Does Hillary Have Any Shame?

I'm asking. Does Hillary Clinton feel any shame at all? She was just on the Leno show to publicly announce--again--that she had a "lapse" and that was the reason she repeatedly lied in stump speeches about running from sniper fire in Tuzla, Bosnia. Obviously, the point of her appearance was to offset the political nightmare that ensued after the print media (including Frank Rich's great column)/TV/Internet pandemonium--the almost 2,000,000 views of this video--that forced her hand.

So the way she and her staff cleverly addressed this fabrication and others--like her non-support of NAFTA--was by lying again? Hillary walked on Leno's set and sat down in his chair. She was laughing while she dismissed herself from responsibility. She looked down instead of facing the audience, which she seemed unable to do (not a good sign in the truth department, if you ask me, but might show a smidgeon of shame), while she repeated her dog-ate-my-homework excuse. Hillary: "It's such a mismatch of words and actions...I wrote about this in my book, and I obviously just had a lapse...."

Uh-huh. Well, she's having another one now. We might say that Hillary is "prevaricating," since this word's meaning is all about trying to dodge the bullet or confuse the issue. Certainly, she has "rationalized" through her whole campaign--including about having 35 years of experience. We have gotten enough confirmation to ascertain that she didn't bring peace to Northern Ireland as she had claimed. And she did this pointedly without shame?

We can solidly say Hillary was "misleading" the American public about her Bosnia escapade, although the videotape and other first person accounts of Sinbad and some journalists who were with Hillary in Tuzla definitely support the notion that she told a "bold-faced lie" about it. In Wikipedia:

A bold-faced (or barefaced) lie is a lie told when it is obvious to all concerned that it is a lie. For example, the child with chocolate all over her face who denies having eaten the cake is a bold-faced liar. The adjective "bold-faced" indicates that no attempt has been made to hide the fact that it is a lie.

"Why Did It Take Sinbad to Expose Hillary Clintons' Misstatement?," as Eric Deggans wrote in this blog. The answer appears to be because the American media--even the journalists who had been with Hillary--didn't bother to either research/write/talk/blog it. And so what is with the big whine from Hillary and Bill that the press is so unfair to her? Seems like they've given her an almost free ride in plenty of important areas. Not surprisingly, after being accused of this unfairness the traditional press then worked up enough shame to condemn themselves and turn on Obama. But as George W. proved, it is easy enough to lead them around like they have rings in their noses.

A friend once told me she'd given up guilt. I was shocked (and envious), but I believed her. She is one of a handful of people I know who live their lives without pretense. She is enormously intelligent and routinely makes straightforward decisions, then makes no apologies for what they are. She is honest to a T and always was--even with her children. Many of my friends regularly chose to lie to their kids (even when they were almost adults) about things they thought their children shouldn't know about the world, them, and even about their true beliefs--and some continued when it was no longer necessary, if it ever was.

Where does Hillary fall on this spectrum? Did Chelsea learn that lying is wrong when it appears to have been such a regular occurrence in the Clinton household? Or did she learn politicians get a pass where honesty is concerned? Where does Bill Clinton come down on this issue? Oh, yes. It was the reason he got impeached. There are "little white lies" and "whoppers." Since Hillary's experience, which she lied about, is a cornerstone of her campaign, where does this leave her integrity? Is absence of shame the trait of a good liar?

Is Hillary the kind of leader we want answering the phone at 3 A.M., since she has "lapses" and lies about unimportant issues? What would she do about the critical ones? We already have a disreputable president whose administration lied to the public in the most important moment of his two terms, and his name is George W. Bush. Our country has suffered for it. Or, is lying a necessary part of our president's job and ego?

One might think the Clinton shenanigans were on some juicy or low-rent reality TV show or in an addicting drama like the "House of Cards" on the BBC to which I was glued. In the series, the question was which one was more corrupt--the eventual Prime Minister, Francis Urquhart, or his wife? I'll not tell here.

The global community has seen that Hillary lies to us to get herself elected --and so what will she misrepresent to them? The Bosnian girl who recited her poem to Hillary is said to be shocked by her misstatement in this article by the New York Post. Other Bosnians are angry about Hillary's characterization of her visit, while still others are laughing.

