Hillary's Policies Were On The Ballot

After A Historic Rebuke In Yesterday's Midterms, The Obama-Clinton Policies Will Be On The Ballot Again In 2016

OBAMA'S POLICIES THAT WERE ON THE BALLOT RECEIVED "STINGING DEFEATS" FROM VOTERS

Tuesday's Election Results Will "Be Seen As A Repudiation" Of Obama's Presidency. "Two things were clear long before the votes were counted on Tuesday night: President Obama would face a Congress with more Republicans for his final two years in office, and the results would be seen as a repudiation of his leadership." (Peter Baker, "President Obama Left Fighting For His Own Relevancy," The New York Times, 11/4/14)

• "Republicans Took Control Of The U.S. Senate In A Series Of Stinging Defeats For Democrats And President Obama…" "Republicans took control of the U.S. Senate in a series of stinging defeats for Democrats and President Obama, who will now face a unified GOP-controlled Congress for his final two years in office." (Susan Davis, "Senate: Republicans Net Sixth Seat To Win Control," USA Today , 11/4/14)

The Election Reflected "Widespread Unease About The Nation's Direction And The Electorate's Disenchantment With President Obama." "Republicans won control of the Senate Tuesday evening as GOP candidates across the country swept to victory in crucial midterm elections, reflecting widespread unease about the nation's direction and the electorate's disenchantment with President Obama." (Jerry Markon, Robert Costa And David Nakamura, "Republicans Win Senate Control As Polls Show Dissatisfaction With Obama," The Washington Post , 11/4/14)

• The Election Was Driven By "Discontent And Resentment About President Obama And His Policies." "Republicans wrested back control of the Senate on Tuesday by adding at least six seats to their ranks, riding discontent and resentment about President Obama and his policies and consolidating Republican power on Capitol Hill." (Michael D. Shear and Carl Hulse, "Republicans Retake The Senate," The New York Times , 11/4/14)

• "Early Exit Poll Results Showed That A Majority Of Voters Disapprove Of The Job Mr. Obama Is Doing As President, And Most Said They Are Dissatisfied Or Angry With His Administration." (Michael D. Shear and Carl Hulse, "Republicans Retake The Senate," The New York Times , 11/4/14)

"The Rapid-Fire Victories Represented A Repudiation Of The President." "The rapid-fire victories represented a repudiation of the President, who rode into office on a mantle of change in 2008 and was re-elected in 2012 but whose second term has bogged down in a problems ranging from crises abroad to the arrival of Ebola in the United States." (Jerry Markon, Robert Costa And David Nakamura, "Republicans Win Senate Control As Polls Show Dissatisfaction With Obama," The Washington Post , 11/4/14)

IT ISN'T JUST OBAMA WHO SHOULD BE CONCERNED - HILLARY CLINTON IS RUNNING FOR "OBAMA'S THIRD TERM"

Clinton Associates "Have Quietly Expressed Concern" That The Most Effective Clinton Attack Would Be That Her Presidency Would Amount To "Nothing More Than President Barack Obama's Third Term." "However, some Clinton associates -- all of whom requested anonymity to speak candidly -- have quietly expressed concern that one of the most effective critiques could be that her presidency, should she run and be elected, would be nothing more than President Barack Obama's third term." (Dan Merica, "Obama 'Third Term' Label Concerns Some With Clinton Ties," CNN, 8/21/14)

• Clinton Friend And Former Aide: "That Is, The Way To Go After Her Is Four More Years Of The Same Old Thing." "The Clinton friend and former aide told CNN last week that the best way to go after Clinton is to use this against her: 'If you like Obama, you will love Hillary.' 'She was in his government, she was at his side,' said the source. 'That is, the way to go after her is four more years of the same old thing. The question they should ask her is 'Tell me 10 things that you disagree with him on.''" (Dan Merica, "Obama 'Third Term' Label Concerns Some With Clinton Ties," CNN, 8/21/14)

Politico 's Roger Simon: "If [Clinton] Can Be Labeled As Obama's Third Term, She Can Be Beaten." "Still, Clinton must connect with voters and sell her vision of America - which thus far she has kept largely to herself - in order to win. And even if she does that, she is not a sure thing: If she can be labeled as Obama's third term, she can be beaten. That's because I don't think there are too many people who want an Obama third term. Not even Obama." (Roger Simon, Op-Ed, "Hillary Doomed If She's Obama's Third Term," Politico, 8/26/14)

• Politico Headline: "Hillary Doomed If She's Obama's Third Term" (Roger Simon, Op-Ed, "Hillary Doomed If She's Obama's Third Term," Politico, 8/26/14)

ON FOREIGN POLICY, AMERICANS ARE STILL FEELING THE FALLOUT OF CLINTON'S TENURE AS OBAMA'S SECRETARY OF STATE

If Clinton Runs In 2016, Voters Will Want To Know, Had She Won Her First Presidential Campaign, "How Different Would Her Foreign Policy Have Been From Obama's?" "But what if she had been the one in the Oval Office since 2009? How different would her foreign policy be from President Obama's? These questions are clearly more than a thought experiment. If she runs in 2016, potentially the first secretary of state since James Buchanan to ascend to the White House, voters will want to know the answers." (Aaron David Miller, Op-Ed, "If Hillary Clinton Had Won In 2008, What Would Her Foreign Policy Have Looked Like?" The Washington Post , 8/15/14)

