantial difficult issue in his Senate's first term back in the 80's.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/4685276/ns/politics/t/john-kerry-cheap-aristocrat/#.U6cB8rG8odU

Here.Did he spoke about it through all msm to gain sympaty? Not really......
Please, Mrs Clinton, enough fake whining.

I can't wait until we get her next sound bite about how she understands the problems of the little people. Maybe we'll even get "I feel your pain."

I'm pretty sure the Presidential pension makes one "truly well off", books and speeches are just gravy.

She keeps company with the very mega-rich, so, in comparison, she feels not SO well off. But the general population is not fooled.

Such comments reveal how far they have come away from their roots, and her political tone deafness is surprising and is what is going to do her in.

I would like to see her succeed to her dream, but I just don't see it happening. Don't know if that is because by some outlandish quirk of fate, she decides not to run, or if someone else scoops up the primary prize, or if she loses the general. Don't know the reason, just have a very strong feeling she will not be our next President.

but that, unlike some nameless others who are also well off *coughROMNEYcough*, she pays income tax.

or story headline, whichever it us. The quote makes it clear she fully recognizes they are truly well off.

I see her faults, but the Hillary Derangement Syndrome here is real

This is classic tone deafness among the 0.1%, those at the bottom of the upper 1/1000 look up at the stunning wealth of the 0.01% and view themselves as not "truly well off", and attempt to justify that by distinguishing between the "working rich" and the "rentier class" - those who are so wealthy that the income from their wealth alone is enough to both grow their wealth and pay for their lavish lifestyles.

..."who are truly well off"...

I will concede she may have meant what you said. But by adding the "truly" in there, it really sounds to me (and I'll bet to most people who hear it) as though the "truly" is meant to distinguish the well-offness of others from her and Bill's well-offness which is not as great. And that, of course, is what grates on people.

If she did mean what you think she meant, she could have easily worded it to make that clear. For example: "unlike a lot of people who are also well off" or just "unlike a lot of people who are well off" would have worked just fine and there would have been no issue.

Knowing how to turn a phrase, knowing how not to rankle your base with inartful comments -- these are basic skills for a politician. Ms. Clinton seems to have truly missed the boat in that department.

I think she was a fine SOS, and she was known as a good and hard-working Senator. I've had problems with some of her positions but in many ways I admire her. Back 2008, for awhile there (after the field was thinned) I wanted her instead of Obama because he was green and she knew how to deal with the right wing.

But now? No thanks. She's had a great career and will continue to have a life of luxury. Good for her -- and I mean that, I don't begrudge it one little bit. But she is not the right person this time around IMNSHO.

If she wants the nod she needs to STFU for at least another year.

thar arrogant and petulant persons alays got the honnors and fill their goals....I you wants to succed, especially in politics, apart from a few exception, YOU HAVE TO PLAY the bad person. Otherwise you are percieved as a weak person.

She certainly seems to be doing her best to alienate a lot of people.

if she becomes President.

May the gods protect the world from it.

Give her the power of the office of President, and there's no telling how much worse it would be, but I have a feeling it would be MUCH worse.

biden and warren arent rich and this oblivious

rich either

compared to you and me maybe


http://elizabethwarrenwiki.org/income-and-net-worth/

And people turns away to the important issues of midterm, as the Dem Senate is endangered.... Typical from her....so, that, when 2016 will be here, she will be able to campaign by blaming both Rep, and Obama, for havn't been efficient in midterms issues!

an integral part of "Team HRC"?

Those poor suffering housewives.

She needs to hush

"Because we pay ordinary (straight) income tax, unlike a lot of (other) people who are (also) truly well off, not to name names; and we've done it through dint of hard work (as opposed to inherited)."

Parenthetic additions mine.

The Clintons bust their asses and are good at busting asses. So sorry they hurt your feelings.

Altho what you said still doesn't really clear her of nincompoopness or blundering cluelessness.

Please, it only makes you sound like those who call The President, O'Bummer or Teleprompter in Chief. If she is Biden-like, so be it.

