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Ear to the Ground

Clinton Backtracks on Tax Returns

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Posted on Feb 27, 2008
Hillary's feet
latimes.com

Under pressure during Tuesday’s debate, Hillary Clinton hinted that she might release her tax returns earlier than “once I become the nominee,” a schedule that had drawn criticism from Barack Obama and the press. But aides speaking with the media the next day retreated from that opening:

“As is customary, as the Democratic nominee Sen. Clinton will release her tax information in April at tax time.”

Clinton’s loan to her campaign of $5 million raised questions about where the money came from, particularly since the candidate filed a joint return with her husband, who, no longer a politician, is less transparent financially.

The concern is over whether a back door to financing the campaign has been created, a fear that is perhaps less warranted given the financial difficulties of the Clinton campaign. But, as the saying goes, if you’ve got nothing to hide ... .


AP via Google:

Clinton argued for openness Tuesday night during her latest debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama.

“I will release my tax returns,” Clinton said during the debate. “I have consistently said I will do that once I become the nominee, or even earlier.”

Pressed about the timing of releasing her tax returns, campaign aides were more reticent Wednesday, indicating that Clinton would not release the sensitive financial data during a hotly contested primary, but only at tax filing time.

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By Roxie, February 28, 2008 at 4:20 pm Link to this comment

I Too have noticed the bias of the media to drool over Obama, ( the prom king), and nothing but bad press for Senator Clinton. I think it’s because bad-mouthing a women is acceptable is ok, and there is a lot more money to be made in attacking the Clintons.
Make me sick.

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By Maani, February 28, 2008 at 12:07 pm Link to this comment

Aegrus:

Although I agree with you that the tax return issue is not all that important, you say, “Hillary Clinton had said she might release her tax returns earlier, but was pressed as to whether or not earlier translated into before March 4 she hinted at its possibility, if I remember right.”

No, she did not hint at that possibility.  Indeed, she said (and I’m pretty sure I’m close to the exact wording) “Well, Tim, I don’t think it can be done quite that fast.  It takes time…”  I can go back and look at the transcript for the exact wording, but it was clear she was not going to release them by the primaries.

Peace.

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By G.Anderson, February 28, 2008 at 8:43 am Link to this comment

Seeing, that picture made me wonder if those were Hillary’s feet on those shoes, but since she often stands in that position, I suppose they are.

I noticed, that the cuffs on her pants have been turned down, in what might be an attempt to appear more relaxed and confident.

In an article the other day Maureen Dodd pointed out that Hillary has had several identites in this campaign, but I would suggest she’s also had several different husbands.

The current one seems willing to let her go, and do what ever she needs to do for herself and the country, I just hope it’s not too late.

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By Aegrus, February 28, 2008 at 6:29 am Link to this comment

The sexist comment is the standard-issue NOW response to Hillary’s losses. Never mind that she has been a front-runner since the beginning. Never mind she is a credit to her gender by coming this far. It’s all sexism when she loses.

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By Aegrus, February 28, 2008 at 6:27 am Link to this comment

Not really spin, Maani. Not completely accurate, though. During the debate on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton had said she might release her tax returns earlier, but was pressed as to whether or not earlier translated into before March 4 she hinted at its possibility, if I remember right.

It’s ambiguous as to the merit of all this, and I kind of feel the tax return discussion is a non-issue. I’m pretty freaking over these debates, actually, because we’re really running out of true issues to debate about. This is just another non-issue born out of necessity to fill up air time on television. Same thing with the Farrakhan question, and the pop quiz about the name of Putin’s successor. What a bunch of bunk.

Both campaigns are driving me nuts right now. Nothing more needs to be said, but those who are attentive to politics have to suffer through hearing the same talking points and these nuanced non-issue attacks. It’s positively ridiculous.

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By sheila, February 28, 2008 at 1:42 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Excellent post.  Maybe he can.  Let’s just hope that there is, indeed, hope.I do think that there is remarkably less racism than when I was a kid.

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By sheila, February 28, 2008 at 1:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Lighten up Clinton supporters. Your anger does not help her.  How much does a shoe (the one in the photo) cost?  Most of us will never know. It is sort of sad to watch her squander money on her campaign and on shoes.

