Campaign 2016: Hillary Clinton's Fake Populism Is a Hit - Matt Taibbi/RollingStone

[CoffeeCat]

132. I live in Iowa…here is the deal...

Last edited Mon Apr 20, 2015, 04:48 PM - Edit history (1)

In the 2008 primary, Hillary toured around Iowa on a private plane dubbed the "Hillocopter." Her campaign slapped that name on it, not Iowans. She repeatedly gave large, canned speeches with very little substance. She rarely, if ever, spoke to Iowans directly. You are *expected* to speak with us, answer difficult questions and engage if you're a politician in Iowa.

Iowans take their "first in the nation" status very seriously. We are humbled that we are first and we want to do a good job for our nation. We DEMAND that we know these candidates. The majority of Democrat and Republican primary candidates know this. They get it.

Hillary did not. She sauntered into this state, during the 08 primary--as if she was the anointed one. She never worked a crowd or answered questions. When she was criticized for her corporate-cannded campaign, in response, she held a Q & A at a smaller venue. It was discovered that the only ones called on were planted staffers!

She even criticized our Iowa Caucuses, they day after the vote. Caucuses are small-venue voting sites. We meet in high-school libraries, community centers and YMCA gymnasiums. We discuss the candidates and allow people to pitch their favorite candidates to caucus goers. Then, we vote. It's truly democracy in action.

Seriously. Iowans are not fools. We picked Obama, didn't we? Our state is 99 percent white, but we are a very Progressive state in which Obama won in all 99 of our counties in the last Iowa caucuses. Iowa was one of the first states to legalize gay marriage. Iowans demand to vet candidates and we demand authenticity. We're very kind people and we can smell bullshit from miles.

This, "I'm a real girl!" nonsense is not going to get Hillary anywhere. It's fake and it feels like a device to get votes. The editorials and columns in Sunday's Des Moines Register, reflected this reality.

I believe that Hillary should just be Hillary. Her policies and votes tell the story. She's an affluent, lifelong, privileged politicians who sides with the neocons on war policy and the corporatists when it comes to the middle class. She's kow towed to the bankers and the oil companies (pro fracking, has done little to nothing to help the middle class).

She should just be who she is. If she's uncomfortable answering questions and mingling with the masses--just give the canned speeches. Let the chips fall where they may. Some Dems may like that. But please, don't waltz in here and pretend to care and pretend to be something you're not. It's annoying who Iowans to take seriously this process.

Hillary came in third in Iowa last time. We did our due diligence and we saw many problems. She's not going to do any better this time around, by faking it.