Techdirt Podcast Episode 77: The Link Between Credit And Surveillance

Hillary Clinton's Paperback Memoir Deletes Inconvenient Support Of TPP That Was In The Hard Cover Version

from the convenient-deletions dept

Tue, Jun 14th 2016 11:48am — Mike Masnick

I've seen plenty of nonfiction books that add some amount of content in the process from the original hard cover release to the eventual paperback release. But apparently Hillary Clinton went the other direction and conveniently excised all of the stuff about her support of the TPP. It's no secret that, while facing a considerable challenge from Bernie Sanders in the primary contest, Clinton's views of the TPP flip flopped from supporting it to being against it. She did try to explain away the flip flop by saying that it was about the details, but still, if you're going to actually change your position, you should own it. Instead, it looks like Clinton and her campaign are simply trying to rewrite history. The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) first noticed a series of big changes in the paperback edition of Clinton's book, including excising the support of the TPP -- such as two full pages about a conference in El Salvador where she spoke in favor of the agreement.

The IBTimes (first link above) has since found even more examples of support of the TPP that was excised from one version of the book to the other, including talking about how the TPP "was important for American workers, who would benefit from competing on a more level playing field." Of course, it's also been kind of comical to see a variety of Republican websites now posting this story and mocking Clinton, considering that Republicans (not Trump, but most of the rest of them) have been the main supporters of the TPP all along. Basically, as with so many of these issues, no one looks good here. Almost no one believes that Clinton's current opposition of the TPP is legitimate. Instead, it's pretty clearly just politically convenient. And attempting to rewrite history to delete those earlier views just looks silly.

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Filed Under: biography, hillary clinton, rewriting history, tpp

39 Comments

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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 11:53am

It's not her fault.
Her email server ate those pages.
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Mason Wheeler (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 11:56am

She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
It's a bit depressing to see that (the Democratic portion of) the American people was dumb enough to nominate a Clinton again. I would blame it on voters too young to remember the neverending scandal that was the first Clinton administration, except that polls indicate that they overwhelmingly voted for Bernie Sanders! So I guess there are just a lot of mature people out there with really poor memories...
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:04pm

Clintoon part Deux
In support or TPP until its unpopular to support it.

Don't worry folks, if Bamy can't get it through, she will figure out a way to make it happen.

Would not be surprised if Trump would make it happen as well.

Hillary has a lot of people fooled, Trump might be in the same boat, and now we just wait an see what the sheeple of America bring us this voting season.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:20pm

That is what the left does
Instead, it looks like Clinton and her campaign are simply trying to rewrite history

Look at Hillary, Gore, John Kerry and others who all claimed to be against going into Iraq. Then do a little search on YouTube to find all the video news clips where they supported it. Revisionist history is right in their playbook.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:33pm

Re: That is what the left does
LOL. Hillary Clinton - or any of the pols you listed above - are not left wing in any meaningful sense. Maybe a center/center-right pol is too much for your tastes but don't flatter yourself.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:34pm

Don't forget her book scrubbed the passages about legitimizing the '09 Honduras coup.
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mcinsand, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:37pm

spot on!
You nailed it. Just look at how the policies have not changed in the past 16 years: entitlement expansions with Medicare Part D and Obamacare, the two monstrously pork-laden stimulus packages, and endless unfocused wars in the Middle East. 2008-2016 have merely been George W Bush's third and fourth terms, but the left has rewritten the narrative as if they have changed anything.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:43pm

Hillary Clinton - bringing a new meaning to the term 'self censoring'.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:48pm

Re: Re: That is what the left does
When you're all the way to the right, everything else is to your left.
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David, 14 Jun 2016 @ 12:51pm

Correct The Record
I thought they were only doing that on social media. Looks like they are busy with printed works as well.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 1:10pm

TPP is scheduled for lame duck session
Regardless of who wins the Presidential election, the fix for the TPP is already in.

The TPP is scheduled to be passed by the lame duck Congress and signed by the lame-duck President, so that no one who has to run again will have to take the blame for it.

President HRC can continue her fiction that she doesn't support it, and President Trump won't ever get a chance to veto it.

The fact that Google came out in support of TPP means that HRC really does support it.

The "little people" simply don't matter.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 1:21pm

Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
Democrats are near scandal proof.

The supporters of the democratic party do not care about the means so long as the end justifies it.

