Ignoble Hillary

Does anyone wonder why women who support Hillary Clinton for president get (excuse the vernacular) PO'd at some of our fellow Democrats?

It's because very time we turn around, someone is dissing our candidate in ways that infuriate us. He (or she) is using sexist, insulting language about the first woman to mount a viable run for the presidency, in ways that, to say the least, we do not appreciate.

While many of us see Barack Obama as an exciting, able and worthy candidate, and will gladly vote for him if he is the nominee, we do not see the same respect given to Hillary Clinton.

Take Ted Kennedy's remark that Hillary should not be on the ticket with Obama if he is the nominee. Instead, Kennedy wants someone who "is in tune with the nobler aspirations of the American people."

So what is ignoble about Hillary Clinton? Her health care policy, which is more inclusive than Obama's? Her work in 1972 with Marian Wright Edelman on school desegregation in the South? Her work in Arkansas, in the White House, and in the senate on children's rights? Her proposal to fully fund services for children with autism? (I have two grandkids who are mildly autistic, so this proposal does not seem at all ignoble to me). Or maybe her support for the right to choose, or her sensible plan to withdraw from Iraq in a way that does not put US troops at great risk?

I'd argue that Hillary Clinton, by her deeds, has proved herself every bit as noble as Obama, who also supports good policies. But Clinton, if just by virtue of longevity, has in fact done more.

I'll admit that as much as I admire Obama's idea about bringing Democrats and Republicans together, my years of covering politics -- especially in recent years -- make me skeptical. As long as the GOP operates on the Rovian principal of winning by keeping the base in constant upheaval, always recycling wedge issues, true bi-partisanship is next to impossible.

We women who wanted to see a woman president in our lifetime have been appalled by the sexism of the campaign. I personally have wanted to throw a shoe at the TV screen (especially when MSNBC is on) when panel after panel seems to consist of male pundits giving advice to the young prince about how to defeat the wicked witch of the west.

When Boston university journalism student Melissa Nawrocki examined campaign coverage, she found that the media accused Clinton of being insane, murderous, witchlike, depressed, and egomaniacal:

• On a Dec. 20, 2007 edition of MSNBC's Hardball, host Chris Matthews said that Clinton's political goal was "to smother the young senator [Obama] in his crib," using the visual of a murderous Clinton killing an infant Obama. Matthews also has referred to Clinton as "witchy" and a "stripteaser."

• In a Feb. 27 New York Times column, Maureen Dowd wrote that Clinton "has turned into Sybil," referencing the book and movie about a women with multiple whiny personalities. Just one day prior, CNN's The Situation Room commentator Jack Cafferty said that Clinton "[resembled] someone with a multiple personality disorder." Two days earlier, Chicago Tribune reporter Jill Zuckman said on MSNBC's Hardball that Clinton's recent behavior "comes across a little schizophrenic."

Sexist language has been over the top. In the course of her public life, Hillary Clinton has been called, in print, Lady Macbeth, the Wicked Witch of the East, a harridan, a virago and The Yuppie Wife from Hell, to name just a few. She's been compared to Glen Close as the murderous career woman in "Fatal Attraction." During the campaign, her "cackle" became the subject of countless media reports, as if she were indeed stirring a pot and chanting, "Double, double, toil and trouble, fire burn and caldron bubble."

On the blog mediaCrit, Ashleigh Crowther noted the coverage of Hillary's laugh. Patrick Healy of the New York Times dubbed it the "Clinton Cackle," Frank Rich of the Times called it " calculating," and pundit Dick Morris called Clinton's laugh 'loud, inappropriate, and mirthless . . .. A scary sound that was somewhere between a cackle and a screech.'"

On the O'Reilly Factor, a "body language expert" called Clinton's laughter "evil." ABC's Good Morning America, CNN's Situation Room, Fox News' Hannity & Colmes and MSNBC's Hardball included stories about it.

Sexist language often gets a chuckle from male media commentators -- such as the video clips of the young men who held up a sign, "Hillary Clinton, stop running for president and make me a sandwich." Imagine the outrage if that sign had said, "Barack Obama, stop running for president and shine my shoes."

Hillary's physical attributes have also been fair game. Matt Taibbi, national political reporter for Rolling Stone, referred to Clinton's "flabby" arms in his Apr. 3 piece, "Hillary's Flimsy Case." Writers have sniggered at her pantsuits, her wrinkles, her hairdos, her makeup, etc. etc. The men running for president this year displayed an array of paunches, double chins, bald pates, and jowls, and yet rarely were those cause for comment.

This reflects what Susan Sontag called "The Double Standard of Aging." There is just one standard of beauty for women -- the nubile 20-year-old, while men like Sean Connery and Harrison Ford can be considered sex symbols in their sixties, grey hair or no hair.

