Hooked on Hillary

I would like to put myself among the growing chorus of people demanding that Hillary Clinton withdraw from the election. I don't really think it's fair to ask her to withdraw, and I certainly don't believe she's going to; she'll hang in there till the last dog dies, or till she runs out of money, whichever comes first. I'm not asking her to withdraw because I prefer Obama, and I don't think she should withdraw "for the sake of party unity," or whatever current bromide is being flung at her to get her to pull out. I think she should withdraw because I'm losing my mind.

Don't get me wrong, this primary election has been swell. Like Michelle Obama, I feel proud of my country for the first time in a long time. I loved Dennis Kucinich, and I had a big sneaker for Chris Dodd. But now that we're down to two contenders, it's turned into an unending last episode of Survivor. They're eating rats and they're frying bugs, and they're frying rats and they're eating bugs; no one is ever going to get off the island and I can't take it any more.

I am particularly sensitive to this because I'm a woman of a certain age, and this means that part of the pie that passes for my brain contains a large slice called Hillary. I've been thinking about her in a fairly pathological way ever since 1992 and dreaming about her as well. She is me, and then again she's not. I used to love her and I no longer do, but unlike what usually happens when love dies, I still think about her far too much. When she tells a big lie, like her recent Bosnia episode, I can lose hours trying to figure out why. I mean, why? Was it one of those things that she'd said so often that she'd come to believe it? Was it a story that had worked in the past so she thought she'd gotten away with it? Did she honestly think that no one would rat her out? Does she not understand that if you're famous, there's almost nothing you do that someone doesn't have a picture of? I have no idea what the answer is to any of this because I'm not a liar and she is. (By the way, I don't think she was always a liar, the way some kids are born liars and never get over it. I think she was once a truthful person and her lying skills were forged in the early years of her marriage, forged in the crucible of Bill's infidelities and in her role as point person in dealing with them. This is what happens when you marry a narcissist: he spills the milk, you clean it up and your love grows. And then you end up a liar, just like him.)

But the point is that it doesn't matter why Hillary lied; what matters is that I'm hooked on Hillary and on the Rorschach process that defines my relationship with her: she does something, I spend far too much time thinking about it, I superimpose my life and my choices onto hers, I decide how I feel about what she's done, I bore friends witless with my theories, and then, instead of moving on, I'm confronted with yet another episode of her behavior and am forced to devote more hours to developing new theories about her behavior. I don't have time for this.

I understand that asking Hillary to withdraw from the race has more to do with me than it does with her, but that's my point.

Comments

[kmdippenger]

Nora, I was relieved to read this blog. I'm also a woman of a certain age but decided quite a while ago that Hillary did not represent me. I feel like she addresses the American people as children and in so doing shows that we'd have more years of arrogance and a government anything but transparent.
Why any woman would want condescension when our first woman president should lift the dialogue among both women and men is beyond me.

[scooperss]

Unlike you I never loved hillary but as for the rest of your post, I couldn't agree more. I too spend a lot of time thinking about her and my thoughts are getting more and more negative as my distrust for her grows.

[spacealien]

LOL. Well written post! I've gone from detesting Hillz's Huckabee-like position to actually enjoying her. The longer she stays in the race the more material you get. She is hillarious and completely delusional, she's a guilty pleasure (but substitute guilt with loathing), you know its not right but you can't stop watching!!

[mickyx65it]

Hooked on hookers? Not my cup of tea.

[NoraFan2008]

I live in Michigan and I have to say that every single politician in this state is flat out retarded. No one knows how to run anything correctly. Our state government is full of overly corrupt officials, far worse than the Eliot Spitzers and Larry Craigs that everyone is making such a fuss about. Our economy along with Florida's are the worst in the nation, and it's no wonder why. I wish the national news would quit whining about the Michigan vote - honestly, if you were more informed about us you probably wouldn't want it, based on the people we've elected to our state and local government so far. We've elected snakes like Jennifer Granholm and Kwami Kilpatrick TWICE into office - people who know exactly how to charm the media while playing everyone for fools and getting nothing done, taking credit for things they did not do, and taking money that is not theirs.