"There Was Little Indication" That Clinton Disagreed With Obama On Many Big Issues During Her Time In The Administration. "But there was little indication that she disagreed with Obama on other big issues during her time in his Cabinet, including the pivot to Asia, a cease-fire between Israel and Gaza the last time around, and working to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions." (Dan Merica, "Clinton Dances Between Loyalty And Self-Interest," CNN, 8/13/14)

• A Former Senior Administration Official Said That Clinton And Obama Are "More Alike Than Different." "But a former senior administration official defended Obama's approach, saying he is 'doing the best he can under trying circumstances.' '[Clinton and Obama] do have very different styles, but I think they're more alike than different,' the former official said." (Amie Parnes, "Clinton Allies Distance 'Decisive' Hillary From 'Passive' Obama," The Hill, 9/10/14)

Clinton Will Have An "Especially Tough" Time Trying To Persuade Americans She Will Be Different Than Obama

Since She Served In His Administration, Clinton Will Have An "Especially Tough" Time Trying To Make The Case That She Would Provide Anything Different Than Obama. "Any Democratic nominee would have the same problem: It's especially challenging to follow a president of the same party and make the case that you'd really provide something different. But the problem would be especially tough for Clinton since she served in the Obama administration - and since she's already talking about the need for a policy 'vision.'" (David Nather, "Searching For Hillary Clinton's Big Idea," Politico, 7/7/14)

• Obama Himself Has "Described Clinton As Someone Who 'Helped Champion Our Efforts' From Her Position At The State Department." "As for Hillary Clinton, sitting in the audience at a table at the Sheraton New York, Obama said, 'I think one of the best decisions I ever made as president was to have Hillary Clinton serve as our secretary of state. … I'll always be grateful for her extraordinary leadership … around the world.' At another point, Obama talked about his foreign policy and described Clinton as someone who 'helped champion our efforts' from her position at the State Department." (Maggie Haberman, "Barack Obama And Hillary Clinton: It's Complicated," Politico, 9/24/14)

According To Former White House Spokesman Jay Carney, "Hillary Clinton Is 'Likely To Embrace' President Obama's Record On Foreign Policy As A Presidential Candidate Because She Helped Create And Execute It." "Hillary Clinton is 'likely to embrace' President Obama's record on foreign policy as a presidential candidate because she helped create and execute it, former press secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday." (Justin Sink, "Carney: Clinton 'Likely To Embrace' Obama Foreign Policy," The Hill, 9/11/14)

• Carney: "[T]he President's Record On Foreign Policy Is Something She Is More Likely To Embrace Than Anything Because She Was A Big Part Of It." "'She was secretary of state for President Obama for four years and she understands that record will be part of what she runs on,' Carney, hired Wednesday as a contributor to CNN, told the network. 'Her time as secretary of state is something she should be proud of, and the president's record on foreign policy is something she is more likely to embrace than anything because she was a big part of it.'" (Justin Sink, "Carney: Clinton 'Likely To Embrace' Obama Foreign Policy," The Hill, 9/11/14)

Clinton Was Also A Backer Of Obama's Syria Strategy

In December 2012, Clinton "Sternly" Reiterated The Administration's Warning That Chemical Weapons In Syria "Would Be A 'Red Line' And Trigger Retaliatory Action From The United States." "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sternly warned Syria Monday that using chemical weapons against rebel forces would be a 'red line' and trigger retaliatory action from the United States. Along with a pledge from President Obama, Clinton's words were the second public warning from the U.S. government in response to reports that Syria's President Bashar al-Assad may be moving a chemical weapons stockpile." (Dana Hughes, "Clinton: Assad's 'Chemical Weapons' A 'Red Line' For US," ABC News, 12/4/12)

• Clinton In 2012: "We Have Made Our Views Very Clear. This Is A Red Line For The United States. … Suffice To Say We Are Certainly Planning To Take Action If That Eventuality Were To Occur." "'We have made our views very clear. This is a red line for the United States. I'm not going to telegraph in any specifics what we would do in the event of credible evidence that the Assad regime has resorted to using chemical weapons against his own people, but suffice to say we are certainly planning to take action if that eventuality were to occur,' Clinton said at a press conference in Prague." (Dana Hughes, "Clinton: Assad's 'Chemical Weapons' A 'Red Line' For US," ABC News, 12/4/12)

Council On Foreign Relations' Leslie Gelb On Failed Syria Policy: "We Drew Red Lines And Then Didn't Do Anything About Them." "We drew red lines and then didn't do anything about them, walked away from them. And now we're in a position where it seems we're just going to let this war drag on with terrible consequences that Fred Hof described and you know full well the horrors of it." (Leslie Gelb, Committee On Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate, Testimony, 10/31/13)

