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.
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THE WAR IN IRAQ IS HAVING SERIOUS NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR ECONOMY and those who voted for the war (i.e. hillary) should be to blame, in part, for the state of the US economy.
Look how the WAR IN IRAQ is affecting the US economy...
$3,000,000,000� 3 billion dollars PER WEEK! That is the amount America is paying for the Iraq War PER WEEK, money that should have been used here, at home.
Add to this:
Interest. We are financing the war with borrowed money (e.g. treasuries) that carries interest; so in actuality, the war is costing the United States MORE THAN 3 billion dollars PER WEEK.
Higher oil and energy prices. Instability in Iraq is adding roughly 30 dollars per barrel as a premium.
High utility bills. Due to high oil prices, demand shifts to other sources of energy - gas, coal, etc. - and greater demand will raise the equilibrium price of all sources of energy
Our dollar is weak and getting weaker. Since we have a trade deficit and is growing in large part to the rising cost of imported oil, the value of goods and services we import exceeds the value of goods we export. Everything we buy that's made abroad will cost more, Ceteris Peribus, because the dollar is weak.
Lastly, how do you think the world views our country since the argument was made for war? The evidence was weak and circumstantial, yet we rushed into war with Iraq thanks to hillary"s authorization.
Dang. All the above is just so depressing. Was it always like this?
I love when people like you blame Hillary for voting for a war that YOU the American public supported from the beginning and now that it is basically a lost cause you want to flip the script and change your tune!
Today she was in Philly and as always, she referenced "Rocky."
But then she says she's staying in the race and says Rocky didn't stop halfway up the stairs, why should she?
Didn't anybody tell her that the whole point of Rocky was that he went the distance in the FIGHT?
She should be allowed to stay in the race, but for crying out loud find a writer who doesn't strike out swinging at wild pitches.
Please remove this blog.It's old,has no bearing beyond ond woman's infatiatio
No. We cannot. Deal with it.
fair enough.
The Bosnia story is weird for a few reasons, none of which I have heard any pundits express.
It's not just that Hillary would want to make up that story, and feel a need to have it in her narrative.
It's that she would think anyone would believe that:
1. any of her body guards would let her out of the plane if there was even a remote chance that she, as the First Lady of the USA, might have to run for cover and dodge bullets.
2. that Hillary, having her only child Chelsea with her, would subject Chelsea to such a dangerous situation. She wouldn't do it, and the body guards wouldn't do it. This situation could never happen.
Could she have confused this sniper moment with a few other sniper moments? There were no sniper moments. That Hillary would relay such a story makes no sense.
It is sad, because Hillary didn't need this tale to bolster her experience, and the narrative suggests that either Hillary is delusional or an irresponsible mother. Neither are good scenarios for her. Then expecting people to believe she "misspoke" is only adding fuel to the fire -- because people are gullible, but not that gullible.
dss:
You're not old enough to try to play psychologist with Bosnia events and memories. So stop with the nonsense and concentrate on explaining all the Obama untruths for a CHANGE - instead of blowing them off as nothing. Racism is something, Rezko is something, NAFTA lying is something.
Didi -you are oddly fixated on age. Perhaps you missed the point of Nora's SATIRE. You presume a lot, my dear. I'm not old enough to hold opinions? What if I told you I sort of like Hillary, and I am well into her age demographic and gender, but I prefer Obama's sensibilities? I think I am entitled to form an opinion or two without permission from you. I remember when Kennedy was assassinated & when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan. I marched on Washington against the Vietnam War. But perhaps you are 60 or 70 and from where you stand on high, I'm just too young and too naive to know anything about Bosnia or anything else. Ha ha.
For every Rezko, there is a Jim & Susan McDougal and other Whitewater affiliates federally convicted. If experience is the acid test, McCain wins. Let's hear it for experience. Yay!
The very experienced Biden, Dodd and Kucinich did not garner favor with voters. Oh well. Instead we have H and O. The longer this drags on, the more O shows that community, leadership , & oratory skills, & logical thinking are as important as years spent as First Lady in the White House, even w/ her 2 more years in the Senate. Her Bosnia fantasy is the thing that has hurt H the most. She should have been smarter than to think we're idiots. For more icky news -- the new Public Policy Poll.
http://www
All good points. And add to that the fact that she continued this lie even after she was called out by Sinbad. And the fact that she then lied to cover up her lie by saying she was sleep deprived (boads well for her 3am claim), when she has been filmed saying this same lie many, many times. Face it people, she really does have trouble with the truth.
She reminds me of my mother, a bloodthirsty war monger and lifelong Republican fan-girl, STILL defending the Vietnam war (a war her generation didn't have to fight in...) by just flat out saying, "Yes BUT WE WON."
Shameless dishonesty is usually pathological; don't try to understand it.
I don't say this stuff to bicker about Hillary to her supporters at this blog. At her worst, she is still miles above madman McCain (which isn't saying much), and will get my vote (along with a great big sigh) if she gloms the nomination.
I hope the Wash Post, which first exposed Hillary Rodham Clinton's lies about her Bosnia trip,
will keep their Pinnochio meter running.
