Althouse: "I Can't Make Her Younger."

January 7, 2008

"I Can't Make Her Younger."

No, Bill's not trying to make us think of his sexual misdeeds.

45 comments:

Sean W. said...: "If you want a President and need one, she would be, by far, the best."

When he said this, I got the image of Hillary standing on the side of the road in New Hampshire holding a sign that reads "Will Be President for Food."

Which, of course, is basically the state of her campaign at the moment. I suspect she's finished.; 1/7/08, 10:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Mrs. Clinton is trying to wear Bill's shoes and follow in his footsteps, but the ungainly things keep falling off. And then there are those odd stains...

Delicious irony: The Dems have traded on Black "victim" votes forever. Now Herself is facing a "Black" and losing. She can't trot out the usual dirty tricks, because that tactic might offend said voter block; and subtlety isn't going to get the destructive messages across fast enough. Oh, what to do...; 1/7/08, 10:11 AM
Anonymous said...: He's saying her gender is pulling her down. That's BS. It's because she's not Barack Obama. IMO, Elizabeth Edwards would give Obama a better run than her husband or Hillary. It's a likability thing.; 1/7/08, 10:12 AM
Tim said...: The likable candidate invariably defeats the unlikable candidate.; 1/7/08, 10:15 AM
MadisonMan said...: The likable candidate invariably defeats the unlikable candidate.

So why do Republicans want to nominate Rudy? He doesn't seem likeable to me. Sometimes, yes. But usually not.; 1/7/08, 10:16 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/7/08, 10:17 AM
Anonymous said...: It's amazing how after being the front-runner for so long, the dam appears to have broken and her free-fall seems irreversible. (Wow, three metaphors in one sentence!)

I feel somewhat sorry for Hillary, but all-in-all, it's probably better for the country. If Hillary loses, she may blame Bill — specifically, his "not sex" with Monica. But for that epic disaster, she may have been in a stronger position today.; 1/7/08, 10:19 AM
Anonymous said...: p. rich,
Why again is that irony so delicious?; 1/7/08, 10:21 AM
AllenS said...: "I can't make her younger, and I can't teach her new tricks."; 1/7/08, 10:22 AM
George M. Spencer said...: He needs to button his coat, button his top button, put on a tie, get behind a podium, and get some better camera angles.

Either that or go on a fact-finding mission to Moscow.

It is just too, too weird to see a former president (of either gender) talk about his/her spouse running for that office. Almost anything he says he risks putting his foot in her mouth.; 1/7/08, 10:26 AM
Bob said...: Maybe Hillary getting out of the race is now... inevitable?; 1/7/08, 10:34 AM
goesh said...: As I watched, I kept praying that somehow Fritz Mondale would magically appear, sneak up behind him and give him the old classic rabbit ears treatment; 1/7/08, 10:44 AM
Anonymous said...: Verso

Assuming your question isn't purely rhetorical, the irony is charaterized by:

Establishment Dem (Clinton) faces member of key captive voter bloc (Obama/Black) in political campaign. Cannot attack harshly for fear of negative effects on critical bloc and losing campaign; cannot make nice (excessive subtlety) for fear of losing campaign anyway.

Mrs. Clinton needs the Black vote, and she is stuck because her opponent is Black, limp denials to the contrary. I would have thought that obvious.

Hoist. Petard.; 1/7/08, 11:04 AM
Mortimer Brezny said...: This is sad. But I'm not voting for her because of pity. I don't pity vote.; 1/7/08, 11:07 AM
Eric Muller said...: Bill isn't making me think of his sexual misdeeds in this segment.

His first line is "we can't be a new story, sorry." He's referring to Obama, the "new story."

Then he says, "I can't make her younger, taller, male." Obama is all three of those things. (To my eyes and ears, Bill implied but did not say a fourth thing -- "black").

So I see no even unconscious allusion to Bill's sexual misdeeds here, unless, I guess there's some information that Bill was into guys.; 1/7/08, 11:10 AM
Mortimer Brezny said...: (To my eyes and ears, Bill implied but did not say a fourth thing -- "black").

