How Dare You!

We need to talk. How dare the leadership of the Democratic Party turn on Hillary Clinton! How dare they betray Bill Clinton! How dare they not speak out when Hillary is disrespected by words like bitch, whore and the "c" word! How dare they allow them both to be smeared as racists, playing the race card! Where was Howard Dean ? Where was Nancy Pelosi ? Where were Hillary's colleagues in the Senate when the Clintons were being so unfairly accused and denigrated? The Democratic Party has a lot to answer for. If we had stood as a party with one voice and said, "no", we will not allow one of our own to be so disturbingly maligned, we would now have a unified democratic party electorate at the end of a virtually tied primary race. Instead we are deeply divided. Now, since the party's leaders have chosen again and again not to speak up, I will.

I am a Hillary supporter and along with millions of Democrats throughout our country , I have been outraged by how the media have treated her throughout this primary season. But what is most disturbing is how my Party has stood by and allowed the demeaning and dishonest attacks on Hillary to continue. This is not the party I thought I belonged to. This is not the party that espouses fairness, justice and equality for all. This is not the party that elected Bill Clinton President in 1992 and 1996 and Hillary Clinton as Senator in 2000 and 2006. That party knew that it had benefited enormously from the Clinton administration as well as the incredible accomplishments of one of the most activist, hardworking First Ladies in our history. That Party stood proudly by a president who many called the first black president because both he and his wife had demonstrated a lifelong commitment to civil rights and human rights.

Imagine if Democratic leaders had done what Hillary did when President Bush associated Barack Obama with terrorism in his much lauded speech in Israel. Remember, Hillary gave a heartfelt statement that Barack was one of our own and she would not stand by and allow him to be so denigrated ?

Women are outraged. We are still fighting for her, and we are ashamed of how our candidate, a woman who has devoted her adult life to serving others, a woman who has been a distinguished First Lady, a woman who has helped her colleagues pass legislation and win races in their own states, a woman who has stood up for all of our rights, has been treated not just by the media but by her own Democratic Party. Throughout all this, Hillary has maintained her focus, her message and her dignity. This is truly courage under fire. This is what it takes to be a great president. It is not over until the lady in the pant suit says it is and I and millions of others are with her.

Comments

[TK77]

Who used "bitch" and the "c" word? Not Obama. These are phony arguments. Sorry for the outrage, but the nomination is a race with ground rules. Obama would have been long gone if the roles were reversed. HRC has gotten kid golves treatment, not disrespect. This just a sore loser piece.

[Agent420]

Yes, it is not about what is between a person's legs, but what is between their ears.

Small minds think about people,
Average minds think about things,
Great minds think about ideas.

Speaking of which, I have an idea! Let's all get behind the next president of the United States, Barrack Obama so that we can get our country back.

[UpstateNY]

There is danger in starting a protest! I know that the Clinton campaign doesn't care - but the rest of us should! I am proud of the Obama campaign in trying to keep tempers down by discouraging protest.

[KELLIKO]

I guess people have overlooked the fact that Obama supporters threatened riots if he didn't win. . . what would you call that. . . .

[rhubardpi]

Man you are the riot.

[UpstateNY]

How dare you, Jill Iscol?? How dare you speak to me this way?

What about the horrible way that Bill and Hillary have conducted themselves during this campaign when it became clear that she was actually going to have to campaign and this wasn't going to be a coronation. That doesn't count?

I favored Hillary at the beginning. After this campaign, I don't care what her name or sex is - I could not support her. I find her supporters strangely blind to so many of the way that she and her campaign has behaved - remember when she compared herself AND McCain favorable as Commander-in-Chief against a fellow Democrat, remember the Bosnia sniper fire (what was that?), remember moving the metrics for winning this campaign, remember her campaign itself - it was a mess!

And the Clinton administration? I don't owe the Clintons anything - they might owe me something because I voted for him (and her for Senator) and am still waiting for what they promised me. Where is health that Bill promised, where are the 300,000 jobs that Hillary promised Buffalo? True, they worked very hard to help fellow Democrats be elected - but that was to collect favors for this election Wake up Jill and others - this is about the Clintons and in their heads, it always will be. Save yourselves, she doesn't speak or work for you!

