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Clinton: Vast right wing conspiracy is real
By Devlin Barrett
Associated Press
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WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The "vast, right-wing conspiracy'' is back, presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton is warning, using a phrase she once coined to describe partisan plotting.

Once derided for her use of the phrase, Clinton is now trying to turn the imagery to her advantage.

Speaking Tuesday to Democratic municipal officials, the New York senator used the term to hammer Republicans on election irregularities.

She also used the phrase similarly during a campaign appearance over the weekend in New Hampshire.

Clinton was first lady when she famously charged allegations of an affair between her then-president husband Bill Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky were the result of a conservative conspiracy.

As evidence of the affair eventually came to light, the comment was ridiculed.But many Democrats have since insisted that Clinton was correct, pointing to the well-documented efforts by conservative financier Richard Mellon Scaife to fund a network of anti-Clinton investigations.

On Tuesday, she asserted the conspiracy is alive and well, and cited as proof the Election Day 2002 case of phone jamming in New Hampshire, a case in which two Republican operatives pleaded guilty to criminal charges, and a third was convicted.

``To the New Hampshire Democratic party's credit, they sued and the trail led all the way to the Republican National Committee,'' Clinton said.

``So if anybody tells you there is no vast right-wing conspiracy, tell them that New Hampshire has proven it in court,'' she said.

Former RNC operative James Tobin was convicted of telephone harassment and appealed his conviction. The investigation arose after Democratic organizers' phones were overwhelmed by annoying hang-up calls hindering their get-out-the-vote efforts.

Clinton accused the GOP of a number of other anti-voter actions, including intimidating phone calls during the contentious 2006 congressional elections.

New Hampshire Democratic Party chairwoman Kathy Sullivan said she absolutely agreed with the senator's description of the case.

``People think we're paranoid when we talk about the vast right-wing conspiracy, but there is a real connection of these groups — the same names keep popping up,'' said Sullivan. ``They are the most disgusting group of political thugs that I have ever seen.''

RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt responded that Democrats ``might be disappointed to learn that almost a decade later, the senator's playbook consists of little more than a resurrection of Clinton-era talking points.''

Clinton made her charge of conspiracy in response to a question about her proposed bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday, and make it a crime to send misleading or fraudulent information to voters.

She also said the government should do more to end unusually long lines at certain polling places.

``It just so happens that many of those places where people are waiting for hours are places where people of color are voting or young people are voting. That is un-American, and we're going to end it,'' Clinton said.

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Presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., visits the GrandParent Family Apartments, Monday, March 12, 2007, in the Bronx borough of New York, to announce legislation to provide assistance to the growing numbers of grandparents and other relatives raising children. (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff)
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Reader comments on this story - 47 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

tawana wrote on Mar 16, 2007 8:12 AM:

" hilary rodham would be a great president for this country and I would like to see that other people can see that bush is not the right person to be the one leading this country because he don't know what he is doing at all "

YadaYada wrote on Mar 15, 2007 9:17 AM:

" There IS a vast conspiracy! All the politicians in places like Springfield and Washington, D.C. are putting one over on their constituencies. Talk about divide and conquer. And, it works because of mankind's lower nature. "

to middle of road wrote on Mar 15, 2007 12:06 AM:

" ROFLMBO no problem but we don't agree and i didn't want anyone to think i was flip-flopping. LOL no offense meant "

NOT middle of the road DUDE wrote on Mar 14, 2007 3:25 PM:

" Hey "DUDE", Chill!!! Do you have a monopoly on the middle of the road. We all know that Hillary doesn't have a monopoly on paranoia, lying, and conspiracy theories. Alot of politicians have them. But she does seem to find that all her problems are due so someone else and she thinks she is entirely blameless. "

middle of the road dude wrote on Mar 14, 2007 12:30 PM:

" please do not mistake middle of the road for me we are not the same person "

middle of the road wrote on Mar 14, 2007 8:13 AM:

" Some of us are tired of hearing that all Hil's problems are caused by a vast right wing conspiracy. Hillary sounds like my 95 year old father who sees a conspiracy in the aides at the nursing home wanting to help him eat his dinner. Perhaps Hil has dementia playing tricks with her brain too!! Or perhaps a vast number of people just don't like her. "

John wrote on Mar 14, 2007 6:31 AM:

