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Patriarchy:1000, Hillary:0
Ever since I wrote an article in the Washington Post ten days ago, I've been getting love letters from women and super-smart men and brickbats from the Hillary-Haters. Unfortunately the Hillary-Haters are in charge. They monopolize the networks, the newspapers, the talk shows -- both radio and TV. They are crossing their legs for fear of castration. They are wearing the body armor our troops never got. Or got too late to matter. They are determined that a woman will not prove herself competent as Commander in Chief.
What's their ammunition? Oh, it's simple. They call her Mrs. Clinton, not Ms. or Senator. They pull out those nutcrackers in the shape of her supposed thighs. They complain about her ankles -- too thick. They complain on Fox TV that "White women are the problem" -- (idiot boy Kristol, the brain-damaged scion of Irving who rose through nepotism like our unelected "president"). Then they say she has "baggage" -- which could mean wrinkles, or her husband, or her daughter Chelsea whom they say she is "pimping." Then they say she never divorced Bill -- as if it's anyone's business. Then they moon over Obama's rhetorical style. Then they make it appear that she's a drone or a worker bee and has no royal jelly. Or else she has royal jelly and is queen bee. And that's her problem.
If Bill defends her, he's a pimp. If he doesn't, he's a creep. If Chelsea campaigns, it's cynical. If Obama trots out those cute little girls Michelle gave birth to, he's a family man. If Michelle attacks Hillary, it's news. If Hillary attacks Michelle -- well she can't because that would be racist. All we need now is a black woman in this race -- Maya or Oprah or Toni or Gayle or Donna -- any of whom would be a far better president than the one we've still got (not to mention his surrogate Dad, Dick Cheney, his co war-criminal). You couldn't attack Oprah or Maya or Toni or Gayle or Donna because of their color. Wow -- what an idea! Oprah for President. I'd definitely vote for that. I adore Maya Angelou as both person and poet. Toni Morrison is a genius and a true progressive. Gayle King is an executive, mother, communicator. Donna B. is a spokeswoman on CNN. Oprah -- well, she's Oprah -- way beyond having a last name.
Let me tell you about the Hillary-Haters who fill my inbox, they can't spell. They also believe in witchcraft. They believe HRC boils eye of newt with unborn baby's hair and little Jewish children not yet circumcised. They think she had a child with Vince Foster (even though Chelsea looks much like Bill and even his mother), then murdered him. They think she will leave Iraq, not leave Iraq, give us universal health care, not give us universal health care, sanction the killing of fetuses, not sanction the killing of fetuses, defend Israel, not defend Israel, end the Death Tax, not end the Death tax.
Honey, they are all mixed up. But they know they hate. And not just her -- but lots of people and things and ideas.
Ho hum. We've seen this all before in the United States of Amnesia (Gore Vidal's brilliant phrase). Remember Geraldine Ferraro -- tarred with the brush of her Italian-American husband, whom they claimed was a mafioso? Remember Bella Abzug, attacked for her hats (which covered too large a brain)? Remember Eleanor Roosevelt, attacked for her teeth? Remember Victoria Woodhull (the first woman to run for president) "hanged" as a whore? Remember Emma Goldman rode out of town on a rail -- for being Jewish, liking to dance and supporting the rights of the working classes?
Perhaps you know the history. Most likely you don't. They'd rather you didn't know it. Hence trillions for guns and pennies for education. The military industrial complex needs your boys and your girls in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan. But there's no one to guard the "homeland" -- a nice Hitlerian locution. Perhaps they'd rather you didn't know that every great empire -- from Persia to Greece to Rome -- fell when it spent more on war than on its people. This is history, kids. But we don't read history any more. History begins with Britney and ends with Paris.
I give up. If I have to watch another great American woman thrown in the dustbin of history to please the patriarchy, I'll move to Canada -- where they live four years longer than we because they have universal health care. Or Italy -- where Berlusconi played at being Mussolini but life is sweet anyway and people take vacations in August and at Chanukah (Christmas or Diwali or Kwaanza) and Passover (Easter).
Ok folks, stick your heads in the sand like Maureen Dowd who thinks we're not against women but just against Clinton "baggage." Or Barbara Walters who seems to have forgotten how viciously she was attacked when she got her first million dollar contract -- worth only half a million in Euros today.
