The Brian Lehrer Show

This is the second time you've checked up on Hillary. Have you done anything similar for Mcain or Obama?

[BL Producer Writes: We would love to hear any crowdsourcing ideas for researching information on McCain or Obama. Don't post them here - we want to keep this thread focused on gathering information from Clinton's White House documents. But feel free to email blshow@wnyc.org with any crowd-sourcing ideas. Thanks!]

So far in 10 minutes of looking over Hillary's schedule in September 1997 (my bod is 9/8) she went to both Princess Diana and Mother Theresa's funerals. During which she had private meetings with Tony Blair on 9/6 and with the President and Prime Minister of India on 9/13.

I did the last week of 1993. 12/22/-12/31/1993. Not too much there. Most interesting to me is that Patti Doyles and Maggie Williams both worked for HRC even way back then. I didn't realize their connections went back so far.

Are there any criterion to be used in determining what is "interesting"?

Hmmm....it'll be "interesting" to see what others find "interesting".

Interesting typo. The very last entry, January 19, 2001, on the very last page, is listed as "January 19, 2000." I guess she didn't want to leave the White House!

I looked at Dec 5,2000.

HRC attended 2 coffees for senators-elect.

An hour at the Democratic Leadership Election (closed to press).

A photo shoot with women senators.

A dinner at the Supreme court to honor the senators of the 107th congress.

And finally a holiday reception.

My comments: This would appear to be a day of mostly public event formalities with the exception of the leadership election.

Can we assume that at these events HRC just smiled and made pleasant conversation. I suggest otherwise.

I suggest that HRC took advantage of each event to build and maintain relationships and to exchange views.

And perhaps to discuss some current issue or initiative of hers or perhaps the President's.

Read a lot of 1997 entries. Public events carefully detailed but many pages showed "Private meeting" or "Closed Press" or "No public Schedule" or "Church" as only entry for a day. Clearly this was the public of the appointment books and another was kept for individual meetings and private activities. (I suppose this could have been expunged but it would have been a massive job - perhaps explaining long delay in release.) Learned nothing really. Sorry

I did the week of 11-17 April 1993. Full of health care business, meetings with labor leaders, Democratic members of Ways and Means Committee on roles of federal-state governments, travel to Montana, Nebraska to discuss health care with govt, education and health officials. Oh, and a day devoted to the easter egg roll...

I did the week of Aug 12 - Aug 19, 1996. Mostly vacation in Jackson Hole,announced New World Mine Agreement while there. some travel and Clinton-Gore campaign activities in NYC and birthday celebration in NYC. Tedious stuff. Lots of photo ops and hand shaking. Can't tell much about anything since I wouldn't recognize most names anyway. Not a job I'd want.

I looked at first week of October, 2000.

What strikes me is the array of groups she met with; several Jewish groups, one black church, gay representatives (including a person I actually knew!), the elderly, and others. She also appeared on a WYNC show that week as well. She was in the campaign season for her Senate run. Her schedule of appearances was, not surprisingly, back to back.

The first half of August 1997 is largely left unscheduled, with the exception of a few public events like a bill-signing and "pediatric dosage event," as well as a funeral and assorted anonymous private meetings. The one thing that stuck out to me was one hour-long "issues meeting" with a handful of people (not including the President) that occurred on 8/14/1997. In all, those two weeks seemed pretty uneventful (although I don't find that very surprising, either)

Week of 10-17 April 1994: Alot of protocol activities and private meetings interspersed with participation in policy forums, conferences, public meetings on health care issues. Accepted Elie Wiesel Foundation's Humanitarian Award.

I looked at the first week of September 1999. Exploratory Committee Fundraiser, Presidential Radio Address at an elementary school, Camp David, AIDS meeting, and a couple of photo shoots for 'George' and 'Self' magazines.

On Friday, January 23, 1998 she gave 1.5 hours to George Soros, the Open Society Inst DC director, and some guy from the State Department.

That's a pretty generous amount of time.

Later that day she only gave 30 minutes to Muhammad Yunus (Microfinance Nobel Prize winner guy....). He's certainly done a lot more for the World than Soros...

I did the 1st week of February, 1998 (2/2 - 2/8).

2/2/98 she was in Davos and gave a speech as 1st lady (topic not specified).

2/5/98 Tony Blair arrived for a state visit. The President had a 1/2 hour dedicated NSC briefing related to the state visit. It is listed as optional on HER schedule and it appears she did not attend, though she did attend the subsequent "Event Briefing".

