A Challenge to Hillary Bashers: Tell Me Exactly Why You Hate Hillary?

The occasion was a symposium on the presidential candidates held by the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable which sponsors a weekly public policy discussion series in Los Angeles. Midway through a heated discussion over the relative merits of Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, a member of the audience let loose with an impassioned I-can't-stand-Hillary blast and punctuated it with the quip, I'd vote for anybody but her. I asked him a simple question: Why do you hate Hillary?

He sat with his mouth wide open and a perplexed glaze on his face, no sound issued from him. His mute response was no surprise. My question to him is the same question to the legions that slam Hillary: tell me specifically what terrible thing she's done that stirs such froth around your mouth. Skip the personal attacks, vitriol, innuendos, slurs, and don't repeat hearsay, gossip, or what you heard someone say about Clinton, and that includes Bill. Give me one tangible thing that she has done to piss you off so much that you are proud to be a charter member of the anybody-but-Hillary club. Name one tangible thing?

I asked the man in audience to tell me one thing that she's done politically or even personally that ticked him off, so that without batting an eye he'd say that the thought of her winning sends him into a paroxysm of rage. The question continued to dangle for a long and pregnant moment with no response.

He, of course, is no different than the swarm of other Hillary-bashers. The visceral dislike, even loathing of her, is so deep and broad that it welds together a strange mesh of the usual suspect Hillary haters from the Christian fundamentalists, ultra-right Republicans and conservative talking heads, through a bevy of her former Hollywood pals and Bill Clinton campaign bankrollers, all the way to self-styled progressives and ultra radicals. They have absolutely nothing in common other than the ecstasy they get from pounding Hillary for her alleged political and personal sins.

But what are they? And what did she do that has earned her the label of everything from the devil incarnate (the late Jerry Falwell) on the right to branding her a shill for fat cat lobbyists and corporations on the left. That's just cheap shot name calling, trashing, and vilification from the rank and file. But the press has also gleefully jumped in on the Clinton beat down. It spins, twists, massages in reverse, and blows to smithereens any and every piece of nasty Clinton gossip or dig.

I asked the Hillary hater a third time to name one specific thing that she's done to earn his obsessive enmity. The silent Hillary denouncer after some fishing, fumbling and stalling, said that she cheer led Bush on the Iraq war when she voted to authorize it. OK. But so did her Democratic presidential rival John Edwards, and though Obama says that he wouldn't have voted for it if he had been in the Senate then. However, in two subsequent votes he backed spending measures that continued war funding. If the other top gun Democratic presidential contender Bill Richardson had been in the Senate he almost certainly would have backed war authorization.

In fact, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus was sharply divided over support of the original Iraq war resolution in 2002 that gave Bush authority to wage war. Edwards later apologized for backing the resolution. Obama joined with 13 other Democratic Senators to oppose the crucial big money Iraq war appropriations bill in May. One of the other thirteen senators was Clinton. She is no different than other Democrats that have cut and run from Bush's war. They all recanted when public opinion turned sour on the war and Bush and it suddenly became politically fashionable and popular to do so.

The Iraq war support certainly doesn't explain the vehemence of the Hillary targeting. Her centrist, cautious, and sometimes fuzzy stance on health care, education, taxes, and immigration are legitimate issues to dissect, debate, and criticize. But these are issues that all of the contenders can and should be held to the fire on. They are fair game for that. But intense political debate and disagreement on the crucial public policy issues in and of themselves is simply not enough to stoke visceral dislike of a candidate, let alone explain the intense hate for Hillary.

My challenge then to all Hillary bashers is the same as it was to the guy at the Urban Policy Roundtable in Los Angeles: tell me exactly why you hate her so much?

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press) hutchinsonreport@aol

Comments

[Kane]

I must admit that in the past I have asked republicans why they hate Hillary. Most times they can't provide a single reason, all they know is that they hate her with a passion. Like the Moonies indoctrinate their disciples, the Republican machine has indoctrinated their constituency into blindly hating Hillary.

