John Nichols: Clinton's Cringe-Worthy Moment

[marmar]

from The Nation:



BLOG | Posted 02/26/2008 @ 11:56pm
Clinton's Cringe-Worthy Moment


Hillary Clinton should probably spend a little more time boning up on her husband's trade record than watching NBC's "Saturday Night Live."

That might have helped her to figure out that no good was going to come from trying to be funny, biting and substantive at the same time.

But, as she did last week with her "change you can Xerox" line about Barack Obama's borrowing of speech lines, Clinton tried to take a swing at Obama and hit herself in Tuesday night's Democratic presidential debate.

It was a hit she couldn't afford to take.

With the criticial Ohio and Texas primaries less than a week away, Clinton needed to get everything right Tuesday night.

Instead, she created one of the more cringe-worthy moments of the 20 Democratic presidential debates in which the pair have participated. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat?bid=1&pid=291293

[alphafemale]

1. It seems she may be a person who absolutely can't tell a joke that delivers.

There's nothing wrong with that, but after several of her attempts have fallen so flat I'd think her staff would stop writing them. And I'd think she'd have the executive capacity to refuse to deliver such cringe inducing lines.

Being unblessed with comic timing is not a trait that should take you out of consideration for the Presidency. But having bad judgment should take you out of consideration for the Presidency. Being repeatably unable to recognize bad advice from your staff should take you out of consideration as well.

[flor de jasmim]

2. She herself should also realize it! She must know she was booed

[WinkyDink]

13. No, but it SHOULD take you "out of consideration" for being given another funny line!

Who advised her to be a comedian, anyway? Obama doesn't crack wise.

[Arugula Latte]

3. That was toe-curling awful.

I almost felt sorry for her, that comment bombed so completely and made her look ... kinda pathetic.

[burythehatchet]

4. It is nothing more complicated that a genuine lack of authenticity. n/t

[ORDem]

5. Exactamente! She allows herself to be programmed by her

over-paid handlers and it falls flat every time.

[Cha]

12. Precisely...

The big fake village is coming apart.

[Stephanie]

14. Insincerity is her middle name

There's no there there.

[loveangelc]

6. i heard boos.

[grantcart]

7. i heard a "did she really say that" gasp

[Drunken Irishman]

8. And grumbles.

It was embarrassing.

[grantcart]

20. I am ready to be your leader on day one - don't ask me the first question lol

[Whisp]

9. she doesn't know who she is

there is no core there.
It's evident in her mixed messages and personae in her speeches. There are too many Hillarys and I don't know which one is closest to being the real one. She has not only been dishonest to the voters, but to herself.

[NJCher]

11. Know thyself said the Grecians

So few of these people ever spend any time getting to know themselves.

I wonder what it would be like to actually have someone in politics who would know how to interpret their own dream, know whether they are an analytic, feeler, senser, or intuitive. Extravert or intravert (true definitions of the word, not the pop ones).

Who actually ponders over their mistakes and their successes. Who maybe sees a shrink, just for general self-knowledge and not out of any neuroticism.



Cher

p.s. yeah I know it's Greeks and not Grecians. I just had to have a little fun with a bushism.

oh and another p.s.

It is amazing how the Clintons are crashing and burning so fast. I never in a million years would have predicted this. Never.

[WinkyDink]

16. I think she knows. What she doesn't know is what the public wants.

She has decided she will try to seek that Grail, instead of risking being herself.

[NJCher]

18. people who really know themselves

Can't be phony. It's something that comes with the package. So in other words, if she really knew herself, she couldn't be a package.

To thine own self be true.





Cher

[DefenseLawyer]

10. Never forget

Most politicians are the same clueless jerkoffs that ran for student council in High School.

[Stephanie]

15. Is it on youtube?

And she wonders why people find her unlikeable.

[AtomicKitten]

17. Hillary is giving Tracy Flick a run for her money.

[grantcart]

19. HRC: I am ready to be your leader on day one - just don't ask me the 1st question