Or Oprah who forgets she wasn't always Oprah -- I knew her when she had two names. She was always really smart, but she used to identify with women. And now she's joined the Obamarama. I get it. I understand. People want their own color in the White House (pun intended). And nobody said Barack wasn't brilliant.
But the truth is, we have no idea what he stands for. At least I don't. All we have are soundbites and attacks on "the" Clintons. But I guess the great American Amnesiate prefers it that way. And they always get what they deserve in the White House. Last time it was Dubya -- the dumb son of the CIA who showed them by never heeding their warnings. We lost Al Gore to sound bites about his nerdiness. Then we lost him again to hanging chads in Florida. We lost Adlai for being too intellectual. They used to say "egghead" in the olden days. And we lost Kerry to touch screens in Ohio and to election officials later indicted and tried and convicted. I didn't like him anyway. I especially hated his not returning fire at the Swiftboaters, and that stupid salute at the Democratic convention where Barack was born from the head of Athena.
Flip Flop, Flop Flip. This is the nature of our political dialogue. Might as well vote Repugnican as Democratic -- though I never have in my whole life. They're all just pols who secretly pledge to ignore fifty three percent of the population. And guess what? The fifty three percent is resigned to it. We don't like it. We wish it were otherwise. But we adore our sons and grandsons and husbands and fathers and grandfathers -- not to mention our nephews whom we happily nepotize.
One of my nephews works for Hillary. I bet his heart is breaking too.
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I totally agree with this article. It's not that HRC should become president simply because she's a woman...bu
This is getting ridiculous. The reason Hillary is flailing is because she has run a poorly thought out, negative, divisive campaign based on press intimidation, the total dismissal of "red state" voters, and an attitude of inevitabilty. The more I see her and her surrogates speak the more and more I hope Mike Bloomberg gets in the race if she wins the nomination. Hillary has done nothing to ask us to vote for her. Barack Obama has included us in this election, as much as you want this to be about poor Hillary getting beaten up by the "boys club", the truth is this was Hillary's election to lose. She had it in the bag, and it's her fault and her's alone that it may be out of reach.
Clinton's whole argument is her experience. But the whole campaign has shown us, in much detail, just exactly what all this experience can accomplish.
This is not simply an interesting horse-race issue, it's a serious question of political competence.
Read Josh Green's latest piece in the Atlantic about the Solis Doyle shakeup. Among other things, he concludes that "for all the emphasis Clinton has placed on executive leadership in this campaign, her own approach is a lot closer to the current president’s than her supporters might like to admit...." http://www
You just don't get it. It's Hilary's war. Period.
Vote Obama!
Really? Looks like GW's war to me. I understand the American people are angry about the war. They have every right to be. But stop using Hillary as a scapegoat! She was in very good company when she trusted GW to do what was right. He didn't; and all the blame for this debacle lies with GW and his cronies.
You don't get Obama keeps funding the war.
As do most democrats including Hillary. Shame on all of them.
"The people in this stadium need to know who we're going to fight for," Obama said at Soldier Field. "The reason that I'm running for president is because of you, not because of folks who are writing big checks,
and that's a clear message that has to be sent, I think, by every candidate.
Really Senator? Cause these look like big checks to me.
www.politi
Oh my! By the time we (the democrats) get done fisting it out with each other over who's better or who's worse, who's more experienced & who's dreamier about the process we will have successfully fed the Republicans exactly what they want. We look like a bickering, intolerant cast of thousands putting down members of our own party for dissenting and/or based on which democratic nominee we prefer.
Can we NOT focus on the enemy/real opponents? Both democratic candidates would do a good job in the White House & are certainly preferable to another 4 years of REPUBLICANS driving the ship. Yes they are different, but they are both intelligent, capable human beings. If we didn't feed off each other the press would HAVE nothing to discuss!
And what's the sudden condescendence toward people wanting (craving) inspiration? It has been SO damn long since I've been moved during a political speech (remembering the days of JFK before he was shot in the head) that I welcome every bit of it (no matter who wins).
And let's also not forget, that's not a totally unlikely scenario for Obama. I still fear for this man's life & the eerily quiet radical racists we know are still out there.
If we don't start focusing on McCain (let alone Huckleberr
What's wrong with us? Fear of Trying???
