Gerard Baker points to a rather nasty dilemma Hillary Clinton's rivals for the presidential nomination have. If they treat her as a politician – trading verbal blows in a figurative political barroom brawl – they are open to a singularly disingenuous attack from Hillary. Which she is already using: she portrays herself as a delicate feminine flower who has been beat up on by nasty bullies. This leaves her free to then open up a can of "whoop-ass" on her victims while they cringe from being called a bully. It is a game Hillary has played over and over again.
There stood Mrs Clinton, the little woman, caught like a frightened doe between her two principal rivals. The shameless John Edwards pounded her repeatedly over her tough foreign policy stance and her dishonesty. Barack Obama, the more reluctant pugilist, landed softer jabs, still designed to tenderise her. From the wings, the also-rans – all male – threw a few lusty punches.
Needless to say, the Clinton campaign seized on the opportunity that the spectacle presented. They issued a video after the debate that emphasised the narrative – Little Woman Waylaid by Big Bullies.
It was pure Clinton. Having spent a lifetime insisting that women should be treated exactly the same as men, Mrs Clinton has been quite brilliant at exploiting her femininity.
She campaigned for years for the rights of women to stand up to abusive men, and then defended her husband as he treated vulnerable female employees as playthings for his own sexual gratification. Better still, she exploited her own status as the helpless, wronged wife of a multiple philanderer to launch her campaign for the Senate from the humiliating ashes of the Monica Lewinsky affair.
In that campaign, the most telling moment came in a debate with her Republican rival, Rick Lazio. The witless Mr Lazio had happened upon a brilliant wheeze to challenge Mrs Clinton directly over some issue by striding towards her podium and insisting that she sign some piece of paper. As Mrs Clinton visibly flinched, the election was clinched. Who wants to vote for a man who would treat a woman like that?
Now she's under attack from a whole gang of men, and tactically speaking it's a no-lose situation for her. If her opponents play tough, she can shrink and look like the intimidated woman beset by brutal men. If they treat her with kid gloves – all gallant forbearance and courtly deference – she can open up a can of whoop-ass on them as eagerly as a dockside bully.
Many people in this country already have a negative opinion of Hillary Clinton, believing that she would literally say or do anything to gain the presidency. This sort of thing confirms their opinions. There are others weighing in on this today – I'll be posting more a little later.
This is where Hillary shines, when she can act the part of “look at them trying to beat me up.” While this worked as First Lady, it flops here and now.
Anyone who sees Shrillary as a delicate flower ought to take off the rosy glasses and put down the Kool-Aid. She’s mean, vindictive, a liar and those are just her good points!
Sen. Clinton is ethically compromised.
Back in the 90′s, there was Cattlegate with that broker, Red Bone. That left her with cow poo on the back of her dress.
Recently, it has been revealed that her campaign contributions are coming from poor Chinese immigrants in Asian communities on both coasts. That’s certainly some Chop Suey on the back of her pants suit.