I guess Hillary’s not all that likeable after all
I confess that I am puzzled.
I had thought that the press would stand by Hillary Clinton in the same way they’ve stood by Obama through thick and then. There is no question in my mind that Obama has committed acts far worse than Hillary’s, has covered up even more, and has been just as egregious in his lies. And yet he’s still protected by the press. I don’t think Obama has ever been subjected to questions even remotely as difficult as the ones Hillary faced (and answered poorly) yesterday, although the press could have grilled him that way any time he appeared before them.
They chose not to do that, but they chose to ask some real question of Hillary Clinton. Why the differential treatment?
As soon as the email story broke I had noticed that the NY Times was leading the attack (see also this). Originally I thought they wanted to get it over with in a perfunctory way at the outset and let her candidacy continue, or that this was being done at the direction of Obama who wanted another candidate for various reasons. But now I’ve come to think that the first reason isn’t operative (at least, not any more); and that although the second may be true, that’s not all that’s operating.
This thing has gotten bigger than I had thought it would, in part because Clinton has handled it poorly. It may be that that’s why the MSM is piling on; they thought she’d be better at this sort of thing than she is, and they’re panicking that her performance means she will be a bad candidate come 2016. Or perhaps they know of other scandals, and they want her out before the revelations multiply (and end up reflecting poorly on their favorite, Obama, or on liberalism itself?). If they can’t put out this fire they may want to fan the flames so the burning happens more quickly and a new and more viable candidate is chosen, and they can get credit for “objectivity” (for hurting one of their own) into the bargain.
What’s more, it’s becoming clearer to me that they don’t like Hillary. That never meant a whole lot to me because I had no special antipathy to her; I don’t like most politicians, and it’s the exceptions whom I like. I never particularly liked the famously likeable Bill, her husband, and Obama’s likeability is a complete mystery to me because early in the game I saw him as a cold, destructive, narcissistic, ruthless, lying, leftist opportunist.
But Obama—whose business it is to know these things—always knew that Hillary had some problems in the “likeability” arena. Remember this?:
Who’s the more likeable figure in that exchange? I suppose you could answer “neither,” but I know who I’d choose, by a hair. It’s one of those clenched-teeth exchanges in which humor masks testiness; there is clearly no love lost between these two, and it’s astounding that they ever worked together.
In early 2009 Bernard Goldberg wrote a book about Obama and the press entitled A Slobbering Love Affair: The True (And Pathetic) Story of the Torrid Romance Between Barack Obama and the Mainstream Media. That is very descriptive, and although there have been a few tiny bumps in the road (the course of true love never did run completely smooth) that love affair has continued and has benefited Obama mightily. Without it, I don’t think he would have won in 2008, and I am virtually certain he would not have won in 2012.
I don’t think that Obama’s race is the reason for the love affair, although of course it’s part of it: the desire to elect, and then not to criticize, the first black president lest one be accused of racism oneself. And they think that Obama is ideologically one of them, of course. But I think there’s also something else going on, something about Obama himself—his supposed intelligence, coolness, suavity; also a bandwagon effect, and maybe even a fear of what he could do to those who cross him. Hillary doesn’t have that je ne sais quoi, although she has the advantage of being a woman and therefore a member of a favored group whose “time has come” to be president.
It’s not enough—I guess she’s not “likeable enough.” In addition there is some other impediment, a something-else of which I’m still not at all sure. That doesn’t mean I’ve ruled out the idea of her being a candidate, or even of her winning the election. But it’s no longer looking like her nomination is such an inevitability.
Rush Limbaugh thinks this is Obama taking Hillary down, which is why the liberal media is all in. I’m OK with that, as long as he gets his in the end too.
Only mothers can affirm this with conviction:
1.) Hillary Clinton adores, absolutely loves, unconditionally, her daughter, Chelsea.
2.) No mother who loves their daughter as she does would delete those very personal emails from her daughter. Too significant. Too valuable.
3.) She LED about that. Period.
Perhaps the scandals dating back to Little Rock have fatigued the msm. And, as you note, Hillary is not Slick Willy.
S/B “LIED”
Hillary is charmless as a public figure. Grating voice, impatience with those who would question or criticize her, congenital liar.
I think it was PJMedia’s Roger Simon who quipped that Hillary reminds a lot of men of their first wife.
