Jeffrey Toobin: Clinton's Refusal To Concede "Deranged Narcissism"

On CNN's election night coverage Tuesday, political analyst Jeffrey Toobin called Hillary Clinton's refusal to concede the election "deranged narcissism." Watch Toobin below:

The folks over at The Hotline put together a roundup of other pundits' reaction to Clinton's speech in New York City tonight:

"Well whatever that was, it wasn't a concession speech." -- FNC's Hume

"Clearly, she's trying to position herself, keep her options open." -- NBC's Russert, on HRC's speech (MSNBC).

"If I were Barack Obama, if I heard that speech, I would not be very happy. ... They are living in parallel universes right now." -- CNN's Borger.

"This was a defiant speech, against all the kind of advice that [heavyweights] within the Democratic Party gave her" -- Ex-WH adviser David Gergen, on whether he was surprised by Clinton's speech (CNN).

"She did everything but offer Obama the vice presidency" -- GOP strategist Alex Castellanos (CNN)

Comments

[Glooscap]

If Hillary Clinton were not a woman, Jeffrey Toobin's remarks would be cute and perhaps the most benign of the comments. Unfortunately he seems to be the only one who pointed out that the emperor did not have any clothes on.

[mairs]

The female pundit said "It's hard". Well I'm sure it was hard for Edwards, Huckabee, et al, to drop out when they needed to, but they did it. This is astonishing.

[jasket]

amen

[kassandrasduplex]

More name calling from a media pundit. What a fresh and novel approach to Clinton's popularity (which, like ti or not is great). You can add Toobin's insult to the host of others this past year. If anyone cannot see the bias from both the Right and Left media, they are blind. Even David Gergen was taken aback by Toobin's name caling.

[adzeman]

She can and will do whatever she wants. But last night was the equivalent of spitting in Obamas face and saying FU. I wont forget it, and I doubt if the Obamas will either.

[ikesambobby]

I agree and she can kiss the VP slot good-bye. Thank-god!!!

[foufou]

Toobin got it right!

[CookieWrites]

When ever a woman exercises power she is accused of being pre-menstrual which is basically all Toobin is saying. Waiting to see the outcome of her actions would be wiser than beating her up now.
If Obama is sincere about unity he will make her VP. If not, he is going to have to contend with many angry women.

[DallasDemocrat]

tee-hee!

[sleepycoder]

Wait, did Hillary get elected leader of all women while I wasn't paying attention? Does accepting her as VP mean that women are now, finally, accepted into the Democratic party? How does that prove Obama's sincerity about unity? I didn't realize that he had issues with women in general.

Whether they are men or women, our leaders should act with grace and dignity. She is failing to do that. She tried to change the rules that she had agreed to (called "cheating" in the real world), she tried to manipulate the voters and the media by claiming to have the popular vote (telling half-truths), and when none of that helped, she simply refused to acknowledge that she lost. Is it really so hard to recognize a spoiled child when you see one?

[dbdzen]

Someone said right back to Senator Clinton: I am Not a Bargaining Chip, I Am a Democrat

[MichaelBoh]

I wish people would stop confusing being ungracious and undignified with strength and guts. The woman has made a horrible mistake. As a supporter of hers I thought she looked like a fool. I think she will be remembered as hard-headed, ungracious, and rude. I would no longer support her than support John McEnroe in tennis. The umpire has spoken. She needs to listen and shake hands. I also agree with Hillary Rosen. I am NOT a bargaining chip. It was disgusting to deny Barack his due on HIS night of success! GO OBAMA!!! BEAT MCCAIN!!!!

[Lauer]

I don't like the woman but I believe she's too smart, and in control of her emotions, for narcissism.

She has strategists and lawyers. She has a strong will, and where there's a will... in their case, there is a legal means to take the office.

In the end, she'll lose. If her team is smart, they’ll weigh the odds of another failure, and save the Clinton legacy one more, in the long line of, embarrassment(s).

[kingvideo1]

tasukibeth1 - as a p.r. i fine what you said insulting. please apologize to all p.r.
obama - 08

[buckbuck11]

Relax, everybody. Give her one night to celebrate with her peeps. By Friday, all will be right with the world. And if we want Hillary's staunch supporters to see the light and do the right thing, the bashing needs to end as soon as she offers the olive branch. Just shut up about Hillary for now.

[NYRalf]

What clue from the events of the past 6 months would give you that idea?