The ability to inspire does not automatically equal a lack of substance any more than Hillary's thick ankles have anything to do with her ability to run the country as a strong, reliable leader.
Unfortunately, we may just reap what we sow & that is NOT an inspirational thought.
Great blog. Last week, I signed up for updates from The Women's Media Center. I recommend that all women take a look at this site. I am so tired of reading the Hillary bashing on HP. I sincerely hope that Hillary Clinton wins the nomination, she is the most qualified candidate.
Mollye:
Thanks for turning me on to the Media Center. The following is a quote from an article posted there. "Clinton held onto white women in both Maryland and Virginia but not by much: 54-45 percent in Virginia, 56-38 in Maryland. Black women opted for Obama in numbers only slightly less than did black men, 85-15 percent in Virginia and 82-17 in Maryland.
Obama took the votes of single women, formerly a strong pillar of support for Clinton, by 66-34 in Virginia and 59-38 in Maryland. And they were a big chunk of the electorate: 35 percent in Virginia, 28 percent in Maryland."
The way things are going it is quite likely that the HRC people will one day discover that they would lose an election if ONLY WOMEN voted.
In the end, I firmly believe that Character will trump Gender.
Mollye,
MEDIA LINKS: Thank you for recommending THE WOMEN'S MEDIA CENTER. May I also recommend MenForHill
MEDIA BOYCOTT: I, too, am so sick of the rabid attacks on Hillary from our very own party and from the media at large, especially from AIR AMERICA (except for the Tom Hartman show). I'm boycotting AIR AMERICA for their shameless promotion of Obama and their irrational hatred of Hillary. Also, I never thought I'd have to watch FOX News for a fair coverage of Hillary and a critical look at Obama.
MY VOTE IN NOVEMBER: I'm so offended by the Obama's scorched-earth campaign (i.e. "to like Obama you must hate Hillary") that I, my husband, and our large extended families will NOT vote for BO if he is the Democratic nominee. This will also be the first time that I will be voting Republican. At least, McCain has experience and is a war hero. He also has proven to work with democrats to find solutions where necessary -- e.g. McCain/Feingold Financing Reform and McCain/Kennedy Immigration Reform.
Wow some of you are really twisting yourself into pretzels because of your refusal to vote for the eventual dem nominee, be it Clinton or Obama.
These silly temper tantrums from allegedly democratic, liberal or progressive voters is becoming depressing.
There is nothing in Senator Obama's campaign, either stated by Senator Obama directly or in his campaign material or even stated by his official surrogates that suggests that, "to like Obama you must hate Hillary." Some of the bloggers on this and other sites have tried to make this argument, just as some have tried to make the argument that if you like Hillary, you must hate Obama, but one would hope that you would not allow anonymous bloggers to sway your vote one way or the other. If this is your only reason for not voting for the Democratic nominee (should Obama be elected) and voting Republican instead, then I would argue that you and your husband and your large extended families would not have voted for Senator Obama under any circumstances.
Wow! I always liked McCain, too....UNT
Perhaps he learned too much patience as a POW. Please, just don't make the rest of us suffer, too.
Forget gender wars. Forget race wars.
Bottom line: if Obama runs aginst McCain he will be eaten up and spat out by the Republican attack machine before November.
Right now, the Republicans need a reason to motivate the extreme right wing to come out and vote for McCain in 2008.
Obama gives them three good reasons -- the votes he cast while in the Illinois state legislature. Votes that will be red meat inspiration for the right wing.
Do you know what these votes are? Most Obama supporters don't know.
- Voted against allowing licensed gun owners in Illinois to carry their legal weapons outside their homes therefore keeping legally-registered weapons off the street. (The NRA will go after this with a vengeance.
- Voted against allowing doctors to treat fetuses who survive abortion. (The religious right will demonize Obama for this vote.)
- Voted to stop death sentences for gang members who commit murder as part of their initiation into a gang. (Can you just see the "Wille Horton" type ads the GOP will run on this vote?)
Forget about why Obama voted as he did on these points, it doesn't matter.
The GOP will pound the airways with these three hot button issues, Obama wil be tarred and feathered as an ultra-liberal, and the Republicans will keep the White House for another 4-8 years.
