Inside Clinton's Elton John Fundraiser: Singer Amazed By "Misogynistic Attitudes" Of Some In USA

NEW YORK — Experience is central to Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential bid, and Wednesday night she tapped one of pop music's most venerable rockers to help fill her campaign coffers with $2.5 million. Elton John, who has sold records and filled arenas for four decades, played a benefit concert for Clinton at Radio City Music Hall.

"I've always been a Hillary supporter," John, 61, said before launching into his 1970 breakthrough hits, "Your Song" and "Border Song." "There is no one more qualified to lead America."

The English singer, composer and pianist added: "I'm amazed by the misogynistic attitudes of some of the people in this country. And I say to hell with them .... I love you Hillary, I'll be there for you."

The cheapest tickets, $125 and $250, sold out quickly, campaign aides said. The other seats were filled by fans paying as much as $2,300, the limit for an individual's contribution to a federal candidate.

Preceding John on stage were Clinton, her husband, former President Clinton, and their daughter, Chelsea.

Hillary Clinton struck a defiant, underdog note in describing her battle against Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

"What I want you to know is I'm still standing, and I believe this country is worth fighting for," the New York senator said, playing off the title of one of John's hits. "So we're taking our campaign to Pennsylvania and all the states that haven't voted." Pennsylvania votes April 22.

The Clintons have hobnobbed with Hollywood and music industry figures for years. In 1998, John performed at a White House State Dinner the couple hosted for then-British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Last October, Clinton celebrated her 60th birthday with a fundraiser at New York's Beacon Theater that featured actor Billy Crystal and musicians Elvis Costello and the Wallflowers. It netted more than $1.5 million for her presidential effort.

Comments

[tenfifteen]

Yeah, Elton. And I "never cease to be amazed" that someone who used to have one of the sweetest tenor voices in pop music can now only bellow in this shouty baritone caricature of his former self. It wasn't misogyny when Costello penned "Tramp the Dirt Down," neither is disagreeing with you on HRC.

[Indepatriot]

Damn! Hillary's right Obama can't win! If he can't secure the Geriatric British Rockstar Millionaire vote there's no way he'll beat McCain. Nice photo, looks like HRC is the homophobe in this race. She'll kiss Elton's ass for ca$h, but won't plant a proper one on his cheek. Of course, when 2 divas meet, the makeup matters most. I'm breathless in anticipation over who Mick Jagger's coveted endorsment will benefit!

[northeast73]

Coming from somone who supports a candidate who has a LAME MUSIC VIDEO of celebs singing along to one of his magical speeches..­..pathetic­.

And a candidate with HOMOPHOBIC SUPPORTERS ON HIS CAMPAIGN....


The gays love Hill and they dont trust Obama because of his ties......

[dawlishgal]

His neckties? Or some other kind of ties?

[Indepatriot]

Northeast, once again your knee-jerk response misses the point completely. These endorsments mean nothing to any free-thinking, informed voter,no matter who gets em'. And "the gays"?!! who's the homophobe here? I know, some of your best friends are gay.......

[AgathaX]

Oh I've finally decided my future lies
Beyond the yellow brick road.


Obama 2008

[Nofuzzydreams]

AgathaX - And he will lose the general because he cannot win anywhere without you devout nuts armtwisting others in caucuses. Guess what? there are no caucuses in November!!! and there are not enough of you nuts and blacks for him to win. He has been unable to win the popular vote in any state (except IL) where there is a large multiethnic mix. He is spending 3-1 over Hillary in Pennsylvania but he will lose by double digits like in Ohio. And he is hiding behind the rules in Florida and Michigan rather than facing the voters!!! Why?? Because he knows he will lose again in a primary.

[halyscomet]

Did you notice that the Wharton School Of Business Study showed that Caucuses have actually HURT Obama and he would have been better off without them?

Hillary is losing as a result of over-confidence. She simply didn't "need" those states. Now she feels differently as she does about Michigan and Florida.

[Aleka]

LMAO.

You people make me laugh, you pull all sorts of excuses out your arses and never face reality. What a sad place for you to live in.

[halyscomet]

LOL!

I think it is Hillary who is deciding on "Future Lies"...

[Maya2008]

Here we go with the victim card again.

[northeast73]

Obama camp is the number one "vicitim card player" ever.

Poor black little me....with my poor dead mama...waaaaaa

[EvoMan]

Please give us a real example of this, not just your say so.