[VJCMAJD]

Unlike punching up a "war" story to stimulate your listeners, the following documented misstatements by Barack Obama go to electability, and are disturbing for a variety of reasons:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/129895
http://www.newsweek.com/id/129976/page/1
http://facts.hillaryhub.com/archive/?id=6817
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9269.html
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0308/9049.html
http://hillbuzz.blogspot.com/2008/03/obama-linked-to-health-board-fraud-in.html
http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=88988093&m=89022287

[cyndeewi]

You must have not read been to the places that you put down VJcmajd, because it all bears out that Obama is he best choice. I would debunk all of it and make you look like a fool but I will leave you with just this one for now. Read and weep because you vote will be the only one for your Lying Hilly.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120726769569388303.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news

[StephenJK]

Well, it wouldn't really be VJ that you make look like a fool. Seeing as how he simply provided links. I would like to see an effort on your part to debunk, especially, the first two Factcheck.org entries.

And exactly what is your link attempting to prove? That Mark Penn works for someone who has been contracted by the Columbian government? That he is a person who negotiates with high level diplomats? I'm just not sure what your point is. If you had one at all.

[ProWarDem]

"Like Michelle Obama, I feel proud of my country for the first time in a long time. I loved Dennis Kucinich".

Didn't need to read much more than that before hitting the back button

[ChimpmasterDJ]

If you'd hit the back button, you wouldn't have posted, Fool!

BTW, ProWarDem, how do you feel about your gal's latest whopper? She now decided she was "against the war before Obama"... In other words, she was against it before she voted for it.

[ssally]

Maybe Michigan and Florida residents should be more careful who they put in office to run their state. They have no one to blame but their own leaders that allowed this to happen? They were told what would happen and chose to go forward with changing the dates anyway. Bill and Hillary did not voice any objections until it was obvious they weren't entitled to the nomination.

[kroses98]

And Hillary signed on the dotted line, agreeing to the rules, BEFORE she was losing. NOW, she says, "IT ISN'T FAIR!" Because she cannot take responsibility for her own failures, she ALWAYS has to blame it on something or someone else! That's how she operates! We ALL know that!!!

[StephenJK]

Heh, Hillary and Bill Clinton aren't the only ones crying fairplay. Just ask Florida and Michigan voters. I'm sure you'll hear the same "sob story" from them. They were hoodwinked. They were bamboozled.

[EDGAR]

HILL AND BILL THINKS THE PUBLIC CAN BE FOOLED MY I AM THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB AND NO ONE CAN DO THE JOB BETTER THAN HILL. WHAT BULL S.

[kroses98]

That's because in the 90's, people were taken in by their "SPIN!" NO MORE!!! We are a sadder, but wiser lot these days, and we will no longer enable this "poor excuse" for a power couple!

[k8k9]

well said

we oughta be voting for the best human for the job - the one who displays integrity even when it isn't popular. she's not the one, folks.

[myskylark]

What a vicious diatribe!

There are other explanations for the Bosnia statement besides lying, and being a writer you may even have come across the phenomenon of false memory.
But heaven forbid that you would even consider a non-lying explanation, because rule number one for elite Hillary Haters is to assume the very worst scenario possible wherever Hillary is concerned. And by all means, indulge to your heart's delight in all the ridiculous psychobabble you can fit on a page.

It's really too bad that Hillary remaining in the race causes you such discomfort, but I feel as much, if not more discomfort at the thought of having the media, and the party big shots pushing her out before the end of the process.

And while you're having such a blast labeling Hillary a liar, why not take a little time-out and carefully examine your idol Obama's lies in this campaign. They are many.

[msirt]

So, what's your non-lying explanation, then?

[JDS]

Yes, please enlighten us. Is it simply delusional? Outright hubris? So overcome by entitlement that nothing else matters?

Didn't Chelsea say "Hey Mom, you know I was there too and I don't remember it that way.

