Ouch !!! - 'The Clinton Campaign Puts The ‘Moron’ Into Oxymoron' - WaPo

[WillyT]

The Clinton campaign puts the ‘moron’ into oxymoron
Dana Milbank - WaPo
September 11 at 12:57 PM

...
...
...

Planned spontaneity? A scripted attempt to go off script? This puts the “moron” into oxymoron.

Here’s a better idea: Find and fire people who talk about her that way. Thin out the whole bloated campaign and its cadre of consultants, and shed those who orchestrate these constant makeovers of Clinton. Then, rather than stage managing a strategy to appear spontaneous, Clinton might actually be spontaneous – and regain some semblance of her authentic self.

Seven months ago, my colleagues Philip Rucker and Anne Gearan wrote about Clinton hiring consumer marketing specialists “to help imagine Hillary 5.0.” There have been several incarnations since then: Her coy “I’m thinking about it” period, her soft-launch, her populist pitch to help “everyday Americans” (Chozick reports Clinton is dropping the phrase because it didn’t “resonate”). There was the thrifty Clinton campaign that ordered staff to take the Bolt Bus, instead of Amtrak, between New York and Washington. First Clinton was defiant about her email server; now she’s “transparent” and apologetic. The headline on Mark Leibovich’s piece in the New York Times Magazine in July was “Re-Re-Re-Reintroducing Hillary Clinton.”

And now comes the latest of many warm-and-fuzzy makeovers – perhaps the most transparent phoniness since Al Gore discovered earth tones.

Clinton’s campaign spent $18.7 million in the second quarter, dramatically more than any other. The mid-July report said she received $815,000 worth of services from strategist Joel Benenson’s firm alone. Since then, the campaign launched a $4 million ad blitz in Iowa and New Hampshire.

And what does she have to show for it? A Quinnipiac Poll Thursday found that Clinton had shed 12 points in Iowa in two months and now trailed the vastly outspent (but authentic) Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 41 percent to 40. She was already trailing in New Hampshire.

Certainly, part of Clinton’s problem comes from her very authentic secrecy, which led to the disastrous decision to have a private email server. But her campaign makes her problems worse. She has an inner circle of loyalists who can’t, or won’t, tell her when she’s making a bad decision, as with her initial grudging response to the email controversy. And she has a group of hired guns, imported from the Obama campaign, who sell her as if she is a new formula of detergent each week.

What if Clinton were to chuck all that? What would remain is this: a lifelong advocate for children who worked for the Children’s Defense Fund rather than taking a high-paying job after law school; a woman who cares more about those in need than her husband ever did; a policy nerd who believes government can be a force for good.

Maybe voters in this anti-establishment, populist moment still won’t embrace a foreign-policy hawk with ties to Wall Street. But what voters reject every time is a phony. If Clinton ditches the constant makeovers and still loses, she at least will have the dignity of knowing she was her own person.

Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-clinton-campaign-puts-the-moron-into-oxymoron/2015/09/11/8ba14572-5895-11e5-abe9-27d53f250b11_story.html

[padfun]

1. Scorpions sting

That's what they do.

[Bubzer]

81. I've heard that parable. I'm not interested in being the fox that gets stung and drowns.

[olegramps]

123. It is a shame that she is so managed since she has real gifts.

Hilary Clinton is extremely well versed in government and she is the most qualified candidate of either party to lead our nation regarding international affairs during especially dangerous times. (I shudder to think what will happen if any of the Republicans win. Most especially if it is Trump.)

There something lacking in her ability to connect with the average voter. Maybe she just lacks the charisma that is natural attribute of her husband. Perhaps this is why she appears so up tight and instead of attempting to imitate him she should just be herself win or lose.

[sabrina 1]

135. To be honest, the real reason for all the consultants and all the makeovers is

that she is NOT the most qualified person for this most important job. She has made bad decision after bad decision re policy throughout her career. On War, on Welfare 'reform' on Gay Rights and on who she chooses to associate with, the very people who the public KNOWS are the cause of the horrible economy that has so destroyed the working class in this country.

IF she were to ditch all the advisers and just be herself, it wouldn't make any difference. Voters look at a candidate's record and her record on so many important issues falls way short of what it should IF she wants to appeal to ordinary people.

So the OP is right in some ways, re 'just ditch all the 'advisers and be yourself', however it is BECAUSE the real Hillary, where she stands on issues, needs to be covered up as much as possible.

She took nearly 12 years to apologize for her disastrous Irar War vote.

She opposed Gay Marriage up to just two years ago.

She enthusiastically 'worked to get votes' for the horrendous Welfare Reform bill.

She may care about the poor and women, but she has no idea what their needs are and seems to believe that the wealthy are better equipped to make those decisions, see again the Welfare Reform bill.

If anything, her army of advisers have managed to distract from all these positions she has taken and I believe that to be their main function.

[green917]

150. exceedingly well said!

Bravo! It doesn't matter if she loses the act, her image is too far gone and those of us who actually follow politics still won't trust her because of the policy positions and people she has associated with.

[sabrina 1]

156. That's what a lot of people can't seem to get. It's ALL about the Issues. And on those issues

Hillary has been sorely lacking as a Democrat. She has had to 'evolve' so often, which is fine, but leaders of nations don't have the luxury of evolving while they are wielding power that can so badly affect the lives of so many people.

Bernie Sanders has not had to evolve, he had the good judgement and foresight to KNOW what was right, or wrong at the time when he had to make those serious decisions.

It's not about THEM as individuals, I'm sure they are all very nice people in private, it is about 'what will this candidate do if asked to make a decision as serious as going to war'? We know what Hillary did when she had that chance. Now she has admitted to being wrong. We KNEW yet she didn't.

