I wrote “Hillary’s Hair” four years ago, in 2012. Much has changed, much hasn’t. Hillary’s hair is perfectly professional once more because she’s running for President again. There was something in that 2012 essay I didn’t remember: she was among the most admired woman in annual polls when she was Secretary of State. Now some Americans chant “lock her up.”
Among conservatives, that’s something that hasn’t changed. When I wrote “Hillary’s Hair” in 2012, I recalled Republicans’ vicious attacks on her when she was FLOTUS. They denigrated her then—stopped her healthcare reform efforts, not a proper cause for a first lady, didn’t like her hair, her voice, her face—and kept slinging mud at her all these years until a lot of people came to believe it.
See John Oliver for a detailed dissection of the difference between Hillary’s so-called scandals and Trump’s actual scandals.
As Oliver says, she’s done some stuff that should irritate us, but how many Benghazi/email investigations do you need before you accept that she’s done nothing criminal? How many times must fact checkers show 80% lies on Trump’s side and 20% on hers before you stop calling her the dishonest one?
The woman isn’t perfect. No human being, presidential or otherwise—has ever been perfect. I have come to love Obama, to be proud of what he’s accomplished in spite of a do-nothing Congress. I celebrate his scandal-free eight years, but don’t like the reliance on drone bombing or the number of deportations he’s done. And please, shut down that Dakota Access pipeline!
I’m certain to have issues with Hillary’s presidency too. Maybe, for example, she’s chummy with Wall Street: it’s something we should keep an eye on once she’s in office. But in her long years of public service, as governor’s wife, First Lady, senator and Secretary of State, she’s worked for education and healthcare. In the Colorado Independent this week—where you can still find real reporting—a leader of Colorado’s Bernie campaign outlined Hillary’s career of championing education and healthcare, starting with her job after law school with the Children’s Defense Fund. He urged us to vote for her. http://www.coloradoindependent.com/161842/guest-post-bernie-bros-for-hillary
When Obama was elected the racism simmering beneath our skins erupted. It took me by surprise then, but I’m braced for a similar event now. John McCain has already said conservatives, happy to hamstring the judicial branch of our democracy, won’t approve any Supreme Court nominee she selects. Those who still believe a woman’s place is in the home will vow to oppose her as they did Obama, no matter how it hurts the rest of us. As Margaret Talbot said in the New Yorker this week, “Like the female protagonist of a quest narrative—or, perhaps, of a dystopian fantasy—Clinton has made it through all her challenges to face the bull-headed Minotaur of sexism at the end of the maze.”
Great piece on Hillary! No, she’s not perfect and I often wonder about how people expect our leaders to be paragons of virtue. We have to balance what we think is ethical or moral against what is best for the nation. Some things are obviously below the line of a decent person, some things are corruption of power, plain and simple. I don’t see Hillary in that line-up of politicians who are PRIMARILY in it for themselves. We never know, certainly, but in this case the alternative is so overwhelmingly an infantile egotist that there is just no question. As to your writing… keep it up, you have a fine voice!
MORE POWER TO HER!!
So sane, so balanced. Great work, Pat.
I’m with YOU!