[fflores]

Why not put the blame where it deserves to be??? On a historic night, on a night where America shows that it has finally turned the page to some of the most embarassing history of the American story (Racism).... Instead of The Presumptive Nominee taking center stage, earning his prize after a long hard fought battle.... we, the American people have to listen to a delusional/deranged narcissistic candidate feed her supporters to break away from the party.... As they chanted out "Denver", you see Clinton almost bask in the glory that is her delusion....

How someone can't except that she is on the path to dividing the party, or at the very least admit to how it can be see that way by EVERYOTHER PERSON, is beyond me.

[Abo]

Doesn't work. Clinton simply refused to face it just like she couldn't face her vote to back Bush on Iraq. It demonstrates, in unmistakable highlights, just how unfit she is--how incompetent she in matters requiring tact, diplomacy and personal integrity. Why should we continue to coddle her when she seems to view the kid gloves approach as expected deference to her unquesting entitlement.
No-we have had enough of that insulated world view from the current Bush gang, we don't need anymore politicians only willing to promote their own fabricated twisted views as reality--because sooner or later, the real world crashes those lies back to earth.

Let it be sooner and stop treating her like some princess in a tower that will throw stones if she doesn't get her way.
it reflects VERY poorly on women as adults --as living in some fairytale.

[loofah]

Why does Hillary, unlike any mail candidate who's ever lost an election, "need time?" Why do her supporters need to be let down gently? As a middle-aged woman, I am appalled at what Clinton and her supporters are doing to the cause of equality for women. They seem to want special treatment all around--they can't handle defeat, they are dishonest and irrational (could it be Hillary's early campaign misjudgments and lousy campaign team, rather than sexism, is what doomed her?) The sooner this destructive, ego-centered embarrassment to women everywhere is removed from the stage, the better.

[Veeve]

I won't shut up about harridan Clinton until she displays a minimal modicum of grace. I lettered in 3 sports in high school and football in college and I've lost almost as much as I've won.

I wasn't a gracious winner or loser in Pop Warner and Little League. I hated losing. But my father and mother loved me enough to teach me that the character you display in victory and defeat is the lasting legacy you leave behind. Apparently, no one loved her enough to teach her that lesson.

[edwarvir]

The more I see and hear about the Clintons the more I dislike them.

[gjoh]

Hillary didn't concede because for her, this election is about her; not her voters or the Democratic Party or what's good for the country.
She is rolling on the floor and screaming in the supermarket because we won't give her what she wants; what she thinks she is entitled to.
She never learned to be gracious in defeat. She never thought, still doesn't think, that Obama is good enough; definitely not better than her. So she denies reality and she uses her suppoters to block out that reality. "See, they love me."
Obama won!

[Deparis]

Someone once called her a "monster" and today we are realizing what others knew then.

[statsguy]

Regardless of who you support in this race, this sort of commentary of "deranged narcissism" is where the sexism comments are coming from. We have a similar comparison to this race among Democrats, 1984. On the last day of the votes, Gary Hart won states (like South Dakota, just as Clinton did) and Mondale won others, but Mondale clinched the nomination that night with superdelegates. Neither candidate won with pledged delegates alone. Hart announced the race was now in "overtime" and was anything but conciliatory. Compared to Hart's 1984 speech, Clinton's speech last night was much more gracious and much more conciliatory, even though they were both in the same position--very close 2nd place at the end of the primaries. While many commentators suggested Hart drop out between the last primary and the convention, no one called him a "deranged narcissist." In fact, most of the reporting Hart's uphill battle in convincing superdelegates to switch, but noted that he should NOT immediately concede because he needed bargaining chips. He ultimately asked for a floor vote in which he lost as his deal. There was no outrage over Hart's behavior to any level of the outrage I saw with Toobin and others last night. It is either sexism, or else the media being extremely pro-Obama. It has to be one of these two explanations. It is certainly fine to report that he won, but there is no history to suggest she should drop immediately at the last primary.

[CindyV]

Thanks. Articles and coments like this are exacty why I, as a Hillay suporter, will NOT join the Obama team.

[Meggie]

just that one little taste in Vanity Fair should show everyone that the right choice was made last night. didn't that one very tiny taste of the past make you feel terrible? well, imagine a full summer of it. whatever the repubs throw at Obama, at least it won't be old stuff that brings back the awful feelings we had when we continued to defend the Clintons through it all while at the same time wishing it would be over.