I have always believed in secrets and lies being powerful destroyers of families. Now, we can also say they are the destroyers of the reputations of nations as well as nations themselves. Look what George W. and Dick have done to ours.

Here's what Dr. Joyce Brothers said about shame in an article in Parade magazine:

In the past, we may have allowed ourselves to be burdened too much by shame. Today, it's lack of shame that appears to be the burden. Maybe it's time to invite the useful aspects of shame back into our culture. Shame is, after all, ultimately related to virtue, a word that also is not used much anymore but continues to have meaning."The only shame is to have none," wrote the philosopher Blaise Pascal centuries ago. We ought to keep his words in mind.

Hillary, do you have any shame left?

Follow Beth Arnold on Twitter: www.twitter.com/BethArnold

Comments

[Honza]

Hey MS, Beth,Physiolgyist, plus a mind reader. If your sitting on a plane and the Capt, says we have to divert, because of sniper fire, Hillery may have heard it and forgot about it, and as she was departing only recalled it many years later. SO WHAT? Make a big stink about it, you refer to her as a liar a few times, come on you never told some tall stories in your life? . Being on the dumb LENO show does not compare to the confessional booth, it's a comedy show. Compared to Hillery and you, standing side by side, she has gone through hell and high water, and now the Huff-Post is out to destroy her bid for the Presidency. I'm an 82yr old WW2 vet who has seen many falshhoods by our leaders that led us into wars, need I mention the father and son?

[plooger]

Hillary '08 -- Based on a True Story

http://home.comcast.net/~krkaufman/du/H08_BasedOnATrueStory.jpg

[DoninJoisey]

Don't underestimate the appeal of lying.
History - in '64 Goldwater told the truth about Vietnam, Johnson lied.
In '72 McGovern told the truth about Vietnam, Nixon lied.
Clinton (Bill) lied.
Bush - both of them - are liars.

We as a nation have a long history of electing liars. Ford and Carter are the only presidents I can recall that weren't.

Please. please, Pennsylvania, see thru the Hillary hologram.

Obama isn't perfect, but he has intelligence, integrity, and judgment.

Hillary has only intelligence, and applies it only for self-gain.

[DSully]

Great comment. I too sincerely hope America has the intelligence to sort through the muck and see Hillary for the self-absorbed liar she is. More than that, I feel like with Obama, America will find themselves as having elected a great domestic and international leader.

[hillarysupporter]

Its ok for Obama to "embellish", which by the way, he's the "king" of embellishing, but when Clinton embellishes, its called a lie.

[DSully]

These aren't embellishments, they are blatant lies. If you go back and look at the tapes, Hillary told the Bosnia over and over, each time making the lie bigger because the press let her.

[chlllfactor]

I believe that Senator Obama’s supporters have a very forgiving nature. By some miracle Hillary gets the Democratic nomination, Obama supporters will support her in far greater numbers then Hillary supporters will support Senator Obama.
Additionally, here are other supporters of Senator Obama and what they have to say:
Rev Wright: Bloomberg's Albert R. Hunt: 'The perverse irony here is that whatever the Reverend Wright's failings, there is nothing - nothing - in Obama's adult life to even remotely link him to racially divisive sentiments. Quite the contrary. Talk to conservatives who attended Harvard Law School with him, like former Republican Party Chairman Ken Mehlman or current Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin; or Republicans in the Illinois state legislature, or U.S. senators; or look at his campaign staff. There is not a more inclusive politician in America.'
Character: Carl Bernstein, famous for his role in Watergate, stated: "Hillary Clinton has many admirable qualities, but candor and openness and transparency and a commitment to well-established fact have not been notable among them.'
Numbers: Senator Obama has pulled more new voters into the voting process and brought them to the ballot boxes in numbers not seen since the days of JFK.
Senator Obama offers hope and a new way of approaching issues in the political arena. However, many voters are mistrustful of any one promoting new ideas and the concept of change. What a sad state of affairs for our country.

