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Letter to Hillary: Remember When John McCain Slimed Your Daughter?
Dear Hillary,
Reasons abound why you should do all you can to defeat John McCain--but for you, it should be personal. Maybe you've forgotten in the heat of the Democratic contest. But remember McCain's cruel joke about your daughter, when Chelsea was 18 and vulnerable. This alone should give you every reason to stand against McCain--and nothing to boost his chances.
McCain made the joke at a 1998 Republican Senate fundraiser. "Why is Chelsea Clinton so ugly?" he asked. "Because her father is Janet Reno." Chelsea was a lovely young woman then, and is even lovelier now. But when you're 18, an attack like that can be deeply wounding. It's outrageous for McCain to slime an innocent young woman who'd done nothing to offend him--just to throw red meat to a Republican crowd.
It would be bad enough had McCain's joke targeted only Janet Reno and you, feeding the misogynist myth that any assertive woman must be gay. But as adults, both you and Reno could recognize the nasty joke as reflecting solely on the man who made it. Sliming teenage Chelsea like that, however, crossed a fundamental line--a line that I'm sure matters for you and Bill as parents.
Sure, McCain apologized after a flurry of media coverage, but talk of that sort is cheap. It's like his using the excuse that he'd had a long day, after telling his own wife at a 1992 campaign event: "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you c*nt." That was his public response to her teasing him about his thinning hair. But the Chelsea "joke" was from a prepared text, not accidental. It's a window into McCain's cruel side. Your lovely daughter was the target of his abuse.
You should want to defeat McCain for other reasons too. He pushed strongly for the 1998 bill supporting Iraqi "regime change," said the country's people would greet us as liberators and has no problem with our staying as occupiers for a hundred years. He thinks it's fine to do little or nothing about people whose homes are being foreclosed on, fine for Bush to have vetoed a bill banning waterboarding, and fine to joke about bombing Iran. The Children's Defense Fund rated him the worst senator in Congress for children last year, and he got a zero rating from the League of Conservation Voters. He voted against a Martin Luther King holiday and gave the commencement address at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University after Falwell claimed the 9/11 attacks happened because God was angered by the gays, lesbians, feminists, abortionists, the ACLU, and People for the American Way. Any of these should be reasons enough for voters to reject him. But you should also have an intensely personal reason: McCain can be decent and charming, but he also has a mean streak--one he exercised at the expense of your beloved only child.
Please remember McCain's ugly actions and words between now and November. Don't let their import dissipate in the passion of the Democratic contest. It must be difficult to have envisioned your making history as America's first women president, with the chance to lead the country toward your most passionate heart-felt goals--and then to see the nomination steadily slip away. I'm sure you're frustrated and angry that after withstanding all the right-wing assaults, you may miss the electoral prize. But think of your daughter and dedicate yourself from this point forward to defeating McCain. It's your right to keep running; but stop attacking Obama in your speeches, your ads, and your surrogates' statements (including those of Bill). A few weeks ago, you whipped up a crowd to boo Obama in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. You stood by and said nothing while Machinist Union head Tom Buffenbarger used recycled lies to dismiss his supporters as "latte-drinking, Prius-driving, Birkenstock-wearing, trust fund babies." You said you and McCain had enough experience, while Obama had nothing but "a speech he made in 2002." You and your surrogates are taking an accurate point Obama raised about anger in economically devastated communities, caricaturing it with classic Republican talking points tarring him as an out-of-touch "elitist," and running an overwhelmingly negative slate of Pennsylvania ads are, as opposed to focusing on your strengths.
You may feel these attacks are just politics ("the fun part," in your words), and that Obama's gone after you just as harshly. But remember, your words have an impact. At my Washington State caucus, Obama supporters listened respectfully while your spokesperson made her pitch. Then your supporters heckled and booed the Obama person, and several even turned their backs. You've seen the recent Gallup poll, taken mostly before Obama's Philadelphia race speech, where 28% of your supporters say they'd vote for McCain in November if Obama is the nominee (as would 19% of Obama's, were the situation reversed). As the pollsters pointed out, people often give similar responses during intensely fought primaries, and then shift back in November. But I've gotten far too many emails from your supporters that dismiss Obama's strengths using the very words and themes your campaign has stressed, like saying they mistrust a candidate "who's done nothing in his life." These responses may be just a way to vent for those who see their own dreams of America's first female president at least temporarily snatched away. I trust most will come around by November, whoever is the Democratic nominee. But not all will. And the more you conduct a scorched-earth campaign, the more the likely defections. If past campaigns are any guide, you won't be able to turn on a dime and erase the rancor at the last minute.