[shigeru]

To say nothing of the WJC's shameless behavior in his second term. Regardless of the resentment that many of his supporters feel, his "legacy" was greatly tarnished by the Lewinski incident and his subsequent political compromises on such things as the media bills, etc.
He was fairly well treated after his term until he injected himself into this campaign ( something most past presidents avoid) and until, as he stated he provided cover for Bush from the left.

[KELLIKO]

WJC left office with no less than 60% approval - you don't know what your talking about. . . .

[JamieStarr]

Dear (Angry) Hillary Supporters:

Ask yourself one question.

If she was ahead in delegates and Obama could not catch her, but he decided to stay in the race in hopes that he could get the rules changed so he could win (rules that he publicly pledged to abide by), what would you be saying then?

If he told the superdelegates that even though she won the contests, he was more "electable" how would you feel?

Would you think that was sexist?

[bongogirl]

I agree. So Clinton supporters, what would you say if the circustances were reversed and Obama was not leading in delegates and insisted that he was more electable? Obama '08

[CarbonDate]

Ha, ha.

I wonder what things would look like if anybody had actually ever gone after Hillary? A few sexist comments from some Republicans and various media whores does not a massive betrayal by the Democratic party make.

Obama could have so easily drawn comparisons between her attempts to tie him to Rezko and Republican attempts to saddle her and Bill with Whitewater that it's amazing he didn't. I think the Democratic party showed remarkable restraint in this election, unlike Sen. Clinton.

[neuronet]

Please don't pretend to speak for all women. There are lots of us that think Hillary has had a free pass from the press, and that fervently want Obama to be the nominee, who are not mad at all.

[bakossi]

How dare we betray Bill Clinton? You mean the president who betrayed his party again and again and again, who threw the Democrats who risked their political lives voting for his tax increase under the bus, who threw many others under the bus "triangulating" between his own party and the Republicans in Congress? The president under whom we lost the Senate, lost the House, lost a majority of governorships, lost a majority of state legislatures, and gained George Bush? Who did nothing about energy, the environment, income inequality, infrastructure, or health care? Who have the Clintons ever been loyal to other than themselves? How many aides who racked up staggering legal bills defending them have had them reimbursed out of the $109 million the Clintons have racked up post-presidency?

Smeared as racists? I think not. Whose campaign got caught sending out "Obama is a Muslim" email in Iowa? And continued the practice in Ohio? Who couldn't be brought to say on 60 minutes that Obama is a Christian? Who darkened Obama's face and broadened his features in their Texas ads? Who said "hard working people, white Americans" were supporting her? Whose campaign played on race to suggest that Obama, as a user of drugs, might also have been a pusher? Whose campaign had dozens of surrogates making racially charged remarks? I could go on and on and on, but of course, Jill, you know better--I'm just another sexist who won't support your candidate.

[Ndw]

All good points, but I hadn't heard the part about darkening Obama's face & broadening his features in Texas ads. Is that really true?

If so, I think she should be brought up before every reporter & bombarded with the evidence. That is evil, and it speaks volumes about what she thinks of the American people.

[crl9]

Ndw - that garbage about the skin darkening was exactly that garbage - debunked quite some time ago.

[66rock]

YOU Do Not represent me.

I am over 60, worked hard in the 70's for women's rights, am white with only a h.s. education and as much as I would like to see a woman pres in my lifetime, I support Obama.

Wish I could vote for Hillary but she is classless with her tactics and lying in her campaign.

I dread the circus that her supporters will show on Saturday, another embarrassment of women I'm sure.

