Can any of you explain the word "partisan" to me?

7960 · 09-17-2008, 08:37 AM

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has canceled an appearance at a New York rally next week after organizers blindsided her by inviting Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, aides to the senator said Tuesday.

The Associated Press: Clinton blindsided by scheduled event with Palin

Ok, she's upset she wasn't informed Palin would be there...I get that.

But this:

"Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event," said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. "Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending."

Wasn't it a partisan event when it was ONLY a democrat going? Wouldn't adding a republican make it BI-partisan or even non-partisan?

kinggovernor · 09-17-2008, 08:53 AM

But she knew it was a partisan political rally:

"Several American Jewish groups plan a major rally outside the United Nations on Sept. 22 to protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad."

Stylerod · 09-17-2008, 10:14 AM

I just read that story and was going to post it here. It makes no sense. If only a Democrat is invited, it's not partisan. But if both Republicans and Democrats are invited it is partisan????

Either we are missing something or they are, because that makes no sense.

And I disagree with this part of the story:

Organizers said Tuesday that both Clinton, who nearly won the Democratic nomination for president, and Palin, Republican candidate John McCain's running mate, are expected to attend.

That would have set up a closely scrutinized and potentially explosive pairing in the midst of a presidential campaign

Please..... What, they can't be at the same event without someone thinking it's going to turn into a cat fight. Give me a break.

JaJae · 09-17-2008, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

Please..... What, they can't be at the same event without someone thinking it's going to turn into a cat fight. Give me a break.

No, they're afraid if Hillary is at the same event as Palin and they're nice to each other it will help McCain win more of the Hillary voters and also capture more of the female vote. By inviting Palin they were essentially setting up a win-win for the GOP. Hillary ducked the hell out knowing it would be damaging to her party. The fact that they attempted to blindside her by inviting Palin behind her back to help McCain is why it was partisan.

It sounds like it was a setup to help the GOP or that's what she seems to be claiming.

Stylerod · 09-17-2008, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

No, they're afraid if Hillary is at the same event as Palin and they're nice to each other it will help McCain win more of the Hillary voters and also capture more of the female vote. By inviting Palin they were essentially setting up a win-win for the GOP. Hillary ducked the hell out knowing it would be damaging to her party. The fact that they attempted to blindside her by inviting Palin behind her back to help McCain is why it was partisan.

It sounds like it was a setup to help the GOP or that's what she seems to be claiming.

"They"? It says the event organizers invited both women. Are these Jewish groups republican?

JaJae · 09-17-2008, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

"They"? It says the event organizers invited both women. Are these Jewish groups republican?

I don't know anything about the event. But as soon as they invited Palin along with Hillary (without Hillary's prior consent) the event would have benefited the GOP and harmed the Democrats. There's just no way around that. So Hillary did the right thing and backed out. And for backing out she had to give an explanation and so she basically said the event became partisan. Which in effect it kinda did. It's not the best explanation in the world, but the truth is Hillary needs to stay away from Palin right now and she knows it. She can't back out of a public event without an explanation and simply saying "I'm not going because Palin will be there" won't help her either. She had to come up with something.

I'm usually the first one to jump on the anti-Hillary train, but I really think she did what she had to do. She may not have given the best explanation to get out of it, but she did what she had to do.

Stylerod · 09-17-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I don't know anything about the event. But as soon as they invited Palin along with Hillary (without Hillary's prior consent) the event would have benefited the GOP and harmed the Democrats. There's just no way around that. So Hillary did the right thing and backed out. And for backing out she had to give an explanation and so she basically said the event became partisan. Which in effect it kinda did. It's not the best explanation in the world, but the truth is Hillary needs to stay away from Palin right now and she knows it. She can't back out of a public event without an explanation and simply saying "I'm not going because Palin will be there" won't help her either. She had to come up with something.

I'm usually the first one to jump on the anti-Hillary train, but I really think she did what she had to do. She may not have given the best explanation to get out of it, but she did what she had to do.

I'm not being anti-Hillary in this. I just didn't understand how an event that has both parties in it all the sudden is considered partisan by Hillary's people. But I guess you could be right, they had to say something.

7960 · 09-17-2008, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by JaJae

I'm usually the first one to jump on the anti-Hillary train, but I really think she did what she had to do. She may not have given the best explanation to get out of it, but she did what she had to do.

There's no way she could go to the event, but saying it became a partisan event when they invited palin is just stupid talk.

JaJae · 09-17-2008, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

I'm not being anti-Hillary in this. I just didn't understand how an event that has both parties in it all the sudden is considered partisan by Hillary's people. But I guess you could be right, they had to say something.

You didn't come off as anti-Hillary, but I am. And I was referring to myself. Usually I'd be quick to jump in and say negative things about the lady. And in this instance I don't think her wording was necessarily great and she does have a habit if blaming the "GOP Machine" for all of her problems. But she was put in a tight spot and had to say something. If she had attended the event and Palin came out with higher numbers in the female vote because of it her party would be pissed and I'm sure she doesn't want to let down her party, even if she does feel McCain is the better person to run the country.

JaJae · 09-17-2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by 7960

There's no way she could go to the event, but saying it became a partisan event when they invited palin is just stupid talk.