So keep on through the final primary if you think it makes sense. But remember what John McCain did to your daughter. And make clear in every public statement that you'd give Obama your full and enthusiastic support if he ends up the nominee. I was delighted when you started the Pennsylvania debate by doing this--then dismayed when you spent much of the next 80 minutes repeating Republican attack points. So keep your message ads focused on your own experience and ideas, including in your ads, and tell your surrogates to do the same. You can certainly ask this as well of Obama, who's stated repeatedly and unequivocally that he'd back you energetically if he lost. Then let the delegates make their choice. If you aren't the winner, take a well-deserved vacation, then come back and campaign as hard (well nearly as hard) for an overall Democratic victory as you did for the presidential nomination. After all, the broader the Democratic victory, the more you can accomplish in the Senate.
That would be the best response to McCain's cruel and capricious assault on Chelsea. It would also be the best possible way to move toward a future you'd be proud to have your daughter inherit.
Paul Rogat Loeb is the author of The Impossible Will Take a Little While: A Citizen's Guide to Hope in a Time of Fear, named the #3 political book of 2004 by the History Channel and the American Book Association. His previous books include Soul of a Citizen: Living With Conviction in a Cynical Time. See www.paulloeb.org To receive his articles directly email sympa@lists.onenw.org with the subject line: "subscribe paulloeb-articles"
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Yes Hillary, it's time to get with it and help Obama defeat the Republicans! Come on, you can be big enough to do it. Be all that you can be for your country!
Lust for power comes before Chelsea.
Dear Paul Loeb:
How kind of you to compose this empathetic letter to me which, frankly, enlightened me on your journalistic ethos and research skills. How kind of you, Paul, to care so much about my family's reputation. What rare empathy! But, dear boy, understand that I feel somewhat reassured that Sen. McCain will afford me much greater respect and transparency of intentions in one sentence than you ever will in in a thousand, as cruelly witnessed by your Wordy epistle:
"I am sure that Sen. Hillary Clilnton will be a good President"---Sen. John McCain responded to Tim Russert during an interview when John and I visited Baghdad in 2005.
Paul, please go for a proper diagnosis of what I suspect is an acute OBAMYOPIA affliction which manifests itself as misogynist prose spasms and is, mercifully, a curable condition--and a frightening media epidemic.
Now, I must go pray for your frighteningly anorexic journalistic skills to improve before Bill picks me up for our Pennsylvania weekend hunting trip. You should have taken my advice years ago, Paul, and should never have allowed your big-city bitterness turn you into a journalist of sorts. But there's still Hope for you, I believe, if you'd submit your resume to Sen. Obama as I 've already accepted his resume as my Chief Speechwriter, and I am sure he will be eager to employ someone of your talents in His Department.
God Bless America.
Sen. Hillary Clinton
c. Obamyopia Cure Foundation
Someone enlighten me as to whether this post was ironic or not. I know it certainly wasn't insightful, caustic, or witty.
So, HRC should beat McCain, not because he will continue to drive our economy into the ground and get us into at least two more wars, but because he insulted Chelsea? I agree that it was a low blow, and I like Chelsea better than either of her parents, but this is absurd.
Does Hillary Clinton deserves your vote. Look at the websites below and learn what Hillary Clinton doesn't want you to know.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw&NR=1
ttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMfUajhL24I&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BrPZYbCdJ4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe0BPwWAxnk&feature=related
This is very disturbing. Why is it that Hillary gets such a free ride in the press? Can you even imagine what this would be like if she was nominated as our candidate?
Baggage rummaged through, I don't think so. The Clinton's are dirty, dirty, dirty. We do not need this AGAIN. 8 years of corruption is enough!
Not all of us Alabama democrats are offended by Obama's statement. To me, and many other Alabama democrats I've spoken to, he reinforced what almost everyone does in times of stress and trouble, you turn to the things in your life that gives you comfort. Whether those things be your religion, your enjoyment of getting out into the great outdoors and hunting or any number of other things people turn to such as family, friends, social activities, we all turn to these constants when day to day life imposes it's irritants. Please do not include me, as an Alabama democrat, in your overall statement, implying that we all feel offended. No, we all do not. In fact, you're the first Alabama democrat that I've interfaced with that was offended. Now that by no means implies there are not others, I'm sure there are but I've yet to run across them yet.
Excellent points made in this article.
What's troubling me is the commentary attacking it. It sounds eerily similar to that of the Bush True Believers snarling "FOUR MORE YEARS" at me while I was driving my car through a Texas neighborhood sporting a Kerry Edwards sticker on the bumper.
My message to Hillary, as one professional middle-aged woman to another: If you can't put the COUNTRY first over your clinging (yes I said clinging) to the idea of being the First Woman President of the United States, you're not ready to LEAD the country.
What many of us are thinking is that years of being "passed over" by men has made many of our fellow women Democrats bitter, and they're clinging to male-bashing and blindly supporting a woman as a way to deal with their anger.
This is not about electing a man over a woman or vice-versa. This is about electing the person most qualified at THIS MOMENT IN TIME to lead the Country out of this generation's "Long National Nightmare"
Wake Up Hillary, and Hillary supporters, it's not about you, it's about US.