I thought that, too. It wasn't offensive, but the laughter quieted during the pause of that moment.; 1/7/08, 11:19 AM
john said...: If you listen closely, you can barely hear him finishing "I can't make her younger ... sister." It's so easy to get distracted on the campaign trail.; 1/7/08, 11:32 AM
The Drill SGT said...: apparently Hill is losing among all demographics including women (in NH).

The interesting dynamic IMHO is whether NH independents pile on and go with a Dem winner (Obama) or vote for McCain, likely GOP draw for their votes. It has big implications in the ultimate general election.; 1/7/08, 11:33 AM
Anonymous said...: He was also saying another thing: "I can't make her be like me."; 1/7/08, 11:36 AM
Robert said...: Whatever you can say about the Clintons, I think this apparent defeat is really straining them both.

For all her rueful good humor in that likability exchange at the last debate, Senator Clinton does seem to be taking it to heart.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0108/Clinton_fights_tears_Its_not_easy.html

Yeah, yeah. Multimillionaire Senator who consciously chose to put herself out there -- I know. But still, I do have some sympathy... especially when the election seems like a referendum on personality.; 1/7/08, 11:51 AM
Mortimer Brezny said...: According to Politico.com, she's crying now. There have been a number of female prime ministers and presidents the world round, and none of them had to cry to get elected. This so pathetic.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0108/Clinton_fights_tears_Its_not_easy.html; 1/7/08, 11:52 AM
Mortimer Brezny said...: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/01/clinton-gets-em.html

ABC News is reporting she cried, too. Ugh. What a terrible campaign strategy.; 1/7/08, 11:57 AM
Mortimer Brezny said...: That ABC News link has video. I say this is a coordinated strategy. She knew she'd be videotaped. She put fake-o tears in her eyes. And she leaked that nonsense to Drudge so we'd pity her. Oh no, she might drop out. She's crying! VOTE HILLARY!; 1/7/08, 12:00 PM
Anonymous said...: Wow, Hillary is really going for broke. That video is her bit lip/feel our pain moment. Yeesh.; 1/7/08, 12:13 PM
Mortimer Brezny said...: She manufactured those tears. This is part of a strategy to HUMANIZE HILL. She had prepared attack lines -- some of us are preapred to lead; she had personalizing items -- "I can't eat healthy and exercise on the trail."; and she mentioned that she was passionate, had deep, sincere convictions, etc. Hey, look, she addressed every single one of her negatives at once! Magic! Presto! And crying appeals to women! Wow. Amazing. I bet her campaign leaked that "getting out of the race" crap to Drudge, too.; 1/7/08, 12:14 PM
Robert said...: Oh, give me a break. No one here has some understanding or appreciation for a strong woman who has an emotional moment on video? ;); 1/7/08, 12:16 PM
Bissage said...: LOL! Hillary as the Dohlmen Elaan!; 1/7/08, 12:18 PM
Christy said...: That "I can't make her younger" taken out of context, as it already has been, makes her sound like a 1st wife about to be dumped for a younger trophy wife. Very unfortunate.; 1/7/08, 12:25 PM
Eli Blake said...: She doesn't get it. Doesn't get it at all. Neither does he.

Age has nothing to do with why so many Democratic primary voters don't want her. Neither does gender.

As a typical Democratic primary voter, let me spell it out:

Seven years ago, I was excited that Hillary Clinton became a Senator. I'd read some of her books, and I felt that she would be a progressive voice for moving things forward in the United States Senate.

Then came her voting record. She voted a lot like Joe Lieberman. NCLB, Patriot I and Patriot II, the Bankruptcy bill, and most importantly the Iraq war resolution. Then this year, she had a chance she'd learned her lesson about voting for the Iraq war when a resolution came up that appears to grease the skids for a war with Iran. She also voted for that.

Now, I am left with two possibilities.

1. She believes in this stuff. In that case, she is too conservative for me, and maybe she should move to the Republican party (since she's voted with them when it mattered.)

2. She voted that way because she a) was looking at how to run to the center, thinking about the general election of 2008 all along, b) took primary voters like me for granted, thinking we'd all just vote for her automatically, and c) we can assume more of the same when she takes office, that she will keep placating the right so she can appear centrist for the election of 2012.

