TresSugar

The Other Clinton Is Working Hard Too

TresSugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:38 -0700

While her husband stole the headlines this week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hard at work. As top diplomat for the US, Hillary is currently touring Africa, where she was offered 40 goats and 20 cows by a Kenyan man earlier today for daughter Chelsea's hand in marriage. Hillary graciously replied: "My daughter is her own person, very independent, so I will convey this very kind offer."

But of course her mission in Africa goes beyond fielding marriage proposals for Chelsea. Wrapping up her trip to Kenya, the first stop on her seven-nation tour, Clinton met with Somalia's president at the US embassy in Nairobi to discuss the US commitment to helping Somalia's government fight Islamic extremists. Hillary is the highest ranking official to meet with the head of Somalia's government - a government that is only five years old! In addition to working toward stability in Somalia, Hillary also had a chance to express US support for the International Criminal Court and visit the site of the 1998 bombings at the US embassy in Nairobi that killed 213 people. She is pictured above with a survivor of the bombing.

While Hillary's diplomatic efforts might be a little less flashy than Bill's, it's obvious she's committed.

Chelsea Clinton, "MYOB!" Meghan McCain, "Shoes!"

CitizenSugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:00:15 -0700

It could be the campaign equivalent of a sucker punch. While stumping for her mom yesterday at Butler University, Chelsea Clinton was unexpectedly rocked by the big M-question: Monica. Specifically, did the 1998 event harm Hillary's reputation. Chelsea whipped back a crowd stirring response.

Wow, you’re the first person actually that’s ever asked me that question in the, I don’t know, 70 college campuses that I’ve now been to and I do not think that’s any of your business.

This story of this tough event contrasts wildly with the sunshine-and-light profile of Meghan McCain in today's Washington Post. For these two campaign daughters, the whistle-stops might be the same, but their roles in the spotlight couldn't be more different. To see how, with video of yesterday's gripping event, read more.

Chelsea has famously found her voice this campaign, wowing audiences as a savvy spokeswoman for her mom, deftly fielding questions at townhalls and college campus Q&As. She's prepped on all of the toughies, from foreign policy to free trade, answering in the compact, confident, and specific style of her mom, with all the charm of her dad. Growing up absorbing the political acumen of her parents, which burst forth in yesterday's answer, it's clear that's the role she's meant to play in this campaign.

Meghan's chosen a different role in her dad's campaign, but one that fits her as perfectly as the five pairs of shoes she totes with her on the campaign trail. In this fun Post piece, Meghan (proprietress of McCainBlogette.com - an online diary and scrapbook of her experience on the trail) talks about her mom's penchant for Cheetos, and Henry Kissinger's taste in loafers. Not shy about her socially liberal bent - she voted for John Kerry in 2004 - a mildly surprising tidbit she's never hidden. She's working the campaign, solidly behind her dad, with her tilted cap and aviator sunglasses firmly in place.

Do you like one daughter's campaign role more? Do you think they're doing a good job staying true to themselves under the spotlight?

Source

On the Newsstand: I Love Chelsea Clinton

CitizenSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 09:00:28 -0800

I feel like I grew up with Chelsea Clinton. We had braces at the same time, both wore those 90s-era flowery dresses, her dad was president, I saw her once at Stanford, you know - we're practically twins. But I didn't really know her until I cracked open this week's New York magazine.

Chelsea, the long quiet, sheltered from the media, first daughter might as well be a unicorn for as much as we've gotten to know about her. Taking center stage for the first time helping her mom's campaign, Chelsea appears to be wowing audiences as a self assured, perfect blend of her mom's detail and her dad's charm.
Hillary:

For nearly an hour, Chelsea fielded questions and spoke in dense, well-organized paragraphs packed with detail, nuance, facts, and figures and punctuated by the occasional “y’know”-a verbal tic of her mom’s-and a soft “yeah?” indicating that she was finished.

and Bill:

Like her father, Chelsea is, in fact, a big flirt (not something her mother is known for). Approached by a tall model-handsome college jock at the University of Utah, she literally batted her eyelashes at him. “Hell-o!” she said in a Mae West tone before posing for a snapshot with him.

Touted in the article as perhaps the best hope at taking over the "Clinton Dynasty," to find out what made me really like her a lot, read more.

