If The Shoe Fits

I felt Keith Olberman's, uh, well, let's just say it, rant about Hilary Clinton the other day couldn't have framed more succinctly the odious behavior she's displayed and how far down she's sunk in her quest for the nomination.

I only know what I see on TV or hear on NPR. I'm just not gonna fact check each candidate's claims about their accomplishments. But no matter what claims either candidate's critics may make about 'lack of real experience', or 'what bills have they ever actually written or gotten passed?' that only furthers the notion they're both starting from equal footing. And if that's the case, I know who I want my candidate to be.

So what if Hilary is a woman? Why does she have to be THIS woman? A woman who is so transparently pandering to every constituency that she seems to adopt a slight accent or physical nuance to align herself with the state she's trying to woo. She's a one-woman band, with folksy personal anecdotes to fit every issue. Who would have thought that Hilary went duck huntin' with her pappy? But don't call her out on these manipulative antics or she might label you an elitist. That seems to be the most popular rejoinder against an intelligent argument.

And don't even get me started about her 'hanging in there' till June. Some admire her tenacity; I see it as stalker mentality. Either that, or the compulsive gambler who won't leave the casino because it has so much of her money, if she can just 'hang in there' ...

Her campaign often goes back to statements about how her behavior would be tolerated in a man. Crap. The aberrant assertion that her insistence on staying in the race shows guts is like McCain saying 'we won't surrender in Iraq"! Arrgghh!!!

I don't support Obama because I don't like Hilary. I never liked her and I'm ashamed to say that I voted for her in the primary, kicking and screaming all the way because Edwards was out of the race and at that point I didn't have any impression of Obama to go on. Later, seeing the way he conducted himself in the debates, it became clear to me that the guy was smart, level headed and I liked his positions. The infantile attempts to undermine him with "bittergate" were infuriating. Yes, the Reverend Wright business isn't good. But if I were to choose between 'political animals', and Obama's involvement in Wright's church was clearly political, I would choose him over Hilary whose antics have become more repulsive as time goes on. I agree with Keith Olberman's outrage about her statements regarding Robert Kennedy's assassination "In THIS America?" How dare you!

What will you do if the nut cases you tried to cue didn't take the hint?

Comments

[standard]

Ms. Newman--

That was not just succinct, but wonderfully cogent.

Thank you for that post--and for troubling to respond to some of your commenters.

I (probably, all of us) enjoyed your work back on SNL, appreciate your thinking here, and can only infer that you're an awesome mom, as well.

Welcome to this piece of the fight!

--an old, East coast white guy

[LaraineNewman]

thanks standard

[McFlipFlop]

Thanks Laraine! I especially love this line, "But don't call her out on these manipulative antics or she might label you an elitist. That seems to be the most popular rejoinder against an intelligent argument."

For Clinton to take the Bittergate remarks and use them against Obama, sending press releases to every news outlet, and then to take the stage and call Obama 'elitist' and 'out of touch' -- this was the absolute height of hypocrisy. That's the same word (elitist) that the Republicans have used to bring down Democrats in the last two elections, and it's Rush Limbaugh's favorite slander against liberals.

I was in the ABH (anybody but Hillary) camp from the beginning. I was worried, actually fearful, last summer when the media was pronouncing her the inevitable winner. How could anyone not see what a horror she is? All ambition and no tact. Her votes for the war, for Kyl-Lieberman, for cluster bombs, and her cosponsorship of a bill to criminalize flag-burning -- oh my. This is no progressive!

And now, I'm overjoyed that Obama has prevailed! What an incredible candidate we have!

And as a 51 year old white Texas female, I have had enough of being embarrassed by our President. Hillary would have been a disaster.

[osteoclast]

Laraine,
My all time favorite SNL sketch:
"Vito, you're blocking!"
PS
Couldn't agree with your post more.

[verlaine]

Ms. Newman,
Thanks for echoing my sentiments!! Olbermann said what needed to be said. Hillary would rather go out in a blaze of glory like James Cagney in White Heat than bow out gracefully. She has no shame and no moral compas. I loved your work on SNL. SNL today can't compare to the years 1975-1980.

[SCurry713]

Any chance we sould just send her a "candygram"?

[LaraineNewman]

Aaaahh! "Top of the world, ma!"

[boltaflex]

Hillary Clinton suffers from Womanifest Destiny.

