Dear Paul Hogarth:
Your lucid analysis — that Hillary’s latest outrage costs her the VP slot — doesn’t go far enough by my logic. Her belligerent yet self-wounding campaign, with confusing, awkward shifts in attacks, core message, and persona (from “elitist,” veteran policy wonk, the smartest person in the room, to Norma Rae’s good old girl) has offended all but fervent fans — and failed. I foresee major changes: withdrawing, leaving the Senate, perhaps abandoning politics.
This storyline requires only one assumption, what a savvy political friend puts forth: her decade-long crusade has been a return to the White House. Factor in her carpetbagging NY Senate run, conservative-friendly votes for the War and against Iran, not appearing too liberal (thus no substantial legislation and tardy anti-war claims) and, finally, a primary fiasco fluctuating between timidity (safe rhetoric, positions, and triangulation) and abusive attacks against a Democrat (Obama a naive commander-in-chief, inferior to McCain; wrong color to win white voters; not a Muslim “as far as I know,” and now “I’m staying in case Obama exits,” to soften her language).
The result: few real options. Hillary isn’t trusted or liked enough for Senate leadership. Maybe she’s governor material. Or a Supreme Court Justice. Presidential losers almost never run again and, when Obama wins it all, she grows older — and tarnished — by 2012 or 2016. Truth is, it’s now or never, and of late she’s lost more friends than she’s won.
Her talents, huge ego and elevated life goals match better with what Al Gore and Bill achieved after politics. Her shocking nastiness and party divisiveness guarantee a strong Senate challenge in NY, where she’s hardly the perfect fit (yet like Obama, lucky). It wouldn’t amaze me, if she internalizes no presidency, moving on from the Senate and politics (where she’s no natural, like Obama) to save the world.
Thus, the prospect of a swan song from national office (what a dreadful VP choice anyway!) and the birth of a new quest. I expect she’s bitter, puzzled a misguided public rejected her entitlement — the first woman president. For many of us, former Clinton admirers alienated from the win-at-any cost Hillary who refuses to learn from many mistakes, that’s a very good thing.
Robert Becker
Mendocino CA
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