Please. If Obama exhibited this behavior you people would be all over it and suggest that he check himself into an asylum. It's a testiment to the Clintons' voraciousness that they are still able to float the Rev. Wright issue an largelly get a pass on this.

[alamantra]

Once upon a time, waaayyy back in the early 90s, I admired the Clintons. I wasn't always a Hillary Hater. When Bill Clinton ran, I voted for him. I even knew that BIll was a womanizer. After all, I'd seen the Geraldo show when he had "Sweet, sweet Connie" from Arkansas tallking about the time she almost got it on with her governor, (but they couldn't find a private spot and time was short.) So, Lewinsky, Flowers et al were not a surprise. But eventuall, Bill's "Lonesome Roads" qualities became apparent enough, and Hillary chose to "stand by her man." On her site Hillary calls herself a "champion for women" ...I've seen better.
I simply prefer Obama over Hillary Clinton ---and her narcissist , womanizing, word-batting*, hot-headed, dominator husband. ("Two for the price of one.")

* "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is. If the--if he--if 'is' means is and never has been, that is not--that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement....Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true."

[mjc]

Thanks for your post, myskylark. I am sure some of these Obamacons know very well that Obama has lied but they only see out of one eye, and that is blinded by demagogery. I'm having a tough time posting anything critical on this site. What a surprise?

[cyndeewi]

Thank myskylark for yourself. I looked at all of it and most of it is lies. Just typical of you Hilly people.

[WebDeb]

Yes, I am certain her memories about her support for NAFTA were, "fuzzy" as well. Maybe she was tired when she shoved that down the throats of Ohioans during the primary? And, the Irish peace process? Maybe she "dreamed" she was instrumental in the process. And thus, she once again mis-spoke. And, SCHIP? Oh, that's right, she simply mis-spoke again. My daughter mis-spoke once about being at the mall instead of a friends house. I guess I shouldn't have grounded her. Now you have me thinking that maybe she just had a "false memory" like Hillary.

I would think that there were enough "false memories" floating around during the Bush administration, and enough "mis-spoken" statements that you wouldn't want to hear that for another 4 years. But not that you have reassured us all the it isn't the same as lying..... whewwwwww! Glad we dodged the bullet on that. History will now have to be re-written about the Clinton administration as well. I guess Bill just "mis-spoke" about his involvement with Lewinsky.

[mrdontplay]

The truth has no place here, now the clintonesta's will attack you.

[purplestategal]

There is no reason do doubt Clinton's pledge to keep fighting right up to the convention. However, the justifiably famous Clinton tenacity may lead her to a political death of a thousand cuts as the uncommitted superdelegates trickle, then avalanche toward Obama. It's truly painful to watch, even for this Obama supporter.

[liberaldeception]

I suppose Fox News will say that they Mis. Spoke when they announced that Al Gore was Supporting Barack Obama.

[feyangel]

I totally agree. I have been a feminist since my early twenties-- and a woman in the White House as President has long been my Female Dream. In the beginning of this campaign I had Hillary and Obama stickers on my car-- she was a woman, but/and I had read his book and knew Sanity and a New Thought and Great Ideas and Great Heart when I read it. Somewhere along the line, I peeled Hillary's sticker off my car window. I realized that WINNING for her had become more important than Honesty and Integrity-- and, HELL, we already have THAT in the White House. Hillary, to me, does not represent FEMINIST PRINCIPLES as much as Obama does. It is feminist principles that count-- compassion, peace, caring for all, equality, etc., etc. that lead the way to the future-- NOT whether our leader has a vagina or a penis!

[mrdontplay]

great post.

& I have a penis

[Squirtapotamus]

Hear, hear. Well said.

[msirt]

Only "Honesty and Integrity"? It seems winning for HRC is more important than all the best reasons for running against the disaster in Washington that's ruining us right now.

[cyndeewi]

I am still hoping for a female in the White House, but it is not Hillary Clinton that i want. I cannot believe that they would let them reverse rolls like this. She is such a liar. Look at the money they are making and she is always crying broke.

[kroses98]

"Principles," did you say? "Principles?" You've got to be kidding, "feyangel!"