Game of thrones time. No way in Hades can the criminal Ebola let the criminal Hildabeast get the iron throne. Ebola has stabbed so many in back, front and side I don’t see how he can take that risk with anyone outside the ‘family’. I lived in Bama in the fall of ’66 when George Wallace ran his wife as proxy to evade term limits. The jackass party has already launched trial balloons about constitutionality of term limiting Ebola. However, my money is still on mooch.
parker:
I thought of that, but I just don’t think so. Oh, there’s probably a little bit of it—plus anger at the fact that Hillary didn’t foresee the problem. But they never seemed particularly fatigued by 6 years of constantly making excuses for Obama and carrying his water, twisting themselves into pretzels and embarrassing sycophancy for his sake.
clarityseeker:
Some people routinely delete all their personal emails. Plus, in the case of the emails to Chelsea, wouldn’t Chelsea herself have them?
And who knows, maybe Hillary had printed them out first and hidden them somewhere. After all, when she handed over the 55K emails recently they were apparently printed out hard copies, not electronic files. Makes it harder to search, among other things. Interesting, no?
I could see Obama putting the hit on Hillary to shut her up, similar to what he did with David Petreaus and Bob Menendez. Wasn’t that his specialty when it came to eliminating Democrat and Republican opponents back in Chicago?
Even if Hillary survives, it would serve as a warning to not criticize Obama on the 2016 campaign trail — or else other bits of inconvenient info might find its way to the NYT
LisaM:
I agree that Obama is involved. It was one of my earliest theories, and I’m sticking to it. But I think there is more, as well, and this post is an attempt to explore the “more.”
I do think the unwavering loyalty to Obama is primarily because he’s a black man who stands in for all other black men and women. He’s really not all that much more personally likeable than Hillary — remember there have been quite a few articles written over the last couple of years by the MSM about his “coldness”. Very unlike the loyalty shown for John F. Kennedy, for example; that was truly due to a “love affair” kind of attachment.
Obama is cool, or is a close enough facsimile, which is what these silly people aspire to be. Cool.
Like Fonzie.
It’s just pitiful.
As for Hillary, I’m not sure many really ever liked her. During Bill’s 1992 campaign, her whole demeanor was off-puttingly aggressive, and his staff worked mightily to overcome the snide “I suppose I could just stay home and bake cookies” and the “co-president” suggestion. I think it was only heavy-duty feminists who saw anything to like then. What saved her was Bill’s dalliance with Monica. The sympathy thing, which softened her a bit and made her seem more human and less calculating. But that was a long time ago. Looks like maybe it’s finally worn off.
Ever since that letter endorsing Warren from 300 former Obama staffers, to which Obama had to have given prior approval, I’ve been convinced that Obama intends to deny Hillary the nomination. And as we all know, the MSM is firmly in Obama’s pocket.
But there is more in regard to the MSM’s recent treatment of Hillary, they emphatically do not like her. After all, who likes a harridan? Other than other harridans? BTW, ‘harridan’ exactly fits; “a strict, bossy, or belligerent old woman”.
Plus as the MSM must long have known, her ‘foundation’s’ (personal money tree) acceptance of hundreds of millions in contributions from rabidly misogynistic M.E. societies places the hypocrisy crown firmly upon her head. So no, they don’t like her at all.
As for Obama and the MSM’s love affair with him that, “there’s also something else going on, something about Obama himself–his supposed intelligence, coolness, suavity;” I think where the difficulty in analysis arises is that its not about him at all, it’s about them. He’s not that intelligent (otherwise, why hide his college transcripts?) and his ‘coolness and suavity’ only exists when he’s in control of the situation.
I spoke of this in another post;
That giving up on Obama is far too close to giving up on their own aspirations, applies most of all to the MSM.
If Hillary! suspects that Obama’s behind thin, then the woman scorned will likely go scorched-earth on him.
Geoffrey Britain:
I thought it was understand that I meant those qualities were their perceptions of him. But I’ll clarify—those are their perceptions.
However, as I’ve said before, I happen to think he is intelligent, especially about political strategy. We’ve argued in this blog about whether it’s just cleverness, or whatever. But I think it takes intelligence, and I think he demonstrates that.
Not wisdom. But wisdom is something quite different, although not mutually exclusive.
The Michael Moore left that now runs the Democrat party and the MFM do not see the Clintons as “true believers” the way Obama is. That is why she was denied the nomination in 2008 when she was supposed to be equally “inevitable”.