When a young man in back demanded to know the Clinton campaign’s “new strategy” in view of the “crippling blow” of Ted and Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama, Chelsea shot him a level gaze. “I don’t think there is a new strategy,” she said. “My mom has been running for the last year, talking about what she thinks our challenges are and what our opportunities are, and why she thinks she’s the most well positioned to deal with our problems in America and to solve things like Social Security or combat global warming or get our economy back on track. There’s no difference today from last week or last month.”

I don't know about you, but I think Chelsea could just be the strongest Clinton on the campaign trail.

Source

Grab Bag: How Do You Feel About Kissing in Public?

TresSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:00:00 -0700

Where do you stand on public kissing? - Smitten
Plastic Surgeon General warns about small breasts epidemic. - The Onion
Is the crackdown on burlesque the sign of a new puritanism? - Jezebel
Mismatched moms and daughters. - Lemondrop
Chelsea Clinton rumors abound. - Huffington Post
Going Dutch on dates: a new trend? - The Frisky
15 reasons you should masturbate. (There are 15?!) - Em & Lo

Source

Yay or Nay: Was MSNBC's "Pimp" Comment Out of Line?

CitizenSugar — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:05:12 -0800

On MSNBC this week, Reporter David Shuster made a controversial remark about Chelsea Clinton's involvement in her mother's campaign to Tucker Carlson.

He said this,

"Doesn't it seem like Chelsea's sort of being pimped out in some weird sort of way?"

After making the comment, he apologized saying,

"I used a phrase that was inappropriate. I apologize to the Clinton family, the Clinton campaign and all of you who are justifiably offended. ... All Americans should be proud of Chelsea Clinton, and I am particularly sorry that my language diminished the regard and the respect she has earned from all of us, and the respect her parents have earned in how they raised her."

He was temporarily suspended because of the remark. Now, Hillary Clinton is considering withdrawing from a MSNBC debate on February 26th, saying,

"Nothing justifies the kind of debasing language that David Shuster used, and no temporary suspension or half-hearted apology is sufficient."

Was the comment out of line? Is this reaction justified?

Source

Hillary Clinton Suspends Campaign and Endorses Obama

CitizenSugar — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:04:27 -0700

Hillary Clinton has just ended her bid for the White House within walking distance of the 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue residence she's fought the past 17 months to call home again.

Previewing the contents of the speech to supporters this week, Clinton said, "I have said throughout the campaign that I would strongly support Senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee and I intend to deliver on that promise."

The promise was just delivered on in a speech at the National Building Museum in DC. Supported by Bill, Chelsea, legions of fans, and those parents who watched her campaign saying to their kids, "see? You can be anything you want to be." Clinton detailed the fruits of her remarkable campaign, and then extended her support to her former rival, saying:

Today as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him. I ask all of you to work as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me. . . ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January, 20, 2009!

Following up that strong endorsement saying:

We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and accomplished too much. . . today I am standing with Senator Obama to say, 'yes, we can!'

It's been a long fight, one that ends today not without emotion. Clinton may not be the only person nursing bruises from ending her quest - supporters will have to decide if they can now endorse Obama as wholeheartedly as Clinton did this morning. To see how hard this might be, and what's next for everyone, read more.

The psychiatry correspondent for FOX News said this individual healing process can't be rushed, and supporters will have to warm up to Obama slowly. "Pretending Clinton support translates in a wholesale way to Obama needlessly inserts falsehood into a movement that all of us, regardless of our politics, would have to admit is fueled by passion."

Passion and bucks. Now that the end is here, Hillary and Obama are apparently in deep negotiation as to how to retire the $30 million campaign debt Hillary's dug - with the bonus to Obama that she'll in turn fund raise for his campaign. Advisers think she could bring in $100 million for his general fight.

When Hillary and Obama had their secret meeting Thursday evening at Senator Feinstein's home, they spoke for an hour and seemed to salve some of the campaign wounds. How long will it take for supporters and the party to follow? Will the Democrats find a way to unite, Unity Ticket or not?

Source

To Bill or Not to Bill: Are Hillary's Surrogates Helping?

