One of the Presidential Candidates has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that their campaign for the Presidency has stalled, that they have deceived a great deal of the American People, especially the working class and should consider stepping aside so that a better, stronger candidate can proceed. This candidate’s campaign has become a pointless exercise of futility and their efforts to win the White House will be stalled by the absolutely absurd comments they have laid forth to achieve this goal. That is why Hillary Clinton should kiss her run for the White House goodbye.
You thought I was gonna say Obama didn’t ya? Well you should know me better by now.
I am not put off by manufactured scandals, especially one as transparent and idiotic as the ‘Bitter’ Gate (even the name is bad) scandal, that I’m sure most Americans know NOTHING about. If you haven’t heard it’s quite ridiculous. Obama made the following comments at a Democratic fundraiser, which where “leaked†to the press somehow:
“It’s not surprising, then, they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.”
Pretty racy stuff huh? Doesn’t this prove what an elitist bastard Obama is? The secret is out, no bones about it. Obama thinks those working classes Pennsylvanians are bitter about losing their jobs. How dare he even ponder that these fine frustrated folk fall back on tradition in hard times or are even slightly more susceptible to Right-wing scapegoat artists when times are bad than when times are good. I tell you, that Obama must be one of those radical left-wing limousine Liberal elitists! I tell you how that Obama must be stopped! Is it any wonder that some Pennsylvanians are actually NOT put off over the ‘bitter’ remarks? Some even say he’s right on target!
It’s ironic that this whole Obama bitter-gate controversy proves the very point that he was trying to drive home. Hillary jumped all over what he said, playing on fear, using xenophobia to portray Obama as an outsider bent on destroying their way of life. Meanwhile, the wife of, and, one of the champions of gun-reform legislation herself, is out talking up the good natured home-style goodness of hunting.
Obama called her on it: “She’s talking like she’s Annie Oakley! Hillary Clinton’s out there like she’s on the duck blind every Sunday, [like] she’s packin’ a six shooter!”
Clinton’s desperation is widely apparent, as she jumped up and down repeatedly over the weekend, calling Obama an elitist. She may have finally thought she had found an opening. Some of the major outlets are reporting just that, even citing a poll that shows Obama tanking in Pennsylvania even though, much like the Wright controversy poll debunked here on Soapblox, the poll could not have possibly measured with any accuracy any realistic fallout (especially since polling usually takes a few days to conduct and process). Some are claiming that polls showing Obama doing well in the Quaker State were inaccurate to begin with.
Once again, the major media has fallen flat on its ass, running with stories they know to be misleading for the sake of headlines, one-up-ism and their desire to find a narrative. In the end, however they look pathetic, wrong, inaccurate, feeble and less relevant.
Much like ol’ Hillary herself, who has thrown all her remaining chips on that Roulette table we call a media. She’s become the spokesperson for Obama’s elitism, pushing the issue every chance she gets. What she apparently doesn’t realize is that she’s pushing a little TOO hard, thereby leaving herself wide open for attack. She of all of people should know that banking your political fortunes on a scandal is never a good idea.
Ezra Klein, of The American Prospect, did a Taxonomy on Scandals that cites many important points. Scandals play best when there is a visual medium to push, like Bob Dole falling from the podium in 1996, or like Hillary at the Airport getting served flowers (instead of the sniper fire she claimed met her instead). The major outlets thrive on replaying video, almost relying on it now to give shred of credibility to their case. In this situation, I found none. Hell, I even had a hard time tracking down the actual quotes. I did find a ton of pundits decreeing Obama an elitist though, or major news outlets declaring Obama finished in Pennsylvania, but few restate his remarks. Scandals also do best when they continually leak out, keeping the media’s eye’s transfixed. Well, every time I see the headlines, Hillary or John McCain’s name is almost always in it! The last point Klein makes on scandals is the discovery of a shocking revelation, something that can frame a candidate’s beliefs in one sentence, thus giving a narrative to their entire stance, like McCain’s “100 year occupation of Iraqâ€. Can Hillary & John McCain frame Obama as an elitist snob? That’s like saying McCain is senile for his gaffe on Al Qaeda being in Iran (which is a pretty big slip of the tongue), in other words, not likley, especially since Republicans ARE snobs and Obama had a modest upbringing (besides, one minute, they paint Obama as a hoop shooting, Muslim from the projects, now he’s an elitist who’s part of a tradition of running the country? Doesn’t fly!). Klein concludes with a prediction that bitter-gate will be left in the vast “gate†graveyard by weeks end, leaving Hillary holding a bag full of smear. I completely agree.
