Clinton laughs off Colombia questions

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: April 11, 2008
Clinton laughs off Colombia questions

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (CNN) – Hillary Clinton used her trademark laugh Thursday to deflect a question about the $800,000 her husband earned in 2005 giving speeches for a Bogota-based group that supports the Colombia free trade agreement — the same trade deal she currently opposes.

Asked by CNN if those earnings represented a conflict of interest given that she has dipped into her family's pocketbook to pay campaign bills, Clinton threw up her hands and laughed loudly for several seconds. "How many angels dance on the head of the pin?," she responded, continuing to giggle. "I have really, uh, nothing to … I mean, how do you answer that?"

The New York senator explained there are different sides to the argument over trade, and re-emphasized her own opposition to the trade deal, assailing the Colombian government's "outrageous" record of "targeting labor leaders."

"I am against the Colombia free trade deal," she said. "It doesn't matter who talks to me. It doesn't matter any circumstances. I have been against it. I am against it. I will be against it absent the kind of changes in behavior that I have been calling for from the Colombian government."

Earlier in the press conference, describing her husband's advocacy for the trade deal, Clinton said: "Everyone is free to express their opinion."

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/04/11/clinton-laughs-off-colombia-questions/

[dkf]

1. She should say he is going to give it back. How hard is that?

[gateley]

2. I wish she just would have stuck with her statement:

"I am against the Colombia free trade deal," she said. "It doesn't matter who talks to me. It doesn't matter any circumstances. I have been against it. I am against it. I will be against it absent the kind of changes in behavior that I have been calling for from the Colombian government."

(which I think is pretty good)

Laughing makes me feel as though she's dismissing our legitimate concerns. We're taking it seriously, and she doesn't care? That's the impression it gives me.

[polichick]

3. Hiding behind the laugh doesn't work so well anymore.

[roseBudd]

7. The laugh is weird. Someone asks you a question and you laugh? And the question is not funny?

Inappropriate.

[angstlessk]

4. She cares not that it will take jobs away from americans...just that Colombia

be 'nice' to labor unions so they can be disbanded peacefully like in the good ole USofA! :grr:

[damntexdem]

5. Well, after all, assassinations of union organizers is just so funny.

How can HRC help but laugh at it all?

[MadAndy]

6. I think the Chewbaca defense would have been more effective than the cackle.