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Marc Cooper

Marc Cooper

Posted: January 24, 2008 12:18 AM

Hillary's Electabilty -- Bill's Procilivity


Hillary Clinton may argue she's the most electable. But hubby Bill is certainly the most delectable. At least from a Republican point of view. Does anybody really believe that if Hillary's the nominee, Slick Willie's post-presidential sex life won't be fully unzipped by the time Flag Day rolls around?

By now you know Hillary's spiel. She's the one who's battle-tested. She's the one who's been dishing it back to Republicans for 16 years (or is it 35?). Only she can withstand the certain-to-come, withering, blistering attack that will be unleashed by the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.

Well, I'm ready to buy the second half of that equation. I have little doubt that whomever the Republican candidate turns out to be, he will wage a campaign just as bare-knuckled, just as amoral, just as ruthless and probably more so than the current quest by Billary to take out Obama.

But that first part? That Hillary's best-suited to withstand the heat of the flamethrowers because, among other qualities -- we're told -- there's nothing left to discover about her. There couldn't possibly be any new dirt about her to dish that hasn't already been sifted through a dozen times in public. She's safe, sanitized, inoculated and inert.

I'll buy that too.

But what about Bill?

Who out there reading this is willing to guess that there's nothing new to probe about his activities since he left office? Count me out, please. And while we're speaking of counting, the numbers I've heard out on the campaign trail have ranged from 5 to 10 and even twice that number. Is there any verification of this? Certainly not.

How long, however, will it take for whatever dirt there is to come rushing to the headlines as soon as it is politically convenient? We already are seeing the first not-so-subtle hints.

Will it be revolting that Bill's seemingly uncontrollable proclivities (and uncontrollable is the word I've heard applied to him from within the Hillary campaign) will be splashed across the tube? For sure. As disgusting as his own behavior has been.

Is it unfortunate, even sad, that one's personal life can be become a national political issue? Usually, I'd say (except, of course, when the public figure in question pretty much guarantees the eruption of scandal). We can debate for years and finally agree or disagree that these sort of matters are part of the legitimate debate. That they actually are has become undeniable.

Back in 1988, Bill Clinton wanted to take a run for the White House. And he balked not for the reasons he now claims -- that he was too green. Any student of the Clinton Dynasty knows that the Bimbo Question just wasn't under enough control at the time and he was dissuaded from taking the risk. Even when he waited four more years to run, after his staff and cronies had rounded up all the babes they could and persuaded and cajoled them to stay mum, Gennifer Flowers still almost sacked him. The rest, my friends, is history.

It also threatens to become our future.

 
 
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08:18 PM on 01/30/2008
The unmitigated smearing of Hillary is beginning to get frightening. The GOP is as giddy as the Obama supporters. As Obama has said, the Republicans are the ones with all the ideas. It looks as if Obama could be one of their ideas. Rupert Murdock, Carl Rove to name a couple of Obama boosters.

However you feel about Obama or Hillary, how is this smearing/annointing good for the Democrats? Even if you believe that Obama is a pretty decent candidate, how does any of this hysteria that compares him to JFK make any sense to anyone? Why is Obama being cast as a mythical prodigal son? What is the essense of all this dilerious hype? It has the feel of group hypnotism: have another glass of cool-aid. Good solid candidate, or the second coming...you pick.
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StillAmused
Some mayo on that troll, please...
06:09 PM on 01/25/2008
So, uh... let's see -- you quote a gossip site which, in turn, quotes a T&A site... and you expect to be taken seriously?

Glad you have your sights focused on weighty matters of state... just try to suppress the giggles.
02:35 PM on 01/25/2008
Is this smear and smut campaign of the Obamites really the best tactic? Does anyone remember in the 90s, the more the Republicans reviled Clinton the more the public loved him?

Now that Obama supporters are doing the same thing, who do you think is going to look bad?

Has anyone taken a look at the polls in the 20 states that vote on Feb. 5? The way it looks now, Clinton is going to squash her rivals like bugs. Maybe the entire country will go, "OMG, Obama won South Carolina, I will have to vote just like them," but I doubt it.
10:13 AM on 01/25/2008
Having been subjected to a non ending barage of conjecture,hypotheticals,self anointed expert predicters,for countless months now,I have placed myself in a self induced moratorium,when it comes to reading,viewing,or listening to the never ending barage of primary refuse.
I simply refuse to subject myself to any more of this utter bullshit.There is not a single candidate out there who does not have feet of clay.
In the final analysis,I hope to(and I use the words guardedly)hold my nose and vote for Hillary Clinton,because she will adress at least two very important issues the way I think they should be adressed;They are a woman's control of her body and reproductive system,and putting another giant hole in the anti femenism glass ceiling so pervasive throughout the world.
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unionave
Old Codger
09:59 AM on 01/25/2008
Has any one looked at the picture of Mr ("I did not have sex with that woman") Clinton signing the welfare reform bill . Take a good look at that picture and see what kind of people they are .
09:56 AM on 01/25/2008
MESSAGE FROM AN EX-CLINTONITE

The Democrats are a bunch of Co-Dependent Enablers. They have been defending the Clintons for decades now and they are unable to stop. I know because I once was one of them. I am embarassed now that I was mindlessly defending them. I would shout out to whoever would listen that it was okay to lie about a BJ because that was his personal business. I would not allow myself to think about the fact that this was a very young White House Intern and that the inappropriate actions were actually performed in the White House. Nor could I allow myself to think anything wrong with securing Monica a position with another agency (what else was he to do?). And the list goes on, and on, and still I turned a blind eye. Was I under some sort of spell? Would I ever have allowed a Republican to get away with that? NO!! I feel cheap and used.