If you have to lie, cheat, steal, murder, or corrupt something to get socialism into America... that's fine with them! So long as it makes it here!
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 1:22pm

The Ministry of Truth says that she never supported the TPP.
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DB (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 1:29pm

On the good front, it's an indication that the TPP is recognized as becoming unpopular. And that in a few years it will be much the same as having been a supporter of the KKK.
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Mason Wheeler (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 1:59pm

Re: Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
Meh. Replace "Democrat" with "Republican" and "socialism" with "fascism" and the entire rant, word-for-word, would be equally valid, which makes it not particularly valuable as a tool of persuasive argument IMO.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 2:03pm

Re: Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
If you ever met an actual socialist - and not merely a Sanders-style social democrat - you'd probably soil yourself
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Martin Cohn (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 2:56pm

The focus groups didn't support TPP
So history needs to forget that Hillary did support it.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 3:05pm

Either that or Amazon is ripping one-off books based on consumer analytics now.
Really TD. You should check with the ministry of truth before making such a claim. I'm sure there is a version that says, whatever is necessary for you to vote for her. All you have to do is ask.

Just like the DNC "had it's grid taken down by Russians hackers because of Trump". As if Russian intelligence needed to do anything more than buy a few G&T's for his long list of conquests.

More likely is the hack was orchestrated on HRC's behalf to instill fear in her constituency of a demographic who wasn't going to vote for her anyway. (people who code) Putin did something similar by blowing up some apartment buildings and blaming his rivals during his first presidential farce.

OH NO! They're taking down the grid! The hackers! Fear them! The world has seen this kind of shit before.
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amoshias (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 5:05pm

God save us from purists.
"I think we should do X."

"Rabble rabble rabble! X is wrong! You should never do X, you evil so-and-so!"

"Okay, I've listened to you guys and now no longer support X."

"You are a terrible person for changing your position!"

I am so sick of this.

You know what? When I'm against a politician's position, I WANT them to change it. And if they think that changing their position will lead to being lambasted for that on TOP of being attacked for their original position - with no credit given for the new position - then what reason could they possibly have to change? And if that's the case, you should admit it as well - you were just arguing so that people would hear how smart you were. Not because you were actually trying to accomplish anything.

I DON'T CARE if in her heart of hearts Clinton believes in the TPP as long as she stands against it. I just DO NOT CARE. Her actions are what are relevant. Yes, editing the book is weird and plays into a certain narrative about clinton, and YES, she would be better served by a forward which said "Hey, the earlier version of the book contained a bunch of info that I don't agree with, so rather than publish a new version of a book that misstates my current positions I've edited it as follows."

But you know what? I just don't care that much. And I'm sick of the Clinton Outrage Brigade which constantly puts me in a position like this, where I'm standing up for a woman that I frankly can't stand, because the attacks on her are so ridiculous.

Meanwhile, Newt Gingrich suggested reviving the House Un-American Activities Commission today. But really. Hillary Clinton Is Not Pure Enough is definitely the fight you need to be fighting.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 5:55pm

Re: God save us from purists.
David Brock, is that you?
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 5:57pm

Re: God save us from purists.
"I'm standing up for a woman that I frankly can't stand"

It would seem that sentiment is not uncommon among her constituency. Why are you blaming other people for the fact that you are supporting somebody that YOU don't like? Aren't battered women counseled for behavior like that?

The propaganda engine for the demopublican alliance is not separable. Which is really all anyone needs to know, but most refuse to accept for fear of what it means; she stumbled upon a solution whereby nearly 99.9% of all test subjects accepted the program.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 6:00pm

Hillary is just a terrible human being
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 6:05pm

Re: That is what the left does
no, this is what corrupt politicians do. No matter what party they claim to be a part of.
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John Fenderson (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 7:24pm

Re: God save us from purists.
"I DON'T CARE if in her heart of hearts Clinton believes in the TPP as long as she stands against it."

This is the point. It's pretty unbelievable to think that she'll stand against it. She's in favor of not just TPP, but the entire philosophy behind it. Even if, somehow, she actually stands against it, she will continue to support other agreements that are of the same type.
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Anonymous Coward, 14 Jun 2016 @ 7:38pm

Re: God save us from purists.
Changing positions is fine. Trying to re-write history and pretend you did didn't do something that you most certainly did do is dishonest.
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chilling farts, 14 Jun 2016 @ 7:41pm

That convenient censorship again
In peru at 2012 happened the same story. A local newspaper covered some critics against TPP from a former minister. Few days before Hillary Clinton arrive to peru, the article disappeared and the chilling effect about that censorship was embarrassing.
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Uriel-238 (profile), 14 Jun 2016 @ 11:30pm

Re: Re: Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
Actual socialists are eldritch horrors?