We need leaders who get it right when it is the most important TIME to do so.

Thank you for your comment!

[Marty McGraw]

165. Makes me wonder if

a bunch of her campaign staff realize this to and are just looking at this as a way to bide their time and ladle off some of the funding for themselves. Looting while the town burns down. Sad that this pendulum swing in time has almost all those kind of people hob-nobbing near the top (which to me morally is the bottom-most dregs of society)

We spent decades propelling this kind of sludge to the top 'oh... Look at the fancy car & the big mansion - that individual must be doing something right' - right... and casino resorts don't get constructed by loosing.

The Richer - the more Stingey - so simple and so sad that we have to repeat this every 60yrs.

[green917]

168. precisely!

What i tell all of my friends about bernie is this: pick a policy and watch video of Bernie speaking on said policy last week and then watch video of him speaking on the same policy 20 years ago. Invariably, there is zero difference between his policy positions today and those of 20 years ago. He hasn't had to evolve his positions because, generally, he's been right the 1st time. That's called integrity and it's, sadly, something that sec. Clinton simply doesn't have politically.

Thank you for your comment and kind words!

[olegramps]

167. So her work as Secretary of State was horrible.

Give me a break, she was complimented for her work until she decided to run for the nomination. Yes, she has changed her stance on some issues and as to her stance on the Iran fiasco remember that she had certain caveats but I know that will be ignored. I remember how the Welfare Reform was widely applauded by both parties and the general public. I can't understand how you can bash her concerning her concern for the poor and women. The first job she took was as an to advocate the issue. Yeah, she is a complete loser according to her enemies.

[randys1]

2. BASH BASH BASH Hillary, BASH BASH BASH

[morningfog]

6. Yeah yeah, we get it. Thou shalt not criticize

St. Hillary the Inevitable.

[sheshe2]

48. You do know randys1 is a bernie supporter, correct?

[Dragonfli]

70. .

[L0oniX]

72. -

[SMC22307]

75. To make it a threesome...

[cui bono]

76. Just like all those other Bernie "supporters"...

And for good measure... let me repeat what others have "said"...

[PatrickforO]

98. Doesn't seem like it. Every time he does that bash bash bash thing,

it's like he's saying, "Oh, yeah, here they come again, bashing Hillary."

[sheshe2]

100. Maybe you should have a conversation with him

Instead of judging him.

In RL people have conversations. Try it instead of talking to me.

[Eleanors38]

162. Odd, so am I...

..I don't have a personal problem with Hillary, though on the stump she is ponderous and dull. I have had a problem since just before the '08 election when her stands seemed to reflect a studied re-hash of Third-Way, Beltway Democratic bureau-speak. Even among these centrists, she sounds dated and wholly non-commital. I voted for the Big O simply because he was a somewhat more unknown quantity; I was under no illusion that he was a centrist as well, but I figured he would move a little beyond the mumbling jargon jive that characterizes the corporatist Democrats. He has to some degree. But the country is past him, and Way past Hillary.

[uwep]

137. Even Dems are jerks

[morningfog]

138. Who's the jerk here?

[ibegurpard]

10. this was damn good advice

She should listen to it and maybe she can still salvage her campaign.

[reddread]

40. do you want this sort of disconnected ineptness in the oval office?

I cant say that I do.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

110. Depends on which Hillary makeover we're talkin about.

[reddread]

136. will it come with a guarantee/warranty?

amorphous ambition is hardly the stuff of leadership in the land of the free, the home of the brave, etc.
how many of our very serious problems have been addressed, let alone resolved?
it seems the only agendas worth serving are those of Wall St and the Chicago Mercantile.
the American people are on their own.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

145. Sad but true. Countin on Bernie to change all that.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[Warren DeMontague]

13. yes, who could possibly think "planned spontaneity" was ripe to be made fun of?

Her campaign is the home of the geniuses actually coming up with this stuff.

[PatrickforO]

99. Oh, I don't know. In Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, no one made fun of Professor McGonagle

when she told the students that they would be having a 'Yule Ball' during which they would practice some well mannered frivolity.

Of course, she could turn you into something if you upset her...

[Hollingsworth]

146. She seems to have bought herself some real talent

so I don't understand all the waffling and changing and general weakness of her campaign. The only thing I would attribute it to is that she likes 'yes people' nodding their heads in agreement with her and collecting their paychecks. Nothing else makes any sense.

[Gore1FL]

14. Is it? It sounds like it's asking for Hillary to be Hillary to me.

That's pretty good advice.

[gateley]

16. I can be objective and I think this is a pretty good observation of what's going on.

Personally, I seem to like Hillary the person (not that I know her personally, just the times when she's been real, just enjoying herself), but don't care for Hillary the candidate.

I think this piece points out that her consultants aren't necessarily serving her well -- if she would just be Hillary and relax, she'd fare much better.

That's how I interpreted it, anyway, and I would agree. She has so much more to offer than her "handlers" allow her to show.

[sheshe2]

50. gateley?

Wow! Good to see you.

Long time.

[gateley]

59. shee!!!!!!!

Good to see YOU!

This "Joe stuff" has pulled me from my political exile. That, and I'm just giddy that Bernie is spanking all projections! Pretty exciting and unexpected, IMO.

How have YOU been?!?!?!?!

[sheshe2]

61. Hey gateley!!!!!!!!

Dayum I have missed you.

Doubt Biden will run after the loss of his sweet Beau, what heartbreak for that family. Yet I so love him. He stands for woman, what's not to like? He and Jill are an awesome pair, they are soulmates.

