The Right-Wing Slander Machine Was Not Completely Wrong About Hillary

[OneDemsConscience]

I remember when Fox News and other right-wing outlets began promoting Hillary for president back in 2000-02. They talked about her plotting to run as soon as possible, about how the evil Clintons needed to get back into power, about how formidable Hillary would be, etc. Like most other Dems, I thought it was an absurd distraction designed to raise money for GOP campaigns.

Timothy Noah documented this strange obsession in a 5-part series of articles for Slate.. The first one is here--they are a great read.
http://www.slate.com/id/2088758/
http://www.slate.com/id/2088820/
http://www.slate.com/id/2089882/
http://www.slate.com/id/2091277/
http://www.slate.com/id/2099379/

When HRC declined to run in 2004, I felt vindicated. For me, HRC was a patriot who understood how divisive a figure she was. Whatever her ideological faults, she was dedicated to the common good and wouldn't let ambition stand in the way of defeating the GOP.

I have continued to admire Hillary throughout this campaign.... Since I felt she was the most conservative and least electable Democratic candidate, I wasn't likely to vote for her. But I was impressed by her debate performances and admired her civil campaign style. I kept an open mind and almost switched camps at one point....and given the Penn results I might still be on the fence....

But everything has changed in the last month. The level of desperation is incredible.

The MoveOn comments aren't so bad--most of us already understood that Hillary does not agree with grassroots anti-war activists. She has a right to her opinions.

But trying to exploit the absurd non-issue of Obama's comments on small-town citizens, or his non-association with Bill Ayers....these are truly Rovian tactics. That, in combination with the emerging possibility that she really is a hawk on Middle East matters (ie her recent comments on Iran).

Have the Clintons reconciled with Dick Morris? What is going on here? Suddenly the Clinton campaign is everything the GOP (who have promoted it relentlessly) always dreamed it could be.

This is a nightmare. But given that she was the right-wing media's wet dream...should we really be surprised?

[LSparkle]

1. If Ayers is fair game, then what about the SCAIFE endorsement?

Why isn't the media holding HRC to account for THAT association/endorsement?
It only happened during the past month, whereas Ayers' association with
Obama is old news ... She's gotten into bed with the "vast right wing
conspiracy" ... yet NO ONE IS CALLING HER ON IT! (Yeah, I know K. Olbermann
did -- to HRC's amusement -- but why no one else?)

[OneDemsConscience]

2. There is no Ayers/Obama association

Otherwise I couldn't agree with you more. It's very depressing to see Obama pilloried for being associated with Rev. Wright while John McCain reeps the fruits of being endorsed by John Hagee.

[speedoo]

3. The media loves Hillary because she's generating stories.

All the stories that hurt Hillary - like the Scaife endorsement and the Pelosi trigger - they suppress.

[2rth2pwr]

4. Someone endoreses her means she has gotten in bed with the "vast right wing conspiracy"?

A mind is a terrible thing to waste.

[LSparkle]

5. She did more than get the endorsement ... she met with him

and so did Bill. It's almost like she was COURTING that
endorsement. I hear the same people who brought us "The
Arkansas Project" may soon be serving up Swift Boat-
style attacks on Obama ... and I don't have to wonder
why.

[2rth2pwr]

6. She is the real Unity candidate.

[LSparkle]

7. You forgot the :sarcasm: thingy ...