Monday, June 13, 2005
Repugnant...
Well, it had to happen sooner or later, but Matt Drudge has officially jumped the shark.
Why would you run this? To help Edward Klein sell more books? As if another "Hillary-sucks" book wouldn't have a built-in consituency? But, what's so insane about this particular leak is that -- assuming the idea is to hit Hillary politically -- it totally fails. If the charge is true, how on earth could one read the passage and not one help feeling sorry for the woman?
Hillary cannily turned her biggest liability -- that she was overly ambitious and wanted to create her own political career separate from Bill -- into a strength. The underlying subtext of her 2000 New York Senate run was that of a woman's redemptive oddyssey after having endured the humiliation of the Monica mess across the cable stations and in the front pages of every newspaper. She was the wronged wife who refused to just be a victim. Instead, she launched out on her own. This wasn't said explicitly, but the impression was made.
Now, Drudge wants to spread the Klein story that Hillary isn't just a victim of a philandering husband -- but that she endured a rape, stayed with the husband and raised her daughter. And this is supposed to be a political black mark against her?
In any sense, the story is repugnant -- particularly its complete lack of thought for the feelings of Chelsea Clinton. Yes, she's an adult now, but she's still a human being.
But, as a "political" attack, Drudge's giving this banner status is beyond stupid.
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Why would you run this? To help Edward Klein sell more books? As if another "Hillary-sucks" book wouldn't have a built-in consituency? But, what's so insane about this particular leak is that -- assuming the idea is to hit Hillary politically -- it totally fails. If the charge is true, how on earth could one read the passage and not one help feeling sorry for the woman?
Hillary cannily turned her biggest liability -- that she was overly ambitious and wanted to create her own political career separate from Bill -- into a strength. The underlying subtext of her 2000 New York Senate run was that of a woman's redemptive oddyssey after having endured the humiliation of the Monica mess across the cable stations and in the front pages of every newspaper. She was the wronged wife who refused to just be a victim. Instead, she launched out on her own. This wasn't said explicitly, but the impression was made.
Now, Drudge wants to spread the Klein story that Hillary isn't just a victim of a philandering husband -- but that she endured a rape, stayed with the husband and raised her daughter. And this is supposed to be a political black mark against her?
In any sense, the story is repugnant -- particularly its complete lack of thought for the feelings of Chelsea Clinton. Yes, she's an adult now, but she's still a human being.
But, as a "political" attack, Drudge's giving this banner status is beyond stupid.