" "``It just so happens that many of those places where people are waiting for hours are places where people of color are voting or young people are voting. That is un-American, and we're going to end it,'' Clinton said." Well, I waited for a couple hours in line last presidential election, along with many others. Guess we don't count though, we were mostly whites, Clinton doesn't care about that though, she's trying to create division. She's a bigot. A very paranoid, stupid, fascist wannabe bigot. Her college thesis tells a lot about her and her plans I think. "

Yep.... wrote on Mar 14, 2007 12:49 AM:

" Show me an honest politician and I'll show you the Easter Bunny,Santa Claus, Great Pumpkin,,etc,etc. The ONLY conspiracy in Washington is, that the politicians don't listen to the people that put them there. "

Devil's Advocate wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:55 PM:

" Hey News Medias: Why don't you print unflattering pictures of Hillary like you do of GWB? Could it be that vast liberal media conspiracy? "

The conspiracy wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:01 PM:

" is actually created by the independent party to make the liberals think that the conservatives have a conspiracy to make the liberals feel that the consevatives are trying to make the liberals paranoid of the conservatives that are hiding in the bushes waiting to make the liberals think "

to Hey Ghost wrote on Mar 13, 2007 8:12 PM:

" Considering that the Double Digit IQ group won't vote for anyone but a (R), I think you're wrong. "

DG wrote on Mar 13, 2007 5:44 PM:

" She really wants to make it a crime to send misleading or fraudulent information to voters? Wouldn't that be a bit of a problem for the democratic party? "

Krusty Krab wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:42 PM:

" ``So if anybody tells you there is no vast right-wing conspiracy, tell them that New Hampshire has proven it in court,'' she said. WOW! I HAD NO IDEA THAT NEW HAMPSHIRE WAS SO BIG! HOW VAST A STATE IT MUST BE! (Will I need more than one tank of gas to cover it all?) "

Hey Ghost wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:23 PM:

" She's the perfect candidate for mouthbreathers and those with double digit IQs. "

SEMPER FI wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:16 PM:

" WOW!! Hillary just had a vowel movement! When is she going to come up with something new and refreshing for a change? "

To:to don't forget wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:05 PM:

" There is just as much, if not more, evidence/proof that Jesus existed as there is that Eleanor did. "

flounder wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:02 PM:

" wonder what her definition of is is? "

Take your meds, Hillary, wrote on Mar 13, 2007 4:01 PM:

" the whole pill; don't break it in half, and you'll stop seeing vast, right wing conspiracies. "

to "How" wrote on Mar 13, 2007 3:40 PM:

" That was HILARIOUS! Yes, Mrs. President. No, Mr. First Man. "

V. Foster's Ghost wrote on Mar 13, 2007 3:30 PM:

" Once again demonstrating how really unelectable and undesireable as president she is. "

to Don't Forget wrote on Mar 13, 2007 2:59 PM:

" George W. Bush claims that God and Jesus speak to him. Eleanor Roosevelt is somewhat more plausable. At least she existed and lived at one point in time... "

Funny wrote on Mar 13, 2007 2:53 PM:

" Isn't it funny how she didn't mention the left wing problems that are worse than the right wing? You know tire slashing and things of that sort which the people did get convicted of. Except their thinking is since you do it we do it too. Although the reality is that the GOP usually doesn't do it at all and then they are blamed. In fact why is this the first we have heard of the NH phone jams. Is it even true? Must have been kept quiet. Imagine that. A GOP discretion being kept quiet. Not likely. And today Gonzales was under fire about firing some attorneys. Sound like Travelgate in which Mrs. Clinton skated. And she holds her head up high and doesn't see a think wrong with that either. "

Same ole Hilary..Same ole Bill wrote on Mar 13, 2007 2:40 PM:

" She calls it Right wing conspiracy / lying under oath is perjury / Bill Clinton lied under oath no matter how u try to cover it up or coat it. It is also funny how Obama is both white and black but yet when it's convenient Obama Hussein Barack is black. Hello, will someone wake up make the coffee and let us all know when it's ready. Makes no difference who does the lying under oath - it's perjury. Look at the list at all the people that died while they were in office / it's incredible how 'conveniently' they died when they could have told the truth. "

Don't forget... wrote on Mar 13, 2007 2:12 PM:

" this is the same woman who said she spoke to the spirit of Eleanor Roosevelt in the White House (or did she say Eleanor spoke to her?). Either way, she doesn't appear to have a firm grasp on reality. "

