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.
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I am a former Hillary supporter broken hearted by her conduct in this campaign. Is it not possible that the treatment you complain of is inspired by Hillary herself and not by some conspiracy. When we are misteated certainly there is usually an element of our own misconduct which precipitates the offense. It is just this inablity to see her own participation in the the response she now complains of that lead me to conclude she is incapable of being the President I am hoping to elect.
The sexism is the least of her problems.
Exactly! And it is not like Hillary was not a polarizing figure even before the democratic primary had started. She started out with half of Americans not liking her. Then she alienated many of the rest with her selfish and ambitious tactics.
"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."
She was committed to the above so long as it did not interfere with her plans of being the next president!
I admit to being an Obamican. Would have never voted for Hillary anyway since I consider myself a conservative. Obama inspired me and my friends to get involved for the first time in a political campaign. That is real leadership!
I'm sorry, Lori, but what civil rights commitment? Jesse Jackson? I'm at a lost to understand what, as to real, substantial progress they've made for black people in their thirty-five years. In Arkansas with the state's death-row repleat with near-retarted convicts? Or was it the three black he appointed to cabinet positions; two indicted, one incompetent.
I'm truly trying to see it the way you presented.
I love this article title it is Hillaryous! People have been going nuts on it for days but I have decided I think she is being satirical. How could it not be, otherwise it would mean she is deranged or a drama queen on steroids, like Hillary's demonstrators planning to mob the RBC Saturday.
LOLOLOLOL! You almost had me there!
i love jill just not as much as good ol hillary
A REAL woman does not lie and cheat. A REAL woman plays by the rules of the contest and understands the importance of winning AND losing with grace. A REAL woman understands that the way she conducts herself can inspire or discourage others. A REAL woman can be strong and assertive without employing cheap and tawdry tactics. A REAL woman does NOT incite the most perverse ignorance of some, by using code words and inferences. A REAL woman can admit her failings and apologize with class and dignity. A REAL woman takes pride in her accomplishments without grandstanding or diminishing her opponent, her Party, or her country.
As a woman, I'M OUTRAGED that Hillary and her supporters continue to wallow in self-indulgent "sisterhood" in an attempt to prolong her malignant campaign. They and she are NO "sisters" of mine! GET OVER IT!
OMG, finally a voice of reason! I happen to be a white woman who never went to college, as blue collar as they come, and I support Obama. Some of us vote with our brains, Mrs Clinton, not with our skin tone or genitals, and shame on you for suggesting otherwise. The whole sisterhood idea is great, in theory. But in reality, the idea requires a woman of dignity who is worthy of our respect, not someone who will get desperate and malicious and self-serving like Hillary has.
Another Amen from this woman. HrC supporters believe I should support her b/c she is a woman and ignore how horrible a job she did with the campaign.
When I decided HRC was not worthy of my vote? Back in Nevada, when there was a lawsuit to shut down caucus sites on the Las Vegas strip - two days after culinary &hotel workers endorsed Obama, and after it had been agreed upon by Democratic officials in the state before anyone even heard of Obama.
Second deciding moment: when she had to lend her campaign money. The way she ran her campaign tells me how she would run the country.
No thanks.
I am a woman over 50 and Hillary has not, does not and never will speak for me or anyone else I know! We want Obama! She is NOT entitled to anything, she ran a dirty campaign, no class.
(continued from a previous post)
I'm sure that there are some sexist people out there who would not vote for a woman, any woman. There are a lot of people who just do not like Sen. Clinton - polls have shown that for years. Some of the people who would not support Sen. Clinton's run for president might vote for any other woman. Many democracies have had women lead their countries: Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, and India. The United States should have had a woman president by this time in our history - just not Hillary Clinton.
I am in total agreement with Iscol. Pro-Clinton comments have been rare on this site, so I am surprised to see it. What really shocks me are the women, such as the "View" prattlers, gushing over Obama, and saying he is "sexy." That really worries me, it is as if they don't have the brains to take the situation seriously. They are poor examples for young women, it perpetuates the picture of women as unreliably brainless that we have been saddled with for so long. When Obama made the comment to the reporter calling her "sweetie" and a little research discovered that he did this frequently to women, Diane Sawyer poo-pooed the issue and had to have two male colleagues explain to her why women might be offended. Nothing came of it, but that issue IS important. Calling someone "sweetie" is a dimunution, and surely a candidate for President has had his consciousness raised in reference to verbal usage, esp. a Harvard graduate. If Hillary had made a male-demeaning or race-demeaning slip of the tongue, the media would have gone wild with it. The comment was no mistake, it reveals his true attitude toward women.
H'mmm? Does Hillary's invocation of Bobby Kennedy's assassination as a reason for prolonging her candidacy strike you as a something a decent HUMAN BEING would say?
Since when does calling women 'sweetie" compare with a woman publicly defending her philandering husband by calling his victims "stalkers," just in case anybody saw him with these young women in public. Hillary got Bill off the hook several times with exactly this ploy.
How can ANY legitimate feminist think that such tactics are a good thing for women in general?
