Liberals Snubbed by Hillary Clinton

While often entertaining, I don’t think that the CNN/You Tube Debate will have much impact on the race. Hillary still looks like the establishment leader. Obama still promises change. Richardson did a bit better than in earlier debates but still does pooly compared to when campaigning on the stump. Fans of Edwards are probably happy, and his non-fans remain unimpressed.

The main thing I learned is that Hillary Clinton doesn’t want to be called a liberal:

Mrs. Clinton, how would you define the word “liberal?”

And would you use this word to describe yourself?

Thank you.

(LAUGHTER)

CLINTON: You know, it is a word that originally meant that you were for freedom, that you were for the freedom to achieve, that you were willing to stand against big power and on behalf of the individual.

Unfortunately, in the last 30, 40 years, it has been turned up on its head and it’s been made to seem as though it is a word that describes big government, totally contrary to what its meaning was in the 19th and early 20th century.

I prefer the word “progressive,” which has a real American meaning, going back to the progressive era at the beginning of the 20th century.

I consider myself a modern progressive, someone who believes strongly in individual rights and freedoms, who believes that we are better as a society when we’re working together and when we find ways to help those who may not have all the advantages in life get the tools they need to lead a more productive life for themselves and their family.

So I consider myself a proud modern American progressive, and I think that’s the kind of philosophy and practice that we need to bring back to American politics.

COOPER: So you wouldn’t use the word “liberal,” you’d say “progressive.”

Needless to say, the name of this blog will remain Liberal Values, not Progressive Values and I will continue to promote the ideals of freedom which gave birth to liberalism.

Update: In addition to the transcript linked here, there are many video clips available at PoliticsTV.com.

1 Comment

  1. 1
    markg says:

    I think any candidate like Biden and Hillary who claimed it’ll take a year to get out of Iraq (Biden) or a month to redeploy each brigade (Hillary) did serious damage to him or herself. We now have what, 15, 20 brigades in Iraq? It took us 3-1/2 weeks to fight our way to Baghdad and it’s going to take a year or two to do what most Iraqis want us to do and get out? That’s just stupid, overly cautious, inside the beltway, serious person blather. Occupying Iraq isn’t the solution, it’s the problem.

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