The Democrat Super Delegates’ Honesty Problem

The recent GALLUP Poll on perceived honesty and trustworthiness of the remaining presidential contenders  for the period from March 14 to `16, 2008 is not getting much (any?) play on the Clinton News Network but it is one of the most important pieces of information affecting the current Democratic nomination struggle between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.  It is virtually impossible for Clinton to catch Obama in pledge delegates or popular vote and he has already won more states than she can possibly win.  Her only argument, whether dressed up as momentum at the end of the campaign, electoral college, or Big State arguments, is that she is the best bet to win in November.  The fact though that she is not perceived as honest and trustworthy totally undermines that argument.  If the Democrat super delegates want to win in November they should NOT endorse Hillary Clinton.  People will not elect a President they perceived to be dishonest and untrustworthy.

The cold numbers of the Gallup poll are supported by the hard facts of two recent revelations that directly contradict Hillary story lines and call into question her honesty and character. As RJ Eskow has pointed out on the Huffington Post  Hillary is lucky that news of her Bosnia whopper broke on Good Friday, with little mainstream news coverage of the “incident” over the long holiday weekend.

Hillary’s claim to have faced sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia has been contradicted, even ridiculed, by other sources including a “4 Pinocchio” review by the Washington Post.  The WP gave the Hillary Bosnia tale 4 Pinocchios branding it as a Whopper contradicted by coverage of the event at the time by WP’s John Pomfret who was on the flight and made no mention of sniper fire:

According to Pomfret, the Tuzla airport was “one of the safest places in Bosnia” in March 1996 and “firmly under the control” of the 1st Armored Division.

Far from running to an airport building with their heads down, Clinton and her party were greeted on the tarmac by smiling U.S. and Bosnian officials. An 8-year-old Muslim girl, Emina Bicakcic, read a poem in English. An Associated Press photograph of the greeting ceremony, below, shows a smiling Clinton bending down to receive a kiss.

Comedian Sinbad was also on the Bosnia flight and he does not remember any sniper fire:

Sinbad, who was on the Bosnia trip along with singer Sheryl Crow, says Clinton is putting way too much on the situation. He says the trip was a USO tour to boost troop morale. In an interview with the Sleuth Monday, he said the “scariest” part of the trip was wondering where he’d eat next. “I think the only ‘red-phone’ moment was: ‘Do we eat here or at the next place.’”

 As for Clinton’s claim of landing in “sniper fire,” Sinbad says he doesn’t remember that, either.    

War stories are not the only tall tales told by Hillary Clinton though.   As Eskow also pointed out Hillary’s NAFTA tales are also problematic for her:

Sen. Clinton’s other honesty problem this week came with revelations that, while she claims to have been an internal NAFTA critic in the administration, she actually gave several presentations in favor of NAFTA at the time it was passed.

Will the Democratic super delegates support a nominee who has serious honesty issues, has been caught red handed telling some whoppers and is perceived by the public as dishonest and untrustworthy?

We all know the answer to that question – even if Bill and Hillary Clinton wish to ignore it.