I hope things have been well with you and yours. Me, last year was bad. We lost two. Still getting over it.

So good to see you back here. We had some fun together here.

Luv ya~

[gateley]

64. Whether or not he runs, I'm hoping it makes him feel good that so many

seem to (finally!) want him. I've said, it just might help him heal! We'll see.

I am so, so sorry you've had a bad year. My heart goes out to you. And healing is a process. I don't think you ever "get over it", you just learn to live with and accept it and for the most part, the pain lessens. (For me, anyway, and of course I think EVERYBODY is just like me!! :rofl I hope this year will be kinder and that every day you hurt a little less.

[sheshe2]

67. Thanks sweets.

Means a lot coming from you.

As for Joe, he polls well for a man that has not declared. People love him.

Hugs~

[kath]

143. Biden "stands for women"? Really? After what he did to Anita Hill (and the women who came to

DC to corroborate her testimony who Biden didn't allow to speak?)

[beam me up scottie]

158. +1

[CanadaexPat]

63. It's the curse of too much money - it means too many consultants telling her what to do. And then

leaking to the press when a strategy other than the one they've suggested for is chosen. We've seen that already, with unnamed sources raising issues about this or that aspect of the campaign - that's staffers using the press to fight internal battles, and it gives the appearance of disarray and constant panic. Fire at least half of them.

[gateley]

65. Really an act of betrayal -- nobody has and loyalty anymore.

I'm sorry that Hillary feels as though she needs to be "guided". She's done and accomplished so much, I think she's more than able to just get out there and be Hillary. Of course, easy for me to say from out here -- I'm not the one running for POTUS and under a microscope.

[Bubzer]

83. A bit like too many cooks spoil the pot...

I think she'd be better off being herself as well. I prefer and authentic candidate to an overly coached one any day.

[merrily]

87. A President has lots of consultants and salaried advisors telling him or her what to do as well.

But, he or she makes the final decision. So does Hillary, when it comes to her campaign.

When Obama ran in 2008, I was posting on a board where people of all political views posted. Republicans said he had no executive experience. I would reply that he was CEO of a billion dollar operation known as his campaign for POTUS and doing a damned good job of it.

So far, Hillary has been 0 for 2 as CEO of her campaigns.

[NJCher]

119. very good point

It's the curse of too much money - it means too many consultants telling her what to do.

That's it, in a nutshell.

If I were Hillary, I'd be pretty damned upset that I'd spent $815,000 and experienced a decrease in my public perception. The consultant(s) obviously ignored the Bernie factor.

On another topic, and speaking to Hillary's "staged-ness," the one gesture that sticks in my mind is how, during her first campaign, she "pointed." It's done most often when they walk to do their speech and they look at the adoring crowds and they point to somebody. I hate that.

I read that this is something these image consultant-types tell candidates to do--point to people in the audience. I guess it's supposed to make them look connected to the audience. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

Anyway, I only point this out because it's an example of her long-standing reliance on these image adviser types.


Cher

[CanadaexPat]

121. It's often a fake point.

There's no one actually on the other side of it.

[SusanCalvin]

128. I hadn't noticed that, but now that you mention it, it's stupid (for anybody).

Last edited Sat Sep 12, 2015, 03:16 PM - Edit history (1)

It makes it look like they're singling out friends. How about waving to the *whole* audience?

[NJCher]

152. probably never occurred to them

I don't think these image consultant types are too deep.


Cher

[SusanCalvin]

126. " it gives the appearance of disarray and constant panic"

If staffers are fighting internal battles in the press (I'll take your word for that as I haven't been paying attention that closely), that, to me, is a huge issue.

Not just because of what leaks out but because her staffers would do that at all. That's not the kind of people you want to have working for you if you can help it.

[Divernan]

163. It's like previews of next season's VEEP-credit claiming/blame dodging.

[Metric System]

157. I agree there are some fair critiques of the campaign in this piece. It reminds me of 2008 when I

heard "Let Hillary be Hillary."

[TrollBuster9090]

27. No, MILBANK MILBANK MILBANK. Not Bash Bash Bash.

I think you're getting your DANAs confused.

See the difference...

not

[840high]

33. lol

[WillyT]

44. Look... You Can Ascribe Any Motivations To Me That You Want, But...

That does not negate the fact that her campaign is fucking tone-deaf.

If she manages to survive and win the Nomination, she will be damaged.

Dana is correct... she needs to clean house, get real, and kick ass.

It's the only way to salvage this thing.

I thought she was in-tune with tough love.

[sheshe2]

106. Interesting you mention tone deaf here.

Bernie...BLM...Cornell West.

Big mistake.

Bye.

[sheshe2]

49. Bashing gets you recs~

[WillyT]

56. Wow... Really ???

The party establishment... is worried she's blowing it.

Maybe she should buy a clue.

[sheshe2]

60. Remember what you said to me Willy?

About Obama bashing instead of praise

It started as, "Well you see she....."

[cui bono]

140. Remember the OP you posted?

It started as "Not Enough, Bernie". The there was the other one that lied about Bernie saying racism was over.

Total hypocrisy on display with you here. You don't get to complain about what anyone posts anymore after those. Oh, and there was that oh so sweet post to me that got you a more than well deserved hide. No, after the things you have posted, which includes the most vile OP ever posted on DU, you don't get to complain about what others post.

[beam me up scottie]

93. Associating Bernie with slavery and racist cops got you 23:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026737025

[cui bono]

141. How many recs did you get for your worse than bashing OPs?

[cui bono]

77. At least no one's trying to imply she's racist like a lot of DUers have with Bernie.

This is an article, not DUers making shit up like they did when they were trying to swiftboat Sanders by attacking him on his strengths with a lot of bs and seriously vile OPs.

