Ugly is as ugly does--NY Senate Race tunrs Ugly.

[MavKikiNYC]

Keepin' it on the issues.

Mud in the face

Monday, October 23rd, 2006

Hillary Clinton's Republican challenger is getting personal and it's not pretty: He says the senator used to be ugly - and speculates she got "millions of dollars" in plastic surgery. "You ever see a picture of her back then? Whew," said John Spencer of Clinton's younger days.

"I don't know why Bill married her," he said of the Clintons, who celebrated their 31st anniversary this month.

Noting Hillary Clinton looks much different now, he chalked it up to "millions of dollars" of "work" - plastic surgery.

"She looks good now," he said.

Spencer's bizarre comments came during a conversation with a reporter seated beside him and his wife, Kathy, on the 10:30 a.m. JetBlue flight Friday to Rochester, the site of the race's first debate.

In the wide-ranging chat, he also declared that his GOP running mate, attorney general hopeful Jeanine Pirro, was going to lose.

Howard Wolfson, an aide to Clinton, who turns 59 Thursday, said the senator has never had plastic surgery. But he declined otherwise to respond to Spencer's comments.

But Spencer's words crossed a political line that he has struggled to avoid during his underdog campaign against the former First Lady, a politician who inspires strong feelings among fans and foes alike.

He has limited most of his official comments to criticisms of Clinton for her doubts about the Iraq war, her opposition to tax cuts and her presidential ambitions.

In fund-raising letters, he has used more openly hostile language, allowing Clinton's aides to portray him as "angry" and out of control.

But few of Spencer's comments have been outside American political norm - and none before Friday had touched on Clinton's private life or personal appearance.

During yesterday's debate, he said there's nothing personal about their differences.

"I happen to like Hillary Clinton," he said, even declaring she would make a "tremendous" Democratic presidential candidate.

His remarks on Friday, though, show just how personal this campaign is to Spencer, a Vietnam vet who has always seen this campaign through the lens of a war he fought in and the Clintons protested.

His comments on her appearance came during a sporadic conversation as Spencer checked out the television on the seat in front of him ("My man Columbo's on!") and then settled into reading The New York Times. (In his words, "Checking in on the enemy.")

Spencer, the former mayor of Yonkers, dwelt at length on the contrast between his direct, honest and unfiltered style - and what he sees as the phony, controlled and staged nature of much of American politics.

"What's the matter with ruffling feathers?" he asked at one point.

The remarks about Clinton's looks followed a conversation about Pirro.

With a New York magazine story about Pirro's troubled marriage open in his wife's lap, Spencer offered some sympathy for his GOP running mate.

"Very bright woman," he said of Pirro, whom he once accused of using her old post as Westchester district attorney to probe enemies and shield allies.

He blamed her recent problems on her reliance on handlers and consultants.

Spencer had less kind words for her husband, Al, whose crimes, misdemeanors and ill-timed remarks have dogged her campaign against Andrew Cuomo.

"S-A-D, sad," Spencer said of Al Pirro, saying his own status as a recovering alcoholic helped him understand what he called Pirro's egotism.

"He's like a 12-year-old," he said.

"And Andy Cuomo's going to win," Spencer added.

A spokesman for Jeanine Pirro did not immediately comment.

[Drbio]

Is that for real? I'm all for a good Hildabeast bash but if personal appearance is all he has then has little.

[kg_veteran]

[MavsX]

yeah dude she has work done

[u2sarajevo]

That guy is giving Republicans a great name up there in New York.


Yipee........ (where is the blue moon?)

[MavKikiNYC]

Originally Posted by u2sarajevo

That guy is giving Republicans a great name up there in New York.


Yipee........ (where is the blue moon?)

He's a sacrificial candidate. If he's the moron I'm thinking of, he's fathered a child (or two) out of wedlock, while married to another woman.

Update: Yeah, he's the moron. He fathered two children with his (female) Chief of Staff, while he was married to another woman. He's now maried to his former Chief of Staff.

[MavKikiNYC]

Originally Posted by kg_veteran

FWIW, I think she's a lot more attractive as a middle-aged woman (if that ain't gradin' on the curve.....) than she was as a Paula Jones-lookalike back when and Slick were misgoverning Arkansas together.

[capitalcity]

[u2sarajevo]

I have a confession.... and this is a bit off topic.... but I have been attracted to College Chelsea.

[capitalcity]

Well I guess she's got a purdy mouth.

[MavKikiNYC]

Uhm....she is better than Amy Carter.

[Mavdog]

Clinton says rival in 'Swampy territory'
By MARC HUMBERT, Associated Press Writer

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton accused her Republican challenger of getting into "swampy territory" after he was quoted Monday as saying that Clinton was unattractive when she was younger and that she had a lot of work done on herself. John Spencer denied discussing the senator's looks during a conversation with a New York Daily News reporter.

The tabloid quoted Spencer as saying: "You ever see a picture of her back then? Whew. I don't know why Bill married her."

Spencer, former mayor of the New York City suburb of Yonkers, was also quoted as saying that Clinton underwent millions of dollars of "work" and "looks good now."

During a campaign stop at a senior citizens center in Watervliet, just outside Albany, Clinton said: "It's unfortunate that when you don't have anything positive to say about the issues that we can get off in some pretty swampy territory."

After the newspaper came out, Spencer said the comments were "a fabrication. I would never call Hillary Clinton ugly. That's outrageous. I didn't do it."

The newspaper's front-page headline screamed "GETTING UGLY."

The reporter, Ben Smith, spoke with Spencer during a flight Friday from New York City to Rochester. He told the AP that Spencer made the comments as Spencer, his wife and Smith sat together. He said he did not tape-record the comments but took notes on his Blackberry.

Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson said Clinton has had no plastic surgery or similar appearance-enhancing work.

"I'm not sure what's worse, that Mr. Spencer made these insulting comments or that instead of owning up and apologizing for them, he is lying about them," Wolfson added. "Either way, it's clear that he is unfit for the U.S. Senate."

Clinton joked with reporters during her stop in Watervliet that "my high-school picture was cute." It was also on the tabloid's front page.

Polls have shown Clinton, 58, far ahead of the craggy-faced, 59-year-old Spencer in the Senate race

[kg_veteran]

Why does the AP have to refer to him as "craggy-faced"? Even if he made petty comments about her looks, do they have to be petty?

Wait, forget that I asked that...

[kg_veteran]

Originally Posted by MavKikiNYC

FWIW, I think she's a lot more attractive as a middle-aged woman (if that ain't gradin' on the curve.....) than she was as a Paula Jones-lookalike back when and Slick were misgoverning Arkansas together.

I suppose I can agree with that assessment -- and yes, you're grading on a rather steep curve.

[FishForLunch]

Who is hotter Chelsea or either of the Bush Twins.
1. Brunette Bush Twin
2. Chelsea
3. Fat Bush Twin

[capitalcity]

Originally Posted by FishForLunch

Who is hotter Chelsea or either of the Bush Twins.
1. Brunette Bush Twin
2. Chelsea
3. Fat Bush Twin

Whatever dude.

Jenna is far and away the most attractive. Bonus points cause she knows how to party.

[capitalcity]

Boo!