Clinton Also Dismisses John Edwards As A Likely Nominee & Says The Lewinsky Affair Was Her Most Public Challenge UPDATE 5:30pm: Obama Responds, See Below
Tim Russert used his usual style of graphics, quotes and soundbites to question Hillary Clinton. While at times she fought back saying Russert had pulled quotes and soundbites out of context, she held her own. You could tell at times she leaned toward a combative Hillary… but pulled herself back to continue to focus on her message to South Carolina and Nevada. At one point in answering a Russert question about the Levin Amendment, Clinton started, “If I had a lot of paper in front of me, I could quote people who say something very differently. So, I know you’re very good at this and I respect it. But, let’s look at the context here.” She continued with her answer. But I’m sure she wanted to respond that way many times.
Clinton stayed focused on common themes in her campaign, the biggest of which is that she is ready to take actions on the ‘first day in the White House.’ The first portion of the interview was the most challenging for Clinotn. To his credit, Russert’s first question at the top of the show asked about the many concerns about comments about MLK, Jr. and race. She has been heavily criticized this week for her comments and that of her husband Bill Clinton. She and Bill maintain the comments are being taken out of context and promoted by the Barack Obama campaign against her. On this issue, it must be saddening for her campaign. She staged a comeback in New Hampshire… only to have the momentum derailed with this issue.
About the likely nominee, Clinton dismissed polls once again and then claimed that she or Obama will be the likely nominee for the Democrats. “Whoever is nominated, and it’s likely to be Senator Obama or myself, will get a fresh look by the people of America.”
UPDATE: Senator Obama responded to the 'Meet the Press' interview. "I have to point out that instead of telling the American people about her positive vision for America, Senator Clinton spent an hour talking about me and my record in a way that was flat-out wrong.”
Near the end of the interview, Clinton addressed her husband’s affair with Monica Lewinsky in a question from Russert that asked what was her biggest public adversity? “Well I think all know that. We lived through it didn’t we. It was something that was very painful and very hurtful.”
Finally, here’s a very minor footnote from this interview. The cushy, high-arm chairs on the set for this interview were awkward and out of place. At one point, I wondered how uncomfortable they were for communication style for Clinton.
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