This hatred for Hillary has flowed into much of the media. The vile things some in media have said about Hillary is far beyond the pale, but it has gone unchecked for so long that it has become accepted and a part of our culture. This is how a grown woman can stand in public without fear of reprisal and comfortably ask Senator McCain, "How do we stop the bitch?"

For a variety of reasons, my knee-jerk reaction is to defend Hillary as a person, which is quite easy to do with republicans with the mere mention of Bush. However, as a traditional liberal democrat with populist views, I find her DLC positions impossible to defend. On principle, I can not and will not vote for Hillary or any other member of the DLC or Blue Dog Coalition; they do not represent me or my views.

[Gipsytim]

Why? Let us count the reasons...

1. Its the Bush-like arrogance! Inevitable my ...!

2. NAFTA and the selling out of the American middle class with the help of her fellow hard-core traitor Rahm Emanuel.

3. She voted for the bankruptcy bill.

4. Voting to go to war in Iraq. (For the oil.)

5. Playing along with the Bush Administration's demonization of Iran. (For the oil.)

6. The inability of Hillary Clinton to admit that she was wrong. Yet another Bush-like trait which she also possesses.

7. Intentionally scuttling national health care by creating an administrative structure so monsterous and repulsive that the American people took one look at it and said, "Never mind, we'll stick with what we got."

I could go on, but that covers the major high points. If I had to pick one thing above the rest it would be NAFTA. The Clintons and their fellow traveller in treason Rahm Emanuel (a former investment banker) knew exactly what they were doing and exactly what the outcome would be.

[researcher]

dont hate her but very very suspicious of her being a neo con in disguise. her vote for the war was about her running for pres in 2008. she knows most americans in their hearts are war mongers. she played that card that to win in the general election and not the primaries.

a congress and pres and citizens and mass media that allow thier country to go to war this easy deserves it reputation as imperialists.

you like most journalists dont see this imperialists nature of american citizens and politicians.

[MRb1000]

America has been dog by this pass administration with lies. Now, she comes along speaking about change and offering lies again and again. Mr. Earl Huchinston I do not hate anyone. What I do not like when people speak in the passive voice.

Say what you mean and mean what you say. Do not hide behind words. America is tired of this parsing words. We been through this for the past 16 years. We need someone that is going to be straight with the American people.

We need the TRUTH

[nomoron]

First of all, let me say I don't hate Hillary, but that doesn't mean I don't have issues with her as a potential presdential nominee. I've said this many times before and I'll keep on saying it... Perception is reality...­. This is especially true in the world of politics. The following perceptions are why I suspect so many people, myself included, view her candidacy with, at the very least, some trepidation:

1. Her connection with DC politics, both in and out of the WH, for at least the last 15 years. Personally, I don't trust her to lead with the nations best interests at heart. It's my view that she is someone so beholden to the Democratic party her first allegiance would be to the party, not the people.
2. Her record is not indicative of someone possessing the courage of her convictions, but rather a political animal interested only in covering her ass to keep from offending big money lobbyists/­corporatio­ns with more influence and control in government than they should possibily possess.
3. Her lack of conviction to execute the mandate set by a majority U.S. citizens to extract our troops from a disastrous war in Iraq.
4. Last, but not least, it's not been evident that she possesses the temperament to reach across party lines and begin resolving the social issues currently dividing the people of this country. The division in her own party during just the primary process is reason enough to doubt her abilities if she does take the WH. She represents politics as usual with little substantive vision as well as somone lackng the skill needed to change the direction of a country in crisis.

Like I said, these are my perceptions and I suspect those of many others during this campaign season. Whether they are valid or not is of little consequence because in the voters eyes perception is reality.

[fivecard]

Earl's question, I think, misses the point--at least as far as Democrats who want to win the White House are concerned.

The fact is, a lot of people--average Americans, ordinary voters--whether it's deserved or not, just don't like Hillary.