I'm glad Hillary Clinton spoke up when Bush compared Obama to Neville Chamberlain, but she took the low road when she responded to questions of Obama being a muslim: "not that I know of". She attacked Obama's relationship with Rev. Wright while forgetting that the same Rev. Wright gave her and Bill spiritual guidance after the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
Why exactly is Clinton running for President? It surely cannot be to ensure Michigan and Florida delegates are seated at the convention. Surely it cannot be that people have not yet voted in Puerto Rico (they don't get to vote for President), South Dakota, and Montana? Surely it cannot be because she won so many votes in the non-existent Michigan Primary vote - so many votes more than the other candidates on the ballot. BTW - that would be no one.
Surely it cannot be because she, after all those years of experience, couldn't find her voice until the New Hampshire primary. Surely it can't be because in the past, the presidential candidate hadn't been determined until primaries in June - when was the California primary in 2008? Wasn't that 3 or 4 months earlier than it was in 1968 - that night when Robert F. Kennedy was shot and killed? (continued)
As an example of the current pop-culture mind-set, let's take last Sunday's NY Times magazine cover story. Yes, it was about a young woman's blog. The blog is entirely about her personal life, her lattes, her break-ups, her tattoos. And we care? She used the word "I" 363 times, was 8,000 words long, and people wanted it to go on. Need I say more? This is the perfect audience for Obama. Just say "change." He doesn't have to define himself. A candidate who is a true intelligent leader stands no chance with the trendy pop-star Obama. Platitudes will rule the day with the fans of mindless blogospheres. Women are putting down one of the finest candidates we have had available to vote for in years, it is shameful. Meanwhile, global issues are screaming out at us for some sort of direction, because we've always stepped up. We are the beacon of freedom for millions. Did anyone notice the violence in South Africa? The world is troubled. We cannot interfere in Darfur because we are already involved in two Islamic countries. And the way our country recently treated 200 Guatemalan workers who were working in disgraceful conditions in a Hasidic slaughterhouse near Waterloo, Iowa, is a message to the largest minority group in the U.S., Latinos. Thank you, Jill, for your insight. I am voting Hillary, and will write her name in if necessary.
How sad to pick out extreme elements of Obama's support. It is not just young people or AA's. I am a 67-year-old white woman, feminist, long time Democrat. I support Obama because he speaks in terms of "we"; and Hillary speaks in terms of "I". I was inspired by JFK, MLK, RFK and have not been inspired since. Obama is an intelligent, thougtful man who has proven his ability to lead, manage and inspire. Hillary disappointed me with her "Repug-Lite" vote on Irag and Iran. I was FOR her until SHE showed her true colors.
Go ahead, don't vote for Obama. Watch in glee as Roe v. Wade is overturned; poor people continue to suffer and and middle-class disapears.
Again, how sad that you are so devoted to one candidate that you can't step back and see the positives Obama offers at this time in history.
I sincerely wish for you a healing time, a peaceful time for you to reconsider your options.
Only one thing wrong with your argument; Obama has the educated elitist market sewn up, according to none other than Hillary. So we can conclude that the only reason Clinton is doing as well as she is, in spite of her lies and deceptive pandering, is the very pop phenomenon you are talking about- because Obama's supporters are, by Clinton's own admission, smarter than hers.
Have you been listening or watching anything of this election?
You can certainly write in Hillary's name and she can certainly take this primary campaign all the way to November. This is still a somewhat free country and both these are within your rights - but it will lead to a John McCain Administration.
I thought this was a bit of a joke, but after reading I can tell it is not. I respect your perspective, but it is just that. There are millions who came out for Obama. Millions who respect Clinton but saw greatness in Obama. Just because your candidate seems less likely to win, does not mean a slight was afoot. A lot of passion and hard, honest work went into helping Mr. Obama as the nominee.
You know, maybe if Hillary had the "not to another Democrat" mentality you speak abou Jill, than I would have voted for her. Instead, she took every opportunity to kneecap Obama. If she was the spouse of the "first black president" than why didn't she stand by Obama's and Rev. Wright's side when the right wing attacks began? Instead, she chose the low road in a campaign that was run against so many democratic principles I hold dear. As a 50 + feminist woman, I was initially tempted to vote for Hill, but after the mismanaged, misguided and downright offensive tactics of her and her husband, I don't think I could ever cast a vote for her again.
Dear Ms. Iscol,
Thank you for having the courage to speak up about the shameful treatment that has been meted out to Hillary Clinton -- and to all women.
vermontlaw
Yawn.
Yes, Hillary Clinton, the wife of the most successful Dem President since FDR, is the underdog.
You HRC supporters are worse than Bush supporters in your blind loyalty.
Think about it.
Double yawn
Not blind loyalty -just acknowleging the facts
Better Health care plan
Experience
Bill Clinton's successful leadership
Has won all the debates
Better foreign policy experience
No-Rezko,trinity church,Lobbyist Axelrod(Ill. Utilities)
Please do not demoralize the women of this nation by suggesting that Hillary Clinton somehow speaks for us all. She speaks for Hillary Clinton, apparently the only person who matters in her universe. I was actually a fan of hers at one point--now every time she opens her mouth, I can't hear anything over the sound of her own self-importance.