Through the rest of the week, she attended various events related to the state visit concluding at Camp David over the weekend.

Week of 9-16 April 1995: Tea and WH tour with PM Bhutto. Private meetings. Trip to NYC for Peter Max Studio "DCCC" event, another event to receive (among others?) Mother of the Year award, and tour of Children's Aid Society facilities. Three days privately at Camp David.

Hey all, here are some things I'm noticing..at first (1993, 1994) her schedule was quite detailed. It's striking just how quickly she set up meetings on health care policy, how many she had, and her broad outreach on the issue. By 1999 (post-Monica Lewinsky, post-Ken Starr, when she was mullnig a Senate bid), her schedule was more circumspect.

Also, on foreign policy, yes, she did have quite a few meetings with foreign leaders. She also had quite a few teas with other first ladies, while POTUS (President of the United States) was off at official events.

More thoughts on this? Any dates (other than your birthday?) you'd like to dig into more? What she did after the 1994 mid-term elections? What was on her schudule the day the Ken Starr report came out? Let us know....

I looked at the week of February 14, 1993. I don't really know what I should be looking for but I found some very short meetings with various "House Leadership" both Dem. and Rep:

2/16/93

20 min meeting with “house leadership” –Speaker of the House, Thomas S. Foley; House Maj. Leader, Richard A. Gephardt; & Dem. Representatives of the House

35 min meeting with “Democratic Leadership” –people not listed

15 min meeting with Minority Leader Bob Michel, J. Denis Hastert (D-IL), and Minority Whip Newt Gingrich

45 min meeting with “Republican Leadership” –Members of the Republican Leader’s Task Force of Health

I also found some interviews for magazines, photo shoots, the President's address, a party, and a long health care meeting with a number of people whose names I'm not familiar with (though maybe I should be).

I read approx. 175+ pages of 1993. I was intrigued by the fact that Hillary from the very beginning of the administration she was almost exclusively dedicated (with her staff) on revamping the health care system. She travelled w/her team to hospitals and malls interviewing people (from hospital administrators to john/jane q public) re: health care costs, requirements, procedures, etc. It was certainly her 'mission' and it's a shame she never really had a foothold on making it happen back then. Maybe all of that work won't be lost and she'll get another shot at it.

My only other comment is that her days were quite full with meetings and greetings - what a ride that must have been!

April 7-13, 1996: Meeting with "Mrs. Simitis" (?), Children's Global Forum event, California State Party convention speaker, fundraising. Alot of phone broadcast interviews (about a book?), 2 funerals.

April 6-12, 1997: Children's Week activities, Florida state fundraisers, official WDC visit by PM and spouse of Canada. NYU event with King Joan Carlos I and Queen Sofia (w/o POTUS), CNN International interview, high school visit.

Very very boring stuff during the first four years of my birthday week analysis. (See two earlier emailings.)

Hillary worked on NAFTA. read it in the notes:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/3/19/16710/5636/924/480135

It is curious that the pdfs were made from scans and not text, making the unsearchable

I looked at the week of January 22, 1995.

Still lots of health care stuff.

January 22: Discussion at a senior center in Hollywood, FL

January 25: Health care meeting with staff and several secretaries and directors from the VA

January 26: Discussion at a senior center in National City, CA

I did the first week of march, 1993. Nothing too remarkable. brief meeting w/alan greenspan, trip to new orleans, night in little rock.

Summary of week of 11/15/93: Almost each day, HC was working on healthcare - meeting with congressmen/women. She did get to meet Mickey Mouse along with Michael Eisner and John Cook, then president of the Disney Channel on Nov. 20.

I looked at the first few months of Bill's 1st term and noticed that Hillary got down to work right away on health care. I remember being impressed by that 15 years ago. She was also meeting with top dignitaries right from the start in 1993 and beginning her extensive travels, by her own account, to more than 80 countries. This, as well as much more detail than in a mere schedule, is borne out in her autobiography, "Living History" - a great read. Go Hillary!

What are we supposed to be looking for?

Achh -- I wish I were a professional journalist right now!

I looked at the week of August 1st - 8th, 2000. Nothing stood out as unusual. Vacationing on Martha's Vineyard and various senatorial campaign events...

Week surrounding Feb 20, 1997

Visits to elementary schools in Chicago and 15 minutes from the Oval Office included reading children's books and play dough.

Visit to Women's Empowerment Work Program in Chicago.

A couple of private meetings and a couple of unscheduled days.