[Fumesucker]

104. When they were trying to swiftboat Sanders?

You mean they stopped?

[cui bono]

142. Point taken.

Now there's one who says he won't vote for someone on the Democratic ticket if they are not a Dem.

Of course that's the same idiot who brought up how "lily white" Sanders' Vermont crowd was.

[pocoloco]

120. LO fucking L

Much better free advice than what she got for her $800,000!

[raindaddy]

130. It is "Hillary's" campaign....

She's responsible for her advisers along with the messages they deliver to the media... And the new Hillary planning" to be more spontaneous message is about as lame as it gets.

Of course she's getting hammered in the media.

At some point Hillary needs to be held responsible for her massive slide in the polls.
The "everyone stop being mean to Hillary" meme isn't going to put a Democrat in the White House.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

147. Hillary responsible? Responsibility is for the great unwashed.

[jeff47]

3. Why'd she win NH in 2008?

Because she dropped the carefully-cultivated image and was herself. Then after winning NH, and thus saving her campaign, she went back to the consultants.

Clinton could have easily won 2004. But consultants said she needed a longer track record in the Senate.
Clinton could have easily won 2008. But she kept going with the carefully-maintained consultant-provided image.

And now we're in 2016, and her lead is eroding away. How many failures does it take to realize the consultants are not a good plan?

[Juicy_Bellows]

7. Let's ask the consultants! Nt.

[Fuddnik]

117. maybe she should hire Uber-Consultant Axelrod!

He just did such a smash up job in Britain.

[merrily]

88. Was she? A woman mentioned her hair and make up and asked how she could manage

Last edited Sat Sep 12, 2015, 02:32 AM - Edit history (1)

everything, meaning running her campaign, handling her private life and maintaining her appearance. And Hillary went into a just short of tearful riff about how much she loved this country. Since we heard she was going to show more heart and humor, she has gone just short of tears a couple of times. So, did she drop her cultivated self in 2008 in NH, or was that just another side of the cultivation? I don't know how to tell for certain. Personally, in 2008, when I saw her react to the question that way, I rolled my eyes.

I've heard that Hillary is very likeable when you meet her in person. I have to take the words of others on that. All I have ever seen of her is her public persona and all I see then is calculation and personal ambition and, despite that, a remarkable degree of tone deafness for someone who has been very active in politics since high school. JMO

[Betty Karlson]

107. This is a very good point.

I hope you'll make it again. Maybe even elaborate, by means of an OP? Thanks in advance.

[thereismore]

4. Dana Milbank. I just don't like this guy. He is such an opportunist. It's now OK to bash Hillary, so

he does it.

And I am a Bernie supporter.

[roguevalley]

9. nothing in that article is inherently wrong. If it was she would be leading now. All she is

doing is falling. In my estimation, her biggest problem is she is a lousy campaigner with zero political sense.

[Bubzer]

84. I dont agree that she has no poltical sense. I think others said it right...she needs to be herself.

She needs to not rely so heavily on others to handle the message. She had this issue in her previous run as well. When she's allowed to be authentic, she connects more solidly with people.

[merrily]

89. She's "allowed" to be whatever she wants. All the final decisions about how she presents herself

to the public are hers. Her campaign advisors are her employees, not her hypnotists.

[frylock]

91. Thank you!

I'm so tired of this shit. Hillary is not being held hostage by her consultants and advisors. She could clean house, and it would have no effect. What you're seeing IS Hillary.

[merrily]

92. Either way. Either we are seeing Hillary, or we are seeing someone who hires the wrong people

and acts on bad advice. Frankly, if I am contemplating a CIC, the second bit is a lot scarier than if someone has a demeanor that is not likely to get them elected Most Popular, but has great judgment.

[frylock]

94. I couldn't agree more..

the refrain when Bush was (s)elected was that he was surrounding himself with good people. I simply do not trust Clinton to hire people that will provide sound advice.

[Nay]

112. And it's hard to trust Clinton to tell good advice from bad advice, if we are

seeing her take the advice of the people surrounding her now. She did the same thing in the last campaign and lost. How many times does she have to make this same mistake before seeing that it is a mistake?

[Enthusiast]

102. Right on!

[Bubzer]

159. That seems a fair assessment

[Bubzer]

155. Ahh...bad use of wording on my part. Sorry for that.

You are right, she's the gatekeeper of her own actions, it was inappropriate to imply otherwise.

I do wish she'd use her advisers suggestions more sparingly though.

[jtuck004]

118. "with zero political sense" < That's not true. If this was 1990 she would be spot on. n/t

[demwing]

144. Okay, then: "Quarter of a century old political sense"

It's easy to forget what things were like in 1990...



Hey 1990? Is that a phone in your pocket or are you just REALLY happy to see us?

[Skwmom]

5. It's also about integrity.

If people don't view you as honest, there is no way that they will perceive you as authentic (not a phony). They kind of go hand in hand.

But what do I know... I'm not one of those high paid genius consultants...

Though of course no one beats the Democratic Establishment for tone deafness...

[bvar22]

8. "perhaps the most transparent phoniness since Al Gore discovered earth tones."

Hillary 5.0...

[FlatBaroque]

11. Stay the course

PLEASE!!