If you insist on standing behind a woman of great political strength, intelligence, and composure, I recommend Michelle Obama. Instead of insisting that the world is out to get her, Michelle is actually a voice of hope and reason. Take a quote from Dawn Teo's blog, for example: "Fear is the reason this country is where it is today. Fear is a useless emotion. Don't ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn't. Don't ever make decisions based on fear."
I'd take that over gas-tax holiday pandering, pro-war voting, assassination-laden ramblings, and Bosnia sniper fire any day.
AND... Black people are not divided about Obama. We could very well have been. We certainly have been in the past regarding other so-called black leaders. But not with Barack. WHY IS THAT? We support him by overwhelming margins because he is a decent, principled man of integrity with the best interest of the party and the nation at heart. If this female candidate had exhibited ANY of these qualities, then women would not be so painfully divided. And, If she had any class or decency -- any leadership qualities at all, the democratic party would not be so terribly fractured. If the tables were turned and Hillary led Barack in EVERY measure ever used for primary elctions, Barack would have graciously conceded weeks ago.
I DON"T CARE if you stay home, don't vote or vote for McCain. SO STOP YOUR CHILDISH THREATENING OF EVERYBODY. I care more that our democracy be preserved and that another election is not STOLEN from the American people -- so that our young people may still have a democracy, after this debacle, that they can BELIEVE in, honor and cherish. That is what is most important in the long run, no matter who wins the general in November.
I am a 58 year old white woman who has identified as a feminist since my teens. I have always hoped to see a woman as president and I have always been a supporter of the Clintons. But this year, we need statesmanship, respect for the law, and something more than a fifth-grader's concept of how to solve problems in the world. While I think Hillary would be an excellent president, and certainly a massive improvement over the current administration, Obama is the right man at this time in history. I have been so impressed with his conduct, while being dismayed and appalled by Hillary's path on the lowest of the low roads. I am so disgusted by her cheap shots and her innuendos and pandering, I would have a hard time casting a vote for her, on the chance she ended up being the nominee. It's time for her to bow out gracefully, though we haven't seen anything graceful or statesmanlike from her, yet.
Well said.
Hillary is the reason for Hillary's problems, not the media. There are many people, my wife and I among them, who would have been happy to vote for her, until she began running her campaign like a classic right wing smear operation. Her sense of entitlement and Machiavellian ambition have become more and more palpable. Instead of correcting course, she's become more outrageous, e.g., the "hard working, white voters" and RFK assassination comments. The media did not put those (and many other) words in her mouth. She contrived and articulated those tasteless and demagogic ideas herself.
I'm with many others I've heard say: 'enough with the Clintons and the Bushes'. It is truly time to put an end to our imperial presidency.
I think they dare because she feels entitled. After all, she is outraged because she owns the democratic party. Well, at least her husband does. Or used to. Or something.
She is terribly concerned about having all the votes counted. Not! She wants to pick and choose which votes count. She wants to change the rules she agreed to abide by because she does not like how it is going. She is in this for her, and only for her. Not you. Not me. Not any of the people she calls her supporters. Just her.
She is losing the elections. Now she wants to change the results. March, protest, buster, cry, say people are being sexist, change the rules. Whatever it takes.
I don't want a president like that.
a woman called her a Whore (Randi Rhodes)
You say woman are outraged, I agree most are. They are outraged that Hillary set the feminism movement back 2 decades.
Building her career around her Bill's posiiton she allowed herself to be demaned and ridiculed by her predator husband in order to achieve her goal. She attacked female victims of her husband. "She used the boys are ganging up on me" argument when she felt it would help her (Can you imagine Thatcher using that line ?)
61 % of USA believes she is a liar. That must include quite a few women.
HOW DARE YOU Jill write this pathetic sexist exscuse of a column
I was two-thirds of the way through this piece, chuckling to myself, before I realized--SHE'S NOT KIDDING! This isn't satire!
Who called Hillary a c**t? I know McCain called his wife that, but I missed it when some reporter or politician called Hillary that. Or is this just another Clintonista lie? Like Bosnian sniper fire? Like "my husband was still competeing for the nomination in June of 1992?" Like, "I rescued refugees in Bosnia?" Like "I was instrumental in settling Northern Ireland's troubles?" Like, "You always ask me the first question?" Like,"Words don't matter?"
Hillary sacrificed her dignity a long time ago in this campaign, when she first played the race card by saying that it took the big white President to make the black man's dreams come true. She is a bullshit artist pure and simple. The bloviating braggadocio of this poster doesn't stand up to the slughtest scrutiny. Hillary is a plitical failure. See ya!
Roger Stone, a democrat started a 527 called Citizens United Not Timid (C.U.N.T.)
Roger Stone is a Republican.
One of several articles after googling:
http://www
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