The Many Faces of Hillary Clinton
Oh, do we remember the White House days when Hillary Clinton was first lady and changed her hairdo constantly -- you never knew what face of Hillary you were going to see on a given day.
On the 2008 presidential campaign trail, the stakes are much higher, but it's the same story all over again in every news cycle. As a candidate, Sen. Hillary Clinton's hair has stayed nicely in place, let's give her that, but voters have had to meet a dizzying array of her personas. Some Hillarys are better than others, and there's no telling which one will show up tonight at the final Democratic primary debate when she squares off with Sen. Barack Obama.
The latest incarnation of Hillary has traces of the Methodist camp ground preacher she probably was in another life. Sounding as loud as if she were leading a revival meeting, Clinton spoke of the sky opening, light coming down and a celestial choir singing, only to scoff at the notion that politics could create a perfect union. Politics is the pragmatic art of the possible, in other words: nothing more or less, compared to a naive idealist like Obama. This is the hardheaded, superior Hillary who knows better because nobody else (but Bill) has traveled the world, walked the halls of Washington, and seen what she has seen.
Speaking of Bill, he lent a note of Greek pathos to the yearlong drama. His part in the narrative was to be her righthand man at every stop along the stump. His vocal presence gave Hillary the confident air of a woman with a popular former president at her command, having completely conquered their marriage's pitfalls and pratfalls.
Yet even as Bill Clinton tried mightily to make up for his adulterous sins, he let his wife down -- again. He said something sloppy in South Carolina about the role of race in the primary, just as she was getting ready to dust off the hurt of losing the Iowa caucuses. That unfortunate media moment cast the Clintons in a different light and Hillary suddenly catapulted back to the role of the injured political wife. It took some of the shine out of her win in New Hampshire.
It also raised the question in voters' minds whether we want to watch many more years of the diverting Clinton psychodrama play itself out on the pages of history. They may need an audience more than we need to see another act.
In New Hampshire, Hillary Clinton effusively thanked supporters for helping her find her own "voice." That was one of the most curious lines of the yearlong campaign, because it seemed to acknowledge something deep down. To wit, the senator was saying she had not fully come out to voters, leaving doors of herself closed or silent, but now she was ready to get real. This is the Hillary that's getting better all the time, like the song says, ever since the day she graduated from Wellesley College. As the class speaker at her 1969 commencement, she had plenty of voice and things to say about perfecting the world and making society more "ecstatic."
Clinton's visions as a young woman are at least frank, and today nobody would doubt her sincerity and conviction on health care reform. But her public voice in the month since winning New Hampshire was all over the range: from thoughtful and classy to biting and harsh, all in a day's work. As her wounded campaign started tilting like the Titanic, the serenely inevitable Hillary has gone below the waves like the captain of that glorious ship, the one who said before the 1912 maiden voyage: "God himself could not sink this ship."
In the most recent debate, starkly different sides of Hillary showed up. On the one hand, she accused Obama of plagiarism, adding that he offered "change you can Xerox." That snipe did not go over well with the audience. Yet toward the end, she appeared to take a high road and said something that struck a gracious chord: that she was "absolutely honored" to be there with Obama. She repeated that twice and the two shook hands.
The warmth froze over quickly. Hitting a woman-of-the-people populist note over the weekend, she accused Obama of distortions of of her views worthy of the Republican rascal intriguer, Karl Rove. That's tough talk from a strong woman.
Maybe the real Hillary Clinton has arrived at last -- face, voice and all -- to give 'em hell.
Jamie Stiehm is a writer based in Baltimore.
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"They may need an audience more than we need to see another act." this is one of the problems the clintons face . . . and it is a big one . . . hillary still has her voting record to contend with . .. it's not an honourable record for a Democrat . .. but for a DLCer . . . well it is what they aspire to . . . hillary's many faces are part of a desperate attempt to win the voters she has lost . . . the clintons entered this race spinning and believing that they were invincible . . . but along came Obama . . . and they got nasty . .. they will get nastier ... but they cannot stop change . .. many of us know that this is not only a presidential campaign but the best attempt to preserve the Democratic Party .. . the triangulation politics of the clinton years have shown the effects of NAFTA and the effects of murdoch and fox news and its stranglehold on the media and what it has done and how it has allowed the neo-cons more and more leverage . . . bill may have balanced the budget . . . but his triangulations cost many Americans their jobs, it also helped to put a stranglehold on the media -- coupled with hillary's vote for the illegal invasion of Iraq; her vote for kyl/lieberman, et al . . . have lost the clintons the power they so dearly want back . . . there have been too many lies and too many compromises by these two to amass both power and wealth and no matter how many different masks hillary wears it shines through . . .it is time the clintons packed their bags . . . next Tuesday should send them packing big time . . . which is exactly what they deserve
Hillary CLinton has ONE face and many intelligent, informed ideas.