[SoapBox]

12. Yup.

Seven months ago, my colleagues Philip Rucker and Anne Gearan wrote about Clinton hiring consumer marketing specialists “to help imagine Hillary 5.0.” There have been several incarnations since then: Her coy “I’m thinking about it” period, her soft-launch, her populist pitch to help “everyday Americans” (Chozick reports Clinton is dropping the phrase because it didn’t “resonate”). There was the thrifty Clinton campaign that ordered staff to take the Bolt Bus, instead of Amtrak, between New York and Washington. First Clinton was defiant about her email server; now she’s “transparent” and apologetic. The headline on Mark Leibovich’s piece in the New York Times Magazine in July was “Re-Re-Re-Reintroducing Hillary Clinton.”

It's that Weathervane thing too.

The message is all over the place...it did her in last time and it will do it again.

[JDPriestly]

24. It is due to wanting something too much. Her desire to be president is more important than

anything else.

It's not about America or the people of America, it's about Hillary, all about Hillary.

Too controlling and I'm sorry to say, just really not having taken the time in her life to know who she is and what she wants other than to be president.

It comes of shallow, and I think maybe that's the reality. Sorry to say this, but trying to appear to be something even if it is close to who you are in order to obtain a goal like say being president just doesn't work.

Her problem is too that she is running against a really authentic candidate whose goal it has been for many years to listen to voters, talk to voters (Thom Hartmann''s show) and work for the voters and the best interests of America very patiently.

Hillary should focus on the Clinton foundation and the good work it is doing and let Bernie be president. That's my opinion.

[Android3.14]

30. ^^^WHAT JDPriestly SAID^^^

[Duval]

32. You said it! I always

look forward to your posts. Thanks.

[XemaSab]

41. Amen

n/t

[reddread]

42. 100%

and not so hard for anyone to see.
understanding why and how they could screw this up so badly will
be the making of many books, a movie or several and maybe a broadway musical.

[hifiguy]

43. So true.

And the echoes of the last individual this fixated on becoming POTUS, one Richard M. Nixon, are more apparent every day. No one has ever run for the office longer or more obsessively than she and Nixon. And anyone who wants the presidency that badly should never, EVER have it.

[marlakay]

57. When you said fixated it made me think of Romney

Who almost ran again this time! You could tell he wanted to but even he knew he would lose.

[LiberalArkie]

45. HRC is like so many managers. They have to hear "That is the best idea I have ever heard" from

her peeps every time she says something. Same way with a lot of people in power. They never hear that they are wrong so the train keeps barreling down the tracks and no one dare say "slow down, there is a curve ahead" because the boss says full speed ahead.

[NJCher]

122. Christie's another one

In the farthest stretches of my mind, I cannot fathom how this guy thinks he could be president.

But when you factor in the no one who dares to say "slow down," it becomes all too apparent what kind of bubble they're living in.

Christie's public persona is that of a bully. Wouldn't surprise me in the least if that's how he operates in his own inner circle, either.

Can you imagine sitting on the other side of the desk, saying, "You haven't a prayer in hell."


Cher

[LiberalArkie]

133. I have worked with managers like that, and no I did not being around when

someone disagreed with them. And yes they were glad when I retired as I was the one who spoke their mind. But hey, every manger up the line approved my severance package as they were all glad I would be gone. :>

[gateley]

71. ...

...I'm sorry to say, just really not having taken the time in her life to know who she is and what she wants other than to be president.

It comes of shallow, and I think maybe that's the reality. Sorry to say this, but trying to appear to be something even if it is close to who you are in order to obtain a goal like say being president just doesn't work.

It's kind of sad -- like a child actor who is under the lens all his/her life and can never really just let go. It probably began when they graduated from college and set their sights on the big prizes. And all their lives, everything they've done has been criticized and critiqued. It's gotta take its toll.

[MannyGoldstein]

86. ...

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/sarah-palin-and-hillary-clinton-address-the-nation/n12287

(With thanks to Merrily, who reminded me of this skit)

[Enthusiast]

103. I share a similar opinion.

Well said!

[Nay]

113. This strikes me as very true, and is probably the source of all my trepidation

toward the idea of Hillary as president.

[SusanCalvin]

129. Yep. nt

[PatSeg]

151. You know,

I really liked Hillary way back when she WAS Hillary. She must be very insecure if she thinks being herself would be detrimental to her campaign. I guess I can't completely blame her. When she was "herself" back in the 90s, she was repeatedly attacked from all sides. I miss that Hillary though. This one is a managed, molded, scripted version of the real thing and people aren't buying it.

[Old Crow]

15. I'm waiting for Hillary 7.0, when she declares that she's a socialist.

I wish the thought was mine, but I'm borrowing from another poster (Indepatriot) in another thread.

[LondonReign2]

17. In Hillary 8.0, she finally admits she is a Communist Tea Partier/Wobbly Bircher

[kacekwl]

18. People want a person

who is authentic not a reality show. As Trump has demonstrated even if you are a loudmouth asshole people will clamor to you because we are all so sick of being tricked by the sad group in power now. Be genuine Hillary please if you can. People know if you are or not. Give it a try.

[gateley]

68. Agree -- that's the only reason I can think of that he's soaring in the polls.

They know he's an asshole, but he's a KNOWN asshole. They know he's the scorpion.

[hifiguy]

19. I honestly don't think she has any idea anymore

who or what she really is. She has done so much selling-out and compromising to feed her boundless ambition that if she ever had any core principles - other than self-advancement - she has long forgotten them.

No one but Richard Nixon has ever run for the presidency so long and so obsessively. No one who wants the office that badly should ever have it.

[Demeter]

22. ^^^this^^^

There are other similarities...like the urge to cover up, the enemies list, etc.

[hifiguy]

23. Every day the parallels with Nixon become more apparent.

She started out as a staff attorney on the Watergate committee, and has morphed into Nixon. The cosmos has a pointed sense of irony.