I think the interesting stuff is that which is not in the schedule but that which happened in these private meetings. What we see are her public appearances but not her substantive policy work.

Do the schedules actually reflect attendance at a meeting/event and were they revised to reflect changes that occurred?

I agree with Liz's comment at top. Why keep checking on Hillary, more than on the suspicious things in McCain's and Obama's background that are real issues for the American people. Why not put up the Rev. Wright's speeches in which he praises the anti-semite Muslim extremist Louis Farrakhan--and Rev. Wright was Obama's minister for 20 years. Surely he was aware of his admiration for Farrakhan. Why not question the books of the foundation that McCain set up during his move to pass the McCain Feingold bill, and all the money funneled there with NO ACCOUNTING DONE ON IT'S SOURCES OR HOW IT WAS SPENT. He is campaigning with lobbyists. I'd like to see McCain's schedules meeting with lobbyists.

While I have tremendous respect for Mrs. Clinton (please do not misinterpret the tone of my message), I find it interesting that with the incredible amount time dedicated to the issue of heath care that she accomplished absolutely nothing. There is a huge difference between working hard and actually affecting change.

Please put up the Rev. Wright's speeches demonstrating his admiration for the anti-semite extremist Lousis Farrakhan. Let's analyze those! I agree with Liz at top, Hillary is more investigated than anyone running.

I noted on a quick review of May 1996 that, in receiving an honorary degree from Drew University (Tom Kean, Pres!), which I had forgotten, the detail of the travel arrangements are excruciating. Similar, I am sure, to those for POTUS.

Redactions are extensive. Is there any easy way to determine the basis? Have to look at FOIA.

For #32: my goodness, I couldn't agree more!! Who cares how "hard" you work, if you are not affecting change? I am convinced Obama will be unstoppable. And I'm excited by that.

I went for Jan 26, 1998 the day President Clinton said,

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky" in a nationally televised White House news conference (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Lewinsky#Scandal).

Senator Clinton's activities involved touring NYC schools, meeting children, and presenting an award at a UNICEF gala in Manhattan.

I'd day it was a good day to keep the distance.

Looked at July 23-29, 1993. Varied and busy schedule, shows her involvement on many important issues and curiosity.

She had small informal meetings with Senate Malpractice Focus Group and Education & Labor Committee.

Separately she was first to speak at a meeting that included Bill on Earned Income Tax Credits.

She also kept meeting with Williams, Solis and Magaziner.

For #32 and #35: Let's be clear here and not equate her work and lack of progress as some failing meted out in a vacuum or only fully HRC's “fault.”

If you were around and really paying attention back then you might recall how many walls were put up to undermine the process and stop the implementation of universal health care including the “Harry and Louis” ads and other actions by many lobbyists with varying commercial interests. Let us not forget the Republican Party as a whole who already hated the Clintons and were appalled by BC putting the first lady in charge of something really important instead of acting simply as an ornament.

The fault lies in a congress who was more interested in punishing the new president and Ms. Rodham, as she was known then, combined with interests seeking to continue to control profits. Finally it belies the entire congress’s ability to understand that universal health care back then, and now, would have made the US more competitive in the global market place by taking those expenses out of the hands of business and placing the care of our citizenry on all of us through a system that allows access and an even playing field to all of us.

Let’s not let those who would use words like “socialism” scare us from doing the right thing for all Americans.

Let’s give her a chance to finish the job with a Congress who understand the need for universal health care.

What a bore and waste of time, in the word's of Cesar Millan "these people need a job", a real one.

journalist here would step back -- meaning of what is or isn't reported, where hilary was during world events, these are the interesting questions that go beyond simply finding someone to read a bunch of boring paper.

My birthdate is 14 January so I reviewed that week in all 8 years.

Lots of ceremonial duties and lots of redacted private meetings. My personal favorite was the 11 January 2000 tour of Top’s Friendly Market in Rochester.

- HRC stops at deli/produce area

- HRC stops at baked goods area.

*Note: Press will be pre-positioned in these areas for candid photos.

- HRC proceeds to Coffee/Beverage area

Talk about experience!

“Why do I have to keep proving to people that I am not a liar?!” -Hillary Clinton, 2000

Truth is, Hillary Clinton lies. Mr. and Mrs. Clinton's list of lies will provide journalistic fodder for decades. However, thanks to DNA, Internet, and other technologies, many of their misdeeds have already come to light, with more on the way. Although the Clintons continue to lie, thank goodness for that. She’s going to get caught; just you wait and see: http://theseedsof9-11.com