I think what we're seeing now is the real Hillary Clinton.
will hillary still be searching and finding her voice for the first three years in the white house? food for thought.
I will say it again. The only "voice" that Hillary needs to find is her independence. And the first step is to divorce Bill right now. He has let her down too many times.
If she had divorced him before running for Senate, my opinion of her would be very, very different right now. I think she "kept" him only because of his utility in future political endeavors.
Agreed Hillary's multiple personalities is ironically "more of the same" in that she's had multiple messages, campaign chairs, and excuses throughout the campaign. It appears it will all end in Texas:
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Clinton has persistently outshined Obama in the debates. Doubt America is ready to really listen to their speeches and research the two candidates further than their websites. Minds seem to be made-up and peer pressure by the media is getting more followers to join the cult.
When a leader offers "hope," like Obama is doing, the followers imagine that hope to fit their needs regardless of the real message. Followers imagine all their troubles disappearing. America used to be made up of leaders. It seems now, though, more people are dedicated followers. Obama may seem like a leader, but who is really writing those speeches that hook people?
HRC or BO? I just know I won't be voting for a smelly puppet in November.
This is not true. Lose the hatred and come down to earth for a minute. In the one on one debates, he has done very well. I thought he won last week, with the only clearly exceptional moment for her at the very end.
It is pointless to trash people who don't agree with you. Most of the people who post here are smart enough to have arrived at a considered and reasonable opinion, either way. To trash the opposition is to badly weaken whatever argument you make FOR your candidate.
I too thought he did much better last week in the debate, until someone pointed out to me that most of the questions went first to Hillary, then Obama reiterated her answers and would throw in a nugget of his own. He is not as adept as she is, but the media is behind him as they were with Bush. This is not necessarily a good thing, and if poster above cfibasis is correct, we will end up with a Carter presidency that adds another black eye to the Democrats, no pun intended.
Yep, that is Hillary. She has multiple personalities. The problem is that she has lost the message and now all she rants about is how to attack Obama. It is not about her platform or ideas but rather how to attack and derail Obama. She has gotten meaner and crazier as her titanic has began to sink. Time to exit before she ruins whatever is left of her.
The voice Hillary has found is the voice of desperation.
Unable to distance herself from the special interests funding her campaign, she tried to go Edwards without alienating them and it doesn't come off as believable.
Selling Mitt Romney's health mandate as the "best policy for progressive Democrats" is a disconnect no language flourishes can disguise..
No, we will not see the REAL Hillary until she loses... and when she tries to force her agenda onto the Democrats despite the election..
... every progressive should fly the banner-
WE TOLD YOU SO!
Many Clinton voters are too blinded by their desire for a woman president to be fair about this. Objectively, one only has to look at the campaign itself to see who is the better politician, if that is what this blog is praising her for. Hillary started with money, with enormous connections, (here in Ohio, she has the Governor and the entire state political machine behind her and is losing ground fast) and with Bill, one of the most beloved Democrats in recent history. Obama started with strikes against him, no organization, no money, just his mojo and his mental accuity. Now, look where they are. Additionally, he has brought many new voters to the process, won over Southern states, whites in Virginia and Wisconsin, and even some older women who are tired of waiting. I don't see how she can claim not to have been for NAFTA, (that has been documented if you want to google it.) For myself, (I'd be glad to vote for her if she wins the primary) it is more about the independents who always control the election. They favor Obama over Clinton by 14% against McCain. Duh! Do you think the Democrats can do this without independent voters. If so, you are delusional.
I agree. For all the talk of double standards for women (and yes, I do think they are real), there's also a double standard that favors Hillary Clinton and it's coming from women. In their desire to see a woman president, too many women are giving her a pass on things that a male politician would never get away with. Things like the Iraq war vote, flipflopping on NAFTA, etc. Fair or unfair, the first female President will set the standard by which all future female presidential candidates are judged. If the Hillary Clinton we've seen on the campaign is an indicator of the kind of President we'd see, then that doesn't bode well for women wanting to run for President in the future.