Clinton Supports Obama's "Failed" ISIS Strategy

In September, Clinton Said She Supported Obama's Strategy In Syria And Downplayed Past Disagreements On The Issue. "Hillary Clinton on Wednesday said she supported President Obama's Syria strategy while playing down past disagreements on the issue. 'The situation now is demanding a response and we are seeing a very robust response,' Clinton said at a panel discussion at the Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York, according to CNN." (Peter Sullivan, "Hillary Clinton Downplays Differences With Obama On Syria," The Hill, 9/24/14)

• Clinton: "The Situation Now Is Demanding A Response And We Are Seeing A Very Robust Response." "Clinton, Obama's former secretary of state, said the President gave a 'very clear explanation and robust defense of the action he has ordered' regarding airstrikes against the terrorist group ISIS in Syria and Iraq. 'The situation now is demanding a response and we are seeing a very robust response,' Clinton said. 'It is something that I think the President is right to bring the world attention to.'" (Dan Merica, "Hillary Clinton Stands With Obama On Airstrikes, Arming Syrian Rebels," CNN, 9/24/14)
• The Hill Headline: "Hillary Clinton Downplays Differences With Obama On Syria" (Peter Sullivan, "Hillary Clinton Downplays Differences With Obama On Syria," The Hill, 9/24/14)

The Washington Post' s Eugene Robinson: "It's Not Too Soon To State The Obvious: At This Point, The War Against The Islamic State Can Be Seen Only As Failing." (Eugene Robinson, Op-Ed, "Our Failing War Against The Islamic State," The Washington Post , 10/13/14)

• Democrat Strategist And Former Harry Reid Spokesman, Jim Manley: "[I]n No Way Shape Or Form Can Their Handling Of ISIS Be Defined As A Success." "'In general, I support what the president is trying to do in the region right now, but in no way shape or form can their handling of ISIS be defined as a success,' said Democratic strategist Jim Manley, who had previously served as a spokesman to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.)." (Amie Parnes, "Dems Question ISIS Strategy's Success," The Hill, 10/16/14)

Foreign Policy 's David Rothkopf On Obama's ISIS Strategy: "This Is A Formula For Keeping A Lid On A Problem, For Managing It-Not For Solving It." (David Rothkopf, Op-Ed, "Leave It To Hillary," Foreign Policy, 10/2/14)

Clinton Was The Face Of The Failed "Reset" With Russia

In March 2009, Clinton Presented Her Russian Counterpart With A "Reset" Button, Illustrating The Administration's Desire To Press "The Reset Button" With Russia. "When it comes to Russia, the Obama administration has been talking about 'pressing the reset button.' It's meant to symbolize a possible new start in U.S./Russian relations, which 'crashed' after Russia invaded Georgia last August. So when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton greeted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Geneva Friday before sitting down to their working dinner, she was all smiles when she presented him a small green box with a ribbon. Lavrov opened it and, inside, there was a red button with the Russian word 'peregruzka' printed on it." (Jill Dougherty, "Clinton 'Reset Button' Gift To Russian FM Gets Lost In Translation," CNN, 3/6/09)

• Clinton In 2009: "We're Going To Hit The Reset Button And Start Fresh Because Clearly The Obama Administration Believes That There Are A Number Of Important Areas To Discuss With The Russians." NPR's MICHELE KELEMEN: "Madam Secretary, you've exchanged letters, you met briefly in Egypt this week already with Sergey Lavrov, but this is going to be your first lengthy meeting with the Russian foreign minister tonight. How do you set the tone, because as you know your predecessor had quite a testy relationship with him?" HILLARY CLINTON: "Well, we're going to hit the reset button and start fresh because clearly the Obama administration believes that there are a number of important areas to discuss with the Russians. We're just at the beginning of this discussion, but I'm looking forward to it." (Michele Kelemen, "Clinton Says She'll Hit 'Reset Button' With Russia," NPR, 3/6/09)
• Politico 's Mike Allen: Clinton "Was The Face Of The 'Reset.'" MIKE ALLEN: "Willie, it was Senator Clinton, Secretary Clinton, who was the face of the 'reset.' You guys will remember we saw this on 'Morning Joe' back in 2009, in her second month in office. She was in Moscow at one of her first trips and she presented the Russian Foreign Minister with an actual gift wrapped red 'reset' button." (MSNBC's "Morning Joe," 3/4/14)

Right Now, It Looks Like Putin Is "Winning An Awful Lot Of Battles" And "The Obama Administration Seems Hard-Pressed To Stop Him." "Russian President Vladimir Putin may end up losing the current war, but right now, it sure looks like he's winning an awful lot of battles. And with very few good options, the Obama administration seems hard-pressed to stop him." (Aaron David Miller, "A Poor Chapter In The History Books," Foreign Policy, 5/22/14)

• The Russia Reset "Has Failed ." "Today that statement seems prescient. Obama's reset has failed, and in a throwback to the 19th century, Russia has invaded another one of its neighbors-Ukraine-this time even annexing a chunk of its territory." (Simon Shuster, "A Failed Russia 'Reset' Haunts Obama In Europe," Time, 6/3/14)