The Clinton supporters posting on this thread amaze me. The author points out a vicsious comment made about Clinton's daughter by McCain and asks how Hillary can say complimentary things about him. Her supporters then write that the article shows how OBAMA supporters are vulgar, callous and shameful! How removed from reality can you get?
Whatever my kids look like, if a US senator or anyone else ever made a comment like that... He'd be longing for those friendly days when he was confessing to the North Vietnamese....
Loeb You are delusional.
Reason Hillary is still in the race is because she cares about our country.
1) It is DELUSIONAL to believe that Obama would win in the United States in November!
(A) Despite use of death threats by his zelous supporters
(B) His skimpy record overbolown by supporters w/no civic knowledge
2) Obama's a PHONY. a DIVIDA NOT A UNIDA. His campaign's been Swiftboating Hillary from day 1!
A) Refused to allow Florida/Michigan revote despite money made available.
B) Uses old time Chicago poltcs w/ oposite and deceptive slogans.
3) Hillary's already holding back where Republicans will really atack
A) Cocaine in his book. Romney began...Guy in Chicago claims more...
B) Rezko on trial on Chicago corpution but Iraq contracts too. Not one peep from the Media YET..
C) Failed doing oversight ie. NATO/Afghanistan subcommittee
3) Supporters are unable to articulate why..site excitement over young people
A) But 50% of young people get "news" from Obama boosters.Hillary attackers CNN&MSNBC online
B) Sites his single mother got foodstamps, but she had a PHD, his grandparents college educated.
C) Elite comments not new. Complained to Iowa farmers about the price of arugala at Whole Foods
Obama is arrogant and full of himself. His voice now several decibals lower. And the leftish Democratic base is hardly a reflection of the nation. Has a situation commedy image of a chief executive. We cannot afford a 2 year learing curve.
That's amusing. You see what you want to see. I see a woman who thinks she has a right to something that was never hers, with an arrogance that transcends anything else in politics today. She is as sleezy and crooked as a politician could possibly be. And she will lose. Get over it.
Watch out for the snipers. Oh wait, I mispoke. 4 times. I was tired. Oh wait, I was kidding.
No lady, you flat out lied.
How are they "Republican attack points" when Democrats like me that live in Alabama are actually offended by his comments. See this is the disconnect between New York journalist and actual working class people. You may think we are stupid or something for having faith in god or going hunting like I do but to the contrary, we aren't stupid. We just care about those too things and when Barack Obama denagrats my reason for enjoying those two things, well it is offensive and should be seen as such. I didn't see this site up in arms when Barack Obama was calling Bill and Hillary Clinton "racist" and "race baiter's" over their "hidden meanings" Barack ACTUALLY said what we are accusing him of. Bill and Hillary just said things that the Obama and the media "interpreted" what they meant. Now how stupid is that. "The First Black President" is now a racist? Hillary Clinton is a racist? Where was the cries for no fighting between Democrats then and how that would have hurt the party and Hillary in the fall if she won? I am sick of the media......that is something you don't have to "interpret"
Wow....John McCain reminds me alot of The Huffington Post, MoveOn and DailyKos. Hillary will deal with him when she takes Obama out of the way.....but for now....she'll just keep getting slimed by fellow Democrats. Obama may say that he is the new kind of politics and on some level he is. He tries to look like he is above it when his campaign is calling everyone that talks about race in this campaign a racist or any other thing he can do to get an advantage. At least Hillary has the "vagina" to say them to his face instead of letting the media do her work for her. What are you people going to do if Hillary win? You going to line up behind her after all the mud you've thrown at her? I think all of the sites just think Obama has it in the bag and don't care what they say but that is a dangerous move and you might come to regret it. Everyone but Mayhill. That is one ballsy citizen journalist.
Hillary's really effective way to "deal with" McCain: Compliment him and say he has better c-in-c credentials than her Democratic colleague!
As a mother, I cannot believe that Clinton can ever look McCain in the eye without spitting in it. If McCain and/or Clinton is elected, we certainly can expect more of the corporate BS we've had for the last 7 years. It may have been that way under Bill Clinton too. Except for the fact that he didn't drag us into wars that bankrupted our country, he left us with a surplus and I wasn't scared of my own government knocking down my door and hauling me off to be indefinitely imprisoned. I would like to think that I would feel as safe under the next Clinton administration, but I'm not sure I would, considering that she and McCain apparently agree on election smears. And she seems to admire McCain so much and dismisses Obama.
I feel like I'm on the set of MEAN GIRLS
McCain's comments about Chelsea were despicable and should disqualify him from being president.
Because he tells bad tasteless jokes?
maybe Hillary agrees with McCain's thoughts on her daughter
if it would help her get the nomination? Yes she does
Man, and you probably are...that was cruel.
Anyway, i do wonder why President Elect Obama is somehow held into account for words and deeds done by others; while someone like Senator McCain is allowed hurtful words and deeds that come from his mouth and actions?
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