On the Attack.
Hillary recently OK'd a fund-raising e-mail message from her campaign that said her critics were preparing an advertising campaign against her similar to the one orchestrated by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, the group that attacked Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam service. The e-mail, which was sent by Clinton spokeswoman Ann Lewis, said, "The right wing is already getting ready, naming Hillary as their 'No. 1 target' and boasting about their 'Swift Boat' style ads," and implored for help to "show the right wing that we will be ready and able to fight back." Lewis, a long-time left-wing activist who is Rep. Barney Frank's sister, said in an interview that the e-mail message was largely sent in response to published reports that Republicans are creating a political action committee seeking to raise $10 million to run a campaign against Hillary next year, and that the committee is supposedly going to model its campaign after the one that the Swift Boat Veterans used in 2004 to effectively discredit Kerry's war record.
Saint Hillary.
Hillary appeared at the Religious Liberty Annual Dinner of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and told her audience that "religious liberty is one of the most important issues on the world's agenda today." She became the first Democrat to address the gathering in its three-year history. She talked about how Congress should pass legislation protecting religious freedoms in the workplace and said the U.S. should help Iraqis to compose a constitution that will respect freedom of conscience, which she called "a bellwether for human rights," even if it is "against their traditions." Some pro-abortion and pro-homosexual groups might be taken aback by Clinton's strong endorsement of legislation such as the Workplace Religious Freedom Act, which would require employers "to accommodate their employees' religious observances when reasonably possible," because it could be construed to discriminate against homosexual employees or "interfere" with women's access to birth control or abortion. North American Religious Liberty Association Executive Director James Standish praised Hillary as a "true friend" to people who are "punished on account of their faith," and said that she "has not only had compassion for these men and women, but she has had the courage to stand up for them."
2006 Opposition.
New York Republican William Brenner is talking about entering the race against Hillary next year. A lawyer by trade and the president of Brenner Income Tax Centers, he was thumped by Democratic Rep. Maurice Hinchey last year by an overwhelming 167,489 votes to 81,881 votes. Brenner held a brief meeting recently with state GOP Chairman Stephen Minarik and state party Executive Director Ryan Moses to talk about challenging the senator's re-election bid next year. According to Brenner, Minarik encouraged him to travel the state to talk to local party leaders about his candidacy, but Moses noted that Minarik was encouraging all potential challengers to Clinton to move around the state. Brenner now joins former Wall Street public relations executive Adam Brecht in the race for the GOP nomination. Also considering the race is Manhattan attorney Edward Cox, a son-in-law of late President Richard Nixon. Cox reportedly has been calling around the state telling people he's "the guy" to challenge Hillary. The New York Post quotes an unnamed GOP insider who says that Cox has the backing of Gov. George Pataki and state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno.
FDA on Hold.
Hillary has joined with Sen. Patty Murray (D.-Wash.) in placing a "hold" on Lester Crawford's nomination to become the new head of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because Crawford, now the acting administrator, was unable to promise that FDA will soon approve the emergency contraceptive Plan B for over-the-counter (OTC) use. According to Senate rules, the Senate cannot confirm Crawford for the post unless the lawmaking ladies lift their holds. Hillary met with Crawford personally and expressed her dissatisfaction with the FDA's acting chief, saying, "The bottom line is that the FDA has had the Plan B application for years and the American people simply need an answer, yes or no. Science should never take a back seat to politics and ideology." Hillary had warned Crawford at his April 6 hearing that the FDA should not drag its feet on the OTC approval to appease the Bush Administration's pro-life political agenda, and she complained that FDA's drug center has not responded to a letter she sent on the issue long ago.