As Secretary of State, Clinton Supported President Obama's Unpopular Efforts To Close Guantanamo

In 2009, Clinton Said She Believed The Prison At Guantanamo Bay Should Be Closed "As Soon As Possible." NBC's DAVID GREGORY: "When is a realistic deadline now for Americans to expect the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be shut down?" CLINTON: "I think as soon as possible." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 11/15/09)

• Clinton: "And So Closing It Is A Commitment That The President Made That He Will Follow Through On." (NBC's "Meet The Press," 11/15/09)

Obama Named Clinton To An "Interagency Task Force" To Examine How To Close Guantanamo Bay . "Obama today ordered the formation of an interagency task force responsible for providing recommendations on handling such detainees. The group will comprise Gates; Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Dennis C. Blair, the director of National Intelligence; CIA Director Leon Panetta; and the secretary of Homeland Security and other officials." (John J. Kruzel, "Obama Calls For Closing Guantanamo Bay, Changes In Detainee Treatment," American Forces Press Service, 1/22/09)

• Obama:"They Are Going To Provide Me With Information In Terms Of How We Are Able To Deal In The Disposition Of Some Of The Detainees That May Be Currently In Guantanamo." "'They are going to provide me with information in terms of how we are able to deal in the disposition of some of the detainees that may be currently in Guantanamo that we cannot transfer to other countries, who could pose a serious danger to the United States, but we cannot try because of various problems related to evidence in a [federal] court,'" Obama said. (John J. Kruzel, "Obama Calls For Closing Guantanamo Bay, Changes In Detainee Treatment," American Forces Press Service, 1/22/09)

Clinton: "We've Been Making Progress" On Closing Guantanamo . CLINTON: "Well, actually, George, we've been making progress. I think when we started, there were way more than 100 -- I don't remember the exact number. We have a dedicated group led by Ambassador Dan Fried, who has literally traveled the world making arrangements for detainees to be transferred to countries willing to accept them. And we are making progress. There's a large group of detainees from Yemen that posed some specific security issues that have to be addressed, but we are making progress." (ABC's "This Week," 11/15/09)

• National Journal Headline: "Five Years After Obama Vowed To Shut It Down, Guantanamo Bay Remains Open." (Marina Koren, "Five Years After Obama Vowed To Shut It Down, Guantanamo Bay Remains Open," National Journal , 1/22/14)
• Time Headline: "Why Gitmo Will Never Close." (Michael Crowley, "Why Gitmo Will Never Close," Time, 5/30/13)

66 Percent Of Americans Oppose Closing The Terrorist Detention Camp At Guantanamo Bay, While Only 29 Percent Support The Idea. (Gallup Poll, 1,027 A, MoE 4%, 6/5-6/14)

Americans Overwhelmingly Disapprove Of The Obama-Clinton Foreign Policy And Handling Of Terrorism

AP-GfK Poll: 59 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of The Way Obama Is Handling The U.S. Role In World Affairs, While 40 Percent Approve. (AP-GfK Poll, 1,608 A, MoE 2.8%, 10/16-20/14)

• AP-GfK Poll: 52 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of The Way Obama Is Handling Terrorism, While 47 Percent Approve. (AP-GfK Poll, 1,608 A, MoE 2.8%, 10/16-20/14)

• 55 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama's Handling Of The Threat Posed By The ISIS, While 43 Percent Approve. (AP-GfK Poll, 1,608 A, MoE 2.8%, 10/16-20/14)

CLINTON WASN'T JUST A BACKER OF OBAMACARE, SHE WAS THE ARCHITECT BEHIND MANY OF ITS PROVISIONS

As Secretary Of State And Since Leaving The Cabinet, Clinton Has Been A Firm Supporter Of ObamaCare

In Recent Appearances, Clinton Has Praised ObamaCare And Its Impact On Families. "More broadly, Clinton praised Obamacare, saying it's helping families avoid bankruptcy and ensuring that 'women are no longer charged more solely because of our gender.'" (John McCormick, "Hillary Clinton Open To GOP Obamacare Demand On Medical Devices," Bloomberg, 10/9/14)

Hillary Clinton Said That If She Was Up For Reelection In 2014, She Would Have Run In Favor Of ObamaCare. "Hillary Clinton has yet to announce whether she is running for president in 2016, but in an interview that aired Wednesday, Clinton outlined how she would run in favor of Obamacare 'if [she] were a Democrat running for reelection in 2014.'" (Dan Merica, "Hillary Clinton Wants 2014 Democrats To Run On ObamaCare," CNN, 6/25/14)

• Clinton: "Democrats 'Need To' Run On ObamaCare." "Clinton, who in the past has said she is both supportive of Obamacare and of fixes to change the law, told PBS NewsHour's Gwen Ifill in an interview taped Tuesday that Democrats 'need to' run on President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare law." (Dan Merica, "Hillary Clinton Wants 2014 Democrats To Run On ObamaCare," CNN, 6/25/14)

