Giuliani Campaign Press Release - Giuliani Ad Facts: "She Changed"

AD FACT:

NARRATOR: "In 2002, Hillary Clinton voted to authorize military action in Iraq … because she believed it was the right thing to do."

BACKGROUND:

In 2002, Clinton Voted To Authorize Military Action In Iraq. (H. J. Res. 114, CQ Vote #237: Passed 77-23: R 48-1; D 29-21; I 0-1, 10/11/02, Clinton Voted Yea)

AD FACT

CLINTON: "If left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."

CLINTON: "He has also given aid, comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al-Qaeda members."

CLINTON: "So it is with conviction that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation."

BACKGROUND:

CLINTON: "[I]f left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, 10/10/02)

CLINTON: "He has also given aid, comfort and sanctuary to terrorists, including Al Qaeda members…" (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, 10/10/02)

CLINTON: "So it is with conviction that I support this resolution as being in the best interests of our nation." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, 10/10/02)

AD FACT:

NARRATOR: "But now that she's running for President, Hillary Clinton has changed her position, even joining with the radical group MoveOn.org in attacking American General Petraeus. Clinton stood silently by when MoveOn.org ran this venomous ad in The New York Times."

BACKGROUND:

On September 10, MoveOn.org ran full page ad in New York Times calling Petraeus "General Betray Us." (Charles M. Sennott, "Pressure On For Petraeus," The Boston Globe, 9/13/07)

MoveOn.Org Suggested General Petraeus Was Cooking Books For White House. (MoveOn.org Political Action Website, "General Petraeus Or General Betray Us?" http://pol.moveon.org/petraeus.html, Accessed 9/13/07)

Clinton Refused To Denounce MoveOn.org's Ad. "Capitol Hill Democrats rejected a call for votes in both chambers to condemn the attack newspaper ad, run by MoveOn.org, saying Republicans are trying to take attention off what they call the president's failed Iraq policy. … Phil Singer, a spokesman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, said his boss would 'keep her focus where it should be, on ending the war.'" (Sean Lengell, "No Democratic Censure For MoveOn Ad," The Washington Times, 9/12/07)

AD FACT:

NARRATOR: "The same General she called an expert not long ago."

ON SCREEN TEXT: "You will take on a difficult role in Iraq at a time of peril … based on your leadership and expertise." Armed Services Committee 1/23/07

BACKGROUND:

During General Petraeus' Confirmation Hearing Clinton Noted That He Had Experience And Leadership And Was An Expert On The Situation In Iraq. "You will take on a difficult role in Iraq at a time of peril based on your leadership and expertise, but what those of us who are issuing resolutions and statements of disapproval fear is that you are being sent to administer a policy that, frankly, does not reflect your experience or advice or the experience and advice of our most recent example in dealing with ethnic violence; namely, Bosnia." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)

Clinton: "You Wrote The Book, General, But The Policy Is Not By The Book. And You Are Being Asked To Square The Circle, To Find A Military Solution To A Political Crisis." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 1/23/07)

AD FACT:

NARRATOR: "Now, she is questioning his honesty."

HILLARY CLINTON: "The reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief."

BACKGROUND:

Clinton Accused General Petraeus Of Suspending Disbelief After Delivering Positive Report On Iraq War. Clinton: "[T]oday you are testifying about the current status of our policy in Iraq and the prospects of that policy. It is a policy that you have been ordered to implement by the president. And you have been made the de facto spokesmen for what many of us believe to be a failed policy. Despite what I view as your rather extraordinary efforts in your testimony both yesterday and today, I think that the reports that you provide to us really require the willing suspension of disbelief." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 9/11/07)

Clinton Accused Petraeus Of Not Giving Metrics A "Fair Reading." Clinton: "In any of the metrics that have been referenced in your many hours of testimony, any fair reading of the advantages and disadvantages accruing post-surge, in my view, end up on the downside." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 9/11/07)

Clinton Gave Petraeus Tremendous Credit For Representing A "Grim Reality" With A "Positive View" And Noted The Situation Is Not Likely To Improve. Clinton: "[I] give you tremendous credit for presenting as positive a view of a rather grim reality. And I believe that you, and certainly the very capable people working with both of you, were dealt a very hard hand. And it's a hand that is unlikely to improve, in my view." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Armed Services Committee, U.S. Senate, Hearing, 9/11/07)

AD FACT:

NARRATOR: "Just when our troops need all our support to finish the job, Hillary Clinton is turning her back on them. General Petraeus and the brave men and women now serving under him deserve an apology. And our nation deserves better. Senator Clinton, do the right thing. Apologize for your comments and condemn the MoveOn.org ad."

BACKGROUND:

In January 2007, Clinton Asked Gen. Petraeus To Request "Every Possible Piece Of Equipment And Resource Necessary To Protect" The Troops. Clinton: "So the one thing that I would ask General is, please do everything you can to get additional security. The Humvees are turning into death traps, as we see the sophistication of the IEDs. We don't have enough of the mine protection vehicles and we haven't even ordered enough and we haven't put them into the theater. If we're going to put these soldiers and marines into these very exposed positions, which this strategy calls for, please come to us; ask for whatever you need to try to provide maximum protection. … [L]et's make sure we have every possible piece of equipment and resource necessary to protect these young men and women …" Gen. Petraeus: "I'll do that Senator." (Committee On The Armed Services, U.S. Senate, Testimony, 1/23/07)

But In May 2007, Hillary Voted Against Providing Funds For The Troops Contained In The Iraq Emergency Spending Bill. (H.R. 2206, CQ Vote #181: Passed 80-14: R 42-3; D 37-10; I 1-1, 5/24/07, Clinton Voted Nay)

The Iraq Emergency Spending Bill That Hillary Voted Against Provided:

$1.6 Billion For Body Armor $2.4 Billion To Help Combat IEDs $3 Billion For Mine Resistant Vehicles (House And Senate Committees On Appropriations, "Summary Of The Fiscal 2007 Supplemental Funding Legislation, Press Release, 5/24/07)

"Courting The Anti-War Constituency, Democratic Presidential Rivals Hillary Rodham Clinton And Barack Obama Both Voted Against Legislation That Pays For The Iraq War But Lacks A Timeline For Troop Withdrawal." (Liz Sidoti, "Clinton, Obama Vote ‘No' On Iraq Bill," The Associated Press, 5/25/07)