[LSP]

"A woman who is so transparently pandering to every constituency that she seems to adopt a slight accent or physical nuance to align herself with the state she's trying to woo."

That's funny. I never noticed that. But I sure did notice Barack Obama's accent change a lot, depending on whether he was speaking before a mostly white audience or a mostly black audience.

[Stranded]

Wow, Ms. Newman, I'm a huge fan of your SNL work and have missed you for many years. You permanently shaped Amy Carter for me, and I hope she's managed to recover from that! I'm glad to find you back in public, and it's great to see that we totally agree about Hillary.

[nton]

Amen nice to see u on Huffpost Laraine so this is where the smart SNL alumni hang out...

[Grace2008]

Bravo, Ms. Newman. As a woman of color, your post renews my belief that surely there must be SOME smart, mature white women in this electorate. Thank you.

[candyc]

Grace2008- There are millions of very smart mature white women determined to see Barak as our new president. Imagine how frustrating it is for us to always be lumped together with those incredibly unhinged Hillary women? 59. white. female. Obama 08!

[wisechild]

Thanks so much, Laraine for a thoughtful and right on post!

Your voice is much appreciated.

I struggle with my feelings about this for weeks now since unlike you I actually liked Hillary and felt in the 90's that one day she could be president.

I do not recognize her. Maybe she was always manufactured to fit the moment and because she was often under attack by the 'vast right wing minority' it was hard to see 'her'.

Her behavior is appallingly Lady MacBeth.

Her ambition knows no bounds and her manner is graceless and tasteless.

I wonder how it will all end. In contrast Obama is more and more statesman-like each day as he deals with reality.

My wish for us all is the Clinton cleansing from the national political scene comes soon and a harsh reality check along with it.

Nothing is given that is not earned anymore. Clearly Hillary has earned where she is by her own hand.

[LaraineNewman]

"Maybe she was always manufactured to fit the moment". That's my sense of it. Have you heard the expression "there's no 'there' there?" She seems to have been stripped of everything but her
essence: ambition.

[SethBLiNK]

"And don't even get me started about her 'hanging in there' till June. Some admire her tenacity; I see it as stalker mentality. Either that, or the compulsive gambler who won't leave the casino because it has so much of her money, if she can just 'hang in there' ..."

Nice description.

Here is my worry. Everybody needs somebody close to them to tell them how bad they look when nobody else will tell them. Hillary is either surrounded by yes-people or by smart people whom she is ignoring. This is evident by the way she ran her campaign and now by how she is concluding it (or not).

We already have a President who only hires advisors who will agree with him and refuses advice that might be helpful. The McClennen mess is just the tip of the iceberg. Who knows how many far more important people (Colin Powell) either withheld their best wisdom from Bush because it would be ignored or shared it... and were ignored.

There is too much at stake for another presidency like that. We need a leader who will bring together the best minds and put them to the best use. Call it a Team of Rivals or The Best and the Brightest, whatever it is, we don't have it now, and Hillary isn't going to give it to us.

[skip4Obama]

It was great great to read your post and hear the 'sane" way you expressed your opinion. My hat is off to you!

[LaraineNewman]

thanks Skip4Obama.

[burnt]

"...the compulsive gambler who won't leave the casino because it has so much of her money, if she can just 'hang in there' "

HA! Some days there are just so many good posts on Huffington, that I can't believe my fortune to be able to live in "interesting times". Yours is near the top. Thanks for a considered response to the Clinton Party's consistent abuse of the electorate's intelligence. The division and destruction of the Democratic Party MUST stop if we are to realistically heal and face the Republican ruin.

Thank you very much Laraine.

[SeriousBlack]

Nice to see you on HuffPost, Laraine! And btw I LOVED everything you ever did on SNL.

[LaraineNewman]

aw shux.

[Arleen1]

Hillary is a chameleon. How can anyone trust someone like her. Her tactics are every day confirming that Her presidency is something to be feared. If she can be so single minded and not take feedback or recognize what the American people want by their not financing her campaign, be afraid, be very afraid. George Bush is bad with the EVIL CHENEY and DESPICABLE CARL ROVE behind him, but Hillary and Bill together, you will see more plane crashes, suicidal friends and acquaintances and not to mention foes. She and her husband are capable of anything to win this nomination. There are so many unresolved mysteries surrounding them. I don't want her on the ticket with Obama. She has not earned it.