[merrily]

96. No, she started out as a Goldwater Girl and someone who, circa 1960, rejected

Saul Alinksy's thinking.

An attorney who claims to have been working for the DNC during Watergate said that she either got fired or almost got fired for trying to deny Nixon his Constitutional right to counsel, relatively fresh out of law school, when lawyers tend to be at their most idealistic. I have no idea if that is true or not. Meanwhile, though, she herself had failed the D.C. bar exam, despite a pricey Ivy League education at both the college and law school levels.

And, yes, all that was a long time ago, but, much more recently, she stonewalled a subpoena for two years as First Lady and, as a candidate for POTUS in waiting, stonewalled an FOIA request for her correspondence for two years and wiped her personal server before beginning compliance. So, it seems all of a piece. Whether or not having a personal server AND wiping it before complying with an FOIA request is a crime, it's unappealing to me, as is a lot of the behavior of the Clintons and more than one or two of the people who surrounded them.

[SusanCalvin]

154. Sigh...

I'd love not to see "Goldwater Girl" anymore. I don't want to have stupid stuff I did when I was 17 thrown in my face here in my 60s. And, yes, I did have an AuH2O bumper sticker, because I thought it was cute.

[Android3.14]

31. Smart people posting this evening

Spot on.

[zeemike]

37. That happens when you put your faith in money.

And while money sometimes does work, that strategy has seen better days.
People now have more access to information and it is not so easy as it used to be to buy your way in with Madison Ave. marketing.

She was counting on not having any serious opposition but Bernie threw her a curve ball.

[Nay]

114. I also think Hillary would be doing fine if she were only up against the same old

run-of-the-mill candidates with their own set of pollsters, groomers, advisors, etc. But she's not.

A completely honest and irreproachable person, Sanders, has completely changed the atmosphere.

[gateley]

66. You make a lot of good points. nt

[KoKo]

149. That's what I've been thinking these days...

No one but Richard Nixon has ever run for the presidency so long and so obsessively. No one who wants the office that badly should ever have it.

Her campaign's announcement that Bill is coming in this week to do fundraising and appearances doesn't look good either.

I've been asking on posts for awhile here "What role will Bill play in Clinton Administration as the "First Man" and get no answer from Hillary supporters. Either they think I'm being snarky or they don't have an answer.

I ask because no one seems to want to talk about Bill's role....and, yet I think its important for us to know about. I'm a Bernie supporter but if he can't get the nomination then Hillary will be the Dem nominee and it will be too late to ask ...."What about Bill?" Is Hillary running partly for Bill's ambition to have another term so that his legacy is remembered in better terms than the scandals that dogged his first? Or, is it just because both of them are power hungry to such an extreme degree that its unhealthy. Which would along with what you say as a caution: "No one who wants the office that badly should ever have it."

Another example of power obsession is Dick Cheney who was so obsessed with power, and still is, that many feel he was the REAL Acting President behind Bush II. His ideology and friendliness with the NeoCons certainly has affected our country in a disastrous way in international and domestic policy. Hillary has had many of those same people as her advisers who have influenced her throughout her governmental career. And, Bill now has his "Clinton Foundation" with ties to foreign governments and corporations that might have undue influence over Clinton 3's Policy and Governance.

Anyway...that's my concern with a Hillary/Bill Presidency

[Demeter]

20. I love these lines from Mame, talking to her actress friend:

I feel it's my duty to tell you it's time to adjust to your age;
You try to be "Peg O' My Heart", when you're "Lady Macbeth."

[catnhatnh]

21. Hey-She may do what Milbank suggests...

I heard her handlers are discussing the possibilities...

[JDPriestly]

25. LOL.

[tblue37]

26. Her big-mouthed staff have created an "etch-a-sketch" meme for her. She needs to do some

serious firing!

[wyldwolf]

28. Yeah, good ole' Dana. Hey! Remember that time he purposely misquoted Obama in 2008?

I sure do. What an asshole.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/30/iwashington-posti-fans-ou_n_115861.html

[rhett o rick]

55. I am sure you know what an ad hominem attack is? Attack the messanger and ignore the message.

Your candidate represents the 1%. I assume you know that. What I would like to know is why would an honest Democrat support someone that does not represent the people. Maybe you believe in trickle-down. Give GoldmanSux our money and they will reward us in a later life. Clinton does not even try to pretend that she thinks the growing wealth gap is a serious problem.

[wyldwolf]

58. I'm sure you know what an unreliable blowhard he is?

Your blah blah (insert 'progressive' buzzword) blah blah blah blah blah (insert 'progressive' buzzword) blah blah blah (insert 'progressive' buzzword) blah blah.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

73. I salute you. It's hard to argue against point that's borrowed from a Mad Libs tablet.

[rhett o rick]

79. And that's about as substantive a response as I expected. nm

[TrollBuster9090]

29. First, I support Hilary Clinton. And second...

this is absolutely true!

I would love to see Hilary Clinton as the Democratic Party candidate, but NOT if she's being handled, packaged and focus-grouped by the same gang of 'centrist' losers who've been running the CLINTON INC. machine for the last 20 years.

[passiveporcupine]

35. Will the the real Hillary please stand up!

Yes...I'd like to see her as a real person...not the one that is being controlled by her handlers.

[WillyT]

36. ^^ This !!! ^^

I'd rather have Sanders, but this is a second slow-motion train-wreck.

And is TOTALLY avoidable.

Can you say... Mark Penn ???