Watch out for a Michelle Obama candidacy.
Neo it was 55,000 pages NOT emails. More subterfuge from Politico reporting it incorrectly.
I have no doubt at all that Obama is behind this push to discredit Hillary. The $64000 question is why? With a weak bench for the Dems, I keep having this slightly paranoid thought of this being the opening gambit in a game for another Obama term.
physicsguy:
This is what I wrote on March 4 in an attempt to answer that question “why?”:
Ah, I see. We are in substantive agreement about Obama. Re: “I happen to think he is intelligent, especially about political strategy.”
No question as to political strategy, though partly because he faces little real opposition from the GOP but I would liken it to ‘cunning’ rather than to actual intelligence. After all, at his age, how smart can someone really be who so fully embraces socialism? Willful denial, necessary to acceptance of the left’s ‘isms’ is not a characteristic of intelligence.
And yes, I know really intelligent liberals too but about the realities of life and human nature, they are stupid. Not merely ignorant because ignorance is correctable but in their willful refusal to acknowledge reality’s plain sense, they demonstrate their stupidity. That stands regardless of how painful it is to witness it in those we care for…
My memory’s a bit foggy on this, but wasn’t it Hillary’s campaign that gave the media the Rev. Wright videos back in 2008? If so, I think it’s quite likely Hillary had lots more on Obama, and so she became SOS as part of a deal.
I see the messiah as cunning and vindictive, but I too will not grant him an IQ much above 100. He’s clever like Gollum but he is not a brain surgeon or a rocket scientist. And, btw I still want to see the transcripts of the most intelligent man in every room on the planet.
“If Hillary! suspects that Obama’s behind thin, then the woman scorned will likely go scorched-earth on him.
See, I think this leak was specifically designed to prevent Hillary from knocking Obama, to show her that Obama’s team is perfectly willing to burn her should she give them a reason to.
For example, let’s say Hillary and/or one of her aides, despite yesterday’s statements, sent just *1* email to someone at the WH that included classified information (in the text or attachment) using one of those Clintonemail.com accounts.
How easy would it be for it be leaked should Hillary even hint at slamming Obama, especially now that the MSM is primed for such a leak? Hillary can’t go scorched earth without nuking herself (and maybe Bill) in the process.
The left side of the Democratic Party loathes both Clintons. Their propaganda organ is The New York Times. They did everything possible to sink Clinton in 2008, and it nearly failed- she came close to winning the nomination, and would have done so if her campaign had given proper weight to caucuses rather than focusing on big state primaries.
They don’t intend to let it get that far this time- she is being knee-capped even before she gets to announce a run.
I remember an interview with Barry Goldwater back in 1988 at the Republican convention. He was asked if he thought Bush would win. He said yes, in 1988, but not in 1992. The party was exhausted, he said.
This past Sunday, the epistle reading was “For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die.” A political campaign is exhausting. The Democrats have spent a lot of energy on two Obama terms, a guy they believed in. The press, ditto. But to do that for Hillary Clinton? To go through all that, spoon up all that poop, suppress your better and more decent instincts, for someone you don’t trust, someone you don’t believe will serve your cause?
Think of how pro-lifers felt trying to rally around McCain and then Romney. Sure, most of them actually cast the vote, but devoting one’s energy for two years, that wasn’t going to happen. The thing that you’re sensing in the press’s and the Democrats’ reaction to Clinton is exhaustion.
Why are Obama and the media dumping on Hillary?
Well, you have to get Hillary out of the way so Obama can take a third term.
Question asked. Question answered.
With the blood in the water, I wonder how many Democrat politicians out there are actually thinking about getting into the race. There’s O’Malley who has actually declared, but he has zero name recognition nationally. After Warren and Gore, who else is there?
Biden?
At the Atlantic on March 9th — Is Joe Biden Running for President?:
I imagine yesterday’s press conference gave him a bit more hope he’s got a chance.
How to say this….The “strong” woman, Hillary, has tolerated decades of Billy Boy’s philandering. Enough, said Betsy Wright, to fill a warehouse. And Genius-Democrats(aka Defenders of–GASP–Gender Equality, blah, blah)desperately want this SICK B’YOTCH in the White House with Mister Slime Bag?!
The world turned upside f***ing down!!
