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.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
To me, BOTH Clintons are just wolves in sheep's clothing. Welfare-reform anyone? (And have YOU, Ms. I-love-the-Clintons Iscol ever had to get in line when you got two kids and no way to make a living??? It ain't funny, and I'd bet my life YOU never have. Clinton (or her supporters of YOUR ilk) have NO right to talk about what's UNfair when her (husband's) administration PUSHED this down the throats of our communities.
OR do you really BELIEVE that working-class women should just *have* to get married anyway--that it's OK to FORCE them into an (ecnomically dependent) marriage? That's what the Clintons forced into (economic) law, for millions of dignified people who love their children. Disproportionately brown people, at that.) How's THTA for 'first black president' bullshit?
How's THAT for FEMINISM??!
Yeh! Let's have Hilarious for Prez! Why, we'll even have ol' sleazy Bill in the background (the power behind the throne?) advising (or directing?)! But maybe he'll have more free time for offering a lollipop to naive groupies. And be more time to be careful about incriminating stains! "Those wimmen!"
now, BACK to THE BALLOT:
Obama is perceived and labelled and identifies as a member of a statistical MINORITY group (he's apowerful politician who if elected will NOT prioritize the economic interests of HIS group however, or he'll be imipeached. No one mentions this.)
Women per se (much less white women) are not at all a minority, when it comes to the electorate. We are easily more than half of the committed Democratic primary voters. This should've been an ASSET to her campaign, and she BOBBLED it big time, for anumber of reasons. But letting top-level international consultants decide FOR her what to say (and what 'the centrist guard' wants to hear) was probably the biggest. How the F*** is she a symbol of feminist strength or independence? With this dependence and meakness of mind? The Clinton II dynasty, the women who wouldn't have a political career had she not "stood by her man' for decades?
She could've run on her name, with a SELF-styled campaign which showed some progressive chutzpah somewhere--something. The direction of the political winds couldn't BE more obvious (it would be a campaign decision if nothing else), especially to someone as smart as her. But SHE COUDLN"T!! her campaign and even her policies (as with the Health Care charade 15 years ago) came up short, because SHE IS TOO BEHOLDEN to the CENTER. She is the DLC, the repub-wanna-bes. And she's campaigned like NIXON, for christ's sake!!
And give me a break, please. Just because you're old, female, and entitled with YOUR whiteness and economic power shouldn't mean you give yourself permission to be BLIND and DEAFENED: even YOU are not Hillary Clinton. Get off your faux-progressive horse, Ms. I'm-rich-and-pissed-off Iscol!! Stop sipping cocktails with teh Clintons- especially the one that makes you believe you're 'one of her.' It's clearly an opiate like no other.
In continuing to publically support her and her HEINOUS campaign (ignoring ALL of the questionable-at-best statements she's made) you make me lose respect for the organizations you supposedly represent. But I guess you only got in there because of your "family foundation"--precisely the kind of Democrat who benefits from Clintonesque center-guard politics.
Way to go, for the status quo, lady!!
I'll stop now so me and my generation can leave your aging, wealth-encrusted a$$ behind in this millenium. May you come to see some light through all your money.
Two things,
#1 It might have been said before... and I'm not planning on wading through 35 pages of comments to be sure, but Jill Iscol is NO average citizen who supports HRC. She is more of an inner-circle type, professional citizen who is very close to the Clintons. Please go ahead and Google her.
#2 I am a male, and to all the women who have posted here... nope, Ms Clinton and her followers such as Ms Iskol are in no way are representative of feminism to me. My understanding of feminism, just like the civil rights movement, is that it is about fairness for all. The Clinton campaign has done nothing to tarnish my view of those who believe in equal footing for everyone. Reading page after page of the female responses to Iscol's divisive post personally reaffirms my own belief that the feminist movement is a very good thing.
I agree! Hillary Clinton has been subject to some pretty disgusting and unjustifiable sexist remarks for many many years. She has had the opportunity to stand as an example to all women of how to beat the big boys on your merits. She has had the opportunity to stand up for issues of particular concern to women in a way that male leaders have not.
However, this will not be her legacy. As a former Hillary admirer, I feel betrayed and disgusted by her low-ball, opportunistic tactics and her willingness to overplay the victim card.
Her exploitation of women's anger, their fear of misogyny, and the economic struggles of single mothers -- along with her comfort level in courting racist voters -- has betrayed women. We have been sold out. We put our faith in her, and she blew it.
As I said in another post last night, I see the anger coming from many feminist-focused Clinton supporters as a less painful alternative to the disillusionment that would inevitably accompany a broader perspective.