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By Israel G, February 27, 2008 at 9:52 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

While I fully appreciate and understand the long suffering of the Palestinian people, I also realize that for Barack Obama to challenge the status quo regarding the Israeli occupation and collective punishment of the Palestinians, several unlikely events must occur:

1.  The general public must become educated about the issue in that their current position is predicated on soundbites that strongly suggest that Israel is a victim and must defend itself.

2.  Arabs should change their political approach from suicide bombs to financing American politicians and building coalitions with other American groups.

3. Arabs should do as the Jews and hire the best American publicists to reshape their image and tell their story from their point of view. 

4. They must do what Jews have done well and that is to create a formidable lobbying organization(s) to represent their political goals and objectives.  American politicians respond to money before anything and the Jewish lobby has perfected this in that it owns most if not all (Republicans and Democrats).

3.  Arab leaders need to push for a fair and objective US approach to this crisis rather than bombing US cities.

4.  Arab Americans do not seem to be interested in the political process in this country, hence their issues are overlooked.

Barack is one man, not a perfect man, and while he fully understands the plight of the Palestinian people, if he does not have a mandate from the American people to change our current policy as he does regarding pulling out of Iraq, he will not be successful. Furthermore, if he dared to even criticize Israel the political support that he enjoys as well as the general support from whites and blacks would disappear overnight and he- like Pre. Jimmy Carter - would be labeled “anti-semitic”.

To place this 40 year old burden on his shoulders is the equalivalent of expecting him to get rid of racism; it’s just not realistic.

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By Leefeller, February 27, 2008 at 9:28 pm Link to this comment

Hillary is getting a lot of bad press, on the other hand maybe she does not deserve good press.  Since I prefer Obama, obviously it may not bother me like you.
However your sexist comment about women in power, does her no service.

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By Debra Istvanik-Strotman, February 27, 2008 at 9:00 pm Link to this comment

THe news media, and I use the word loosely, decided to put Obama on a pedistal and do all in it’s power to make him look good, while at the same time ripping on Hillary.

She said she might release her tax return, but that’s not good enough for so called reporters. Not much of a story there so these people have a must drum up business by over-reporting on what Hillary will do and why she might not want us looking at her tax return.

Maybe the news-media should start showing us their tax returns. That would be intersting to see what these blood suckers make, deduct, etc.

I am sick of the media and I am sick of anyone who is so itimidated by a woman in power that they feel the need to attack her at every turn.

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By Maani, February 27, 2008 at 6:06 pm Link to this comment

Uh…am I missing something?

The article first says, “Hillary Clinton hinted that she might release her tax returns earlier than “once I become the nominee.”  It then quotes an aide saying, “As is customary, as the Democratic nominee Sen. Clinton will release her tax information in April at tax time.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but April is still WELL before we will know whether she is the nominee, since the convention is not until August.

So where’s the problem?

This is exactly the kind of snarky media spin - and completely dishonest spin in this case - that those of us who support Hillary have seen time and time again.

Typical.

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By Leefeller, February 27, 2008 at 5:35 pm Link to this comment

We all know Hillary is just like all of us, maybe she does not want us to know her middle name?  Since she may not win, it will make little difference anyway.

Today Hillary is throwing the kitchen sink at Obama and tomorrow she will be throwing the toilet, people do not want the negative politics, Rove-ing the opponents may be a thing of the past, we need to let them know this.

We have one hell of a fight ahead, have you ever seen Hillary’s toilet? Am I Rove-ing?

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By Kevin James, February 27, 2008 at 4:31 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/885/op111.htm

At a time when Obama’s moral voice was most needed, the reach of his wings proved to be cautiously perforated on an AIPAC line, writes Hamid Dabashi*

I HAVE BEEN a silent witness to a succession of US presidential elections for over thirty years now. I came to the United States in August 1976, the very last year of the presidency of the incumbent Republican president Jerald R. Ford, and as he and Jimmy Carter were debating each other in the lead up to November 1976 election, in which President Ford lost and President Carter succeeded him. At the time of writing this article I am yet again witness to a highly contested series of primaries for the presidential election of 2008—as on the democratic front Senators Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois have captured and divided the attention of a highly charged and massively divisive American electorate—along the thorny issues of race and gender, establishment versus progressive politics, and above all a regressive politics of the status quo and a buoyant possibility of yet another upsurge of hope for the younger generation of Americans to give political reality to their otherwise moot and mute idealism.

read more:
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2008/885/op111.htm

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