This time with a man who wants to stay in Iraq for 100 years and (sung to the tune of the Beach Boys song, Barbara Ann) "Bomb-bomb-bomb, bomb-bomb Iran."
WAKE UP Obama supporters. Don't give the White House away to the GOP.
He offers you a dream but reality bites: the Republican attack machine will crucify him and make certain Obama loses.
Susan1968:
Thanks for your informative post. I researched Obama's voting record and discovered how wonderfully you have distorted the facts. You are to be congratulated for demonstrating how the GOP will distorts Obama's record when he is the nominee. I will try to forward your post the the Obama campaign. It will give them a heads up on the lies to come. Thanks again!
skycontrol: I so enjoy your posts. Every time I read a post that attempts to discredit Senator Obama by distoring facts or simply making up "facts," I think to myself, "I've got to respond to this!" And then I read further and see that you've already responded ... much better than I would have. Thank you.
"The people in this stadium need to know who we're going to fight for," Obama said at Soldier Field. "The reason that I'm running for president is because of you, not because of folks who are writing big checks,
and that's a clear message that has to be sent, I think, by every candidate.
Really Senator? Cause these look like big checks to me.
www.politi
skycontrol you need to relax. Forward the post to Obama's camp, your pretty important. They may not know this info without your help. People u accuse of making a "white house" may very well be folks of color.
The truth is, if allowed, folks like u make it about race and gender.
Have a good day
He is not even the nominee yet. News flash, sky control, we still have some states left to vote. I know the Obama campaign are taking a page right out of GW white house and the Republicans, but we still are counting votes here and you arrogant guys should stop counting your chickens before they are hatched.
So what youre saying is Republicans are going to vote for the republican candidate and democrats are going to vote for the democratic candidate. Stop the presses. Right now the republicans are split on McCain but please believe that if Hillary runs against McCain the right wing will come out en masses to make sure that she doesnt occupy the white house. Also she doesnt have quite the appeal to independents like McCain or Obama. Obama will carry the independents and even some republicans.
Do you really think a Republican will vote for a Democrat in the General Election? You've been had, my friend. That's exactly what the Republicans want you to believe.
That Obama will draw all these voters from all parties.
Does anyone really believe that? If you do, guess what.
Another Republican President, because they conned us again.
Another wonderful bill he signed that you dont mention, and many people do not know about yet, is the military commissions act, which allows for the use of torture against "enemy combatants"Not that this one will bring any fire from the repubs as they endorsed the bill; but it gives a pretty good insight into the mind of a man who says he is opposed to torture, but then votes yes on a bill that allows for its use.
BREAKING: New Battleground Head-To-Head Matchup Polls
by dansac
Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 10:40:10 AM PST
A subtitle should be: super-delegates look in here!!
Rasmussen put out new head-to-head match-ups between McCain and Obama and McCain and Clinton in the battleground states of Pennsylvania and Oregon.
Here's what you're saying to yourself: "Pennsylvania and Oregon, battleground states? No way. Not in this year of all years, those are safe Democratic states!" Really? Read on:
dansac's diary :: ::
First, the top-line news:
Pennsylvania:
Obama 49%
McCain 39%
McCain 44%
Clinton 42%
Oregon:
Obama 49%
McCain 40%
McCain 45%
Clinton 42%
And, Obama was the only member of the IL state senate to vote AGAINST a bill that PROHIBITED early release for sexual predators.
The general election will be difficult for either Clinton or Obama. It just seems many Obama supporters think this will be some run away election. The public knows all the scandals and dirt on the Clintons, old news. Most people do not REALLY know much about Obama, that is the point.
Erica,
That was perfect article. People will really attack you now as they can't see the forest for the trees.
You are correct.
I feel as if the Media and Obama folks have turned this into a race issue. I read elsewhere some comments MIchell said, which were directly Black, white. One being, Wake up black community.
Without the Oprah factor, she is the new age queen. One thing Oprah knows is how to create a frenzy.
Honestly when Obama was unearthed I was excited. It was great a black man, a woman.
I really thought about voting for him. No longer.
Hillary voting record is far superior. He can spout the Iraq war but he admitted to Russert he does not know how he would've vote.
He voted to continue this war instead of having the courage of his convictions. Lieberman was his mentor. She is tested and wants change as much as the next. She is inspiring.
I followed many of the links in other posts and I am not impressed with Obama any more.
