Hillary's Arrogance

The arrogance of the presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton - not to mention the candidate herself - is getting more obvious by the day. Not only do polls consistently show her ahead for the Democratic presidential nomination, she leads with a majority - 53 percent . So it should come as no surprise that she is artfully dodging questions about her Senate record more deftly than her husband did about Monica Lewinsky or pot smoking. Nor did Hillary feel very compelled to engage in a debate with one New Hampshire voter about her vote for a resolution - sponsored by New England's most esteemed Republican senator, Connecticut Democrat Joe Lieberman - labeling the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group.

According to an Associated Press story, Randall Rolph of Nashua recently challenged her for the vote because George W. Bush could use it as cover for congressional authorization of military force against Iran.

Rolph compared Mrs. Clinton's vote with her vote to authorize war against Iraq. "It appears you haven't learned from your past mistakes," he said.

Mrs. Clinton replied that his interpretation was wrong and accused him of being put up by someone to up to asking the question. Rolph insisted he researched the issue himself and was offended by her accusation. She apologized but insisted he read the wrong version of the bill.

Their exchange, said the AP story, grew heated as he insisted the bill would authorize combat. Mrs. Clinton snapped back, her voice rising, "I'm sorry, sir, it does not."

Well, excuse me.

Rolph was later thanked by a handful of people for speaking out, and he has said he will not vote for Mrs. Clinton in the New Hampshire primary.

Mrs. Clinton may have opened her presidential campaign with a desire to "chat" with the voters, with all the warmth and fuzziness that implies, but more recently her conversation seems very one-sided.