[orion52]

Bill Clinton was allowing the deregulation of our industries with NAFTA etc... Than dissed the Democratic party when Al Gore got the SHAFT from the right wing in florida by NOT speaking up for him, Where were the Clintons??? OH yeah getting Hillary into NY and making her look like a viable candidate. Oh yeah did they care about the Democratic party than??? And to top it all off she used her vote in the war to look tough. YES I SAID IT she voted yes to say Im tough I'll send people to die just like the big Bush team. BAND WAGON FOLKS The Clintons are not here for you or me there here for there legacy. A better PERSON would get out of the race now to help the PARTY and the NATION. Hello your dead wrong

[Daisy1111]

ZZZZZZZZZZ­ZZZZzzzzzz­zzzzzzzzzz­zzzzzzzz.

Too late for your anti-Clinton arguments.

It's beyond the Clintons.

It's a revolution.

Howard Dean and Donna Brazile over-played their hand.

Good luck with that new map.

[Ndw]

Sorry, Daisy. Hillary Clinton is not inspiring enough to lead a 'revolution' through the front doors of a local Wal-Mart.

[dawlishgal]

Check out the profile for the 3 petitions to be signed by spoilsport soreheads who pledge to not vote for Obama under any circumstances. Apparently, this is to be Obama's punishment for daring to challenge her royal highness's entitlement to the presidency and offending her spoiled-brat supporters senses of their own entitlemen­t..

What I have learned from these vengeful people is that anybody in an employee-hiring position ought to think twice before hiring any signer of such a thing for any job requiring diplomacy or even common decency. I would NEVER hire this kind of vindictive person for any job because their characteristic vengefulness is certain to be incited when something in the workplace doesn't go totally their way, and --just as they are deliberately trying to hurt the Democratic Party--they will deliberately harm your company. Besides that, they have the concept that rules don't apply to them. Can anybody who has ever worked in a supervisory position even imagine trying to rein in these people and get them to perform the jobs they were hired and paid to do?

I would also be very surprised if there are any men eager to marry or stay married to one of these harridans, but that is another issue.

[dawlishgal]

Does Hillary know about your cruel and destructive little petitions on your profile, petitions that are supposedly on her behalf? "Did she give you the green light to post the links here?

If so, how can she claim that she will support the eventual nominee? How can she even claim to be a decent member of the Democratic Party? Did it NEVER occur to you that you might be the one (with your self-serving petitions) to drive the final nail in the coffin of the Clinton legacy/

I thought not.

[dawlishgal]

There is an article in the Nov. '07 issue of Vanity Fair that details how the Clintons hogged the campaign resources of the presidency and the White House to use for her senatorial campaign, which meant, of course, that these things weren't available to Gore for his FAR MORE IMPORTANT campaign. Then Bill said some awful things about Gore that were picked up by the press. Then the Clintons claimed that Gore didn't want "their help", but of course, it was their bad behavior (particularly Bill's philandering and the way both of them lied about it, and how the right merchandised it into the impeachment) that the Clintons willingly gave to the far right as fodder to use against all Democrats. These things led to the election of Bush, so we have the Clintons to thank for THAT.

In 2000, Bill was still president and the Clintons hadn't made up their minds yet whether Hillary would run for the presidency in '04 or 09, so (of course) it was important to them to keep Gore out of the White House, and, in '04 to keep Kerry out.

The Clintons are simply NOT Democratic Party loyalists. The Democrats are the place that they hung their hats while exercising their narcissistic ambitions, but they have never cared about the party and its political fortunes.

[KELLIKO]

How young are you that you don't recall Gore did not want Clinton to vouch for him at that period of time.
When Clinton was the president - our lives were great, you must be too young to remember that!
Bush ruined NAFTA not Clinton. . . .

[PeterM]

Great satire! Bravo.
I cannot interpret the "Hillary has maintained her focus, her message and her dignity" any other way.

"as well as the incredible accomplishments of one of the most activist, hardworking First Ladies in our history".
The INCREDIBLE accomplishments of impeccable republican voting record:
MILITARY COMMISSIONS. .....HC YES
PATRIOT ACT 1.........­..HC YES
PATRIOT ACT 2. ..........­HC YES.
IRAQ WAR.. .........H­C YES
WAR WITH IRAN......­....HC YES.
WIRETAPPIN­G.........­HC YES
INCREASED AID TO ISRAEL. ....HC. YES
EMINENT DOMAIN....­......HC.. NV
NAFTA.....­..........­...HC..YES
NATIONAL ID........­...HC..YES
BANKRUPTCY BILL......­....HC...Y­ES

[tjlabey]

No Wonder! The Goldwater Girl was a GOP plant all along; THAT's what she meant by the "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" theory.