[Rilgin]

97. Halfway there

The final step is to realize that there is no reason to ask Hillary to fix her campaign or be herself or reinvent herself. This is the primary. It is pretty obvious that her campaign has weaknesses and she is a flawed candidate. She should never have run in the first place and should come to the realization that its possible to drop out in the best interest of the party.

However, I doubt that Hillary will ever do that. She did not stop campaigning hard (and negative) in 2008 when it was pretty much mathematically over for her. However you can take that final step and stop supporting her.

On the whole, it is too bad that she even chose to run. If she hadn't and used the establishment tactics to try to dominate the race enough so no one else would run, it is probable we would have had many more candidates to chose from.. perhaps even Warren which would have satisfied both the progressive movement and those eager for a woman president.

In any event, take that final step from being unhappy with her campaign to not supporting it and I think you will feel more authentic.

[mhatrw]

34. Hillary 6.0 = The Real Hillary

"Be All That You Can Be."

I pretty sure that slogan resonates.

[AtomicKitten]

38. solid advice, and it was free

[WillyT]

39. That's What I Thought...

There is an awful lot of frustration with the campaign out there.

And most of it from her allies...

She needs to listen...

[Spitfire of ATJ]

46. She'll ditch the consultants as soon as she hears back from them if it's a good idea.

[bigtree]

47. Milbank lecturing on being 'authentic?'

...he's a pompous ass.

[virtualobserver]

51. it is possible to be an authentic pompous ass

[bigtree]

54. right

...his 'authentic' concern for Hillary's campaign is noted.

[DonCoquixote]

52. oddly enough, this is exactly what those who love clinton need to hear

'Here’s a better idea: Find and fire people who talk about her that way. Thin out the whole bloated campaign and its cadre of consultants, and shed those who orchestrate these constant makeovers of Clinton. Then, rather than stage managing a strategy to appear spontaneous, Clinton might actually be spontaneous – and regain some semblance of her authentic self. "

In short, have her SHED THE PARASITES whose incompetence is killing her, like they did in 2008.

[WillyT]

53. Exactly !!!

[Nay]

115. Yep!! Good advice, and it's free. nt

[oberliner]

62. He voted for John McCain in 2000, Chuck Hagel in 2004, and Michael Bloomberg in 2008.

Milbank has stated that his "policy" on presidential general elections is to vote for the best candidate who is not on the ballot. He voted for John McCain in 2000, Chuck Hagel in 2004, and Michael Bloomberg in 2008. He has explained that his approach allows him to "go through the exercise of who would be a good president" while avoiding committing to one candidate or another in the race

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dana_Milbank

[gateley]

69. That doesn't make what he said any less valid. He didn't present it in a

"friendly" way, but I think his points and observations are objective.

[BuelahWitch]

74. I remember reading about that woman in the '90s

the one who worked for The Children's Defense Fund. I saw her speak in Salt Lake when Bill was running for President and admired her fire. I thought she might be our first woman President.
Hillary would be wise to take Millbank's words to heart.

[eridani]

78. i would very much like to see Clinton "chuck all that" n/t

[CoffeeCat]

80. OMG…Yes, Hillary Clinton needs to be herself!

I find it incredulous that Hillary Clinton finds herself in the exact same spot that she was in, during the 2008 primary preseason.

Her campaign became turbulent when she had many missteps in Iowa in the Fall of 2007.

Right out of the gate, her campaign in Iowa was canned, aloof, disinteresting and Hillary simply appeared uninterested in Iowa voters. She kicked off her campaign in Iowa, by landing in her "Hill-o-copter" at select spots and touring around the state. And no, I'm not kidding, she called it her "Hill-o-copter." There was a hefty publicity plan centered around it.

When that was laughed off, she decided to be friendly and engaging with Iowa voters. So, she organized a town-hall style event where she would take audience questions. An Iowa reporter did some digging and discovered that all of her questioners were her own staffers asking planted questions.

Disaster doesn't even begin to describe her Iowa campaign. All of this blunders, miscalculations and reinventions. It was just too much. Pretty soon, she appeared phony. The false starts gave the appearance that she was inauthentic.

It appears that this year is following a similar trajectory, with multiple iterations of herself. I don't like Hillary Clinton's policies and I disagree with her corporatism and hawkishness. However, the one thing she has going for her is her true personality. She just refuses to show it! If she would just be HERSELF, instead of carving out a new self that she thinks will win votes--she would be light years ahead.

Hillary Clinton is a very strong woman. She's a ball buster. I bet most people are afraid as hell of her. Including Bill! If she would just put forward her bad self, with no apologies, people would appreciate the authenticity and they actually might think that she could be the President, stand up to the Republicans and get things done! Hillary Clinton is trying to play Disney Princess, but she's really a pit bull. They sense the disconnect between what she's pretending to be and who she really is.

Her campaign is losing more ground, and losing it faster--than she did in 2008. Her campaign is in a free fall. The reason is because she's making the same mistakes TWICE. People are fatigued with her political blunders and the countless new-and-improved versions of herself.

You have to wonder who in the world her advisors and strategists are.

Unless she can just be herself, and come out swinging--she's got no chance.

[Old Crow]

82. Honestly? I'd say if she hasn't learned it by now...

... there isn't a lot of hope. She's 67, for heaven's sake. Personalities--both strengths and weaknesses--are pretty much set in stone at that point. And knowing how to be her authentic self in the public light is most definitely not one of her strengths.

[grasswire]

85. even her movements and speech seem phony and trite

I can't stand to watch her stride out on stage and wave; can't stand to see her speak and take questions. So contrived and artificial. Been in public too long.