Today I count 2 big Hillawhoppers so far.
1, she told TV cameras in North Carolina that "Sen. Obama wants to stop the voting now."
2. her spurious claims she raised a "yellow-flag" against NAFTA in the White House
It's not yet sundown so chances are good she'll try to sell at least one more Hillawhopper.
I love it that any Democrat still considers this demented lady fit for our nation's highest office.
Well norah:
I guess the string of Obama lies - that far outweigh - any other candidates misspeaks, don't count with you do they? I've read your 'I used to like Hillary...
He should get out before more 'revelations surface' that may embarrass the party don't you think?
So maybe concentrate some of your curiousity delving into those questions if you need a break from Hillary. I'm sure it would take up all your spare time.
Ditto! Lucky for her that she has all of those Obama supporters to support her work in the future. She can certainly count me out.
Didi,
You haven't shown any Obama lies that have come from his lips, just Obama relationships. On the other hand, there's something disturbing about someone lying, especially when the lie is so far fetched and easily proven to be a lie. There was a comedian on the plane, journalists, military members and of course the little girl with the poem. It's like, what the heck was she thinking? I'm thinking maybe she was exhibiting a form of rye humor, and she thought everyone was in on the joke.
Nota... you've just proved a point I've made for a long time. A lot of HRC's support is from women who over identify with her for a vast multiplicity of reasons that have more to do with their own psyche's than with her... too many feel: "well I'm not that likable either." "I'm not appreciated enough either." "My husband has cheated on me too and I stuck by him." "My brother's always got more attention than I did." It is all so sick and the reality gets completely lost... never mind just the mendacity (which was there for all to see always) but also how much she has been the strategist behind Billy's damage control over his floozies..
Have you ever heard of these:
Children's Defense Fund?
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families?
The United States Legal Services Corporation?
Arkansas Children's Hospital?
The Child Care Actiion Campaign?
The Children's Television Workshop?
The American Bar Associations Commission on Women in the Profession?
Do you know how Hillary might be associated with any of them?
It's true that Hillary was "associated with" the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and these other organizations. For example, she served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the CDF from 1986 to1992. But Marian Wright Edelman has repudiated Hillary as a political friend and stated that Hillary is not longer a friend of poor children. ("Hillary Clinton is an old friend, but [we] are not friends in politics."
She accomplished nothing in her "association" with all of these organization unless simply lending your celebrity name is enough to take credit for the good work of these organizations. It occurs to me more like name dropping then real activity on her part. Tell me again how many of these organizations she participated in under sniper fire?
At this point I think the bullets that forced Hillary to duck her head back then were of the metaphorical kind. Shots were being fired over her bow by the vast right wing conspriacy with Gingrich et al. doing the aiming.
Yeah, that's the ticket, they were metaphorical bullets...
I feel your pain. Having just returned from a week's vacation / "news" blackout, I have realized that it is time to just stop listening. I logged in to have something to do while eating lunch at my desk, as is my habit, but I'm saying goodbye. I cannot take it any more. No more evenings glued to CNN, vainly searching for some crumb of actual news, some insight. No more getting up early on Sunday to watch the prepared "interviews" of talking heads, even if they do have some entertainment value. Alas, no more of this. Enough already.
Good luck. I wish I could be so strong. If the republican's win again, I swear I'm through watching, reading and blogging on the "media."
fiftysen -
I so agree with you. I'm getting really exhausted and discouraged. There really is no news. You can go from one competing TV station to another and hear acounts of the same situation in whatever format the political bent of the station dictates. All of the endless talking heads, political experts, ad nauseum...
When we as a nation get to the point where we can see our candidates (both those we favor and those we don't) as humans with all the flaws that humans have, we and our democracy will have finally matured.
Until then we will get exactly the government we deserve as we pursue empty dreams of heroes and heroines and monsters and goblins.
Rog49Thomas
Rog, that is about the most unintelligent "cute puppy" crap I've witnessed as a view of government. We're all just flawed humans! The government we deserve???? Guess what... not one of the candidates in the "final four" are really the best person for the job. Fact is humans are flawed and we will always buy into a certain amount of B.S.
Rather than ho-hum about dying flowers and human frailty, you should wake up from this dream of acceptance and realize its about choice.
By the way we live in a democratic republic, not a democracy. Democracy = one person, one vote. We live with a government where we elect officials to make our decisions (a republic) elected (in some cases) by majority rule.
Thanks your comments.
I'm reacting to the partisans of each remaining Demoratic candidate in this race. And sadly a general tendency in this country to apotheosize our politicians.
One group apparently thinks their man represents the Second Coming. The Spirit was perhaps present but did not move me. Perhaps, if I can get close enough to touch the hem of his cloak, I will be healed and open to receive the Spirit..
The other group claims vast experience for their woman - a sort of female Yoda. While I did see the filament in my light saber (yes, I have the old model) flicker the Force was not with me.
This is the sort of immature behavior that gets us into problems: thinking our candidate is the hero and his/her opponent the monster.
The simple fact of life is that the choice of candidates always involves a compromise.
BTW I am for one of these two flawed candidates and will even vote for the other in preference to McCrazy.