Obama in his wealthy High School looking elite
With new allegations from the Huffington Post that Bill Clinton made similar remarks in 1991, the backlash is already beginning, and Hillary is starting to shut up.
I know the tendency for supporters is to panic when a scandal hits the fan. I know that the media momentum of things can create a feeling of fear in the ranks. However it must be noted these things come and go like a bad Britney Spears moment, they often disappear from all memory in a matter of days. Unless there’s a break down, a head shaving incident or a photo of their goodies, those who choose not to pay attention will often hear nothing about it whatsoever.
Especially with snappy comebacks like: “I know I kept a lot of you guys busy this weekend with the comments I made last week. Some of you might even be a little bitter about that.â€
The opportunistic McCain, has been reminding America he still has a pulse, especially after the rip-roaring success of his autobiographical American Portrait Snooze-a-thon Tour, stepped out of the shadows to call Obama an “elitistâ€. How original. The attention starved McCain must have been excited. Finally, a topic that doesn’t completely contradict everything he’s talking about. A real chance to shift attention away from his absolute weakness. Thanks Hillary!
“I don’t blame them for this — that’s the nature of our political culture, and if I had to carry the banner for eight years of George Bush’s failures, I’d be looking for something else to talk about too,” fired Obama, “If John McCain wants to turn this election into a contest about which party is out of touch with the struggles and the hopes of working America, that’s a debate I’m happy to have. In fact, I think that’s a debate we have to have.”
We will Mr. Obama! Someday, when the media outgrows this childish Paris Hilton gossip fest approach to media and starts acting like journalists. While they prattle on like pretty, gossipy sorority sisters about who said what about whom, the world edges to the brink of great turmoil.
As for the desperate Hillary, I feel a bit sorry for her. Her days are numbered and everyone knows it. If she gives up, she admits failure (something stubborn Clintons don’t accept easily), then gain, the longer she fights the more pathetic she looks, like a Jerry Brown figure. If she stays, she’ll not only risk being seen as the person who cost her party the election, like a Ralph Nader character, she risks actually causing her party to lose.
If I may, I’d like to address Hillary for a moment:
You have every right to stay in the election. I mean, despite the fact that the odds don’t look so good, you never know. You could pull out a miracle. If George W. Bush can steal the White House, so can you! Also, don’t be too discouraged either by the polls that say your supporters would more likely support Obama while Obama supporters would more likely NOT support you. Considering you will likely not win anyway, it’s really a moot point. What I’m trying to say Mrs. Clinton, is that it’s time to, perhaps, cut your losses. No one likes losing, but I mean, come on, Romney had to face facts with facts. Just claim you’ll be aiding terrorism or some similar crock and let’s work together to build each other up, tear down the enemy, not each other.
Cheer up Hill, it’s not all bad. You can go back to Washington and stay in power till your older than Strom Thurmond. It’s really quite a sweet deal, just look at Ted Kennedy! Think about it Hillary, because if you’re remembered as the first woman Presidential candidate to sink an election, and, sink the first African-American Presidential candidate to boot, you may destroy a lot more than just your own reputation.
UPDATE 4-15-08:
Since the original posting of the article Jon Stewart weighed in. Seeing the visual medium shows you just HOW absurd the cable news has become combined with how idiotic Hillary looks. Just for laughs, it’s well worth it.