Hillary (and Bill): A Closed Mouth Inserts No Foot

Living in Washington, DC, you can throw a rock and hit someone with a more insightful political mind than mine. The closest I ever came to real time politics was the night both Ted Kennedy and I made back-to-back toasts at a friend's wedding. For what it's worth, my toast was a lot better than his. At least that's what my wife assures me every time I ask.

I have no political pedigree. I just love politics. I'm not a politician, a lobbyist, or an activist. I Tivo Meet the Press. (Take that Candy Crowley.) I stay in on Saturday nights to watch caucus returns come in precinct by precinct. (I know, sexy, right?)

Maybe if the Writers Guild hadn't been on strike things would be different. If I had uninterrupted access to my usual brain bubble gum (Lost, 30 Rock, The Office), perhaps I'd be less interested in David Gergen and more so with Liz Lemon. Still, strike or not, I can't get enough politics, especially Democratic politics.

My life is basically the same as most folks who will end up reading this post. I'm a thirty-five year old father, a few years into a second career as a writer. I'm working on my second book. I watch too much TV, read too few books, eat too much, sleep too little, and try not to fight with my wife while we juggle two kids and a mortgage. Our cat just died. I'm on a diet. The basement needs a paint job. I'm getting ear hair. We recently bought a mini-van. I have a cold. My oldest daughter wants a dolphin that she says she'll keep in the bathtub. My youngest has acid reflux and keeps throwing up on me. We have no white picket fence, but you get the idea.

Ten years ago, I was a registered Independent. I considered myself a left-leaning Libertarian. In some ways, I still do. However, several years back, in direct response to the insane failure of the Bush administration, I registered as a Democrat. Today, my political position is basically identical to Bill Maher's (with better hair and a more mainstream view on medicine).

I'm an Obama guy. My reasons are the same as everyone else's. We need not waste time with another soliloquy on hope, vision, change, or leadership. You've heard it all before. Just know I believe it too.

What I don't believe, what I can't forgive, is the way Hillary's team (from Bill all the way down) is so sideways at the mere thought that we, their minions, have largely decided to go in another direction. How dare we. We are watching a global case of bad politics in action. At the tip of the poor-sport spear is none other than Bill himself. In just a few months he's taken his ever growing legacy and shoved it right into the toilet.

I'll always remember the great President Clinton. But from now on, his catty actions of late will be riding shotgun right along with his years of leadership. What a shame. I loved President Bill Clinton. Today, however, the bloom is completely off the rose. I am turned off by nearly everything he says. He oozes politician, the worse kind.

I love my wife, too. I get that whole protecting your lady thing. But, come on. Call it what it is. His wife isn't getting picked on by the local bully at the mall. She's running for President and she's no pussy cat herself. And, half of the baggage she's schlepping around has his initials on them. The overly tough politician mask she wears like an albatross was first used when she put on a brave face after Bill got caught with his hand in the cookie jar. So, save us all the bulls**t about you protecting your wife. That bird has flown.

Bill Clinton is the head of the Democratic party, at least for the next few months. Until recently, he was the epitome of what a former president should be. He was still someone I was proud of. These days....he's too slick for my taste.

Today could be an embarrassing day for the Clinton clan. What to do, what to do? How about hush.

A Tip About Negotiating:

When you're cutting a deal you can burn a lot of bridges, hold up the other side, make threats, dig in, and use your leverage as a threat. Or, you can make the best deal possible, still looking out for your best interests but without scorching the earth in the process. It's not like Senator Clinton is buying a car here. See, win or lose--she actually has to show up and work with all these folks once the election ends. Then what? You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube. Ugly words are remembered long after kind ones have been forgotten. People will remember the way she (and Bill) handled themselves in these pivotal days. And, if the Clintons don't remember, the folks at CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Comedy Central et al surely will.

Last week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter suggested that Hillary step aside before March 4th, in order to save her legacy and bolster her chances in 2012 should Obama lose. I think it was sage advice. She could learn a lesson or two in the humility department. If she loses and comes back for another run, she'll never again make the mistakes she made this time. She'll better manage her money, her campaign, her message, and her husband. She'll act more humble because losing this election will knock her (and Bill) down a few pegs. If losing what once seemed like an eventuality of an election doesn't give all Clinton campers pause, nothing will.

The humility would do her good. And one day, in the not too distant future, this extremely talented woman could likely be our President.

Until then...shhhhhhhhhh.

Comments

[Googleplex]

First, I would like to congratulate Mr. Ugel, for his well written article, and I'd also like to thank those who have responded previously to this article for proving that people can be passionate and opinionated without typing in all caps. I find that very impressive, comparatively with other media outlets and those that respond to them.