Funny wrote on Mar 13, 2007 1:53 PM:

" When she's in certain towns she's black. When she's in certain neighborhoods she's Jewish. Now she's like JFK, catholic. I think one thing for sure is she's nuts! Isn't she the one who just happened to misplace FBI files in her attic? "

How wrote on Mar 13, 2007 1:22 PM:

" Can She even run for president. I mean, she already had her 8 years in ... "

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD DUDE wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:57 PM:

" THIS IS THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF HER MOUTH THAT I CAN BELIEVE! Yes i consider my self a republican i just dont consider those at the top of the party to be republicans! "

About time wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:43 PM:

" The real nutjob Hillary started to come out. Now we will hear from Bill how he was framed. Some repub made him do it. "

Jim wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:42 PM:

" I can't believe she is that clueless. To try this crap again after she and husband were proven to be liars. It wasn't such a big conspiracy since it was true. And yes she knew about, she didn't think Bill was dumb enough to get caught. Guess her judgement is really off. "

Lone Democrat wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:41 PM:

" Wow, everyone seems to think the same on here! "

Galway wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:41 PM:

" The only conspiracy is probably Ms. Clinton doing and saying anything to get herself elected president. She sounds just like the other democrat's. "They did this, they did that". It's so immature and annoying. "

Lone Democrat wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:38 PM:

" Wow, everyone seems to think the same on here! "

fed up wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:35 PM:

" Does anybody out there really believe Hillary has a chance in the white house? "

To A Crime wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:30 PM:

" I AGREE "

the conspiracy goes both ways wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:22 PM:

" let us truly face the fact of the matter is this...the bi party system is wrecked, and we are swung either so far to the right or left that nothing can get done. The real tragedy is when a bright mind (Obama or McCain to name a couple) get beaten up so badly and torn down, the only avenue they have is turning to the party line on the left or right for protection. Without moderates nothing will ever get done, and the radical Islamic fundamentalists will still hate all of us. "

huh? wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:12 PM:

" The strong republican sentiment abounds here. They're ALL CROOKS! Both repub & dems. Change the power structure to limit their power! "

Jon wrote on Mar 13, 2007 12:10 PM:

" I wonder if Hil realizes that she is part of that very conspiracy? Kind of funny how Hil, Obama and Nancy Pelosi are all speaking at the annual AIPAC lobbyist convention in Washington this week. The AIPAC has its claws firmly sunk into the neo-conservative ideology and supports increased US involvement in the middle east (read: IRAN). If you truly want to see how close together our two major parties are...just follow the money trail. "

Tranquilo wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:31 AM:

" That's what we need...another paranoid president. Everyone be afraid (again). "

WOW wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:16 AM:

" And I suppose all those deaths related to the Clintons are also just a right wing conspiracy to make them look bad?! "

A Crime............. wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:15 AM:

" to send fraudulent or misleading information to voters............hopefully, Bill and her will be the first ones charged with the offense.......... "

cigars unlimited........ wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:12 AM:

" I think the conspiracy of the affair between Monica and her hubby was proven to be real????????? "

If she win's... wrote on Mar 13, 2007 11:04 AM:

" ...I'm moving to Canada! "

Suzy wrote on Mar 13, 2007 10:49 AM:

" Hillary lives in a fantasy land... "

Billy wrote on Mar 13, 2007 10:47 AM:

" that sounds just like a line that would come from the vast left-wing conspiracy! "

Little Brother wrote on Mar 13, 2007 10:43 AM:

" There's vast conspiracies on both sides. In an age when mudslinging and personal attacks are the preferred method of election, covert operations among all of the parties are occuring on a daily basis. You can't believe anyone anymore, not politicians, newspapers, radio hosts, and most of all television. They will all lie to you, prey on your selfishness and sense of entitlement, and rally you to their cause just to stay in power. Everyone does it. I'm not saying that it's right, just that it's true. Watch your back and don't believe anything. "

She's A Nut Job wrote on Mar 13, 2007 10:42 AM:

" Can anyone take this nut job seriously? On the other hand, Democrats are experts on voter fraud, so maybe she knows something the rest of us conspirators don't. "

Ha! This is awesome! THERE'S the Mrs. Bill Clinton we all wrote on Mar 13, 2007 10:39 AM:

" know and love! I was waiting for her to materialize! "
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