[Weasie16]

Actually, I think it's more shameful that people are more concerned with her "exit" off the plane than what she did while she was there. I get the haha, from the press, but there was sniper activity in the area and they were in a war zone, right? Did I miss something, or is foreign diplomacy now just how we exit a plane? What matters most to people with intelligence, is that in the past 12 years, Hillary may have inflated the intensity of the plane exit .... but she was there, did what she set out to do, and it does give her credibility for her foreign diplomacy experience. I'm not really sure how much credibility all of this"na na na na boo boo" journalism has given the media though...it's been pretty embarrassing to watch.

[SamThornton]

Wow. Morphing from what the candidate herself says is inaccurate to evidence of foreign policy experience is a leap so breathtaking that I stand in awe. With this kind of faith and belief Sen. Clinton might well consider running for Queen instead of President.

[DoninJoisey]

Well, that would be appropriate - queens believed in the Divine right to rule, as does Hillary.

[ATLiberal]

Actually, that is not correct. The pilot of the plane, when interviewed about the landing, which he said was completely normal, not a "corkscrew" as she claimed, said that if there had been any reports about sniper fire, the plane would not have landed, but would have diverted somewhere else.

[Amminadab]

Do a little more research. It was a war zone. It was dangerous. And the military DID use evasive manuevers during trip (if not in the landing you referenced).

Do you hold Obama to the same standards as you do Hillary?

Of course not. Obama's embellishments get a free pass.

[DoninJoisey]

"Did what she set out to do" - yeah, have a photo-op.

SHE LIED. She created the story so her hologram of alleged experience would have some meat to it. She repeated the story multiple times, so it was clearly rehearsed. She didn't think she'd get caught.

She also lied about bringing peace to N Ireland.
About fighting for SCHIPS.
About having opposed NAFTA.
About the Iraq war vote not being a vote to invade Iraq.
About fighting to take government from special interests.
About having experience.
About caring about anyone but herself.

[cyndeewi]

Are you crazy Weasal?

There was no sniper fire where she was. If you really believe that then you are really sick. There is no way that the President would let his wife and only kid go into sniper fire, even if Monica Lewinsky was blowing him daily. Sinbad would not have went, the man is afraid of his own shadow. Get Real!

In addition, this is not the first lie she has told. She does not have foreign policy experience. She has travel to Countries but so has the other 1st ladies. So they must be able to be POTUS too huh?

[SamThornton]

It's a tragedy that the first women candidate for President is Sen. Clinton. She is setting the cause of gender parity in our political institutions back to the days when women were dismissed as candidates for any public office. Because of her actions, it may well be a generation or more before a women candidate for the office of President will receive serious consideration. And don't think her actions won't make it more difficult for women to contest other public offices.

[DoninJoisey]

My wife (of 33 years) and I completely agree. Someone who only came in the public eye because of "wife of:"
Her senate career is noteworthy only for her Iraq vote, the rest of "35 years experience" is an illusion she attempts to project.

Her arrogance and imperiousness are NOT what we need - we've had 2 terms of arrogant incompetence, I don't want more.

[ATLiberal]

One of the big problems we have in this country is that we like to choose sides. For many, once the side has been chosen, they stick to it no matter what. They can justify and rationalize anything that their "side" does and point the finger at the other side and say that they do the same thing and worse. Facts be damned.

One of the symptoms I have noticed on the HRC side (and believe me, there is more than enough vitriol on both sides) is that there is much ado about Obama lying about and trying to destroy the Clintons. When I politely ask for specifics, *poof*, that thread is over. No response. Because it is crystal clear, I believe, who the prevaricators and unabashed self-serving spinmeisters in this campaign are, and it is hands down Hillary and Bill.

So, one more time, I throw it out there. Let's compile a list of specifics on these attacks and lies by Obama on Clinton. If you want me to list HRC's, I will be glad to.

[Amminadab]

So are you saying that Hillary has not been smeared at all during this campaign?

[DoninJoisey]

Name something. Anything. Obama pointing out that she voted for the Iraq war is not smear.