It is clear to me that Senator Clinton is no longer campaigning for president in 2008. She is campaigning for president in 2012. When is the last time she has taken a real shot at Mccain, outside of the typical anit-Bush applause lines? Recently she has even gone as far as to compliment Mccain and put Obama beneath both of them. Why does Obama get the kitchen sink, and Mccain gets a pat on the back?

There is only one explanation. She knows she can't win, this time. There is no way, even if Florida and Michigan are seated, that she can go into the convention with a delegate lead. For her to get the nomination, she'll have to win by superdelegates overriding the popular vote. That is a surefire way to lose in November.

My prediction is that she will continue to fight up until Puerto Rico. She will continue to cast herself as the victim of the media. She will take every opportunity to bloody Obama's nose, and polarize her supporters against him, while taking no real swings at Mccain. She will then drop out of the race, blaming some conspiracy, and vowing to continue to fight in the senate and to run again in 2012.

This will leave Obama with around 2/3 of the democratic vote to work with in November, which will probably not be enough to win the general election. Then she can run against Mccain again in 2012 and cite how nice she was to him in 2008 as a deterrent to any negatives that might come from his camp.

I really like to be right most times. This time, I hope what seems so obvious is somehow different than my perception of it.

[frustratedinohio]

I loved your post right up until the Obama thing. I confess I love the Clintons. I love having a stable economy and being well-thought of around the world. I love having a projected surplus instead of a huge deficit. I love peace as opposed to war.

I guess I don't take what they say or do in their personal lives, personally.

But as far as the negotiating a deal advice goes and the shhhhhhh thing, I bet you would like to take back your words today. Here's the reason why you should have known better. It was a close race even when you wrote this piece.

[EdUgel]

Hey there. Thanks for the comments. despite her winning night, the way she's hitting him is ugly and I'll always remember that, win or lose. The negotiating a deal advice has nothing to do with her winning or losing. It was meant to say, when your wheeling and dealing with people who you still have to associate with in the future, there are (or should be) a different set of rule for how you handle yourself. Yes she won, but I don't find her (or Bill's) actions of late any less objectionable as a result of that win.

Remember, I loved Bill too...still do. He's my guy. That's why I'm so disappointed in him these days.

Cheers.

[PKSSK]

Excellent article. Clearly states what many of us are feeling and thinking. Enough with the Clinton's, let us begin to think about winning the election in November and move on from attacking and assaulting those in the same party. There is still time to save the election if Hillary and Bill will take their ego's and negativity and step aside so that WE THE PEOPLE can elect a president that is truly for the people!!!!

If the Clinton's do not move on then Ralph Nader will become the candidate that will receive greater votes and McCain will win!!!!

[synkopen]

Dear politics freak Ugel, I love your humor. I may assume that you write great books. I certainly agree with you politically. Except that I doubt that Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton would make a great president. Not only does her luggage have damaged initials on it, she has too many notions in her head that do not bode well for a Democratic president. She would make a good Republican president with a bit of a social conscience, like Huckabee minus the pulpit. She loves war too much. She demands loyalty in the people around her above all else (as opposed to competence). She is in bed with too many military-industrial complexes, to mildly plagerize Eisenhower, is beholden to too much of corporate America. We progressives find her hard to take.
Other than that, please keep blogging. I love how you write.

[EdUgel]

Synkopen,

Thanks for the great comment. You made my day. (I'm making my wife and mother read what you wrote.)

You're dead on about Hillary. I've just never been a fan, even though so many of my political dem friends who I honestly trust and respect say she's the real deal. Even way back when, I always felt condescended to after I heard her speak. Some of my friends work for her so don't tell anyone I said this, okay?

[swdemocratforchange]

Thank you Mr. Ugel for stating my exact sentiments, although your words were much more profound than any I would have come up with. I had such a better opinion of Senator Clinton before the primaries began, because I truly thought that she could be a great president. All this nastiness has left a bad taste in my mouth and my view of her has changed drastically and I just wish that she would just fight fairly or end this with dignity, but I think that's not possible now......sad, indeed!!

[olderdem]

Pretty much sums up my thoughts. I'd add that I'm just tired of the Clintons.

[ndolomar]

war of attrition... i slowly find nader's candidacy looking more attractive each passing day.

[MsLiz]

Thank you for supporting a Republican.

[williehorton]

If the MSM picks up the story of her campaign darkening Obama's skin for their latest ad (and they should), she might not even be a Senator after 2012.

