In the August 29 print edition of the Christian Science Monitor Weekly, reporter Linda Feldman took on the long-standing problem of the Democrats: “Can Hillary Clinton now ‘humanize’? The candidate finds whe needs to overcome a caricature.” Why can’t she project warmth? The “core challenge” is “getting voters to look beyond the caricature of her – and to actually like her.” Liberal reporters can’t face the idea that she’s not resonating.
In focus groups this month of ‘Walmart moms,’ the descriptions of Clinton were devastating, even among women who may vote for her. Words like ‘emotionless,’ ‘cold’ and ‘untrustworthy’ flowed freely.”
It’s a “caricature” that she’s “untrustworthy”? Or that her tolerance of her husband’s serial adultery seemed “emotionless”? But then Feldman turned to blame sexism and that vast right-wing conspiracy:
Why is Clinton so challenged on the likeability front? Women voters blame sexism, echoing the findings of political scientists who say women candidates are more constrained in their behavioral options than men because of gender norms. Female politicians, for example, have to be careful not to get “too huggy” with voters.
Feldman never cites any political science to back up her assertion, and notes that Sen. Elizabeth Warren “has no problem displaying what voters perceive as authentic emotion in a political speech.” She then turns to close Hillary pal Diane Blair.
The papers of Clinton’s close friend Diane Blair, who died in 2000, shed some light on why Clnton has built up a protective shell over the years. In 30 years of friendship, Ms. Blair observed Clinton in a series of high-profile roles and saw how the Clintons’ opponents sought to derail them.
She also saw how Hillary Clinton’s spearheading of health-care reform, early in her husband’s first term, ignited a fierce backlash – a reaction for which Clinton was unprepared.
As mentioned before, reporters love turning to "close friends" to testify about how wonderful/victimized/misunderstood Hillary was, and in Diane Blair's case, they routinely ignore how these friends shared in her dishonesty. What Bill Clinton adultery?
Feldman concluded “By now, Clinton’s negative image seems so baked into public consciousness, it may be impossible to change....But with an image-challenged Trump on the ballot against her, it may not matter.”