[FrankBlackFrancis]

Read your post again Northeast. That has got to be one of the most sophmoric posts I've ever seen. Pretty despicable of you and not at all accurate in the least.

[debwarot]

What a classy remark!

And just when was this supposed to have been said? Or, as I suspect, did it come from your imagination?

[Independent voter]

Flagged for being an asshole

[emj2740]

Your so full of crap I can smell it from here.

[IkeChicago]

:Plank wrote: I hope the Radio City Music Hall guys are smart enough to have gotten the cash upfront.

Not a chance dude, the Clinton campaign operates on a 30 day billing cycle. Then it goes to 60 days, when it goes beyond 60 days, they stop answering the phone.

As you can see Plank, it's a complicated affair that ultimately ends up in collection. The 3 am calls Hillary has been receiving are none other than bill collectors trying to catch her at home, knowing that Hillary only answers her phone at 3 am.

[k6007]

LOL

[KPinSEA]

Sir Elton then broke into a campaign medley of "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word," "The Bitch is Back," and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me ..."

[Ginko]

not one person has had a chance to vote since the Wright controversy became public. Let the people speak. They will show loud and clear that Hillary is the clear choice to be President and not your ido.

[debwarot]

Who is 'your ido'?

[Aywaller]

You and Lanny Davis have got to let this go! It doesn't appear that this Rev. Wright "controversy" has had the effect you and the other Clinton supports have wished for. I'm glad to say that a substantial portion of the electorate is not dumb enough to fall for this distraction and those who do, well they were only looking for a reason not to vote for Obama anyway.

[emj2740]

I always liked the version "Don't let your son go down on me"

[Aywaller]

LOL!!!

[rlspear3]

Awe, poor Hillary the victim. She's losing to Barrack, so we Americans must be misogynistic. What an insult. I was a big fan of Hillary before Barrack came along. Now, though, I'm going to be disappointed if she even has a role in the administration, much less shares the ticket.

[Ginko]

losing? He's spending 2.4 mil a WEEK, more than any candidate in history and he is still double digits behind in PA, IN, WV and KY. Wake up, he is not "ahead" and his popular vote will disappear very soon. Let the people vote. You supporters of this liar are damaging this country with your ignorance.

[halyscomet]

You must be injesting a LOT of Ginko because Clinton CANNOT catch Obama even with the state you listed. Read a bit more please.

[AnninCA]

The reactions against Hillary are quite telling. What has she done that has so offended you? She's actually had to waste time to get the message out due to HIS surrogates trying to push her out of the race right before the Penn. primary.

Where's your decency in recognizing that as a highly unfair and very mean-spirited political move?

She could have been working the states on her platform, but she had to focus on telling people that she was not going to quit.

It's been outrageous.

[lvoigt]

GUESS WHAT PEOPLE SHE JUST RAISED EXACTLY WHAT SHE OWES MARK PENN.

[debwarot]

And no doubt she will pay him before getting around to the workers she so fervently claims to support.

[MoreCowBellNowPlease]

No one is allowed to point this out without being demonized? I choose the recognize the truth and the truth is there is a lot of mysoginy against Clinton. It's not a reason to vote for her but it's completely true.

http://womensspace.wordpress.com/2008/02/03/good-bye-to-all-that-part-ii-by-robin-morgan/
http://blueohioan.blogspot.com/2008/03/sexism-rampant-in-democratic-primary.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/29/female-clinton-supporters_n_94046.html
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/wcnc-032908-al-chelsea_clinton.1297c1f4.html

[Ginko]

Obamabots could care less about the truth, they want their idol to win regardless of his lack of experience, his dirty politics or his racist beliefs. The truth? fergetaboutit

[EvoMan]

He has more experience in elected office than she does. She's puffed up her resume and been duly called on it. He's done more with his time in the Senate than she has.

You have to be a huge hypocrite to ignore the blatant lies she's been caught in, both about herself and Senator Obama to post this sort of drivel.

Oh, and I know for a fact that he is in no way a racist.

[emj2740]

So when Bill Clinton was elected in 92 (Thanks Ross Perot) he had a great deal of experience right? Bullcrap. What examples do you have of Obama's dirty politics or his racist beliefs? I haven't heard a single racist remark from Obama (but sure have from HRC supporters) please quote one. If your intent is to use guilt by association your argument is lame and his poll numbers keep rising because most people don't buy guilt by association.