[merrily]

90. Her advisors and strategists are the people SHE decided

are the best possible advisors and strategists for her campaign, who are also people she does not fire. Same in 2008.

Whose advice to take and whose to reject is a huge part of being President and CIC.

Contrast JFK's averting a war over Soviet missiles in Cuba, during the height of the Cold War and domino theory foreign policy, because he was wary of advice from the Pentagon and hawks in his administration (and not a neocon?) with Johnson's escalation of the Vietnam War because he took the advice of the hawks in the Pentagon and in his administration.

[Geronimoe]

95. Correction

Hillary did not give up high profile joke to work for children's defense fund. She worked for the organization as she attended Yale, waiting for Bill to graduate and then went to work as patent lawyer for Rose Law Firm.

[truedelphi]

101. And she also was working for Sam Walton,

owner of Walmart, as well. She was his personal attorney.

She has well hidden that part of her resume, as it is better to be known for helping children, rather than letting one and all know that she worked for a man who put so many mom and pop stores out of business.

[NJCher]

125. high profile joke?

Was that a Freudian slip?


Cher

[salib]

105. Again, this is all horse race BS.

If they really cared about her "authenticity", then they would talk about issues, rather than snark about e-mail servers.

WaPo will NOT be our friend.

Posting this feels good. However, one could easily do the same hit piece on any candidate.

As Bernie says, let's talk issues and ignore the rest.

Winning is not the issue. Even the political revolution is not the issue.

Improving the lives of most in this country (and throughout the militarized world) is.

We have to win, but not at the cost of losing sight of the real goals.

[Lorien]

108. Yeah, winning is the issue

you can't begin to help people until you have some political leverage.

[peacebird]

109. Ouch! That's gotta hurt. But the part I felt was most correct is this bit:

"What if Clinton were to chuck all that? What would remain is this: a lifelong advocate for children who worked for the Children’s Defense Fund rather than taking a high-paying job after law school; a woman who cares more about those in need than her husband ever did; a policy nerd who believes government can be a force for good.

Maybe voters in this anti-establishment, populist moment still won’t embrace a foreign-policy hawk with ties to Wall Street. But what voters reject every time is a phony. If Clinton ditches the constant makeovers and still loses, she at least will have the dignity of knowing she was her own person."


See, when I see Hillary, I see corporatist warhawk & phony. If she really is this "a woman who cares more about those in need than her husband ever did; a policy nerd who believes government can be a force for good" then maybe I could support her. But what I have seen of her public persona is that of a chameleon, switching to fit what she sees is more popular/electable at the moment, so I don't see someone with strong core values and a steady rudder.....
Too many re intros, too little honest interaction.

[tomp]

111. The voters do NOT reject a phony every time.

Phonies in politics are the rule and voters get behind them in droves. Now, I'll grant you that when given a choice between a phony candidate, and a genuine one, the odds shift a bit, we should not underestimate the ability of phonies to get over in american politics.

[kacekwl]

116. Sadly true,

but I think alot of people aren't falling for that crap anymore. See Bernie see Trump .

[One of the 99]

124. Yeah, Dana Milbank has always been so objective regarding Hillary Clinton

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/07/31/53833/clinton-milbank-beer/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/31/dana-milbank-suggests-hil_n_248889.html

[tularetom]

127. She can't "be herself" because SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO SHE IS!

There have been so many reboots, makeovers, and mulligans that whatever genuineness existed 40 years ago has been beaten out of her. And why did she allow this to happen? Because all the talk of her being a "strong, independent woman" is bullshit. She lacks the confidence to be herself, she is confused about her own identity and she is willing to pay others to define her.

And I don't think the country needs an emotional basket case as president.

[Rose Siding]

134. So a weak, dependent woman did this?

Against all advice, paid or unpaid

I do not believe that all criticism of Hillary is sexist. I really don't. But I do wonder about your "emotional basket case" comment". Do you think she's so "emotional" because she's a woman? Because Joe Biden, who I adore, has declared himself emotional lately. Should that disqualify him to run?

And a follow up: Can you think of any men that had qualities "beaten out" of them?

[elzenmahn]

139. Hmmmmm...I have a different take on this.

I think she knows well who she is - a corporate-shilling DINO who is finding herself up against an electorate with decreasing patience for the third-way rhetoric made popular by her husband. She's trying to play it both ways, and she's finding it almost impossible to do the political "splits" between the pro-corporate and the progressive wings of the party.

[Phantomaz]

131. Flashback: Dana Milbank calls Hillary a "mad bitch"

His video section was cancelled as a result.
Willy doesn't remember though.

http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2009/07/31/53833/clinton-milbank-beer/

[randome]

132. Please. None of that matters.

The only thing that matters is scouring the Internet to find a blogger who doesn't like Clinton! Get real!
[hr][font color="blue"][center]"If you're bored then you're boring." -Harvey Danger[/center][/font][hr]

[HenryWallace]

148. Milbank is not the only one!

Charles P. Pierce form two days ago:

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a37801/hillary-clinton-should-fire-entire-campaign-staff/

[WillyT]

153. Thank You For That !!!

[Eleanors38]

160. Think: Spanish armada, English Channel, 1588.

[emsimon33]

161. Even if she dumped the consultants, she would still be Hillary... .

more of the same.

Enough is enough!

[NotHardly]

164. You know Bezos owns WAPO... right???

Don't ya think that has a bit to do with stuff???
A Murdock by any other name is still a Murdock ... gotta know your billionaires.

[Vinca]

166. Hillary should emulate the Italian tennis player who beat Serena yesterday.

She should go for broke, good or bad. Let her out of the bubble. Burn the scripts. Stop muzzling her.