Hillary Didn't Find Her Voice, She Was Channelling Expediency

It might have been a good sound bite, but Senator Clinton's opening remark in her victory speech - that the campaign in New Hampshire helped her "find her voice" - was the unintentional opening of a window into the slippery and opportunistic truth of her campaign.

How could it be that a woman who is proudly running on her "life's work" of thirty-five years, who claims her advantage is that she is tested and ready to go to work on Day One, who has been running for president for months and months, still didn't have a "voice" until yesterday?

How inauthentic can you get? Say what you will about Huckabee or McCain or Giuliani or Edwards, they know who they are, and how to communicate it. So do Ron Paul and Bill Richardson. (And needless to say, so does Senator Obama). Why is it that all the other candidates were and are fully connected with their voice - which I define as the ability to fully and richly communicate who you are, what you stand for, and why you should be entrusted with the presidency? What fundamental, essential human element is Senator Clinton lacking?

What the sound bite was trying to accomplish is obvious: she sought to depict last night as the victory of a newly liberated candidate who can tear up, who is connecting deeply with voters, who has broken free of her advisors (who, of course, she hired and pays) to finally speak freely from the heart.

Of course, this "re-invention" of her campaign is just another engineered part of the soul-less, shameless essence of Clintonian politics. As is Bill Clinton's attack on the media's coverage of Senator Obama. It wasn't that long ago when he and Hillary Clinton were wailing about the vast right wing conspiracy. Now, there's a left-wing conspiracy: the media is letting Obama off the hook, they're in love with him, painting his campaign as a "fairy tale." Challenge the Clintons and you become the object of their vilification.

By the way, have you noticed that while Senator Clinton has unleashed a kennel of attack dogs, starting with the King Hound himself and including Paul Begala and James Carville, Senator Obama isn't flooding the media with his Praetorian Guard of Spin?

And did you notice that last night, while the first thing Senator Obama did was congratulate Senator Clinton on her victory, the closest she crawled to graciousness was at the very end of her speech, when she mouthed some platitude about the other Democratic candidates, and then attempted to diminish Senator Obama by lumping him in with all the others, including the departed Senators Dodd and Biden, and even Dennis Kucinich.

So if it you're really interested in the notion of "voice," the dignity that characterized Senator Obama's handling of Senator Clinton shows his. And the strategic minimization of Senator Obama shows that Mrs. Clinton hasn't found a new voice in New Hampshire, but is channeling her ever-present one.

Comments

[Spookcatcher]

I said the second HRC announced her run that Women, especially 40 plus old, are going to choose the next President, even if by default. (by skipping over Edwards who is the most legitimate threat to the facist and elitist rich status quo). They are the ones that were "attracted" to Bush the first time, to the Fascists delight, and they were the ones who wanted the urban cowboy coke head to protect them from bin laden and the islamist that might come over here and hurt (rape) us. they will rally behind HRC. If she doesn'yt ake the south and edwards can hang in, he can win against Obama.

[RusStyles]

My cat could sniff out that fake almost boo-hoo moment. And some of the simple-minded women took the bait. This is really a pathetic commentary: Voting for someone because you feel sorry for them. Because they've been maligned by the media. Because they say their feelings are hurt...Only in America.

[RaderBarbarian]

Adam, I suppose this means that we can add your name to the long list of Hillary Haters. Congratulations, you have now rendered yourself totally biased and therefore irrelevant, never to be read again. Ah well, no big deal. Hardly matters at all in fact. Bye Bye.

[NABNYC]

Well now wait a minute. I think she's really changed. Didn't you notice she was wearing a flowered pant suit instead of a solid one? That's change.

If this works for Hillary, I am changing too. The next time I have a difficult negotiation, I'm not going to bother preparing, reviewing the facts, making my argument, getting ready. I'm just going to cry and tell the mean old men that they hurt my feelings.

I've been a professional for decades. The only time I have seen a woman professional cry in public is if she is drunk or having a meth-or-cocaine induced melt-down. I don't think Hillary was in the least impaired, and I don't think her tears were a bit real.

This whole campaign is such an embarrassment. "I'm a girl so you can't say bad things about me." Or, "I'm going to send my husband out to beat you up." Or, "That hurt my feelings." Hillary is playing into every single stereotype used against women. Thanks lady. You're pushing the rest of us back decades by this absurdly manipulative behavior.

Oh and by the way: crying because you're not popular is what we expect from 14 year old girls. How about crying for all the dead Iraqis? If you're going to show emotion, try to show a little about other peoples' suffering, not your own narcissistic delusions.

[Alice A.N.]

Let me guess - you don't like the Clintons - so what?

No matter what she does - your mind was made up in 1996 and I say to hell with you.

I remember back in 90's when the talking point was how Bill was nothing without Hillary by his side. I remember those days loud and clear. I remember how everyone hated her because she was the first actually pro-active first lady.

Yes, she is a politician - and EVERY politician is always saying what they think they have too. Only the naive would ever think otherwise.

Obama's appeal does not detract from Hillary's capabilities, and it should not. All the Democrats are excellent candidates and this longer vetting primary process will only make them better candidates come november.

Somehow I find myself capable of respecting people I don't always agree with - and when I read a post like the one above, it tells me more about the writer than the candidate they are trying to smear. On a similar note, one might argue someone like John Mcain stands behind wrong policy choices, but to argue he would not be fit for POTUS only makes one sound ridiculous.

[tonyroma]

Nailed it! But just wait for the Greek chorus to show up.

[soupcity]

Wow, feel better now? Fix the typo in the last paragraph, you referred to your guy as Sen. Osama.