And people don't like to vote for candidates they don't like personally. As examples, look no further than Al Gore and John Kerry.

Furthermore, once voters have decided they don't like someone, they're highly unlikely to change their mind. This is Marketing 101.

Meanwhile, we have another candidate who not only is exceedingly likable but seems poised/able to bridge the partisan divide, bring real change to Washington, and address the core challenges of our time.

Go Barack Obama.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

So now she is a hate victim?

None of us need to hate in order to merely dislike her.

What we need are political leaders with princples who can restore our Constitutional system of government.

We don't need an insincere, angry opportunist who endlessly holds herself out as a victim or allows others to do so.

[DontSpin]

"Hate" is personal and undermines the legitimacy of the opinions who are accused of it. One can disagree - or even strongly disagree - with a candidate's past behavior. And that is a legitimate position to have. But to say that doing so equates "hating" that person, is really unfair.

[aznurse]

Her Laugh. No seriously, I will not vote for her because I dont trust her. I feel like shes always scamming. Her voting record isnt what I believe in. The repubicans will tear her up. And I think shes just in it for revenge. Enough Bushs and Clintons. thank you

[neeemo]

Because she's a corporate lawyer.
Because she held health care task force meetings in private (Cheney would have been proud)
Because she plays all the angles.
Because she's the queen of earmarks.
Because she voted for the war.
Because she voted for the Patriot Act
Because she voted for Lieberman-Kyl

[drkazmd65]

I don't bash Hillary - other than to point our that she is not an agent for change for this country.

She is an agent for (perhaps) a slightly milder version of the status quo. A status quo that hasn't been working for most Americans, and that won't 'magically' start working for us.

We need a change - and Hillary isn't it.

[naijaman]

I'll tell you why I "hate" Hillary soon as you tell us wh you hate Obama. Deal?

[Qbear]

Hate is too strong a word.

I never supported Hillary due to her Iraq vote, but I would have held my nose and voted for until her Kyl/Lieberman aye vote.

Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...no­t gonna happen.

[DANIELLECLARKE]

OK YOU ASKED

HERE IS JUST SOME OF WHAT I HAVE

..........­.... ..........­... http://bushclintonhurtchildren.blogspot.com/
..........­...... ..........­...


BUSH CLINTON HURT CHILDREN GAYS BLACKWATER, MARK PENN, HILLARY, AMY GOODMAN, GOP TIES, ETC **its all here**

The following is a long laundry list of sites and people speaking the truth to people we all trust. I have been acumulating them and it has sickened me to see this truth. I hope and pray people will take the time to get this word out for all to see.

[wiseferret]

If I am bashing, its with facts that drive me to my opinion. Hillary is the only democratic nominee that if picked, I won't vote for. I may not vote for any presidential nominee, the choices would be that bad.
I detest Hillary because of her record (and lack of one). Her votes in Congress have been appalling , from my view. She's voted for Iraq, for the Patriot act and pretty much overall supported Bush when pushed. Now, when confronted with it, she hasn't the decency to either defend her votes or balls to say, "I made a mistake." (No runners are real great at this, but she's been particularly evasive.)
Her healthcare plan is a backhanded and obvious handout to the insurance industry and solves nothing. My standard for this requires any plan to remove profit from healthcare (not adequate compensation for providers, just the profit made off of people getting sick.). Around the world are successful single payer and nationalized healthcare plans to build from. No one plan is outstanding, but they ALL do better than the current USA system.
Hillary's willingness to give to big buisness (look at voting record), supporting NAFTA type systems shows me she's not in it for the little guy, she's out to line her pockets- like so many other politicians.
That she's a woman, so what? But then she HAS to play the gender card to get pity after getting hammered by the guys- really pisses me off because I am a woman. When I get that crap from guys, I don't whine about them picking on a woman, I hand it back, aged and on a platter. She sets an example of what I DON'T want women to be to achieve.
(disclaimer- I'm not impressed with ANY candidate. HRC is just the worst of poor choices, IMO.)