I also have a feeling of deja vu. It feels like it did when Dubya was able to twice win the White House. I wondered what they could possibly be thinking. How can so many people blindly vote this man? And the Clintons seem to have the same ability to be defended by the masses. The public jumps on the fact that Obama is praising Reagan, even though it's untrue, and when it's pointed out that both Bill and Hillary are on record as saying positive things about Reagan's foreign and economic policies, that doesn't phase the Dems. Why? Because they are simply looking for a reason to defend the Clintons. Bottom line is it doesn't matter what the issues are. People WANT to vote for the Clintons. People WANT to believe the best about them, and once they're in that mind set, there is no way to overcome it. Watch how many Clintonites will defend them here in these blogs.
09:16 AM on 01/25/2008
I posted this in a late response to a previous pro Hillary blog but I believe this is an important reason to be afraid of a Clinton presidency. Although I am loath to support any of John McCain's Neocon beliefs, I trust him more than Hillary to at least provide some level of Constitutional protections. Given the capitulation of the Dems and Repubs on the Constitution we are faced with a Hobson's Choice. A review of the Clinton's willingness to use whatever power available to squash however small a voice leaves me terrified of the consequences of Hillary as President. (Note, the use of the IRS to attack the young girl who posed the question to Gore about Clinton and Bonita Broderick during the 2000 election.)
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
PerryLogan
We don't want your guns. We just want your women.
06:28 AM on 01/25/2008
Since Bill Clinton's poll numbers went up whenever the Republicans smeared him, let's hope they make the same mistake again.
03:18 AM on 01/25/2008
"If we really believe there is a difference between our values and the Republicans', then let's *live* those values. Winning means nothing if we become Republicans ourselves."

This coming from a pro-Clinton comment! You've got to be kidding! The Clintons are the very essense of Republican Karl-Rovian-sleeze in how they're running their campaign against their fellow Democrat! I'll vote for them when hell freezes over, which in view of global warming...
01:17 AM on 01/25/2008
When Bill Clinton points his finger and says "shame on you" to the reporters, I have to say, "shame on THEM? -- wait a minute, who created all those great Republican talking points for Bush's 2000 election? Who does not know the meaning of the word shame?"

And speaking of "fairy tales", perhaps Prince Charming Bill should kiss and awaken his Sleeping Beauty Hillary from her coronation dream and leave the political arena to those candidates grounded in reality.

If the Clintons think we're not all going to be subjected to all-Monica, all-the-time, non-stop sound bites, they're not in touch with reality.
12:04 AM on 01/25/2008
What is "procilivity"? (as written in the story headline) I couldn't find it in a dictionary. It's funny how supposedly "pro" writers can't even proof-read their own Poof!
11:40 PM on 01/24/2008
It's tragic how Obama supporters cannot handle their angel baby being tarnished. When his underbelly shows he is less than perfect, then they have to attack the messenger, all the while declaring they are just couriers of the real truth. The fact that Obama is just another power hungry, egocentric politician goes against their projected image of him. It is sad.
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eddiestardust
09:06 PM on 01/24/2008
Just when you thought it was safe...:(

SHAME On you for even bringing this up..
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DonRoberto
08:56 PM on 01/24/2008
"Slick Willie"?

For God's sake, make your point if you have one, but PLEASE lay off echoing the GOP talking points or repeating the latest bit from the Rush Limbaugh Show.

Like it or not, America was better off under the Clintons than it has been for quite a while before or since. Love them if you dare, hate them if you have to, but however you feel, why not display a little class for a change and show them some respect? Your digs and slams say a lot more about *you* personally than they do about the Clintons, politics, or any other subject.

If we really believe there is a difference between our values and the Republicans', then let's *live* those values. Winning means nothing if we become Republicans ourselves.
08:43 PM on 01/24/2008
Marc, lets look at this quote from your blog:
"just as bare-knuckled, just as amoral, just as ruthless and probably more so than the current quest by Billary to take out Obama." I've been watching the same campaign, and I don't see what you see. what I see are TWO campaigns now locked in a battle of hyperbole. While I would prefer a battle of ideas over a battle of semantics, this is what the media wishes for and reports. But I really dont get is where people think Obama is innocent in all this. He plays the game the same way, I just think to many people are blinded by devotion for him and hatred for Hillary to see it. Barack Obama has my vote in November when he gets the nomination because I do believe he would do a better job as President than any Repug running, and if getting his head handed to him in this primary helps prepare him for the onslaught of Repug tactics in the national election, all the better.