Obama Campaign Memo on Clinton During Debate

ON IRAQ, WHAT SHE WAS VOTING FORAPRIL 2007: I WAS VOTING FOR COERCIVE DIPLOMACY: Hillary Clinton Called Her Iraq Vote one for "Coercive Diplomacy."  According to USA Today, speaking of her Iraq vote, "Clinton says that vote was not a misjudgment, but a vote for 'coercive diplomacy' - a stick to get weapons inspectors into Iraq - and it's a tool she says presidents must have. 'When somebody disagrees with me, or if they want somebody who has apologized for their judgment about the use of coercive diplomacy and the role that that plays in furthering American national interests, they have other people to vote for,' she said." [USA Today, 4/12/07]

BUT IN NEWS REPORT AFTER NEWS REPORT: VOTE WAS CONGRESS BACKING WAR

Headline: Congress Backs War.  "Congress Backs War On Iraq; Bipartisan Vote Gives Bush Broad Power; President Lauds Clear Message Sent" [Los Angeles Times, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress OKs War Bill.  "Congress OKs War Bill ; Dems Join Vote To Back Bush On Iraq" [New York Post, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress OKs War Power.  "Congress OKs War Power; The resolution lets Bush use force in Iraq"  [Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress Gives Bush A Free Hand To Wage War.  "Iraq Resolution Approved; Congress Gives Bush A Free Hand To Wage War" [Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 10/11/02]

Headline: Bush Wins War Vote.   "Bush Wins War Vote" [Boston Herald, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress OKs War.   "Congress OKs War On Iraq; Days Numbered For 'Outlaw State,' President Bush Says As He Gets Approval To Attack With Or Without U.N."  [Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 10/11/02]

Headline: Bush Gets Authority for War.  "Bush Gets Authority For War On Iraq" [Newark Star Ledger, 10/11/02]

Headline: Senate Approves War Powers.  "A Step Closer To War; House, Senate Approve War Powers"  [Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 10/11/02]

Headline: Iraq Attack OKd.  "Iraq Attack OK'd On Hill Solid Support In Senate, House" [New York Daily News, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress Signs Off on War.  "Congress Signs Off On War; A Lopsided Vote Gives The President The Go-Ahead To Use Military Force Against 'The Continuing Threat' Of Saddam Hussein" [Grand Rapids Press, 10/11/02]

Headline: Congress Gives Bush War Powers.   "Congress Gives Bush War Powers" [Hartford Courant, 10/11/02]

Headline: War Looming With Vote.  "War Looming With Vote; Decision Likened To Gulf Of Tonkin" [Knight Ridder, 10/11/02]

NAFTA THEN...

1996:  In Brownsville, TX, Clinton Said NAFTA Would Lead To An Economic Improvement In Border Regions.  On a trip to Brownsville, Texas, Clinton "touted the president's support for the North American Free Trade Agreement, saying it would reap widespread benefits in the region."  [United Press International, 11/1/96]

2006: Clinton Thought NAFTA Was A "Boon" To The Economy.  According to a Newsday issues rundown, "Clinton thinks NAFTA has been a boon to the economy."  [New York Newsday, 9/11/06]

...AND NOW

2007:  Clinton Said NAFTA Had "Hurt A Lot Of American Workers" When Speaking in front of the AFL-CIO.  Asked how she would "fix" NAFTA at an AFL-CIO debate, Clinton responded, "Well, I had said that for many years, that, you know, NAFTA and the way it's been implemented has hurt a lot of American workers.  In fact, I did a study in New York looking at the impact of NAFTA on business people, workers and farmers who couldn't get their products into Canada despite NAFTA." [Clinton, AFL-CIO Debate, 8/7/07]

2007:  On Iowa Campaign Trail, Clinton Told Iowa Union Leaders That Trade Deals Like NAFTA Should Be "Rejudged" On Whether They Help The Middle Class. Hillary Rodham Clinton told union leaders and Iowa voters her economic leadership should be judged by how well the middle class <http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22middle+class%22&sid=breitbart.com>  fares-and that trade agreements should be rejudged to see if they're helping or not. With the presidents of four unions that are supporting her in the audience, Clinton tried Monday to address one of her biggest problems with labor-her husband's signing of the North American Free Trade Agreement <http://search.breitbart.com/q?s=%22North+American%20Free%20Trade%20Agreement%22&sid=breitbart.com> . 'I think it is time that we assess trade agreements every five years to make sure they're meeting their goals or to make adjustments if they are not,' the New York senator said. 'And we should start by doing that with NAFTA.'" [AP <http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8S57HT00&show_article=1&cat=0> , 10/8/07]

TORTURE THEN...

OCTOBER 2006:  Clinton Supported Allowing Torture Under Some Circumstances.  Clinton said she felt torture ought to be legal if the suspect had knowledge of "an imminent threat to millions of Americans."  She said, "That very, very narrow exception within very, very limited circumstances is better than blasting a big hole in our entire law," suggesting such an exception while otherwise embracing a general ban on torture.  [New York Post, 10/21/06]

...AND NOW

SEPTEMBER 2007: Clinton Said Torture "Cannot Be American Policy, Period."  In response to a question about whether there should be a presidential exemption to allow the torture of a terror chief if authorities knew a bomb was about to go off, Clinton said, "It cannot be American policy, period." [New York Daily News, 9/27/07]