[ErnieBush]

What experience does Hillary have? Dodging bullets in Bosnia. Or negotiating the peace treaty with Northern Ireland? Or perhaps she has an open line to Osama Bin Laden. She has not experience as Commander-in-Chief. She was married to the Commander-in-Chief. Laura Bush has as much experience at being president as Hillary. What dirty politics has Obama displayed and when did he become a racist? There is no example anywhere of Obama making a racist remark. You forget, Obama is bi-racial or maybe you didn't know. You are the racist!!

[FrankBlackFrancis]

Actually Ginko, many of us who now support Obama do so because he is the nominee. Unless Hilalry pulls out a super delegate miracle. Your bitterness that your candidate is not the chosen one is evident. Racist beliefs? Are you still trying to pin his pastors comments as being his own? Petty. Dirty politics? Coming from a Clinton supporter, that's down right absurd. Lack of experience? He has more legislative expereince than Hillary and more than Bill before he became president. No wonder your candidate is in the tank.

[emj2740]

If you don't think all of this is another ploy by HRC to gain back some of the white women who switched to Obama your sadly mis-guided. I am sure right before the PENN primary she will either hit Obama below the belt, or play victim - (their all sexist so vote for me). If the MSM tries to vet her she attacks and says the media is against her. She will never ever admit anything she has done was a mistake or that she flat out lied. She can't be trusted and that is the reason a lot of people won't vote for her not her sex. But I assume you will vote for her because she is a woman. I hate to tell you but there really is no Hillary Clinton, it is just Bill in drag trying to get a 3rd term.

[Independent voter]

Perhaps there wouldn't be so much mysoginy against hillary if she wasn't such an out and out flaming misandrist.

[Aywaller]

". . . the truth is there is a lot of mysoginy against Clinton."


--Just as there is a lot of racism against Obama, neither of which is defensible. But I don't think it's reasonable to hold either candidate responsible for what some of their supporters say (although I do draw a distinction when it comes to some of Bill Clinton's unfortunate comments). Look at some of the comments and name-calling found on HuffPo for example. The links you posted don't prove that there's this intense wave of hatred of Clinton out there based on her gender. They only prove that some Hillary supporters SAY that there is a wave of hatred of Clinton our there based on her gender. I, for one, don't believe it.

[debwarot]

Very well said, Aywaller. Thank you.

[halyscomet]

Totally agree, Aywaller!

[dawlishgal]

yes

[MoreCowBellNowPlease]

How does one PROVE sexism or racism? Keep pushing this denial of sexism under the rug and it will become more acceptable each day.

Again--don't support HIllary because there is sexism, but don't deny that it exists--that's just not cricial thinking.

[bintk6]

Hillary should feel special.

www.IGotUGGs.com
www.BehindtheApprovalMatrix.com

[jojojo]

Margaret Thatcher would Never have pulled the sort of "poor little me" BS that HRC is trying to run on us.

Clinton's constant playing of the victim card sets women back and makes them seem in need of special protection, and I know plenty of women who are mad as hell about it.

[northeast73]

Let's see...she has been critisized for her cleavage, for her "whining", for her mood swings, was heckled with "Iron my shirt", and the list goes on....

She is not "playing vicitim"......she is living it.

[unenrolled]

A pathological liar, a sociopath, etc. etc. etc.

[k6007]

Dollars to doughnuts, the 'Iron my shirt' dude was a Clinton Campaign plant.

[Lyria]

Oh, my. The poster who (when faced with the logical fallacy of his comments) brings up the touching of the sexual organ of a thirteen-year-old girl -- this person claims offense at misogyny? http://www.huffingtonpost.com/users/profile/northeast73 (Kids Pushing Parents To Back Obama http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/07/kids-pushing-parents-to-b_n_95544.html )

Heal thyself.

[Ginko]

don't forget she's been criticized for her ankles and her butt too

[Independent voter]

Iron my shirt was a clinton plant.

[Lyria]

Reuters has video clips from the concert. You might find amusing the quote Elton John uses immediately after his statement about misogyny. (It's at about minute 1:20 of the video.)

http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=79953

[debwarot]

Thanks for the link - it was interesting.