No substance and the republicans will have to much ammo against him. The Kennedy's, Oprah, Kerry are really pimping Obama and he allows that. Maya supports Hillary.
http://www
Again thanks for the article you express many of my thoughts.
Sloopi:
Thanks so much for your eloquent, well-researched post. It was so convincing when you said, "I read elsewhere some comments..
Obama was unearthed? Where was he buried? It was Hillary's camp that turned up the racial issue. Bill Clinton and their other surrogates were so angry that Hillary would not be coronated.
Hillary even dragged Bob Johnson out, not understanding that many black people do not hold him in high regard and feel he is largely responsible for the horribly misogynistic videos, images and lyrics that pollute so much of rap and hip hop.
Oprah was attacked unmercifully by many white women because she dared to support Obama instead of Hillary. The worst offenders are affluent, white feminists who evidently believe that she must identify herself solely as female and nothing else.
Very few black women are going to be taking the guilt trip express that the media tried to tell us we were on. Oh the poor conflicted black woman, who will she vote for? I am thoroughly disgusted by Steinem, Jong and the rest of the feminist brigade who suddently want solidarity with black women.
Enough is enough.
The good looking, charming, charismatic man enters, whispers in our ears and sweeps us off our feet. We are in love. He promises to take us to places we have never been before, and to give us things we've never had before. All we have to do is trust him and do as he says.
And we believe him because we have fallen head over heels in love. What a beautiful dream.....
Bingo! You win. Best comment.
Musicstreet, your post is demeaning to women. To state that those of us who are voting for Obama are doing so because we are naive, and have fallen in love with his pretty words and charm, is giving a heck of a lot of ammunition to the true misogynists in our country, and saying horrible things about the women like me who have given their decision a lot of thought. Can't you just hear the misogynists sitting there watching all of this, "Well, isn't this the best! We don't have to tear them down anymore because they're doing it to each other! Great, let's go grab a beer and enjoy the show!"
I am voting for Obama because I believe he is the better candidate, for many reasons. I am voting for Obama because Senator Clinton is not the candidate I want to be president, for many reasons. I am not some doe eyed silly female who fell for pretty words, I am an educated voter who is basing this incredibly important decision on a lot of history and a lot of research.
One day feminists are going to have to start working together again, rather than tearing each other apart. Enough of the patronizing judgements, enough of the stereotypes and assumptions, enough of the polorization. We are on the same side, or have we forgotten? But if you don't mind that the feminist movement could crumble under our feet, that we will destroy this thing we have worked so hard to build, then, by all means, continue with the sarcasm and belittling. I'm sure the misogynists won't mind taking a break while we do their dirty work for them.
king, your rant makes no sense...ra
Reality 101: Perception is everything. The enormous animosity, distrust, anger, and hatred felt by so many may just come down to, hey, these feelings are real, the perceptions are real, and whether they're contrary to the truth is immaterial. Someone who carries this huge negative perception shouldn't be "leader of the free world."
Thank you for a wonderful post, I agree with everything you said and love your eloquent, darkly humorous style!!! Go Erica!!
I just wonder if Erica Jong would be ready to join the Kay Bailey Hutchinson campaign if she were running against Obama.
Being for Hillary just because she is a woman is a little like being for Clarence Thomas because he is a black.
The whole thing is bigger than the female/black thing. It's about who is the best leader. period!
Hillary's "baggage" has nothing to do with her thighs or Chelsea. Her "baggage" has to do with her years-long support of a war that was the biggest mistake in the history of our country since Vietnam. It is to the Obama camp's credit that they never brought forth the video of her saying she supported the war because it was "a continuation of my husband's policies." And if she actually was the "co-president" with Bill, as she claims, that makes her a corporate shill. Perhaps Obama is a corporate shill too (he is, after all, part of a corrupt system), but it seems preferable to "roll the dice" rather than to support a known extreme capitalist.
We all "rolled the dice" when we allowed GW to conduct Iraq the way that he saw fit. I am not willing to do that again, sorry.
Bingo Jazzman. Well said.
Where was Ms. Jong when Elizabeth Dole ran for President eight years ago?
I'm tired of being scolded for not supporting Senator Clinton. I expected more from the writer of this blog. Please stop making this candidate a victim, right now there's a better candidate.