Every word of hers is going to be parsed by every detractor she has ever had. "What difference does it make?"

Greed is not your friend.

Nor is Hillary's wealth my enemy.

JFK and FDR were both wealthy.

They may have busted their ass their entire life, but it doesn't excuse this silliness.

I suppose he could have gone and quietly took up oil painting.

You don't suppose the difference in speech derived income between our previous two Presidents has anything to do with their respective quality/quantity of ass busting?

Clinton needs to back off the rhetoric and just note how blessed they were after leaving office. Just holding high office shouldn't merit making one a multi millionaire. But that's how it is.

His speaking fees are what the market will bear. As Sarah Palin's fee's go down, Bill's have remained steady or perhaps increased.

I politics, the ability to motivate and inspire people is highly valued.

So, are you saying you are cool with CEO pay? If not, how do you make the differentiation?

Price of admission to a U2 concert versus your high school garage band. You guys are just making stuff up and really badly. Bill Clinton commands his speaking price because of all the work he has done in his life and the ability with which he delivers his message.

That's all! The headline in the OP is bullshit.

CEO pay and compensation packages are a function of the tax code and have more to do with rewarding for company stock price.

Speech fees are earned income. Stock options are capital gains.

I am disgusted by Alex Rodriguez' quarter billion dollar contract. FOR EXAMPLE. And not by Bill Clinton's speaking fees.

You all are being ridiculous.

He came from a poor family, and spent 30+ years working for the same company working his way up. He busted his ass and eventually became CFO and them CEO. For the last ten years of his career, he made millions. Most of it was stock based compensation based on metrics like free cash flow and share price.

I would argue he is adding more value than someone giving speeches.

than Bill Clinton did in his 30 + year political carreer, which is topped of by the pinnacle of any political carreer, i.e. two United States Presidential terms, then I suppose that is debatable on who provided more value in his carreer. You'd have to look at the President and you'd have to look at the CEO.

But you CANNOT say that Bill Clinton doesn't earn his keep. And the OP is STILL bullshit.

You should stick with one argument though. You are kind of all over the map on this. Mediaite just slammed CNN for doing the same thing you guys are doing with this pettiness based on a butchered quote.

Fucking .1%er's acting like they have a fucking clue because the .01%er's are so rich. Ceo's don't deserve what they get paid, professional athletes don't deserve what they make and someone making 100 fucking million dollars giving speeches doesn't deserve it. ALL those buckets are one percenters who have no fucking clue how the rest of us live.

I don't hold it against anyone per se, but talking down to me and thinking I believe for a second you even step foot in the world I live in is insulting.

to simply whine.

The Clintons understand the difference between action and wishful thinking. I would recommend a job at Starbucks and a girlfriend, or a boyfriend.

Sorry, but I don't feel sorry for you.

I DO feel sorry for you.

They had the ability to make money, so what?

Are you serious?

People living paycheck to paycheck are actually broke worrying about their livelihood, people who know, by virtue of a fucking speech engagement, they can earn $200,000, are not worried, broke, or unsure about their future.

If you are going to make a statement about how in debt you were in the past you should contrast that with 1) your current status 2) and what led up to your current status.

What led up to their status was that they made tens of millions every damn year for doing basically nothing. Note: I'm not talking about, say, the money Hillary earned as a Senator, that was hard earned.

But there is easy money and there is hard earned money.

Should they have not accepted speech engagements and book advances because there are other people who live hand to mouth? Making money is not inherently evil. They have made money since they left the WH, but they also do a lot of good for many people through their foundation.

I don't envy other people who make more money than I do. Good for them if someone wants to pay them a large sum of money to hear them speak.

There is easy to deal with broke and holy shit we're going to go bankrupt broke.

The former is a trip to the pawn shop to pay the light bill. The latter is the family breadwinner with a household full of kids getting cancer.

I don't envy people with more money either. But it was poor phrasing and Clinton needs to reign that shit in. Sorry if this bothers you or you can't see it.