Hillary Clinton Comes Out Swinging

In an interview with the NBC Today Show on Jan. 27, Hillary Rodham Clinton attacked the ``right-wing conspiracy'' behind the attacks on her husband. Here are excerpts:

I think as this matter unfolds, the entire country will have more information. But we're right in the middle of a rather vigorous feeding frenzy right now, and people are saying all kinds of things and putting out rumor and innuendo. And I have learned over the last many years, being involved in politics, and especially since my husband first started running for President, that the best thing to do in these cases is just to be patient, take a deep breath, and the truth will come out. But there's nothing we can do to fight this firestorm of allegations that are out there....

It's not being numb, so much as just being very experienced in the unfortunate mean-spirited give-and-take of American politics right now. So having seen so many of these accusations come and go, having seen people profit, you know, like Jerry Falwell with videos accusing my husband of murder, of drug-running, seeing some of the things that are written and said about him, my attitude is, you know, we've been there before. We have seen this before. And I am just going to wait patiently until the truth comes out....

It's just a very unfortunate turn of events that we are using the criminal justice system to try to achieve political ends in this country.

And, you know, when I'm here today, I'm not only here because I love and believe my husband. I'm also here because I love and believe in my country. And if I were just a citizen out there, maybe because I know about the law and I have some idea of some of the motivations here, I would be very disturbed by this turn of events....

I do believe that this is a battle. I mean, look at the very people who are involved in this. They have popped up in other settings.

This is--The great story here for anybody willing to find it and write about it and explain it, is this vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he announced for President. A few journalists have kind of caught on to it and explained it, but it has not yet been fully revealed to the American public. And actually, you know, in a bizarre sort of way, this may do it....