While In Obama's Cabinet, Clinton Supported The Passage Of ObamaCare And "Spoke Up On The President's Behalf During A Cabinet Meeting." "President Obama receives a congratulatory hug from Hillary Clinton the day after the House passed the Affordable Care Act. Clinton, who had pushed for health care reform when her husband was president, supported Obama's insistence that the law be passed and spoke up on the president's behalf during a cabinet meeting." (Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes, HRC: State Secrets And The Rebirth Of Hillary Clinton, 2014)

• "She Defended The President's Health Plan Against Doubting Cabinet Colleagues, A Moment The Authors Describe As 'Pivotal, If Underappreciated.'" (Liza Mundy, "Book World: 'HRC,' Inside Clinton's State Dept. And The Political Machine," The Washington Post , 2/6/14)

Clinton Isn't Just A Supporter Of ObamaCare - Her Last Campaign's Plan Was "95 Percent" Similar To Obama's Plan

In 2008, Then-Candidate Barack Obama Said His Health Care Plan Was "About 95 Percent" Similar To Clinton's Plan. OBAMA: "Let's take health care. About 95 percent of our plans are similar." (Barack Obama, Democratic Presidential Debate, Los Angeles, CA, 1/31/08)

"The Centerpiece Of Clinton's Plan Is The So-Called 'Individual Mandate,' Requiring Everyone To Have Health Insurance-Just As Most States Require Drivers To Purchase Auto Insurance." (Beth Fouhy, "Clinton To Offer Health Care Plan," Associated Press, 9/17/07)

• The Individual Mandate Is A "Centerpiece" Of ObamaCare. "A centerpiece of Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, is a requirement that all individuals carry some minimum health insurance or pay a tax. The new system aims to provide insurance through state marketplaces and subsidies for tens of millions of Americans who lack it." (Kim Dixon and Patrick Temple-West, "IRS Issues Final Rules On ObamaCare's 'Individual Mandate,'" Reuters, 8/27/13)

Clinton's Health Plan Had Mandated That Employers Provide Health Insurance Or Pay Into A National Fund. "Many 2008 Democratic presidential candidates, most recently Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, are embracing the notion of the so-called 'pay or play' insurance coverage mandate, which would require employers to provide health coverage to their employees or pay a tax into a national fund that would provide the coverage for them." (Sara Lubbes, "Perils And Pluses Of 'Play Or Pay' Insurance Mandates," CQ HealthBeat News, 9/18/07)

• ObamaCare's Employer Mandate Required Businesses To Provide Health Coverage Or Pay A Tax. "Small businesses with fewer than 50 workers have always been exempt from the Affordable Care Act coverage requirements, but the law originally required all other businesses to start covering their workers or face penalties beginning Jan. 1, 2014. The White House last July pushed that start date to 2015, in response to concerted pressure from the business community." (Brett Norman and David Nather, "ObamaCare Delay Sparks New Mandate Fight," Politico, 2/10/14)

Clinton Called For Regional Health Alliances Similar To ObamaCare's Health Exchanges. "I figured the Center for American Progress's Neera Tanden could give the world's most lucid answer, having worked closely on the current plan, after working on health care policy for Hillary Clinton for more than a decade and helping to shape her campaign plan. The basic shape of the Obama plan is to set up insurance exchanges for the uninsured, people in the individual market today and small businesses that want to join. It also expands Medicaid coverage. 'And so the 250 or so million Americans who have either private sector based coverage OR are on a public program like Medicare and Medicaid, are untouched by this,' she emails. By contrast, the Clintons' 1993 plan set up regional alliances, 'which were sort of like exchanges, but they covered everyone, so people in employer based coverage today would be shifted into regional alliances,' she writes." (Ben Smith, "ObamaCare Vs. ClintonCare," Politico, 3/23/10)

Clinton's 2008 Health Plan Would Fund A "Best Practices Institute" That Would Set National Health Standards Intended To Cut Costs. "The American Health Choices Plan funds a Best Practices Institute that would work as a partnership between the existing Agency for Health care Research and Quality and the private sector to fund research on what treatments work best and to help disseminate this information to patients and doctors to increase quality and reduce costs." (Press Release, "Seniors Receive Higher Quality Health Care At Lower Costs Under Hilary's Plan," Hillary Clinton, 9/21/07)

• ObamaCare Created The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) To Make Cuts To Medicare. "That's the job description for the 15 members of the Independent Payment Advisory Board - the new panel created by President Barack Obama's health care law to come up with ways to cut Medicare spending if it grows too fast." (David Nather, "Medicare Cost-Cutting Job Could Be Worst In D.C.," Politico, 5/14/11)

As A Candidate For President, Clinton Said That Her Health Care Plan "Tells People, If You Have Health Insurance And You Are Happy With It, Nothing Changes." HILLARY CLINTON:" Well, let me start by saying that this is the passionate cause of my public service. I started trying to expand health care many years ago, first to children, then to rural areas in Arkansas, and obviously tackled it during my husband's administration. And the reason why I have designed a plan that, number one, tells people, if you have health insurance and you are happy with it, nothing changes, is because we want to maximize choice for people." (Hillary Clinton, Democratic Presidential Debate, Los Angeles, CA, 1/31/08)