[bongogirl]

Once a Goldwater Girl, always a Goldwater Girl!!

Obama'08

[KELLIKO]

Obama is on the Iraq commission but hasn't done a darn thing on it's behalf - he's too buisy trying to win the presidency in which I suspect he will be as ineffective as he has been so far. . . .

[vixen23]

Is this really on the Huffington Post? I kept reading to see when the writer would - like most Huff Post bloggers - start feeding on Hillary's carcus. But good for you Jill Iscol. You speak for a lot of us Hillary supporters.

[tjlabey]

Jill Iscol may speak for like minded HRC supporters. She does NOT speak for women; and neither does HRC.

[UpstateNY]

Amen

[NDNlady]

The whole time I was reading this, I kept waiting for the punch line. I still find it hard to believe this woman is serious but just in case I have to say...Well Jill, bless your heart. And I do hope you know what we Southern women mean when we say that! The nomination was never HERS! It was hers to lose and lose it she did. By a campaign that should be a text book from now on for what NOT to do. And she still continues to spin, twist and dodge the truth. That her behavior is destructive for the party and for our chance to take back our country.

[Toy]

Another divisive article.

This article crucifies the Democratic party but doesn't explain what it should have done? Activism isn't part of the DNC charter. Selecting a candidate is through established rules is.

Consider how the Republican party will treat and promote women's rights. Good luck!

If Hillary doesn't become the nominee and then if Hillary and her leadership ability asks you supporters to come together, will you?

Interesting and contraversial article on Hillary Clinton's candidacy has done feminism no favours
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2008/05/24/do2411.xml&CMP=ILC-mostviewedbox

[Rocky4356]

Hillary is holding a party hostage. If she was a man they would have told her to hit the road long ago. Maybe we dads need to teach our girls how to lose. Other females will catch hell running for office after this. The world waits while Hillary makes up her mind. Talk about using gender.

[yhgtup]

I totally agree! I, too, have been telling people Hillary is holding the party hostage. Imagine if the situation were reversed, and Barack tried this. WHOA!!! This Jill chic needs to go back up the hill and get her pail of ---- SOMETHING!!!!

[solskin]

You know Rocky 4356, my eyes start to glaze over in emarrassment when my daughters (30 & 34) asks me questions about the Clinton woman. I have brought theses beautiful daughters of mine up with the understanding that they can do anything they can be strong, but all while being the ultimate ladies ( and so they are ). But explaining to them the Clinton woman has been a real midbreaker, how can she hold her hear up high? haw can she call herself a lady?
Sorry I do not get it i do not get her.

[joefazio]

Things almost never change in the wold of politics.
Every election, without fail, we're all going to hear
...what we want to hear!
When was the last time a politician told the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

What do we have instead? Less see.

We have miss information.

We have "I miss spoke." Hell where I come from that
use to be called a lie.

WE have so and so corrected the record. Great!
This means they decided to tell the truth, AFTER
they were caught in a lie!

WE expect our politicians to be what we are
not. Perfect. Well that's never gonna happen.
We force these people to lie, miss speak--streatch
the truth, etc. because if they shot straight with us...
hell, they'll never get elected!

No matter the political party one is from, we seem to
make excueses..­.adjustmen­ts for "our guy." Hell
that other party is a lyin' , no good bunch of so and so's.

Dam...woul­dn't it be nice if we could all just get along?
Yeah, I know you all heard that, but have you tired it?

I'm doin' that on a small scale. It doesn't work all the
time, however I must confess, it has made my world
a bit better.

No matter who is elected to public office, it's a real
longshot for ONE PERSON TO REALLY MAKE A
DIFFERENCE.

But...we gotta keep tryin". Why? I tell ya way, cause
this is AMERICA.