[DoninJoisey]

Agree with you. I see a few types - those that think Bill was great, and are used to defending him - they say, "who cares if he got a BJ?" - I don't, but I do care he lied under oath and directly to the American public, but clearly it didn't bother Clinton fans.
Then there are women who want a woman president. I heard a group on CSPAN - all they talked about was injustices to women. They just care that Hillary is female. That she is only where she is because of "wife of", they don't seem to realize or care. That she lies, they don't seem to care.
Then there are party hacks. They feel the Clintons have "earned" a third term. They "paid their dues". They like the back-room politics the Clintons are good at.
Then there are bigots who wouldn't vote for any black man.
Then there are gullible people who are trusting and can't believe someone would lie right to their face.

I guess it's the same as the 29% that still support Bush. Facts, logic, don't matter. They "made up their mind" - such as it is.

Strange, but true.

[ldvisavis]

As this campaign has progressed, I am stunned by the acceptance of obvious deceit and manipulation. As truth surfaces through layers of denial, misdirection, and minimization, I cheered to think it would be clear and understood.

How is it possible for people to still defend those who shamelessly lie and twist reality for their own aims? Are we simply habituated to being manipulated? Lies brought us a war that explosively magnifies any real threat our country faced before September 2001. Now lies are television entertainment. Are we too numb to feel outrage?

Maybe people are so used to lies they are comfortable with it. Or maybe they just can't handle the truth.

[clevelandchick]

We've had one Liar In Chief for the last 7 plus years, I'm not interested in another one. I think the pathological lying must run in the blood of Bushes and the Clintons. Or maybe it's that power goes to their heads and they think they can create their own reality.

At work the consensus is quite anti-Hillary for three lies from her and her camp. The Bosnia lie. The fake news ad aired in Ohio where she lied about Obama and NAFTA and the flyer her campaign sent out in Iowa and New Hampshire scaring women into thinking Obama was not Pro-Choice when in fact he has a 100% rating with both NARAL and NOW. That last lie was sooooo egregious that a friend, former chapter president of NARAL and campaign supporter quit her campaign and endorsed Obama.

[lisakaz]

Very thoughtful post. In general I cannot stand lying about stuff even when motives are seemingly good. The reprecussion can be quite bad for the recipient, in fact. I just mentioned one earlier today. This guy I knew was telling me how when his daughter got older he was going to tell her that her parents were both virgins when they married. I thought he was insane, frankly. What a trip to put on the kid -- all to address his own "guilt."

Hillary has told some whoppers and I guess the "greater good" in her own mind is making herself more impressive to electors. The whole "send the first lady" when there's danger was laughable. Journalists actually conspired with her to hide the truth. Why? Did it give them dibs on an exclusive after she would be nominated/elected? Yucking it up about this and trying to spin it as some honest mistake just disgusts me.

The moral compass of this country is waaay off if we all continue to put up with this nonsense.

I met a lobbyist who could look you in the eye and lie thru his teeth. I was unsettled by this and it seems to me the Clintons have become adept practitioners (maybe he more than her).

[westwind]

I take it your question is rhetorical?

[wakupmagy]

HuffPost's Pick

What an interesting and insightful post.
I vividly remember a piece on Hillary Clinton that appeared in New York magazine. It was following her election to the Senate. In it, she was quoted as saying something like "I do not believe in shame." I was shocked at the time.
It is even more telling today. To not be accountable, to not feel responsible, to not live by any code of conduct is inconceivable. And even more so in someone who presumes to be chosen as the leader of the Free World. How can anyone put any faith in her ability to lead this country if she is without an internal moral compass and believes herself to be answerable to no one?

[Weasie16]

I guess we can discredit all of our grandfathers and uncles who walked to school three miles each day in waist high snow drifts. Thing is...they did go to school, but I'm sure those three miles were less and the snow wasn't as high. I wouldn't call all the grandfathers of the world liars or immora. But I guess we can do that for Hillary Clinton since it seems to be the thing to do lately.

[ATLiberal]

Did your grandfather run for President?? And a tall tale to a grandson can in no way be compared to a repeated lie to the entire public of the U.S. in an attempt to bolster your candidacy. Be honest with yourself.