Ia! Ia!
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David, 15 Jun 2016 @ 2:22am

Re: God save us from purists.
Konrad Adenauer, when some reporter pointed out an inconsistency in his statements, retorted "Was interessiert mich mein Geschwätz von gestern?" -- "What do I care about my babblings of yesterday?".

Nothing wrong with changing your mind. The problem with Clinton is not so much that she is putting forth a changed stance but that she is getting increasingly harder to pin down on anything. She's evasive and weaseling.

Trump, in contrast, states five conflicting stances in a row. He is not even evasive but openly bullshitting people.

Neither is much help in making a decision.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2016 @ 4:26am

"Mi abuela" my ass. She's "Big sister" and she cannot allow inconvenient facts of the past jeopardize the future. DOWN THE MEMORY HOLE! As Orwell would call it.
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Gal Sal, 15 Jun 2016 @ 7:33am

Re: Clintoon part Deux
Please everybody, sit tight and stick with Bernie all the way to the convention on June 25. Remember: the superdelegates don't vote til then, some have already come over to him, and a LOT can happen before between now and then. He hasn't conceded or endorsed her, and we mustn't either.
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David, 15 Jun 2016 @ 7:38am

Re: God save us from purists.
The problem is Hillary not only changed her position, but stated that her position has always been that way.

Take the video of her being against gay marriage. Then a couple of years ago, she's for it - and states that she's always been for it and "stands on her record".

After all that fighting for the TPP, then trying to hide that fact and declare she's against it - doesn't tell me she's really against it. She's for it, but wanting to hide that fact.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2016 @ 8:06am

Re: Re: Re: Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
Bourgeois! Bourgeois!
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2016 @ 11:01am

Re: Re: God save us from purists.
She is probably one of the best propagandists in history. And if you think that is a compliment, consider the other names on that list.

Propaganda compensates for voids in actual leadership skills. A disproportionately high volume of it, is indicative of an executive staff that will be insecure and fearful in operational practice. Which historically has led to many bad things.

It doesn't matter if you win. It matters what you win.
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Anonymous Coward, 15 Jun 2016 @ 11:36am

Re:
"He who controls the past, controls the future" 1984
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Wendy Cockcroft, 16 Jun 2016 @ 2:39am

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: She's a Clinton. What did you expect?
http://on-t-internet.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/fear-my-boogeyman-politics-of.html
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Wendy Cockcroft, 16 Jun 2016 @ 2:41am

Re: spot on!
America's left is Bernie Sanders and the Green Party. That's basically it. If you think Hillary's neoliberalism is left wing, it's left of the far alt-right.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Jun 2016 @ 6:21am

Re: Re: spot on!
Republican = fundamentalist corporate party.
Democrat = deception corporate party.

The first step to stopping them, is to stop using their language to describe your experience. We know they are full of crap because there is abundant science that has been published that confirms it. So reference that instead. It isn't left vs. right. It is informed vs. both.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2016 @ 11:21am

Re: Re: That is what the left does
Left wing is liberal, aka socialist. Hillary is 100% left wing.
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Uriel-238 (profile), 1 Aug 2016 @ 12:23pm

Terminology.
Left wing is about making changes to establishment, e.g. veering from the status quo, usually in favor of securing rights and benefits to the people and implementing regulation of agencies and corporations to curb abuse of power.

Liberalism has to do with liberty, the notion that anyone can do anything they want, minimizing restrictions except in how it infringes upon the rights of others. I should be free to own and shoot guns. I should not be free to own and shoot you with my gun, since it infringes on your right to live. I should also probably respect your need for peace and quiet, hence should shoot my guns away from the neighborhood where I won't bother anyone.

Socialism has to do with a state providing a service rather than a private commercial interest, for example the US armed forces provide for the defense of the United States. We could hire mercenaries (and do, especially when we want them to enact policies unbecoming of a military force associated with a nation) but we do like to tightly regulate our our standing military conducts itself, which is harder to do with private militaries. The same thing is true of other socialized services, e.g. state water and power. It is harder to regulate private assets than state assets, say, in preservation of the environment.

Got it?
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