The double standard serves to silence women, keeping them out of the public arena. Mockery of one's physical attributes is especially painful. Hillary Clinton, in fact, looks great for a woman of sixty, fit and attractive. But she's often covered as if she were some kind of crone. Rush Limbaugh -- no poster boy of pulchritude himself -- spoke with dread of watching Hillary Clinton age in office. He made no such comment about 70-plus John McCain.

Might a future female candidate who doesn't resemble a pubescent supermodel shy away of running for fear of a vicious assault on her every sign of age? Or will she simply shudder at the expectation that she will be called evil, nutty and murderous? All this will give the next woman who wants to run for president a reason to pause -- and push the day of the first woman chief executive far into the future.

Boston University Journalism professor Caryl Rivers is the author of "Selling Anxiety: How the News Media Scare Women."

Comments

[erykah]

What I am so tired of is Hillary as perpetual victim. Hillary ran this campaign on her own terms and loss. Get over it and move on.

[apoyo]

Obama has shown a lot of respect for Hillary and she has failed to do the same for him.
He has refrained from bringing up any of her baggage while she has taken every opportunity to cast aspersions about him, fanning the flames at the slightest hint of innuendo. I would add that she should be ashamed but I know that's not possible in her case.

[SouthFloridaDem]

And he could have run the list, couldn't he? He could have done it as a public service, to educate all those newly minted young voters who don't know her at all. But he didn't. He wouldn't do that to another Dem. She, however, had no problem playing the filthiest, dirtiest games she could.

[JoeSun]

Obama didn't need their advice. Telling the truth about himself and his ideas was all he needed to prevail.

[Emmaboverry]

Plain and simple--she exploited hatred, religious and cultural intolerance, and fear in her campaign. She used the worst in us to win. That is ignoble. She sold out the causes she has stood for and which put her and her husband into the Whitehouse. She has shown a very bad faith and a very bad character throughout this fight.

Most of us who consider her "ignoble" now once defended her and looked to her for inspiration. It is a shame that she leaves the impression behind of a woman who is greedy for her own self interest--no cause, no one issue is worth sacrificing one's ethics for.

[JoeSun]

She exploited race, religion, and gender, yet, still lost.

How stupid must you be to cheat and lose?

[SignedSealedDelivered]

right on!

[ChimesOfFreedom]

I am instantly turned off by anyone who utters the phrase "true bi-partisanship is next to impossible." This defeatist acquiescence to the GOP is exactly why so many people are fed up with the GOP AND the Dems.

All we require of our leaders is leadership, and that is what Barack brings to the table. And that, friends, is what will break the cycle of the old political game we've suffered with for so many years.

[vinny]

agreed... hillary missed the boat...

[BARBLS]

After enduring the monothlic Media's selling of Obama, and the blogs becoming the new right wing noise machines, I have had enough. I am ashamed of my party and the treatment it has shown HRC. I find the remarks that people for Obama make in these blogs contemptable. You people have a nerve to criticize HRC. What have any of you given of yourself to help others? You sound like parrots repeating talking points others have uttered and they are mostly personal attacks against HRC. You never argue the candidates positions on health care, etc.. Obama and his people have turned this into a primary about race branding anyone who is not for him a racist. . You talk about ignoble. You want rhetoric and inexperience so be it, but tearing down HRC to get it, is inexcusable. That is what the Republican's do. If Obama is the nominee, I will not vote for him. I cannot condone the methods used to get him the nomination. Also, the idea that caucuses has determined who is the nominee is so undemocratic.. This does not mean I will vote for McCain, though many people I know will be doing so. I have always been a liberal Democrat, and remain so, I just do not believe Obama is a good choice.

[ChimesOfFreedom]

>> You people have a nerve to criticize HRC

Really? Hillary is supposed to be above criticism because...? Hillary, especially since the Austin debate, has shown herself to be MOST deserving of criticism for the way she has conducted her campaign.

>> branding anyone who is not for him a racist

Give me one - just one - example of Obama or anyone in his campaign branding someone a racist because they didn't support him.

>> I cannot condone the methods used to get him the nomination

What methods would those be? You've maybe got a problem with the democratic process? How are the caucuses "undemocratic"? You are aware, aren't you, that Obama has won in caucus states AND closed primary states AND open primary states?

Obama has won the nomination fair and square, playing by the same rules as everyone else. It's time now to get behind the nominee and ensure that we don't have to suffer through another damaging GOP presidency.