Trust me, if there were a female Barack Obama, she'd have this nomination in the bag but there's not. As a 50 year old woman, I realize we still have inequities between sex/race but I think you sell Americans short by putting those of us who just don't like her in the category of sexists.
I totally agree kmdippenger: I have absolutely no problem with a female president or a black (African-A
Why should Senator Clinton be president because she's a woman? I find her integrity questionable and to me, that's fundamental to make the changes we need in the country. I'm a liberated woman of 50 and I KNOW that the race/sex of a person is not the reason to vote for someone. I'm tired of being scolded for not being TRUE to my womanhood.
Why should Barack Obama be president because he is an
African-American? I find his integrity and his history questionable. African Americans are voting for him just because he is African American. Example: Colin Powell
said he will probably vote Democratic this year. Is he voting for Hillary? Does he all of a sudden believe in the
Democratic Platform? No. I think the reason is obvious.
That is a huge step back.
Perhaps they read his two books like I did. I fell in love with his mind; he can whisper anything he wants into my ear.
Erica
If you are going to argue against patriarchy and the treatment of Hillary, then why not argue against racism and the treatment of Obama by the Clinton campaign as the black candidate, or the media's fear mongering of Obama as the Muslim candidate, or the terrorist coke snorting candidate, or the one with all rhetoric and no substance candidate therefore reducing him to nothing of consequence but one who is a performer/
When your understanding of a candidate is driven by corporate based media representations, then you demonstrate your own laziness to engage thoughtfully in this election by doing research. Forget the media. Look at their voting records. Look at what both of them were actually doing for the past 10 years.
You parrot that Obama is all style but no substance. Do you really think those of us who support Obama do so because he can deliver speeches? His arguments have plenty of substance and his plans deserve merit and closer scrutiny. Engage in a conversation where you can meaningfully criticize his plans and not repeat talking points.
When you keep crying about the big bad wolf of patriarchy in the form of corporate media, you energize their actions further and co-opt issues of inequality simultaneously.
There are many reasons that people don't want the Clintons back in office, and it has nothing to do with Hillary's gender. I would love to have a woman in office, but that is not the only criteria.
I am concern about the scandals, and the fact that Hillary makes a decision and backs down when the issue becomes unfavorable. She backed down on health care, she voted for "No Child Left Behind,", but now she is back peddling, She voted for the Iraq war, but not she is back peddling. The Clintons (both) also back peddled on gays in the military.
I don't like the way her campaign has been conducted. She attacks her opponent, and tries to make back room deals, rather than doing the hard work of conveying what her platform is really about. If she has so much to offer? Why doesn't she spend her time outlining her platform. We want change, and that includes a change in the way campaigns are run.
She cries when things are tough, whines about non-issues, and coughs to avoid answering tough questions. She also allowed Bill to do her dirty work, which probabaly ruined her chances. If you ask me, she is an embarrasment to women.
I am sure there are women who would make a great president. However, they are not running, Hillary is! I won't support her because JUST BECAUSE she is a woman.
Erica is so wrong on this. Is there sexism involved in this race? Yes. Is there racism involved in this race? Yes. But sexism is not the reason Hillary is losing. Hillary is just not as talented a politician as Obama.
Look at the last few Democratic presidents. Clinton, Carter, LBJ and Kennedy. Carter and LBJ were 1 term presidents. Clinton and JFK who might be considered the more successful presidents were both hugely charismatic public speakers. You can not win a presidential election if you have no charisma. Look on the republican side. Reagan, had huge charisma and was elected twice. Bush 41 not charismatic and got his butt whipped by Clinton. Bush 43 is more charismatic and cheats.
Charisma and public speaking skills are necessary for a leadership position such as being president. And Hillary is just outclassed here. Hillary's lack of charisma and amazing head for facts and figures makes me think of her as less than a president and more like a top adviser. The person who knows what needs to be done but doesn't have the ability to get it done herself.
I hope that Obama wins the nomination and then the presidency. I hope as his running mate he picks someone like Kathleen Sebilius or Janet Napolitano. Both strong, popular women governors who both could make a strong run at the presidency later and who don't carry the Clinton baggage. And i would hope that Hillary would serve in an Obama cabinet if asked and put her amazing brilliance to work for him and our country.
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