I haven’t read all the comments as yet, but I wanted to say that Hillary looked terrible at her new conference. TERRIBLE. Old, washed-up, condescending. I was surprised that her ‘people’ didn’t do a better job of hair and makeup. Her appearance had to remind people of her age. Her age now. If she won, she would be 70 at the beginning of her term. Way too old.
“Biden?”
That is exactly why I think a Michelle Obama candidacy is possible. If Hillary implodes the Dem field is *very* weak and they will be desperate. And despite the buzz on the left about Elizabeth Warren I think MO works better for them – younger, 2x the identity politics (unless they can sell Warren as a Native American bwahaha), more dynamic and above all promises the continuation of the Obama “legacy” – frightening from our point of view but catnip – or heroin – to the left.
Obama the First brooks no opposition. To see the thug behind the mask, watch this expose (by Democrats!) of the Obama machine’s Brownshirt tactics in the 2008 Dim primaries, against Hillary’s people.
It’s scary-ugly:
http://wewillnotbesilenced2008.com/
parker “I see the messiah as cunning and vindictive”
More cunning that Hillary, because he knows how to hide his malice behind a facade of civility. Hillary, on the other hand, has a long-standing reputation for out-of-control abuse of underlings.
“Why the differential treatment?”
They did it to her in favor of Obama. Maybe they just think they have other options again. If she were the official candidate; this would all stop of course. She would be protected.
vanderleun – Nothing personal, but I feel the need to call out “third term” theorists every time. I remember them near the end of Clinton’s second term, and Bush’s as well. It never amounted to anything, but no one ever gets called out for them. The worst kind of political slander is accusing someone of planning to break the system.
And how would this work, anyway? Are people supposed to say, Hillary isn’t running (or isn’t strong), so let’s have Obama run again? If Obama wanted to run again, and the Constitution allowed it, he’d win the nomination, Clinton or not. If Obama wanted to run again, with the Constitution not allowing it, Obama wouldn’t win the nomination, Clinton or not.
Ever wonder what Trotsky felt like as the ice pike went in? Yea.
Nothing personal, but I feel the need to call out “third term” theorists every time. I remember them near the end of Clinton’s second term, and Bush’s as well.
When a person predicts 9/11, they are then bundled together with the “conspiracists” that said 9/11 was a result of Bush or US false flag operations, which is then bundled together with the “war mongers” that said Iraq had WMDs, Syria has WMDs, ISIL has WMDs from Syria and Iraq, etc.
Calling them out together is one way to group them together to discredit them using their own rhetoric, even though they were part of different intel analysis branches and faction groups.
“How would this [third term] work?”
Michelle, that’s how.
Rush Limbaugh thinks this is Obama taking Hillary down, which is why the liberal media is all in. I’m OK with that, as long as he gets his in the end too.
This would be a fitting scenario for Shakespeare’s “curses on both of your houses” in Romeo and Juliet, Lisa. (A plague o’ both your houses!)
Back when they chose obama over her and she cried cried cried, i explained what was going on… and that given her ideological games and the group she is in, she would never be up… which is why she was crying… but no reason to explain the system twice given people tend not to want to even consider there is a system that dictates their choices and behaviors and molds outcomes
though i will say, there is a neat article on ferguson cops shot that shows a facebook page that details some professional soviet style agitators (white) teaching kids to make molotov cocktails, and may be the ones who shot the police (a la kent state), and have been creating the things that much of the nation blames on residents.
if you clever and you watch things, you can find the agitators that are “making history” and doing this at others expense… some may even be paid by russia in round about ways…
but that would imply there was a system behind this that is coordinating things.
ergo, hillary is too tainted to serve their needs
so hillary is not going to serve their needs..
Nick,
I tend to agree, but only because it is a bit too early for such an outcome. I predict that within the next 30 years, you will get a president who decides to not leave office. The republic we had is dying, it is just not dead quite yet.
Nick,
The only scenario I could see is a declaration of martial law and a suspension of elections. Given the ME and Obama’s “interesting” foreign policy, along with the government stockpiling of ammunition for the last 6 years, it’s a possibility. What he is doing to Hillary could also be a warning shot across the bow of any Dems who may wish to oppose his plans.
A bit paranoid? Sure. I think the probability of the above scenario is low…. but given Obama’s hsitory, certainly a non-zero probability.
Hillary just wants to out do Obammy as the WORST President in American History. I personally think she’d only come in 2nd with Jimmah Cawtah a comfy-close third.