• Obama: "If You Like Your Plan, You Can Keep Your Plan. If You Like Your Doctor, You Can Keep Your Doctor." OBAMA: "If you like your plan, you can keep your plan. If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. I can tell you, as the father of two young girls, I would not want any plan that interferes with the relationship between a family and their doctor." (President Barack Obama, Remarks On Health Care Reform, Washington, D.C., 3/3/10)

In The Days Leading Up To The Election, A Majority Of Americans Disapproved Of ObamaCare

AP-GfK Poll: 58 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama's Handling Of Health Care, While 41 Percent Approve. (AP-GfK Poll, 1,608 A, MoE 2.8%, 10/16-20/14)

Politico Poll: 57 Percent Of Americans Believe Their Costs Will Increase Under ObamaCare, While A Mere 7 Percent Believe Costs Will Decrease. (Politico Poll, 840 LV, MoE 4.2%, 10/3-11/14)

• Only 18 Percent Of Americans Believe Their Quality Of Care Will Get Better Under ObamaCare, While 41 Percent Of Americans Believe Their Quality Of Care Will Get Worse Under ObamaCare And 40 Percent Believe It Will Stay The Same. (Politico Poll, 840 LV, MoE 4.2%, 10/3-11/14)

ON SUPPORT FOR JOB-KILLING ENERGY POLICIES, CLINTON AND OBAMA ARE TWO OF A KIND

Clinton's 2008 Energy Plan "Didn't Differ Too Much From That Of Candidate Barack Obama" And Were "Perfect" For "Environmental Purists." "And there you go. An energy platform perfect for 2008. And, for environmental purists, 2016. This platform didn't differ too much from that of candidate Barack Obama. When President Barack Obama started trying to make it real -- or, at least, started trying to make parts of it real -- he encountered a number of challenges. Cap and trade died in the Senate in 2010. Obama introduced limits on carbon pollution earlier this year -- at a more modest rate of 30 percent by 2030. Working with auto manufacturers, the president created a 54.5 mpg efficiency standard by 2025, perhaps the clearest example of a climate success in his first term." (Philip Bump, "Hillary Clinton Is Likely To Be More Conservative On Energy Policy In 2016 Than She Was 8 Years Ago," The Washington Post , 9/4/14)

Clinton Fully Supports Obama's EPA Restrictions And Disastrous Cap And Trade Plan

Clinton's 2008 Energy Plan Included Both Emission Restrictions And A Cap And Trade System. "In her Cedar Rapids speech, Clinton outlined her policy goals, which we'll slightly paraphrase: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. Institute a cap and trade system to reduce carbon pollution." (Philip Bump, "Hillary Clinton Is Likely To Be More Conservative On Energy Policy In 2016 Than She Was 8 Years Ago," The Washington Post , 9/4/14)

• Obama Was Forced To Place His Cap And Trade Plan "On The Permanent Backburner" After It Died In 2010. "Cap-and-trade legislation also stands out as something that's been placed on the permanent back burner in part because of how Obama handled the issue. Once the subject of countless white papers and bipartisan compromise talks, Obama's failure to get the measure across the finish line has resulted in angry screeds from the likes of Gore, who wrote in a Rolling Stone essay this summer that the president 'has never presented to the American people the magnitude of the climate crisis.'" (Darren Samuelsohn, "Obama's Green Losing Streak," Politico, 9/21/11)

In June 2014, Clinton Commended Obama For His Actions On Climate Change, Including New EPA Regulations To Limit Carbon Emissions From Coal-Fired Power Plants. "On climate change, Clinton commended President Obama for some recent actions, including new federal regulations limiting carbon emissions from coal-fired power plants. 'We're moving,' Clinton said, 'but we need to do so much more.'" (Philip Rucker, "Hillary Clinton Tries To Strike The Right Tone On Wealth And Income Inequality," The Washington Post , 6/30/14)

• Clinton: "I Fully Support" Obama's EPA Regulations. CLINTON: "So part of what President Obama is doing, and I fully support it, is making it clear that the United States is going to act. We've done work on mileage, now with the EPA rules on coal-fired plants, and a very creative American solution, having different states figure out what they can do to try to lower their coal-fired emissions. But then the Supreme Court just agreed that the government has the authority to regulate carbon." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks At The Aspen Ideas Festival , Aspen, CO, 6/30/14)
• Clinton's "Support Of Obama's Climate Agenda" Will Be A Liability For Her 2016 Campaign. " If Clinton runs in 2016, her support of Obama's climate agenda, and push for more policies, would likely put her in the crosshairs of Republicans who call the president's emissions standards a 'war on coal' and energy jobs." (Laura Barron-Lopez, "Clinton: US Must Do More On Climate,"The Hill, 7/1/14)

The Obama Administration's New Carbon Regulations Take Aim At The Country's Coal-Fired Power Plants. "The Obama administration on Monday announced one of the strongest actions ever taken by the United States government to fight climate change, a proposed Environmental Protection Agency regulation to cut carbon pollution from the nation's power plants 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030. The regulation takes aim at the largest source of carbon pollution in the United States, the nation's more than 600 coal-fired power plants." (Coral Davenport, "Unveiling New Carbon Plan, E.P.A. Focuses On Flexibility," The New York Times, 6/2/14)