I agree. The very act of having them both there makes it bi-partisan. But the idea that the GOP would benefit means it's not a good thing for the Democrats and was beneficial to only one side. I'm not saying she didn't choose her words wisely, because I'm sure she wanted to blame it on the GOP machine, but her decision to back out was a good one. And the idea of not giving the true reason for backing out was also a politically smart move. Her wording and excuse was pretty dumb though. Saying it's a partisan event because they surprised her by inviting Palin comes off as dishonest and sleezy.

motivez · 09-17-2008, 02:13 PM

I assume she believed she was being invited simply because she's NY's Senator and the event is in NY, so it would make sense for people in power in NY to attend even if it was billed as an apolitical event

But by inviting Palin, who has no ties to NY, they certainly made it political in nature

I don't really think you can have an event about foreign policy completely devoid of politics, though.

Stylerod · 09-17-2008, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

I assume she believed she was being invited simply because she's NY's Senator and the event is in NY, so it would make sense for people in power in NY to attend even if it was billed as an apolitical event

But by inviting Palin, who has no ties to NY, they certainly made it political in nature

I don't really think you can have an event about foreign policy completely devoid of politics, though.

They already said it was a political event. But Hilary's people said that by inviting Palin it all the sudden became a "partisan political event". That makes no sense.

motivez · 09-17-2008, 02:28 PM

Not that big of a deal anyway, we all know she doesn't want to appear with Palin anywhere.

I don't blame her either, Palin has basically skipped the line of dozens of other women in the Republican party who were actually qualified to be on the ticket.

Putting them together and trying to equate Palin's candidacy with the qualifications of Hillary would be a slap in the face to Hillary.

7960 · 09-17-2008, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

Not that big of a deal anyway, we all know she doesn't want to appear with Palin anywhere.

I don't blame her either, Palin has basically skipped the line of dozens of other women in the Republican party who were actually qualified to be on the ticket.

Putting them together and trying to equate Palin's candidacy with the qualifications of Hillary would be a slap in the face to Hillary.

good one!

Stylerod · 09-17-2008, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

Not that big of a deal anyway, we all know she doesn't want to appear with Palin anywhere.

I don't blame her either, Palin has basically skipped the line of dozens of other women in the Republican party who were actually qualified to be on the ticket.

Putting them together and trying to equate Palin's candidacy with the qualifications of Hillary would be a slap in the face to Hillary.

All of us agree that Hillary needs to run away whenever Palin is near. But again, them saying it was only a non-partisan event when a republican wasn't there is stupid. It makes no sense. Who do they think would believe that?

motivez · 09-17-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

good one!

It's the truth.

Especially if you were one of the people who thought Hillary wasn't qualified you should recognize Palin's record is exceedingly thin in comparison.

Trying to equate them is foolish.. and putting her next to Hillary somewhere as though she's had some lifetime of achievement and deserves to be in the position she's in because of anything other than McCain's cynical decision is an insult to Hillary.

7960 · 09-17-2008, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Stylerod

All of us agree that Hillary needs to run away whenever Palin is near. But again, them saying it was only a non-partisan event when a republican wasn't there is stupid. It makes no sense. Who do they think would believe that?

if the rally people wanted to dick with hillary they could put out a notice saying she backed out of their bi-partisan event

7960 · 09-17-2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by motivez

It's the truth.

Especially if you were one of the people who thought Hillary wasn't qualified you should recognize Palin's record is exceedingly thin in comparison.

typical internet fallacy right there......... I didn't say palin was qualified.

motivez · 09-17-2008, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by 7960

typical internet fallacy right there......... I didn't say palin was qualified.

I never said you did

illavbill · 09-17-2008, 05:17 PM

Gee, why would they invite Sara Palin to an event about Iran? She doesn't know jack shit about foreign policy, just look at her terrible interview. Who would have thought, the McCain camp is pulling shit outta their ass again, making an issue out of a non-issue. More LIES from McCain wow!

John McCain’s campaign seemed to accuse Barack Obama of pressuring Hillary Clinton to withdraw from appearing at a rally with Sarah Palin, and pushing the group to disinvite the Alaska governor – but did not provide reporters any evidence to back up the claim.

Late Tuesday, an organizer of the September 22 “Stop Iran. Now!” rally announced that Clinton, Palin and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel would be appearing at the event. Hours later, Clinton’s office announced that had changed her decision, and would not attend.

“Earlier this week Governor Palin accepted an invitation to join Hillary Clinton in speaking to a nonpartisan rally organized by groups dedicated to halting Iran's nuclear program,” said McCain-Palin spokesman Michael Goldfarb said in a statement. “Senator Clinton has since withdrawn from the engagement, presumably at the behest of the Obama campaign, and according to news reports, Senator Obama's campaign may be leaning on organizers to disinvite Governor Palin as well lest the rally appear partisan.”

But the Politico story cited by Goldfarb in an e-mail sent to reporters does not include any sources making that charge. One anonymous source – who is identified only as someone “familiar with the talks” – seems to reference debate among organizers over whether or not an Obama-Biden representative was needed if Palin attended the rally in New York over Iran’s nuclear program, to avoid the appearance of partisan politics. It does not mention any request of this kind coming from anyone connected to the Obama-Biden campaign, including Senator Obama himself.

“This issue is too important to fall victim to partisan politics,” Goldfarb also wrote. “Instead of pressuring Senator Clinton to withdraw and pressuring the event's organizers to disinvite Governor Palin, we hope Senator Obama will consider lending his own voice to this cause….”

There has been no mainstream media report or public claim by anyone in Clinton’s camp that she received any pressure from the Obama campaign not to appear at the rally, as Goldfarb implies. Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines said early Wednesday that Palin’s presence at the event and the appearance of partisan politics was the reason for Clinton’s withdrawal.

"Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event,” said Reines. “Senator Clinton will therefore not be attending."

The McCain campaign has not yet responded to a CNN request for the source of the apparent allegations.

Disgusting
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