CARL BERNSTEIN ON CLINTON'S "DISASTROUS NATIONAL ENTERPRISES"... Carl Bernstein,
the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who broke the Watergate story with Bob Woodward,
is the author of the best biography of Hillary Clinton -- A Woman in Charge: The Life of
Hillary Rodham Clinton. Here's part of his take on what Clinton's presidential campaign has
revealed us:
What will a Hillary Clinton presidency look like?
The answer by now seems obvious: It will look like her presidential campaign, which in
turn looks increasingly like the first Clinton presidency.
Which is to say, high-minded ideals, lowered execution, half truths, outright lies (and
imaginary flights), take-no prisoners politics, some very good policy ideas, a presidential
spouse given to wallowing in anger and self-pity, and a succession of aides and surrogates
pushed under the bus when things don't go right. Which is to say, often.
And endless psychodrama: the essential Clintonian experience that mesmerizes the press,
confuses the citizenry, confounds members of both parties in Congress (not to mention
the Clintons themselves, at times) and pretty much keeps the rest of the world constantly
amused and fixated.
Bernstein admits that:
Such a picture of Clinton Redux is, by definition, speculation. But it is speculation based
on the best evidence at hand: the demonstrable and familiar record of Hillary and Bill
Clinton coupled together in Permanent Campaign-mode for a generation, waging a
continuous fight on the national political stage since 1992, an unceasing campaign for the
White House, for redemption, for their ideas (sometimes) and for themselves (almost
always), especially in 2008.
The basic dynamics of the campaign, except for the Clintons' vast new-found personal
wealth and its challenges, have been near-constant since they arrived in Washington:
through Whitewater, health care, the battle of the budget, the culture wars, the tax returns
released only under duress, the travel office, Monica, impeachment, the pardons and
through Hillary Clinton's often repugnant presidential campaign.
The bottom line:
The latest transmutation of leadership in the campaign of Hillary Clinton for president –-
Mark Penn's departure or non-departure, be it window dressing or window cleaning –- is
perhaps the best index we have of the more absurd aspects of her candidacy and evidence
of its increasing bankruptcy.
The Clinton folks asserted to donors and reporters alike that this second "shake-up" in
eight weeks at the very top of the campaign apparatus represents some kind of great
electoral moment, an opportunity for Hillary to state her case "more positively," as if the
negative approach had been forced on her; the beginning of yet another "turnaround" as if
Penn, rather than Hillary (and Bill), has been the big problem. As if Penn were not an
appendage of his two patrons, as if he were some kind of independent contractor twisting
the candidate's arm to do what comes unnaturally to her. The willingness of so much of
the press, sensitized to the Clintons' off-center complaints about one-sided coverage, to
buy into this line is stunning.
In fact, the demotion of Penn –- like the departure of Hillary's acolyte Patty Solis Doyle as
campaign manager –- is a confession that, for all her claims of "experience" and
leadership abilities, Hillary Clinton has now presided over two disastrous national
enterprises, the most important professional undertakings of her adult life, both of which
she began with ample wind at her back: the healthcare reform of her husband's
presidency, and now her own campaign for the White House. These two failures -– and the
demonizing of her opponents in both instances –- may be the best indication of the kind
of President she would be, especially when confronted (inevitably) by unanticipated
difficulty and/or entrenched opposition to her ideas and programs.-- In
Dems2008@yahoogroups.com, "citation502" <citation502@...> wrote:
>
> How the Hell did Hillary even get her name LISTED in a poll about
> integrity and honesty? Isn't there a qualifying round?
>
> --- In Dems2008@yahoogroups.com, Rob Harrington <Eamon1916@> wrote:
> >
> > Who has more honesty and integrity?
> >
> > IN
> > Obama 51%
> > Clinton 20%
> >
> > PA
> > Obama 47%
> > Clinton 26%
> >
> > NC
> > Obama 51%
> > Clinton 16%
> >
> >
> > Ouch.
> >
> > Slainte,
> > Rob Harrington
> >
>
------------------------------------
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