[Ginko]

she has never played the victim card that is ridiculous. She stood up to the Right Wing machine once and she will do it again. Obama will fold like a cheap suit if the Republicans get a chance to 527 him in the GE. Don't you realize that you are being set up? Don't you realize that the media is OWNED by the Right Wing and they are pushing Obama because they KNOW he can not win in November? If you don't realize that, this must be your first Presidential Election because anyone who has been through an Election knows this.

[Independent voter]

I can't believe that there are people alive that really think like you do. But then I am constantly amazed at the 28% who think Bush is doing a swell job.

For you to say that hillary has never played the victim card either means that you haven't been paying attention or you're stark raving mad and should be confined for your own safety.

In your more lucid moments, don't you wonder why hillary has been endorsed by the leaders of the GOP
George Bush
Dick Cheney
Ann Coulter
Rush Limbaugh


I honestly suggest that you get some mental health counseling. You are in serious denial

[cakelady]

Read this comment before. I didn't think it applied to her being out spent by Obama in Pa. my home state because it was the campaign person who was quoting the numbers. But I live in the state and will tell you Obama adds started way before Cinton's and I think it is four to one. We get Obama all day. If he doesn't win this state big he never will win the general election. Also helping him is a radio annoucement some time back about 40,000 repubicans switching to democrat to be able to vote for him. In our state you must be a register democrat to vote for a democrat unlike the other states. It's not because they like Obama, they believe they can win him easily and make our state, red not blue.
This site is so one sided against a young woman who has done nothing that I was curious to see if they would post a nice story about Chelsea Clinton, they haven't. I think it a crime the way the Obama fans trash this young woman. But in the interest of fair play I will post a nice article about a young woman who did not and does not deserve to be trashed by some young pranksters who think they are so clever by some of the things they posted on here yesterday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/AR2008040903945.html?wpisrc=newsletter&sid=ST2008040904087

[Independent voter]

"woman who has done nothing" is an apt description of the clinton beast

[Aleka]

That is silly propaganda to say if he can't win PA he can't win the general. Are you always so gullible?

[lafrance]

jojojo,
Bravo! couldn't have said it better. You are so right.
As a woman I am embarrassed by the way Hillary and her supporters act and am soooooooo tired of them throwing out the victim card and calling everyone sexist because they don't support Hillary.
They cannot accept that maybe we don't support Hillary because of her record and her baggage. it has nothing to do with gender.
Put up a decent woman candidate and things would be alot different.

[lvoigt]

America is ready and as a woman i would vote for one but not this woman HILLARY CLINTON because she has so much baggage it is pitiful

[Ginko]

Obama has so much baggage it isn't even funny, the problem with him is all the unknown baggage we will learn of in the GE. Wake up Obamabots, before you destroy our chance for the WH and end up with McCain

[debwarot]

Just how many supporters are you wining over with the call of "Wake up Obamabots"?

[Independent voter]

How much does clinton pay you for this vomit? Of course, clinton isn't too good at paying anybody, but still you can't honestly believe the crap that you write

[Plank]

The polls have consistently shown that Obama fares better against McCain than Hillary.
The reason Obama's baggage is unknown it's because there is none. The Clintons however, have some much fresh baggage there's no need to go back to the scandals of the 90's.

[dawlishgal]

Hypothetical "baggage" as opposed to Clinton's very REAL "baggage." The more I hear this kind of crapola the more I think that "baggage" is just another word for HOPED FOR closet racism among the voting public. Hillary and McCain are both hoping that here is a lot more than there seems to be (and that is one of the things that makes them so disgusting).

"Unelectab­ility"...a­nother word for "hoping there is more racism here than there seems to be on the surface, but let's scare you into thinking that OTHER PEOPLE are more secretly racist than YOU. And, if we get away with it, a damn fine candidate will have been defeated for the most scurrilous of bogus reasons.

It is reprehensible.

[Oldtt]

I have heard this type of comment many times, "I would vote for a woman but just not this one." I think she is the best qualified candidate this time, but I'm curious to know what other woman you or others who make this remark might consider voting for? I can think of a lot of men I might vote for - so can everyone - but name me another woman candidate you might support. I ask this because it seems like an empty gesture to reference some "other" woman who would be more supportable if in fact no other woman exists who meets the proper criterion for President. Either this comment is misogynistic or it's not. What other woman candidate?