• The Rule "Would Effectively Shutter Coal Plants Across The U.S., Hurting The Economy And Energy Jobs." "Instead, such mandates would effectively shutter coal plants across the U.S., hurting the economy and energy jobs, pro-coal Democrats and Republicans claim. The senators recommended that Obama evaluate 'more appropriate ways to regulate emissions.'" (Laura Barron-Lopez, "Senate Dems To Obama: Reconsider Coal Rules,"The Hill, 5/21/14)

As Secretary Of State, Clinton's State Department Oversaw Many Of Keystone's Delays

In 2012, The State Department, Led By Clinton, "Recommended To President Obama That The Presidential Permit For The Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline Be Denied." "Today, the Department of State recommended to President Obama that the presidential permit for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline be denied and, that at this time, the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline be determined not to serve the national interest." (Press Release, "Denial Of The Keystone XL Pipeline Application," Department of State, 1/18/12)

In January Of 2012, "In A Politically Explosive Decision," Obama Rejected The Keystone Pipeline, Delaying A Tough Choice Until After The November 2012 Elections. "In a politically explosive decision, President Barack Obama on Wednesday rejected plans for a massive oil pipeline through the heart of the United States, ruling there was not enough time for a fair review before a looming deadline forced on him by Republicans. His move did not kill the project but could again delay a tough choice for him until after the November elections." (Ben Feller and Matthew Daly, "Obama Rejects Canada-Texas Oil Pipeline-For Now," The Associated Press, 1/18/12)

• "Obama Concurred" With The State Department Announcement "That It Recommended Rejecting The Application." "On Wednesday, the State Department announced that it recommended rejecting the application of TransCanada Corp. to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and Mr. Obama concurred." (Editorial, "Obama's Keystone Pipeline Rejection Is Hard To Accept," The Washington Post , 1/18/12)

Obama Has Continued To Impede The Keystone Pipeline

In April 2014, The Obama Administration Indefinitely Extended Its Review Of The Keystone Pipeline. "The Obama administration says it is indefinitely extending its long-awaited review of the Keystone XL pipeline - providing a Good Friday jolt to one of the president's most wrenching environmental decisions." (Andrew Restuccia And Darren Goode, "Keystone Decision Delayed Yet Again," Politico, 4/18/14)

• "The Obama Administration Pulled A Classic Campaign-Year Move Friday: It Punted On The Keystone XL Pipeline." (Andrew Restuccia, "Keystone Non-Decision Keeps Some Democrats On The Hot Seat," Politico, 4/18/14)

Americans Overwhelmingly Support Construction Of The Keystone Pipeline

The Washington Post Headline: "Support For Keystone XL Pipeline Is Almost Universal." (Aaron Blake, "Support For Keystone XL Pipeline Is Almost Universal," The Washington Post, 6/26/14)

• Pew Poll: 61 Percent Of Americans Favor The Keystone XL Pipeline, While 27 Percent Oppose It. (Aaron Blake, "Support For Keystone XL Pipeline Is Almost Universal," The Washington Post, 6/26/14)

• "Even Democrats Who Prefer To Develop Alternate Energy Sources Before Expanding The Use Of Fossil Fuels Say They Want The Keystone XL Pipeline Built." (Aaron Blake, "Support For Keystone XL Pipeline Is Almost Universal," The Washington Post , 6/26/14)

OBAMA AND CLINTON BOTH SUBSCRIBE TO THE SAME ECONOMIC PHILOSOPHIES

Clinton Praised Obama And His Economic Policies For "Staunching The Bleeding" Of The Economic Crisis And "Getting Us Out Of That Ditch We Were In." "Hillary Clinton on Thursday called for a 'movement' to fight for women in the debate over work and family policies, saying there's no 'secure floor' for women and that lack of economic mobility is an issue 'roiling' beneath the national political debate… She praised President Barack Obama, saying he 'deserves an enormous amount of credit for stanching the bleeding' in the wake of the economic crisis and 'getting us out of that ditch we were in.'" (Maggie Haberman and Katie Glueck, "Hillary Clinton: Women's Economic Issues Need 'Movement,'" Politico, 9/18/14)

Even Clinton's Language On The Economy Mirrors Obama

Clinton: "Don't Let Anybody Tell You That It's Corporations And Businesses That Create Jobs." (Hillary Clinton, Remarks In Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, MA, 10/24/14)

• FLASHBACK: Obama Expressed Similar Sentiments When He Said "If You've Got A Business - You Didn't Build That. Somebody Else Made That Happen." OBAMA: "If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help. There was a great teacher somewhere in your life. Somebody helped to create this unbelievable American system that we have that allowed you to thrive. Somebody invested in roads and bridges. If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen." (President Barack Obama, Remarks By The President At A Campaign Event , Roanoke, VA, 7/13/12)