What "Real Hillary?"
If she doesn't know who she is, how can anyone else?
She says she is ready to lead, but she doesn't know which way to go, or how to get there.
Just that if you aren't her follower, she'll either cry on you, or throw the kitchen sink at you.
Hillary has faced obstacles in this race (including sexist attitudes like yours) the like of which no modern politician has ever had to overcome. I think she's already a winner but if she should lose this contest the greatest losers will be people like you only you don't know it yet.
A little perspective is in order, I think. It is fair to say that Hillary was ahead on all scorecards, including and especially establishment democrats. She started with a 20-30 point lead virtually everywhere. Her campaign took that position and $140 million dollars and wound up on the verge of losing the nomination to Barack Obama.
It seems pretty apparent to me who has faced the most obstacles in this race, and it isn't Hillary Clinton.
One final note: The continued slinging of the "sexist" charge at everyone (this post was by a woman, you know) who has a different perspective and opinion only cheapens the meaning of the term. Try to lighten up and realize everyone who doesn't agree with your viewpoint isn't a "sexist".
Perhaps the feminist movement is being polluted by the concept of internalized sexism the way the gay rights movement has its idiots who claim internalized homophobia is the cause of every petty divergence from their pet beliefs?
I guess I missed something or my reading comprehension is poor...
... but I didn't notice any "sexist attitude" from this author.
Hillary supporters don't seem to understand that every criticism isn't based on hate or misogyny, and when they claim it is so, they look silly.
I'm tired of this 'sexist' charge - especially since she's where she is because of her husband, not because of her own accomplishments. If she were just the wife of the ex-governor of Arkansas, would we ever have heard of her? So why is she the great feminist standard-bearer?
If she's running a disorganized campaign, which she is, she can be criticized on the basis of doing a poor job. It doesn't matter that she's a woman.
Obama came out of nowhere to speak at the 2004 convention and is the leading candidate entirely on his own merits. He's running a far more effective campaign, and the results are obvious.
And BTW, if he'd lost 11 contests in a row, he'd have been toast by now. So who's getting the easy deal?
Show me a single blog critiquing Obama's hairstyle. Hair is irrelevant to what goes on here, or it ought to be! I give up - women are competitive and hair does matter but can't we get a little perspective when we're talking about the future of civilization? Maybe not.
Sadly, she's slowly turning into the face of Eric Cartman. "Respect mah authoritah and accept mah inevitabilitah!"
If she is still so proud of her vote authorizing use of force against Iraq, why does she not campaign on that? Why does she not campaign on her support to declare Iran's guard as a terrorist organization? Why does she campaign on the successes of her husband and then distance herself from them(NAFTA, Welfare)? Because she knows deep down that she cannot defend her previous votes or the disasterous policies of her husband. She is Tracy Flick, entitled, wealthy, and inevitable. My only wish for Hillary Clinton is that she will exit gracefully and preserve whatever is left of her character. If she continues on with her hyper-agressive attacks against Obama, both her and her husband's legacy will be lessened. Sing, Hillary, it's over.
Hillary's latest message-
"NO YOU CAN'T"
THAT'S really gonna work!
Hillary must be in shock after assuming she had a divine right to be the nominee with her careful calculations such as voting for war with iraq and Iran to prove she was man enough etc; etc. She had won the hearts of conservative democrats and they remain faithful to her but she lost the progressive democrats who found her votes for war unforgiveable and then came Obama and his freight train and all of sudden years of preparation meant nothing and then the Clintons decided to get dirty which has cost them dearly. As long as Obama stays cool and lets her implode at the debate by herself he will be the big winner.
But *you* are not a progressive Democrat. You are a person who has said she will vote for McCain if Clinton is nominated.
I hope you're not saying you actually think that years of preparation mean nothing.
How has Clinton's campaign "gotten dirty?" Obama has seriously distorted her positions; don't you think *that's* pretty dirty?
She won't hold to a position long enough for anyone to "seriously distort" is as you claim. She winds up seriously distorting it herself.
Bauersox, you are seriously asking how her campaign has gotten dirty? Really? You don't think what happened in South Carolina was dirty?
..........
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