I couldn't pass up posted a link to this fine piece of writing by Peggy Noonan. It was in Friday's Wall Street Journal Opinion section. It's a commentary on Hillary Clinton and her recent slide in the polls. Noonan compares her to Margaret Thatcher. Here's an excerpt.
The point is the big ones, the real ones, the Thatchers and Indira Gandhis and Golda Meirs and Angela Merkels, never play the boo-hoo game. They are what they are, but they don't use what they are. They don't hold up their sex as a feint: Why, he's not criticizing me, he's criticizing all women! Let us rise and fight the sexist cur.
When Hillary Clinton suggested that debate criticism of her came under the heading of men bullying a defenseless lass, an interesting thing happened. First Kate Michelman, the former head of NARAL and an Edwards supporter, hit her hard. "When unchallenged, in a comfortable, controlled situation, Sen. Clinton embraces her elevation into the 'boys club.' " But when "legitimate questions" are asked, "she is quick to raise the white flag and look for a change in the rules."
Then Mrs. Clinton changed tack a little and told a group of women in West Burlington, Iowa, that they were going to clean up Washington together: "Bring your vacuum cleaners, bring your brushes, bring your brooms, bring your mops." It was all so incongruous--can anyone imagine the 20th century New Class professional Hillary Clinton picking up a vacuum cleaner? Isn't that what downtrodden pink collar workers abused by the patriarchy are for?
Here's the rest.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Its a problem of old political tactics being utilized in the 21st Century. A politician goes to a group and tailors a message for the particular group. A few years back these incidents could be isolated from one another due to geography and limited media coverage. What you say to some group, no matter how small, will find a greater light of day. And to complicate things, today, every little statement, public, transcribed or taped will find its way into a blog, newsfeed or onto youtube within 3 seconds after it is stated. All words and inferences are subsequently spun and respun beyond recognition in the modern day [adult] equivalent of the kids game "telephone."
It is no wonder my generation is so ambivalent to politicians. Everyone has an agenda. Some are positive… Most are just agendas.
i love peggy.
Post a Comment