Cute clip worth watching on You Tube called 'Young Hillary Clinton'
I agree. Here is my observation:
Instead of acting like elder statesmen and running a strong campaign with class and dignity, Hillary, her Husband and her Campaign started acting like "Thugs" when they realized she is not entitiled to the presidency, but has to work for it. The shock of losing turned on the Clinton Attack, Blame, Accuse Machine. Hillary just assumed she was going to be the nominee so she didn't have a cohesive message/plan or a team that could adjust and move forward; she has been playing catch up ever since Iowa.
Yes, some men in the media are stupid and have used less than flattering language, but you can't put that on Obama. He has been nothing but a gentlemen to Hillary; and he is still being a gentlemen. Hillary tried to make him play the political games of old and he just didn't fall for the okey doke. Case in point, the DNC spectacle that is going to take place this weekend. Hillary supporters will be out in full force to protest and make a lot of unnecessary noise while Obama's supporters (i hope) will do as he asks and not protest, but instead spend their time doing something constructive like registering voters in Virginia.
Be well, CF
You said it a lot better then I did. Thank you!!
Right on, Jill! I was a bit of an unconscious Democrat (left-leaning liberal Independent). However, I got told by Obama's supporters that that my vagina is full of sand, that I am irrelevant, and that I (who left Georgia because I couldn't stand the racism) am a racist when I asked 'what are his qualifications, exactly?'.
Wow. The Republicans couldn't have put together a better attack machine. Where's the unity?At first I was disenfranchised. Then I saw the guts and determination Hillary is exhibiting, and I got my fight back. I am 40, Californian, sipping a latte, a PhD, and should be in Obama's camp. But I am not. I am no sweetie. I send slews of emails to the misogynistic press. I am thrilled that we have moved so forward on racism, more than I ever hoped, but I am utterly appalled that it's not true for sexism. I am supporting Hillary to the end, and will vote McCain in the fall if need be. You told me you don't support me - why should I support you? In the absence of unity, I must vote on qualifications. McCain has 'em, and is centrist. Obama doesn't.
Would have been nice to be part of the unity movement, but the unity pony kicked me, and millions like me, to the curb. Don't expect us all to get in line for 'unity' now.
You will vote for McCain and have Roe v. Wade overturned, but it's the Obama supporters who are extreme?
If you can't see that there are very emotional and irrational supporters in both camps, you can't be objective. If you can see that, then dismissing Obama because of some of his supporters went overboard is ridiculous.
If you visit the Obama blogs, you will notice that any vitriol spewed there is met with many many calls for even-handedness. You cannot expect 1.5 million supporters to take the high road in unanimity.
Further, while I certainly do not believe all Clinton supporters are racist, there is certainly a small portion of her support which is coming from that angle. I reject any sexism from a fellow Obama supporter. Do you reject the racists in your flock?
How about that BILL, just two weeks ago that McCain opposed that would give women the right to sue employers who were not paying them the same as their male counterparts.
McCain said there would be too many law suits. Imagine.
Both Obama and Hillary made it back to the Senate to cast there ballot supporting this Bill....McCain could not be bothered.
The only way SHARONEVOLVING that you can vote for McCain is to just vote AGAINST Obama or to go back to being unconcious.....HILLARY WOULD NOT DO EITHER!!
You haven't been disenfranchised by anyone but yourself, I believe that you aren't a racist, but maybe you are the sexist against the progress of women. The proof is that you would vote for McCain who would wipe out women's reproductive rights, and beside that point no one called you a racist we said Hillary was playing the race card, not as a racist but as a political strategy. So I'm not calling you a sweetie, but like my sister who I love very much, I would hope you were a little more of a sweet heart
I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO THAT PEOPLE WHO POINT A FINGER OF JUDGEMENT DO SO BECAUSE THEY HATE SEEING IN OTHERS WHAT THEY DON'T LIKE IN THEMSELVES
SO PLEASE GET BACK TO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE COUNTRY, NOT FOR HILLARY. AND WHAT IS BEST FOR THIS COUNTRY AND YOU IS NOT McCAIN
does McCain represent your rights as a woman? voting out of spite instead of critical reflections of who represents your perspectives best results to throwing a tantrum because you did not get what you wanted. voting for mccain would mean you want women's rights taken away, you want roe v wade overturned, you want the war to continue indefinitely -- an illegal war and you dont want veterans who return from the war have the opportunity to pursue a higher education under the GI bill. is that what you really want?
Well I am a progressive Washingtonian, 54 year old Native American woman, a survivor, M. Ed., and I love my Mochas! Do you really believe that when Obama made reference to a young woman by calling her "sweety" means he's a sexist? With a wife like Michelle I have no doubt they have a very equal and respectful marriage. Unlike the Clintons. Do you actually believe that after Bill pulled his pants down in the White House and Hillary chose to "stand by her man" was considered a feminist thing to do? He humiliated her and his Presidency beyond words! Give me a break. Hillary's I am woman here me roar and I am being so victimized because I am woman is in VERY poor taste, desperate & if anything setting the feminist movement back a few years!
