Iraq Attack.
With the possibility of war with Iraq on the horizon, Hillary suggested that President Bush wants regime change in the country to settle a family vendetta against Saddam Hussein. "It is clear that a lot of people in this administration have some old scores to settle," said Sen. Clinton during an appearance on "Hardball." She appeared to be referring to the 1991 Gulf War in which President George H. W. Bush left Saddam in power, and when the Iraqi dictator later tried to assassinate the former President when Bush visited Kuwait. Perhaps Saddam also believes, like Hillary, that there is a "Vast, right-wing conspiracy" out to get him. However, White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said simply that this President Bush is targeting Saddam only because of "the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction in the possession of Saddam Hussein." RNC spokesman Kevin Sheridan called Hillary’s comments a "cheap, political potshot" and said that "Unless she’s impugning her own [pro-military force] vote that argument doesn’t hold water. He’s settling a score for the American people to rid the world of terrorism wherever it rears its head." Hillary has said that she agrees with Bush on the threat that Saddam poses but said he appears too eager for military action. "Carrying a big stick is one thing, but to talk all the time like you are inviting war, that you’re anxious to go to war, I think does a great disservice to our nation, and I just don’t agree with that approach," she said. She also questioned any links between Hussein and Al Qaeda. Hillary’s spokeswoman Philippe Reines said, "Sen. Clinton gave a full and a reasoned analysis of why she supports the administration on the war, and it is unfortunate that the RNC is treating it as a political issue."
Future First Couple?
On the same "Hardball" appearance, Hillary flatly ruled out a run for President in 2004, but was noncommital about 2008, saying only, "I have no plans, no intentions." When host Chris Matthews said the husband of the first married female President would be called the First Gentleman, Clinton quickly corrected him. "First Mate," she said with a smile to cheers and applause from the audience. Around the same time as this appearance, Bill Clinton was in Arkansas to tour an exhibit of holiday items collected during his time in the White House. He took questions from students from Clinton Elementary School, and a teacher asked him if he would consider running for Vice President if his wife decided to make a run for President. Clinton told the students that "I don’t think you could run for Vice President because anyone who’s Vice President has to be eligible to be President," referring to the 22nd Amendment.
HRC on the Economy.
Hillary seemed pleased with the firing of Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill and White House economic adviser Larry Lindsey, but urged the President to do more: "When it comes to the nation’s economy, we need more than personnel adjustments to get at the root of the problem. Hopefully changes in the economic team will be accompanied by real changes in economic policy." She said she hopes Bush’s new economic team will understand that "economic policy consists of more than cutting taxes." In addition, Hillary promised to push for an additional extension of unemployment benefits, especially, she took care to note, because the unemployment rate is at 6%, its highest level in nine years. She also spoke glowingly of her bill to boost broadband Internet service in rural areas, which she thinks may even garner Republican support. "There are many aspects of the upstate plan that are not partisan," she said.
Firefighting Funds.
Speaking at a firehouse which helped in the World Trade Center attack and lost five firefighters, Sen. Clinton urged President Bush to free up $1.5 billion in federal funds earmarked to help local police and fire departments battle terrorism and enhance community policing programs. "We have appropriated hundreds of billions of dollars to make sure they [the military] have the pay, the training, the equipment that they need. When are we going to do the same thing for our homeland defenders?" asked Hillary. She went on to say that creating a new federal Department of Homeland Security without funding these front-line workers "is like building a hospital without hiring doctors or nurses. . . without funding for our first responders, our homeland security designs are a hollow shell-we may have a good plan, but if we don’t provide the means to execute it, we will be no closer to a safer, more secure America."
Anti-Pell.
Sen. Clinton recently protested the proposed elimination of $1.2 billion in funds for the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education program that would mean $62 million for New York. Hillary said she had written President Bush that "we need to support the thousands of students who are looking to our community colleges to give them the skills they need to thrive in the competitive job marketplace. We’re robbing Perkins to pay for Pell [another government-funded loan program], and that is a terrible idea."