CitizenSugar — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:50:00 -0700

Bill Clinton was in New Orleans over the weekend where he met up for a ground breaking with fellow Katrina activist Brad Pitt, and delivered a speech about the Clinton Global Initiative. Bill grabbed the opportunity to reinforce Hillary's campaign policy on rebuilding New Orleans. Bill called for the need for a full-time Katrina coordinator and said, ""All of this would be better done if there were a federal coordinator. . . and a sustained effort to make sure that government agencies are operating functionally." Bill's appearance made for at least one Hillary surrogate who was on message this weekend.

The pesky reality is that presidential candidates aren't humanly capable of being everywhere at once. Campaigning for years (or so it seems. . .) in a country this big, a candidate will have to outsource a little of the pomp and circumstance once in a while. Ah, the surrogate. Someone who can step in and deliver a message on behalf of the candidate, rally the supporters, and represent the brand. Chelsea's done it, Michelle Obama, even the recent controversial statements by Geraldine Ferraro, all took turns at carrying messages to varying degrees of success.

Bill Clinton might be the most sweet-and-sour bearer of this task. To see what he's been up to, and who he told to "chill out," read more. Bill is beloved but can occasionally let his passion run away with his tongue. He famously stirred things up perhaps for the worse with his Obama "fairy tale" remarks earlier this year. Of course that's the added bonus: besides clearing the candidate's schedule of a few rubber-chicken-dinner fundraisers: the surrogates can say things that the candidate can't - or wants out there without having the dirty hands that go along with it.

He's going to be on Good Morning America this morning, where previews of his exclusive interview have him saying of the tight race between Barack and Hillary, "The voters get to decide. I think we should just celebrate this. If we just chill out here and let all the voters have their say, my gut is it's gonna come out all right." If Bill keeps his surrogacy to positive messages, the voters might just agree.

What do you think? Is Bill a good surrogate, or are his remarks leading Hillary's campaign astray?

Source

McCain Comedy Hour! Is His "Humor" a Burden or Asset?

LibertySugar — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:00:15 -0700

See that line there? John McCain's sense of humor just crossed it. Over the years, the Arizona Senator has told, and apologized for, some interesting jokes, which are either refreshing or offensive, depending if you encounter them in person, or on YouTube.

Since some think Obama is un-funny, maybe McCain just wants to do his part to reduce the comedy deficit. Here is a career highlight reel that is by no means exhaustive:

McCain suggested that recently high US cigarette sales to Iran could be "a way of killing 'em."
McCain responded to a reporter's question with the line, "And I stopped beating my wife just a couple of weeks ago."
McCain told reporters he planned to make Phil Gramm, who made the controversial whining comment, ambassador to Belarus.

For other classics that touch on a Clinton, the French, and old people, read more.

"Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?" he asked. "Because her father is Janet Reno."
"The French remind me a little bit of an aging actress of the 1940s who is still trying to dine out on her looks but doesn't have the face for it."
During his 1986 campaign, he referred to a retirement community called "Leisure World" as "Seizure World."
He has jokingly threatened staffers with waterboarding.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said of the cigarette joke: "We condemn such jokes and believe them to be inappropriate for a U.S. presidential candidate." Do you agree?

Source

Briefing Book! Knowing Is Half the Battle . . .

LibertySugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 13:30:16 -0700

Campaign Ads: Will McCain save money on ad creation? Replace latest Clinton ad with an approval by McCain, and we've got a hypothetical McCain campaign ad. - RedState

Government Spending: Simple Math? When it comes to creating jobs and managing the nation's finances, Democratic presidents succeed while Republican presidents show failure. - Huffington Post
Travel: Gap year must? 23-day, 7,000-mile train route will connect London to Bangladesh. - londonist
Campaiging: Creative canvassing? Chelsea Clinton gets groped on bar crawl. - Wonkette
Young Voters: Can we read their minds? Check out an advance copy of an MTV/CBS poll of 18-29 year olds. – CampusProgress

Source

Awaiting Results: Obama Basks in The Top Spot in Hawaii

CitizenSugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 06:19:24 -0800

While Chelsea Clinton scored the cushiest campaign gig, campaigning for her mom in Hawaii, Barack Obama has picked up the Aloha state. He won his childhood home-state with 76 percent, to Clinton's 24 percent. Hawaiian Republicans are set to decide May 18th.

Source