What, Me Worry?

(Cartoon by Lee Judge, published in the Kansas City Star and featured at McClatchy DC.  Click on image to enlarge and be so kind as to return.)

Poor Hillary.  She can't seem to cut a break these days when it comes to the GOP sniping on her every move  If it's not Benghazi, it's Syria, and, now, her boundless wealth. 

One of my tablemates here at the Cuckoo's Nest and I got to talking about the sudden "concern" with all the money she and her husband have, implying that she has lost touch with the commoners (as if the Republicans have a clue about that) and therefor would make a lousy president.  He suggested pretty much what Lee Judge suggests in the above cartoon:  misogyny at work.

While I'm sure that's part of it, I think there's more than just that.  After all, the GOP did nominate Sarah Palin as its vice presidential candidate, even if everyone pretty much knew that McCain-Palin didn't have a snowball's chance in hell.  And it wasn't that long ago that Elizabeth Dole had a reasonable shot as the party's nominee for president.  I think a larger part of the distaste for Hillary has to do with her name:  Clinton.  The GOP still has a visceral hatred of the Clintons, almost as deep as its hatred for Barack Obama.

That said, however, the issue of the Clinton's wealth, a lot of it garnered in speaking fees and book sales, is out there.  I'm glad that it finally is being addressed.  I think Bill Clinton was wise to face it head on during the Sunday talk shows.

Here's Bill Clinton's explanation regarding the wealth issue:

The former president was questioned Tuesday about his wife’s remarks in an interview by NBC’s David Gregory, who asked whether Clinton could appreciate how people, “as a political matter,” might feel that Hillary Clinton is out of touch.

 “Yes, but she's not out of touch,” the former president replied. “And she advocated and worked as a senator for things that were good for ordinary people. And before that, all her life. And the people asking her questions should put this into some sort of context.”

 

“We've got a good life, and I'm grateful for it,” Clinton went on. “But we go to our local grocery store on the weekend. We talk to people in our town. We know what's going on. The real issue is if you've been fortunate enough to be successful, are you now out of touch and insensitive to the agonizing struggles other people are facing? That's the real issue.”   [Emphasis added]
I would remind Republicans and Democrats alike that we've had wealthy presidents in the past who were decidedly not out of touch with those who are struggling.  Two in particular come to mind:  Franklin Roosevelt and John Kennedy. The issue is not one of personal wealth, it's an issue of who the individual is beholden to, who owns her/him.  And that just might be a viable issue this time around.

The chances are pretty good that I won't be around for a Hillary presidency, and that does make me a little sad.  I would have loved to be around for a woman President of the USA.  But I'll tell you what, if she wins, I hope the American electorate gives her a decent Congress, one with which she can work to get things done in the way they're supposed to be done and not by executive fiat.

My prediction is that it's gonna be an interesting couple of years.  Very interesting.

No Surprise Here

(Cartoon by Jack Ohman, published 6/7/14 in the Sacramento Bee and featured at McClatchy DC.  Click on image to enlarge and then kindly return.)

Yeah, yeah.  I took yesterday off.  Nothing in the Sunday papers moved me and it was just one of those low energy days.  But I'm feeling a little better today.

Actually, this cartoon reminded me that Doyle McManus usually has something to say, so I wandered over to read what he offered in his latest column.  He's reading excerpts from Hillary Clinton's new book (about to be published) and from what he sees, there's no longer any doubt that she will be a candidate for the 2016 Democratic nomination.

Here's what Doyle McManus had to say:

Hillary Rodham Clinton’s memoir of her time as secretary of State isn’t officially being released until Tuesday, but thanks to a deluge of excerpts, we already know most of what’s in the book, and that makes it easy to figure out why she wrote it.

If there was any remaining doubt that Clinton is planning to run for president, “Hard Choices“ should remove it. ...

And, in the most interesting tidbits, she makes it clear that she differed with Obama on some issues: arming Syrian rebels (that divide was already well known), on being tough on Russia’s Vladimir Putin (she says she would have been tougher), on pushing Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak out of power (she counseled more caution), and on avoiding a clash with Israel over settlements in the West Bank. I’ll write more about those issues once I’ve had time to plow through the whole book.

The upshot: Clinton’s not going to run on Obama’s record. Which is exactly what any smart campaign strategist would advise.   [Emphasis added]

I don't think any of us had any doubt that she would run.  Most of us have no doubt that she will win the nomination.  And a goodly percentage of us believe she can win the White House, unless the GOP surprises us with a fairly rational, non-Tea-Partyish type candidate.  So far, I haven't seen anyone who fits the description, but the conventions are still two years away.  She's well-funded and well-positioned for a run, even in the midst of investigation after investigation of Benghazi by House Republicans.

Nor was there any doubt in my mind that she would run as far away from Obama's tenure as Al Gore ran away from Bill Clinton's tenure.  Obama has done a few good things, but he's not come close to fulfilling his various promises for "change."  And he's left too much undone on the big issues, preferring instead to secure his future and his future in history with bland baby steps. 

The problem I see is that Hillary's come with the same DLC background as the current president and is every bit the buddy of Wall Street banksters that he is.  You don't raise the kind of money she has at this point without those "friendships."

So, while Hillary won't be "more-of-same" in every detail, perhaps she will surprise me, especially when it comes to the treatment of women here and in the rest of the world. 

One can only hope.

Well? Is She Going To Run Or Not?

(Cartoon by Jim Morin / Miami Herald (January 17, 2014. Click on Image to enlarge.)

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2014/01/19/214978/mcclatchy-cartoons-for-the-week.html#storylink=cpy

The January 27, 2014 issue of Time magazine has a really good article by David Von Drehle on Hillary Clinton as a potential candidate for the presidency in 2016.  It deals primarily with whether or not she has made a decision as to running for the post.  While I suspect she has already decided, she (and her camp of supporters) are being very coy as to just what the decision is.  The article suggests that coyness is for several very good reasons.

Here's the key idea:

How long can this go on? Longer than you might think. The typical reasons for a candidate to "decide" -- credibility with donors and voters, access to media, ability to recruit staff, leverage to secure endorsements -- wouldn't move Clinton because she already has those things.  There's not a door she can't open nor a camera she can't command. [Emphasis added]

Well, being the cover story (once again) of Time certainly gives credence to Von Drehle's thesis, and in all likelihood she will be the cover story several more times in the near future.  And 2+ years out is a little early for any kind of formal declaration.

 In the meantime,   Republicans will keep Clinton in their sights, with Benghazi and any other disaster they can dredge up and link her to. 

Silly rabbits!