Clinton's Comments "Appeared To Be Trying Too Hard" To "Adjust To The Modern Economic Progressive Language," Similar To Obama's "You Didn't Build That" Remarks. "But some Democrats who back Clinton said privately she appeared to be trying too hard to capture the Warren rhetoric and adjust to the modern economic progressive language - much in the way President Barack Obama did during a campaign rally in 2012, when, discussing businesses' relationships to the infrastructure of cities, he said, 'You didn't build that.'" (Maggie Haberman, "Hillary Clinton Clarifies Jobs Comment," Politico, 10/27/14)

And On Obama's Signature Economic Policy - The Failed Stimulus - Clinton And Obama Were In Total Agreement

There Was "No Daylight" Between Clinton And Obama On The Stimulus. "Which is not to say that Clinton was shy of opinions regarding Obama's performance in office. On policy, there was no daylight between them: Clinton was for Obama's stimulus, Wall Street reregulation, and especially health-care reform-and was vastly impressed by Obama's ability to get it passed, as had been unable to do." (John Heilemann, "Bill & Hillary Forever," New York Magazine, 10/13/12)

Obama Has Admitted "That The Enormous Sums Of Money" In The Stimulus "Had Fallen Short." "Yet he also admitted that the enormous sums of money had fallen short. 'If we're honest, part of the controversy also is that despite the extraordinary work that has been done through the Recovery Act, millions of Americans are still without jobs. Millions more are struggling to make ends meet. So it doesn't yet feel like much of a recovery. And I understand that. It's why we're going to continue to do everything in our power to turn this economy around.'" (Richard Wolffe, Revival: The Struggle For Survival Inside The Obama White House, 2010, p. 155)

• President Obama: "Shovel-Ready Was Not As Shovel-Ready As We Expected." (David Jackson, "Obama Jokes About 'Shovel-Ready Projects," USA Today, 6/13/11)

FactCheck.org: "It's Accurate To Say The Stimulus Has Failed To Live Up To Initial Expectations." "CBO's high estimate is still short of the 3.5 million jobs that Obama had said would be created by the end of 2010, so it's accurate to say the stimulus has failed to live up to initial expectations." (Lori Robertson, "Dueling Economic Ads," FactCheck.org, 6/30/11)

• Former Obama Chief Of Staff Bill Daley: "You Could See The Investments, But You Couldn't See The Returns On Those Investments." "'It was pretty obvious that people didn't see a difference in the economy yet,' Daley said. 'You could see the investments, but you couldn't see the returns on those investments.'" (Hans Nichols, "Stimulus Back In Obama's Vocabulary After Year On Don't-Say List," Bloomberg, 10/26/12)

But The Obama-Clinton Economic Policies Did Produce One Result: A Mountain Of New Debt

Under Obama's Watch, The National Debt Has Increased By $7.3 Trillion, A 68 Percent Increase. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, Accessed 10/30/14)

• The National Debt Was $10.63 Trillion When Obama Took Office And Now Stands At $17.91 Trillion. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, Accessed 10/30/14)

• Obama Has Presided Over The Five Highest Deficits In U.S. History, Including Four Deficits Over A Trillion Dollars. (Office Of Management And Budget, Accessed 11/4/14)

Clinton's 2008 Campaign Attacked The "Nine Trillion Dollars" In National Debt And Claimed America Needs "To Stop Spending Money We Don't Have." "Hillary Clinton. She's tackling the national debt that George Bush is leaving us - nine trillion dollars - because she knows we've got to stop borrowing money from the Chinese to buy oil from the Saudis. Hillary knows we've got to stop spending money we don't have so we can protect social security and get back to fiscal responsibility." ("Clinton Launches Two New Ads In South Dakota," CNN, 5/27/08)

• FLASHBACK: Clinton: "We Now Have The Largest Budget Deficit We've Ever Had, $311 Billion. … A $9 Trillion Debt." CLINTON: "You know, Charlie, I'm going to have to look and see what the revenue situation is. You know, we now have the largest budget deficit we've ever had, $311 billion. We went from a $5.6 trillion projected surplus to what we have today, which is a $9 trillion debt." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Remarks At Democratic Presidential Candidates Debate, Philadelphia, PA, 4/16/08)

Clinton Should Be Concerned That Americans Are Disappointed By The Obama's Economy

AP-GfK Poll: 58 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of Obama's Handling Of The Economy, While 40 Percent Approve. (AP-GfK Poll, 1,608 A, MoE 2.8%, 10/16-20/14)

Washington Post/ABC News Poll: 52 Percent Of Americans Disapprove Of The Way Obama Is Handling The Economy, While 42 Percent Approve. ( The Washington Post /ABC News Poll , 1,204 A, MoE 3.5%, 10/23-26/14)

• 59 Percent Of Independent Voters Disapprove Of The Way Obama Is Handling The Economy, While 35 Percent Approve. ( The Washington Post /ABC News Poll , 1,204 A, MoE 3.5%, 10/23-26/14)

By A 9-Point Margin, Americans Trust Republicans Over Democrats To Do A Better Job Handling The Federal Budget Deficit, 43 Percent To 34 Percent. (The Washington Post-ABC News Poll, 1,006 A, MoE 3.5%, 10/9-12/14)

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Elections Hillary Clinton