Hillary Has Tense Trouble With 2004 Denial

U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton said repeatedly on Sunday that she has "shut the door" on any 2004 presidential run.

But when asked to state categorically that she wouldn't accept the 2004 nomination under any circumstances, the top Democrat invoked the same kind of rhetorical sleight-of-hand used by her husband to deny he had sex with Monica Lewinsky.

Challenged by "Meet the Press" host Tim Russert to say, "I will never accept the nomination in 2004," Sen. Clinton declined to repeat his words verbatim.

Instead, switching to the present tense, Clinton replied, "I am not accepting the nomination. I am going to work for whoever the nominee is."

Mrs. Clinton's tense-switching response was reminiscent of her husband's answer to PBS host Jim Lehrer, who asked on the day the Monica Lewinsky scandal broke, "You had no sexual relationship with this young lady?"

While Lehrer had asked about Clinton's past, the president was careful to couch is answer in present-tense language.

"There is no sexual relationship. That is accurate," he told Lehrer.

Asked to clarify, Mr. Clinton explained: "I think you know what it means. It means that – that there is not a sexual relationship, an improper sexual relationship, or any other kind of improper relationship."

The full exchange between Russert and Sen. Clinton went like this:

RUSSERT: If one of the leading candidates falters or the convention becomes deadlocked, would you, under any circumstances, accept the Democratic nomination in 2004?

CLINTON: You know, Tim, I've ruled it out. I'm going to continue to rule it out. You know, my view is that we've got people who have been competing, they have put their ideas out in front of the American people, the process will finally, finally start next month in the primaries and the caucuses, and someone's going to emerge from that and I'm going to work for whoever that nominee is.

RUSSERT: So no matter what happens, absolutely, categorically, no?

CLINTON: You know, I am going to do everything I can to support this nominee, whoever that person might be.

RUSSERT: But just say no. You would ...

CLINTON: I have said no and no and I'm trying to think of different ways of saying no and no. And I hope that in '08, I'll be supporting a Democratic president for re-election.

RUSSERT: But you would never accept the nomination in 2004?

CLINTON: You know, I have said over and over again, and, you know, my view on all of this is that ...

RUSSERT: You've said over and over what?

CLINTON: That I'm not running, I'm not in this race.

RUSSERT: But you wouldn't accept the nomination?

CLINTON: The nomination, it's not going to be offered to me, that's one thing.

RUSSERT: But if it is ...

CLINTON: Oh, Tim, you know, It's not going to happen. It's not going to happen.

RUSSERT: Well, but if it did happen?

CLINTON: You know, I have, I am ...

RUSSERT: I think the door is opening a bit, Senator.

CLINTON: Oh, no, it's not. Now, don't you try to make something out of nothing.

RUSSERT: Oh, no, no, no.

CLINTON: No, no. I've said, no. I've said no, no, no, no. And I ...

RUSSERT: OK, so the door is sealed.

CLINTON: The door is shut. The door is shut.

RUSSERT: I will never accept the nomination in 2004?

CLINTON: I am not accepting the nomination. I am going to work for whoever the nominee is.

Editor's note:
Hillary has a bold plan to capture the White House – Click Here Now

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
2004 Elections

Sen. Hillary Clinton