Your opinion is your opinion - But - I'm saddened that your comments and beliefs have nothing to do with the actual qualifications to be President, or who even would be the best President. It's great if you "love" your President, but personal characteristics should take a back seat, not center stage, on who can protect the country, promote our domestic agendas, and provide badly needed leadership in Washington. I fear for too many, and maybe you too, that "liking" or "loving" a politician is what gets your vote. Inexperience is inexperience, and we've just had 8 years of what that can do to us. No thanks. Stop voting with your heart, and use your head....
Absolutely.
I treasure my vote.
It's not in the realm of possibility I'd ever vote for Mccain.
But I don't want to vote for Obama --simply because I do not want to be responsible for putting another under-qualified unknown quantity into the Presidency.
So I'm probably like many of the 99% of America NOT reading the HP.
I can't believe I'm writing this, but if there is no write-in vote on my ballot for Hillary , I'm beginning to wonder whether I should even go vote.
My consolation over 8 years has been the relief that I wasn't among the fools that enabled the Bush League.
The one and only vibe I get from Obma is ambition.
I can't get it out of my mind that he demonstrated he's the kind of politician that actually would throw his grandmother under a bus.
Why would I choose rhetoric over experience? And that isn't a rhetorical question.
Why would anyone choose that?
And i am totally grossed out by the level of misogyny coming out of this.
Especially from powerful women who really should know better.
I do hope Hillary stays in. There is a history in this country of creating underdogs before you can appreciate them.
I am also utterly sick of this. All it does is cement my stance.
I've gone form voting for Obama if I had to, to not wanting to vote at all.
This is why we need more than a two -party system.
gala
I highly recommend both of you read Obama's "Dreams from My Father" before you so easily dismiss Obama. He is anything but an empty suit. I read it and was blown away. America will truly be blessed if someone with his world view becomes President of the United States.
On another note, and this is an honest question..
If you believe she was lying about her experience, do you think its a big deal? If not, why isn't it a big deal?
I would really like to get a Hillary supporters views on that.
gala,
You talk about rhetoric over experience, yet you are buying into the most rhetorical campaign out there. One that needs to lie about experience, one that needs to attack on race and make excuses on gender. One that files suits in state elections over the validity of delegates (see Texas) to try to turn over the popular vote in select counties where she loses.
That is creepy.
Ralph Nader = green party, well I guess you have more than a two-party system now... even if it is a joke.
Go shed a tear for Hillary, this country needs her like we need a hole in the head
practical magic,
I'm saddened by your emotional connection to rhetoric. It sounds like you are talking about experience as if Clinton had any experience. She has less experience in an official governing capacity than any of the candidates or last four presidents.
If you are planning to vote for Clinton, you are the one who needs to stop voting with your heart, and use your head....
"I mean, why? Was it one of those things that she'd said so often that she'd come to believe it?"
She learned that from the Bushies.
You may be a Hillaholic. You should start a 12-step program and very soon.
Holt,
You are right about the premise that author of this article should concider a 12 step program and hopefully lean to stop loving abusers and trying to make excuses for them. And with a little luck, hopefully she can break out of the Abused Woman Syndrome.
Ha, ha, ha ~ I always enjoy your wit, Nora!
K
Norah, I agree with you 100%. But don't fret, when this is all over, I'm sure you'll be able to organize your thoughts and deliver a boffo screenplay or novel concerning a female politician of a certain age...etc, etc. I'm counting on you. It's been far tto long between drinks, when it comes to your inciteful humor. Take notes girl.
While there appears to be a great deal of thinking out loud, it would have been nice if it was balanced. Obama has his own lies as I am sure everyone knows.
Just thinking..
===
I don't really think it's fair to ask YOU to "STOP WRITING" , and I certainly don't believe You are going to; You'll hang in there till there is only one person reading your article which is yourself, OR till the internet, paper or other forms of writing articles end, whichever comes first. I'm not asking you to stop writing because I prefer other journalists or columnists, and I don't think you should stop writing "for the sake of maintaining objectivity," I think you should "Stop writing" because I'm losing my mind.
I understand asking you to stop writing has more to do with me then does with you. But then thats the whole point"
===
Exactly!!! Thats how most of the Hillary supporters tend to react!!!
Interesting! However consider this that even liars know that there are lies that you stay away from because the entire world will know that you are a liar. She did not have common sense to stay away from that. She is clearly a manipulator and has shown a willingness to do whatever it takes and to me that is not a fighter, a fighter would make a valid point.
Hilary should learn that sometimes the less said the better the argument. I would love to see a woman in the office and believe most women feel the same, however I think this woman would actually set women's right further behind as whenever someone plays both sides of the fence, their motives should be questioned. She asked Obama to release his taxes for 2007, he did, she then asked him to released the last 8 yrs and he did; so when he ask her to release hers, she replied why don't you release your voting records in the Senate. She is actually getting away with that and people in PA keeps drinking from that cool-aid just like the people in Ohio and Texas did and I think this is beyond politics, this is manipulating of the worst kind. PA working class voters can make a deal with her; show us where the money came from and we will vote for you and I will bet the farm that she would not agreed to it.
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