[EdUgel]

Yes, that one sounds real classy, no? Let's hope it's not true.

[roncraw]

How can you take serious voters that faint at the sound of Obama's voice. It's so silly I'm at a lost for words.

[EdUgel]

I couldn't agree more. As I wrote in the post, I'm an Obama guy but, come on...he isn't John Lennon and this isn't 1962. Enough with the fainting folks.

[MsLiz]

I don't know who these people are, but they probably waited a long time to get in, haven't eaten in hours, and probably don't need to be in hot crowded venues anyway for individual health reasons, but made the effort anyway. Don't make something out of it that it isn't.

[wm1066]

You have said what I have felt for a long time. Thank you, Mr Ugel
She should have campaigned against McCainBush instead of Obama.
But one good thing is she is using up alot of good Republican talking points.
And Obama is responding quite well.

[LeeFromVA]

I read somewhere that a poll shows Hillary losing support in her own Congressional district. She better be careful or the one she hurts the most may be herself.

Can anyone back me up on this poll? I think I read it here on HuffPost. A link would be great.

[SamThornton]

I think Mr. Ugel makes a good point about dumping Bill next time around -- or this time around if Sen. Clinton bulldogs it into the nomination. Unfortunately for Sen. Clinton, having Bill on the stump essentially says that she isn't grown up enough or strong enough or smart enough to stand on her own. Bill pontificating about how he did it when is not only not helpful, it's a disturbingly bad visual.

[flatus]

Politics and soap operas have this in common: both become addictive if given the chance. Is it not a shame that the political addiction cannot be formed while our kids are in school? It's really just a matter, like soaps, of becoming familiar with the cast of characters. How hard can that be?

[Countess]

You are an avid reader like me and you use your brain but in this case I think you have sadly underestimated the tenacity of the gigantic push from the right wing to get Hillary elected. Unfortunately many people supporting her do not read and are very prone to fear and this bodes well for her in Texas and Ohio where education takes a back seat to football.

[MsWrite]

"Unfortunately many people supporting her do not read..." Excuse me? On what factual information do you base this conclusion? I was under the impression that it was Obama's followers many of whom are young and not well-educated as our declining educational system demonstrates on a continual basis when college and high school students don't even know when the Civil War took place.

Not only do I read, I read both the good and bad written about both candidates - something many Obama supporters based on their comments on the Huff Post do not do - and after a lengthy period of consideration chose to go for Clinton. I am neither fearful nor am I backwards and neither is anyone else I know (all of whom with advanced college degrees) who is supporting her.

This comment is typical Obamaniac. Hurling insults to cover the fact that your candidate lacks substance.

Shame on you...its just that sort of remark/attitude that has led to my decision not to cast a vote in November if Obama is the nominee.

[Countess]

You want to vote for a candidate who deliberately stirs up racial hatred go right ahead but please do not act indignant while doing it.

[Camel54]

Amen Countess.

Let me just say, I'm an Obama supporter. I think it's ridiculous that folks like MsWrite would imbue all of us with these narrow minded stereotypes. For her to brag about her advanced degree and then cast the very condescending "Shame on you..." down on someone shows exactly the type of uppity personality who makes it difficult for Democrats to disagree without becoming vitriolic.

Your assertion that the voters make the candidate is equally assinine. You may not like any of us, but we are not the candidate. Maybe we are as bad as you say, but that in no way affects Senator Obama. He is not a reflection of us. Conversely, I like plenty of Clinton supporters though I do not care for your candidate at all. Her methods are dirty her tactics are disgraceful. She allows racism and religious exclusivism to be perpetuated by her campaign and that makes her party to those lies.

You say Obama has no substance. I say he is a far more substantial human for not attacking Clinton on her many, many weaknesses regarding friends and supporters who have laid down a path of criminal behavior all the while she has made attack after attack on a tired old story that has been discounted by everyone who has bothered to actually read any of the articles which explore the issue.

Her relentlessly underhanded tactics have cut into Obama's momentum there's no doubt, and there's always the possibility she will somehow swing the nomination. That will be unfortunate for the huge number of people who have awakened to this process and are ready to participate after a lifetime of experiencing what Clinton and her cronies represent.

[Fabienne]

I don't like comments that insult the other side, and I know perfectly well that Senator Clinton's supporters, some of who are my friends, can read and think quite well. However, statistically, the more-educated voters are going for Obama. This has been polled and polled and polled. As for the young, I think it is a mistake to denigrate them, especially if the Democratic Party is in the least interested in expanding its membership. Research shows that the young tend to remain with the party in which they started; why would they want to stay in the party if their intelligence is denigrated by that party?