[NorVaGal]

Hillary was ignoble when she voted for the Iraq war and refused to admit she made a mistake.
It was ignoble when she said that she and the REPUBLICAN candidate had passed the CIC threshold, but all Sen. Obama had was a speech- JUST WORDS- that you could xerox..
It was ignoble of her to sign a pledge that MI and FL votes would not count, then insist that they MUST count, once she started losing.
Hillary was ignoble when she decided that smaller states and caucus states weren't important because only larger states that SHE won were important.
Hillary was ignoble when she took Sen. Edwards' health plan and tried to pass it off as her own.
She was ignoble when she kept changing the rules to suit her own situation: Popular vote; NO, delegate count (change your vote to me even if it overturns the popular vote in your state); NO, electoral vote count; NO, Michigan and Florida; NO, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana; NO, West Virginia, Kentucky and Puerto Rico; NO, 2210 delegates instead of 2025; NO, the convention, not June 3.
It was ignoble to say that only white Americans are hardworking Americans, even pretending to tote guns, swill drinks, and speak with a bad southern drawl in black churches.
It was ignoble to exploit Sen. Obama's gaffes while he was too polite to pile on her and Bill's scandal-gates. Ignoble, Hillary is thy name.

[4wehttam]

Very nicely done!!

[SignedSealedDelivered]

as donna brazile said, the train is leaving, catch it! you are NOT nor have you ever been a liberal democrat. no true democrat would say goodbye to civil rights, roe v. wade, ending the war, and numerous other things that we will face if mccain is in office. what you are is a closeted republican and probably a poor losing racist. dumb a$$ don't you know that even if you don't vote for obama, you will be in essence voting for mccain. white america (and yes, you are white, don't even try to deny it) cannot handle their "goldwater gal" getting her a$$ handed to her. deal w/ it!

[meileen]

Way to garner support for your candidate.

[SignedSealedDelivered]

also, as an aunt of someone serving in iraq, shame on you! you do not know what sacrifice is...not having your dog in the race is no reason to leave. SOMEONE's life may depend on it. now you think about that as you lick your wounds.

[FogCityJohn]

Your complaints about the treatment of Hillary would be far more convincing if she hadn't decided to take the low road in this campaign. Her supporters have cheered every vicious dig she's given Obama, but then you all scream about how horribly she's being treated. Look, Bill Clinton says politics is a contact sport, if you can't take the heat, blah, blah, blah. If Hillary wants to run a negative campaign, she's got to be willing to take it as well as dish it out.

And there would be fewer questions about racism if Hillary stopped saying things like "hardworking Americans, white Americans" support her. Oh, and in case you're inclined to dismiss that as a "gaffe" or "misspeaking," remember that Hillary decided to turn Obama's single "bitter" comment into a campaign issue, so she really can't complain if people jump all over offensive things she's said.

[PioneerKing]

Hillary is ignoble because she distorted a story about a pregnant woman who died in Ohio.
Hillary is ignoble because she lied about her danger in Bosnia, Serbia, and Kosovo.
Hillary is ignoble because she is the type of person who never admits a mistake - just listen to her apologies or the way she explains when she has done something wrong. America has suffered enough from a bullheaded G.W. Bush that America should not be inflicted with another president who is more arrogant.
Hillary is ignoble because she will lie without cause.
hillary is ignoble because is arrogant enough to say that caucus states do not count while claiming it will be unjust/undemocratic not to count Michigan or Florida.
Hillary is ignoble because she tried to ruin Monica Lewinsky.
Hillary is ignoble because she refused to support a health care plan while she was first lady that would have done more allowed millions to be insured - but it was not her plan so Hillary had it quashed and americans ended up with nothing
Hillary is ignoble because ... there are so many other things but there is a word limit.

[Skeptiqone]

She voted for war with Iraq
she voted for war with Iran
I would be against her
If she were but just a mere man

[lynnn]

Well see women who die bc of this war don't matter. It's all about Hillary. It's all about getting this woman to the White House.

[SouthFloridaDem]

I have always wanted to vote for a woman for president. Just not this woman. I just don't think she's the right one. Being a woman isn't the only criteria I consider when voting.

[IslandGyal]

Hillary Clinton has proved herself untrustworthy, duplicitous, disingenuous, recently, a race baiter, political opportunist, and a hypocrite, so she doesn't deserve my respect, sorry.