Please don't allow yourself to be swayed by trolls and overzelous Obama supporters. You don't know who is posting on an anonymous website/ blog. I sincerely hope you are not serious in that you would let a "sweetie" comment (almost immediately apologized for by Obama personally to the reporter).
Hillary has been equally derisive with her mocking of Obama's message of hope (remmber the "celestial choirs" routine?) and "shame on you" and the CIC test. Try to be evenhanded. Surely you can't be for endless war in Iraq, probable war with Iran and the overturning of Roe V Wade solely so that you can thumb your nose at Obama, because you don't like your treatment at the hands of a few fanatical supporters or Republican trolls trying to pass themselves off as Obama supporters. You will only be playing right into their hands. Please reconsider.
The biggest proof of sexism is that the ERRONEOUS Vitriole at the Nation matches the Radical Right Wing actions of the 1990 and the mysogenist hip hoppers.
And Obama's (And the Nation's) refusal to have allowed the Revote in Michigan when the refuting side (Hillary) provided the 14M when there was plenty of time to do it, show that the left is as fact free and bankrupt as the right.
First, get your facts straight. Hillary never had, nor offerred, the money to sponsor a revote in either Michigan or Florida. Her campaign has been broke for months!!
If she was so worried about the voters of Michigan and Florida before she decided she so desperately needed them, why didn't she say so last summer when the DNC made the rule stripping of delegates any state moving up its primary? She was too confident in her victory to say anything back then.
Google it. Find one instance before Super Tuesday, the day she lost the election, of Hillary Clinton clamoring for the voting rights of Michigan or Florida.
I'm really tired of hearing the argument that women are betraying the feminist movement by not voting for the female candidate, as if feminism required blind allegience to any woman running for office. If that's the case, shouldn't Katherine Harris be the junior Senator from Florida by now?
Maybe I'm wrong, but doesn't feminism mean that women are able to make their own choices? If so, why is it beyond the realm of comprehension that many women might examine Senator Clinton's record on Iraq, her vote for the Kyl-Lieberman bill, her statement about obliterating Iran, and the mismangement of her presidential campaign and decide for themselves that she is not the best candidate for the job?
As usual, you overstate....Some women are outraged, some women are just tired of the drama. This 47 year old women is tired of the drama. Your outrage is so overstated, in my opinion, that it invalidates whatever it is you think Senator Clinton has done for women.
"This is not the party I thought I belonged to."
Clearly not. Our party is about calm, rational thought, not hysterical identity politics.
"This is not the party I thought I belonged to. This is not the party that espouses fairness, justice and equality for all."
Really? This is the party that wants to provide health care to all or almost all Americans. This is the party that wants to end the right-wing class warfare known as the tax code, and rebuild the middle class. This is the party that wants to reestablish habeus corpus, civil liberties, and the rule of law. And because you are not getting your way you think it no longer espouses those core rights we all hold so dear?
How childish.
"This is not the party that elected Bill Clinton President in 1992 and 1996 and Hillary Clinton as Senator in 2000 and 2006."
AHA! Now we reach the real argument. Things are changing! The younger, smarter folks are selecting the better candidate instead of going by seniority! Why can't we keep the Boomer Dynasty in power for 30 more years?
"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."
You are living in a fantasy land similar to the President's.
Our party is about calm, rational thought, not hysterical identity politics.
Brilliant!
Firstly, as a woman close to 60 you do not speak for me. How can you or any other female supporter condone the behavior that her own husband imposed upon her, yet be outraged over words that most of us haven't heard adddressed towards her? It simply don't make sense because actions speak louder than words. ( On a side note not making light of some who are insensitive to females, but surely Sen. Obama has had his share of comments regarding the color of his skin).
To my knowledge no one is disputing the positive works the Clintons have done, however, that doesn't nullify their negatives. I think sometimes when supporters of Sen. Clinton that make posts/blog here trying to convince or plead their case to the readers, they forget the audience they are speaking to, mainly educated. Unfortunately, Sen. Clinton with the help of her husband have sunk their own ship. Summation: (1) poor campaign planning occurred; (2) campaign style/message didn't move people; (3) this is about more than what she, you and others perceive is destined, entitled to; (4) blackmail, threats, and fear tactics don't work; (5) disenfranchizing caucuses, and those who followed rules and did not vote in Fl/Mi; and (6) unable to to take responsiblity and admit when wrong instead of blaming others. If you perceive that when people disagree with the Clintons is wrong, disrespectful etc. so be it, I see it differently.
wow! Excellent okayigive! excellent, excellent points. I particulary love this line: How can you or any other female supporter condone the behavior that her own husband imposed upon her, yet be outraged over words that most of us haven't heard adddressed towards her?
