With Barack Obama drowning in Rev. Wright's waves, all Hillary really needs to do is keep her head down and show up on time to be endorsed today by NC Gov. Mike Easley. The last thing Clinton needs is to make a gaffe of her own.
Now let's grant that the one we're about to discuss ranks rather low on the Gaffe-o-meter. If Sniper-gate was a 6.2, this might be a 2.1. But this particular misstep does have the demerit of undercutting a major Clinton campaign theme. Hillary's strategy nowadays consists of appealing to middle- and lower-income voters. Call it the Beer-and-a-shot Shtick. She's a Gal of the People. Not snobby like those Obamas. You know, like Michelle, who complained to a group of women in a struggling area of Ohio about her difficulties in spending $10,000 a year for various lessons for her kids while paying off student loans for her sojourns at Princeton and Harvard.
But that's exactly the kind of mistake Hillary has made. Today's Good Morning America played a clip [date and place unidentified, but presumably from the IN or NC campaign trail] of Hillary saying this to a crowd:
HILLARY CLINTON: Some people say, "oh she is tough." Well, if you'd had my life, you'd be tough too.
View video here.
Let's allow that Hillary has been hardened by her run-ins with the VRWC. But is it smart politics for Clinton to tell voters they've had it easy compared to her? Wise to ask people to pity someone who grew up in a comfortable upper-middle class suburb, attended Wellesley and Yale, and was waited on hand and foot as First Lady of Arkansas and the USA?
Cry me a Whitewater!
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
She is such a sad poor little old lady
April 29, 2008 - 07:24 ET by DelsaAfter all she is sixty and does not remember much. She has such a difficult life she hasn't driven a car in 25 years.
She makes me weep for her and I want to send her off to Argentina.
Tough but privileged life = Govt sector jobs and retirement?
April 29, 2008 - 07:43 ET by jazboA cheating husband does not a tough life make. In fact it's quite the norm in Italy - but they usually settle down around retirement age. In Bill's case though, I'm not so sure that will happen.
Those who beleive in nothing will believe anything.
Tough but privileged life = Govt sector jobs and retirement?
April 29, 2008 - 07:45 ET by jazbo.
Tough but privileged life = Govt sector jobs and retirement?
April 29, 2008 - 07:45 ET by jazbo.
There is a purpose
April 29, 2008 - 07:41 ET by Blogger Guy00001The purpose of Hillary's comment is to get all the little leftie pundits repeating it and emphasizing that Hillary has had a hard life and that she is a woman and that she is tough and that she needs to be elected.
→ BloggerGuy
April 29, 2008 - 07:43 ET by Cool ArrowWell, comparatively speaking, I guess.
Do they even have ghettos in Hawaii?
♣ a seal
Yeah Arrow, there are Ghettos in Hawaii and lots of homeless too
April 29, 2008 - 09:23 ET by terrigCool, I have been back a little over a year from Oahu and yes, there were ghettos there.
But back to topic-I find it hard to believe that she's had a tough life. I mean it's her own fault in many ways. I would not have stayed with this clown regardless of the fact that he is the President. Actually I wouldn't have married him but I guess you can forgive once but when it becomes a trend, it's time for him to go.
She has decided to put up with him for the perks of her life. She has no one to blame but herself.
Hillary needs to be
April 29, 2008 - 07:47 ET by Delsarejected NOT elected.
I believe they will nominate Obama for a multitude of reasons.
Main one being that in reality, the MSM and most Democrats can't stand the thought of the Clinton's back in the White House.
Second reason is, you cannot dis the black guy. Well, if you are a Democrat.
In the general election a different story will be written.
The Sad Part
April 29, 2008 - 08:08 ET by KC MulvilleThe sad part is that she believes it.
Tough
April 29, 2008 - 08:09 ET by opnpt0She ain't no wayz tiard! Shez come to fawr!
"But this one goes to 11"
Just ask Tony Soprano.
April 29, 2008 - 08:23 ET by Hunter12Just ask Tony Soprano. When you're out there wacking people and shaking them down for money, you learn to be tough.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
If I had her life...
April 29, 2008 - 09:12 ET by VonuI'd hate men, too.
Vonu
April 29, 2008 - 09:26 ET by DelsaIf you think Hillary gave a damn what Bill was doing then you have another thing coming.
The only thing that bothered Hillary about any of it was that Bill got caught and she had to pretend she was offended and hurt by his sexcapades.
She does not live, eat, sleep, or co habitate with billy. Hasn't for years.
You need to look at her poor sad existence again.
Hillary may not have cared
April 29, 2008 - 09:33 ET by marpelHillary may not have cared what Bill did sexually, but she sure as hell cares what he's doing to compromise her chance to win. I'm sure she wants to kick his ass right about now. Or, she has already...
I'm not voting for her, but you have to admire her for sticking in the race because with Rev Wright's latest Gong Show, she just may pull this off. And if she does, McCain will win. I'm not his biggest fan either, but he's all we got.
This is good cop bad cop
April 29, 2008 - 09:51 ET by DelsaBill comes down on or lashes out at the media and they back off of his little lady.
This is a well rehearsed dance for the American voter. A public performance.
There is NO coincidence with the Clintons and she told Bill to kiss her butt a long time ago, just about the same time she told him she was NOT going to get out of his way and he had better not get in hers!
The Pantsuit complains that
April 29, 2008 - 11:30 ET by fitzfongThe Pantsuit complains that she's had such a hard life, and she essentially claims to have been heavily involved in just about every historical event of the past hundred years (even if she's only lived 60). She's just another Forrest Gump...or perhaps more accurately the guy who used to wear the Rainbow Wig and carry the John 3:16 signs at the Super Bowls and World Series' in the '70s...she's incidental to the main event, but she manages to step over some bodies to get her attention-starved mug on TV. If ever the term "famous for being famous" was an accurate description, it would be of Hillary the Pantsuit.
the idea of hillary possibly
April 29, 2008 - 12:17 ET by seaniepthe idea of hillary possibly insulting people and whether or not it is a good idea . . . ummm, if people are still listening to her and not figured it out by now, then they are not going to do so
Cry me a
April 29, 2008 - 14:56 ET by bigtimerCry me a Whitewater!
....'nuff said...as I am lol posting this...that was rich Mark!
"Never murder your opponent when he is committing suicide." ~ W. Churchill
Hey, Bigtimer, I wonder why
April 29, 2008 - 15:18 ET by marpelHey, Bigtimer, I wonder why not one of these bloggers have mentioned the Keith O remark last night about Brent Baker. Maybe I was the only one who was channel surfing and landed on the remark at just the right time. Keith called us all a bunch of dumb losers....OOOOOOH, I'm scared. LOL
In a way, a substantual
April 29, 2008 - 15:47 ET by Tim the EnchanterIn a way, a substantual argument can be made for her having a tough life. I mean, when you've been whacked as hard as she has with the ugly stick......
do you know how hard life is for hillary REALLY
April 30, 2008 - 07:14 ET by lunaticcringeradioi mean you try to run a serpentine pattern dodging sniper fire, hand grenades, and land mines, all with fat thighs and cankles. all with a daughter in tow that is a constant reminder that she actually did engage in sexual intercourse wit ha piece of male genitalia.
lunaticcringeradio