[SignedSealedDelivered]

get it straight ms. rivers, obama is the king, not a prince. secondly, get over it. hrc did this to herself. she has ran a HORRIBLE campaign because she has surrounded herself w/ idiots. she has not trusted her instincts. instead, she has fallen back on the dirty world of politics time and time again. please note that there are some PROMINENT women in the media who are not "feeling" hrc's campaign, either. so, please get over it. if she is the wicked witch it's because she refuses to remove the broom stick that SHE has planted so far up her a@@.

lastly, white america is a trip. obama has to be damn near perfect in this primary season while hrc gets to sling all kinds of mud. if the roles were reverse, the MEDIA would be all over him to resign. i am a woman and i am SICK of this crap. yes, he is black, but damn, the man is 17 votes away from earning the majoring of pledge delegates. do you really think EVERYONE who voted for him got their cue from the media? as brilliant as the clinton machine is you are saying that the media is at fault for her horrible campaign? the truth is that under the cloak of her womanhood and her historical run for the white house, hrc is just another damn, slick politician. yes, she is a woman, but she is just another politician...WE DON'T WANT HER!

[Desiderata]

Desiderata votes SignedSeal­edDelivere­d's comments on this post as the the most on target response to Ms. Rivers whine.

[SouthFloridaDem]

I'll vote for that, too!

[the8tremom]

Sen. Clinton lost me in 1998 when, confronted with her husband's lies to her and to the country, she didn't storm out of the White House and slap a bill of divorcement on the s.o.b.
Her goals have nothing to do with the welfare of our country and everything to do with her ego and ambition. This nation has suffered enough from the egomaniacs in charge over the last four presidencies.
Her gender has nothing to do with my antipathy toward her candidacy. She is a panderer and a centrist, not a progressive Democrat.

[AshleyMarie]

Oh, please...

You are TRYING to find something to be offended by so that you can be all mad (grrrrrr)...

Hillary is not going to win. Not because of the pundits, not because of men, not because of sexism, but because she was not the better candidate. She will lose because of how she ran her campaign and because she is old, dirty, lying, cheating politics..

P.S. How does it strike you that she surrounds herself with all men? Does this mean that she is sexist? Arent there just as qualified women for all of those positions? Did those men sabatoge her, maybe we can blame them!!!!

[Grulg]

Really? While Prince Obama runs on vague specifics, soaring rhetoric and the fact that he's semi-black enough to do the job and get in, eh?

Ever think that he's gonna get his ass kicked in the Fall because there will be enough white people who think he's just in over his head?

[maritabox]

I am sorry but you are wrong, open you eyes, he will win and he will win by a landslide.

[NorVaGal]

No, Grulg. I never think that Sen. Obama (not "Prince" or "King" Obama) will lose in November. I believe with all of my heart that he will win, and I believe that millions of people of all colors will unite together to make it happen.

[Desiderata]

hmmm, maybe__if you bigots were the majority instead of a teeny tiny minority.

[AshleyMarie]

I would rather he lose his classy and honest run for the presidency than have Hillary win by cheating, lying and stealing it!!!! We deserve to have a president that people respect, one that can look us in the eye, someone we can trust!!!

[ginnypoo]

Judging by it so far...that is the idea. To keep women in their place.

[Desiderata]

Or get pissed when the black guy dares to step up and out of his place?

[OtayPanky]

As we have seen over and over, BOTH sexism and racism are still fixtures in American society.

But feminists and their friends (and I am one) do feminism no service by turning a blind eye to what is truly ignoble in the Clintons - BOTH of them. They have conducted a scorched earth campaign ever since it became apparent (after Iowa) that she wasn't the queen in waiting.

The late Molly Ivens, Barbara Ehrenreich, and a host of other liberal, feminist thought leaders have expressed in clear, unequivocal terms exactly why Hillary is such a poor choice. These women aren't letting their legitimate frustration with the residual sexism of our society blind them to Hillary's failings.

Unfortunately, this fawning by feminists has been a problem ever since Bill's reign. The same feminists who chased Oregon senator Bob Packwood into retirement, continually gave Bill a pass for much worse behavior, and (like HIllary) never stood up for Kathleen Willey, Anita Broderick, Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, etc.

There's real hypocrisy in that - and in this post - and it needs to be called by its name.

[onceler]

you're taking a lot of admittedly harsh criticism, and saying that it all uses "sexist language", when many of the criticisms you cite aren't sex-based. of course there have been sexist attacks against Hillary during this campaign, and a large percentage of them have come from Chris Matthews. and the fact she gets criticized a lot has a lot to do with the very ugly campaign she's run.

the older generation, it seems, has a latent schism between the feminist and the civil rights movements. as struck as you have been by the tone of the attacks on Clinton, women and men of my generation (20s-early 30s) have been shocked to see a person of her stature using this divisiveness to her supposed advantage. I know many women who very strongly identify with feminism, and respect her, are people who don't see rights for women, blacks, gays, as separate causes, at odds with one another. the presentation of this campaign in those terms, by Clinton and those close to her, has alienated younger voters. Geraldine Ferraro and Gloria Steinem in particular, along with Clinton herself and her husband, should feel ashamed at how they've conducted themselves. it has been beneath all of them.