[dawlishgal]

Barbara Boxer, Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, Claire McCaskill, maybe Amy Klobuchar if only she would stop voting for Republican stuff, and probably a lot more, including state governors whose careers I'm not familiar with YET. Don't forget the list of possible female candidates is limited by the glass ceiling

[ClevelandTom]

There is no doubt that there are misogynists in the U.S. and there is no doubt that Clinton has lost some votes because of it. There is also no doubt that there are racists in the U.S. that have cost Obama at least as many votes and probably more.

If Elton is seeking for an explanation for Clinton's trailing position in the Democratic primary, he's looking in the wrong place.

[jojojo]

There are also man-hating women who will vote for HRC simply because she's female, which is no more noble than voting against her because she's female.

[Ginko]

you have got to be joking

[Nofuzzydreams]

ClevelandTom - Barack got 90% of the black votes - if he was not white, he probably would not get more than 50% - now that is racism at its worst and you Obamanuts are unwilling to call it out!!!

[debwarot]

So it is sexist to not support Senator Clinton and a sign of bigotry for an AA to support Senator Obama? Now theres an example of critical thinking gone bad!

What about - It is not intelligent to support Senator Clinton solely because of her gender and equally misguided to support Senator Obama solely because of his race?

[ErnieBush]

Why shouldn't Obama get 90% of the Black vote.  I am a black female.  I worked at a Fortune 100 company corporate headquarters with 950 employees.  Of those, 45-50 were black.  We were asked why we all sat together in the cafeteria.  My questions to the top honchos was, why do you all sit together?  Now who was racist?  Why is it when blacks support their race, they are considered racist, but when whites support their race, it's not a big deal.  This is the first time that there has been a viable, black candidate for the presidency.  Most blacks are very proud of this and Obama gives us hope.  You aren't fuzzy dreams, you are just dreaming.

[dawlishgal]

Because it is nonsense. Obama can be clearly seen as the best candidate for a lot of people. Republicans have suckered people into voting against their own economic self interest for decades. Hillary and Obama have basically the same platform, but he hasn't not betrayed previous promises and she has. It is as simple as that.

I come from a labor background, and I just plain don't trust Clinton. Not after she and Bill promised labor to oppose NAFTA, then rammed it through within a few months of taking office. Same with healthcare...I believe in it as a basic human right. Hllary already failed once, and now she takes more money from the very corporations that lied about and killed her plan than does any other candidate.

I would have been THRILLED to vote for Hillary if she had behaved herself. But she didn't.

Voting for one's self-interest (especially economic) is not necessarily a bad thing, neither is voting for a candidate that makes one feel proud. If I had been able to feel any pride about Clinton's candidacy, I would be still supporting her, the way I supported the Clintons for almost 16 years until now.

[flyguy14222]

Too funny. Now you attack Elton John? Give me a break. Try looking into Obama's man 50 cent, or Spike Lee.You want to attack then there you go...but Elton John?

[k6007]

50 cent??? Did he accuse Hillary supporters of being racists? Link please.

[Ginko]

he supports Nobama

[SheTiffany]

50 cent is a Hillaryite and a known snitch.

[unenrolled]

Is that Elton John the man, or Elton John the woman?

[KarenZipdrive]

I am amazed at all the misogynistic comments on this thread, and even more amazed that some people are so ignorant, they don't realize how much they are threatened by strong women.
Relax fellas, I'm sure neither Hillary nor Sir Elton would be interested in your lil' parakeet balls.

[k6007]

What about the women supporting Barack, are they misogynistic too?

[Ginko]

what is even more amazing is that many of the misogynistic comments are coming from WOMEN.

[AnninCA]

Alas, that doesn't surprise me one bit.

[AnninCA]

Misogynists don't recognize themselves. *haha It's always funny to see the flare-up of remarks when this topic is raised. They react fast and furious, always striving to assure one another that the label couldn't possibly apply to one another. Meanwhile, the rhetoric is so nasty that it's obvious to any reader that Elton John's comment was a bull's eye.

[ErnieBush]

And racists do not recognize themselves. Right, Ann?

[Independent voter]

I don't care what hillary has between it's legs. It is a horrid monster, mentally unfit for POTUS

[dawlishgal]

What, exactly, is a woman who has been a long-time feminist, but who now considers the Clintons' behavior reprehensible, not just now, but past behavior too, when retrospectively viewed through the prism of their current behavior? Because that woman right now is ME.

How misogynistic would it be for me vote for a woman who has betrayed both men and women in matters that I consider important. To do so would imply that there were no better, kinder, more honest, or more reliable women than Hillary. I am not willing to do that.