Get over your "feminist" self. I am sick to death of hearing about how Hillary was mistreated. Bu(( sh1+!. It is over for the old centrist guard who support Bill and Hillary. Bill and Hill own the DNC.
Let me ask you, how in the hell could a woman who has been groomed to be the first female POTUS for two decades be losing to a young unknown-Obama? She was so sure she had it in the can, could not lose, that she kinda just blew off organizing a real campaign. She feels entitled to the job.
Well, guess what? Someone came along who is not part of the OLD GUARD DC pols. Obama presents a fresh face for change and girl do we ever need change.
Hillary has been going around lying her ass off about Obama. She suggested he is not a Christian. That helped her win over the bigots in Eastern Ky and W. VA, and Ohio, where people are suffering from the very votes Hill cast. They vote against their best interest, just as many did when they voted for BUSH.
Bill started the whole racist tract and Obama tried to ignore them. Now they try to avoid the blame for injecting race into the game and blame OBAMA!. The nerve of Bill and Hill is stunning.
Bill and hill want this so bad they can taste it. We all once supported them both. They are corrupted by their desire for power.
I never thought that Hillary Clinton was much of a feminist. I also thought so far as her personal life with Bill as her husband and his cheating should not be tolerated by her. But it is her personal
life not mine. I think Hillary is a smart and strong women, how else could she put up with the
primaries the way she has. It wasn't always so negative, only after it became the obsession of the
press that Obama was so popular and getting the most the most money. Money talks, and many
Washington insiders preferred him to Hillary, so now he has caught up with her and past her on
Superdelegates, that probably will continue. With Obama, we get the celebrity candidate, that seems
to be what people want instead of a serious candidate, with real ideas and plans.
obama's ideas and plans are very similar to hillary's. what are your benchmarks for a "serious" candidate?
so are you saying her ideas are not real or his ideas are not real????
Because if you are saying his ideas are not real and that she is smart or she wouldn't have lasted as long as she has THEN clearly we are looking at another race---like in bizarro world.
Her money is gone
She has mismanaged a campaign so BADLY that I think there is NO WAY she could manage a nation. Obama's team is AWESOME...I mean EXCELLENT business skills working there...I was afraid of his inexperience but have been blown away with his intelligence to put smart people around him. That is hella teamwork...I digress, sorry
Celebrity with intelligence, integrity, thinker outside the box, savvy, and a leader...alessan I'll take that!!!!!
To:
Coollbreeze
BronxRobb
Anney
YVAUGHN
ATLIBERAL
dawlishgal
Beachchick
Nightwind928
Rjchinook
"No matter how this primary ends, Senator Clinton has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed the America in which my daughters and yours will come of age. And for that we are grateful to her."
THIS DIRECT QUOTE MADE BY OBAMA SHOWS HOW SEXIST THIS RACE HAS BEEN. These remarks are unacceptable rhetoric remnants of the '70's. They also indicate how out of touch Obama is about the progress of women.
Now let's insert Obama's name and see just how inappropriate this sounds:
No matter how this primary ends, Senator Obama has shattered myths and broken barriers and changed the America in which many young black men will come of age. And for that we are grateful to him.
How do you think the media would have reacted to that statement?
It sounds absolutely fine both ways. Sorry. I'm a woman and I just don't get the outrage.
I supported Hillary at first. I have long admired her and Bill. I don't anymore.
She lost me through her undignified behavior, her smearing of the other candidate, her willingness to say anything to win, her praise for McCain, and her ridiculous switch on Michigan and Florida once she realized she needed them to win. These things have nothing to do with the media and nothing to do with sexism.
As women, we need to take responsibility for our own lives and stop bleating 'victim' every time one of our screw-ups catches up with us.
Thank you. Exactly.
My women friends are outraged that HRC has played the "poor me" card with her whining that those mean old men have mistreated her.
That's not the feminism they fought for in the '60s and '70s, which is one of strength, not one of looking for an inside track. One said to me that "HRC's brand of feminism isn't far from wearing a short skirt or playing weak to get a promotion."
The outrage is this: Sen. Clinton has already made History. This is a patronizing remark and when reversed would have been seen as patently racist.
Er... it would actually have been kind of true. You don't think it's been widely publicized that both candidates are running historic campaigns? What if Bill Clinton had made the comment about Hillary rather than Obama? Fact is, you're looking for reasons to hate Obama so every time he opens his mouth you're determined to find one.
Sorry, you're way off. Both statements seem absolutely valid. Senator Obama's statement mirrors the same thing that the Clintons themselves have said many, many, times.
Ditto!
So he's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't then, I take it.
huh? sounds fine both ways, learn some sense
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
