Monday, March 31, 2008

Tuzla Girl Shocked By Clinton's Comments

In the information age, news travels fast around the globe. Even Senator Clinton's "misspoken" words about her experience in Tuzla has made it to Tuzla. Now that little girl that read a poem to the then First Lady has heard about the situation and has had a chance to speak about what happened and how this whole thing made her felt.

From The NY Post:

SARAJEVO, Bosnia - The Bosnian girl who famously read a poem to Hillary Rodham Clinton during her 1996 visit to the war-torn country is shocked - and her countrymen infuriated - that the former first lady claimed to have dodged sniper fire that day.

Emina Bicakcic, now 20 and studying to become a doctor, told The Post she stood on the tarmac at the air base in Tuzla, greeted Clinton and even had time to share the lines of verse she'd written - all without fear of attack from an unseen enemy.

"I was surprised when I heard this," Bicakcic said, referring to Clinton's assertion that she braved snipers upon landing, ducking and sprinting to military vehicles.


Other Bosnians were also amused at her exaggerations of that day and said that it is ridiculous that she exploited their sufferings for her political aims. Although the soon-to-be doctor has declined to pick a candidate (I assume she is more preoccupied with her studies and Bosnian politics) in the race here and Obama has said she can stay in as long as she wants, it really is time to end this primary and get on to more important matters, like beating McCain.