Either way, I want someone who will stand up and fight for the things I believe in. Now granted, Obama isn't perfectm for example Clinton is right when she attacks him for having shifted to supporting the Patriot II Act (for the record I started out supporting Bill Richardson, and having endorsed him will still vote and work for him unless he drops out before my state votes on Feb. 5) but I feel that Obama much more reflects my passionately felt positions that does Hillary Clinton.

Isn't that what a Democratic primary is for anyway? I assume that the Republicans will pick someone who reflects what they want, not just someone who some pollster or focus group tells them might pick off a few votes from indecisive Democrats.; 1/7/08, 12:26 PM
Mortimer Brezny said...: I want someone who will stand up and fight for the things I believe in.

A woman who can cry on cue is a President who will stand up and fight for what you believe in.; 1/7/08, 12:40 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Call the Agriculture Department. Call the FDA. Quarrantine Bill Clinton. He is suffering from hoof in mouth disease.

I wonder what kind of fireworks there would be at chez Clinton if he said he can't make her better looking? Lamps awayyyyyyyyyy!; 1/7/08, 12:44 PM
TWM said...: Are you crying? Are you crying? There's no crying. There's NO crying in politics!

She's done, stick a fork in her.

(Unless Obama blows it, which is entirely possible, of course.); 1/7/08, 12:46 PM
Laura Reynolds said...: MM: So why do Republicans want to nominate Rudy?

I'm not so sure they do but for someone like me, a good part of his appeal is his ability to beat Hillary. Of course she seems to be self destructing.; 1/7/08, 12:47 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: Robert said
I do have some sympathy...

Hillary started the campaign with her air of entitlement; she paid dues, earned it, yada, yada, yada. Then she became the inevitable one, in her words, the only one, the anointed one. She brought this on herself. No sympathy. No pity. Hubris brought her down. Pride goeth before the fall.

All elections are referendums on personality. How else did Bill get elected, Reagan get elected, and Kerry and Gore get defeated. It was there personalities, not the issues.; 1/7/08, 12:54 PM
Patm said...: Clinton is tactless, classless and I really do begin to believe he does not want his wife to win. I don't think he believes his legacy would stand up to her history-making presidency. They're both gross.; 1/7/08, 12:59 PM
Peter V. Bella said...: That video of Hillary looking so emotional and passionate almost made me want to throw up. It was synthetic. She can attack, but no one can attack her. She can haul out people's records, but hers are a secret. She can do unto others, but God or who ever help anyone who does unto her. now she is on the verge of phony tears?

People have seen the real Hillary. They have not liked what they saw. She is toast. If she had any decency, she would proudly withdraw from the race and back someone else.; 1/7/08, 1:00 PM
Simon said...: Eli Blake said...
"Now, I am left with two possibilities. 1. She believes in this stuff. In that case, she is too conservative for me, and maybe she should move to the Republican party (since she's voted with them when it mattered.)"

You've got to be pretty far to the left to think Hillary clinton is "conservative" (let alone "too conservative"), and it seems in denial of reality to say that she's voted with us when it mattered. How did she vote on Roberts and Alito?

The reality is that for all her flaws - which are entirley fatal for a Presidential candidate and which will prevent my voting for her, but that would be expected - she's the most competent, adult person running for the Democratic nomination and they're going to throw her out because they think some cheap verbal fireworks and vague tautology is a substitute.

"I assume that the Republicans will pick someone who reflects what they want...."

Depends how you construe "they." If we pick Huckabee or Giuliani, one part or another of the coalition will grumble almightily, will threaten to walk because the candidate doesn't reflect what they want. I've asked them not to, but I suspect they will.; 1/7/08, 1:28 PM
Eli Blake said...: Mortimer:

My whole post was about why I wasn't planning to vote for Hillary Clinton. Next time read the whole post before inserting foot into mouth.

Simon:

Well, as you know, I'm a liberal. I listed a lot of specific issues where Hillary voted the wrong way. You are right, she'd probably be better than a Republican on judicial appointments (and as I once posted, I would vote for her IF she is the nominee even though she is my last choice in the primary.)

As a liberal, I want a liberal nominee who will do the things I believe in as President.

Besides, while I do believe that Hillary Clinton is more consrevative than I am, I tend to think that it is more likely the second of the two possibilities that I listed, that she has become so enamored of micro-focus groups and pollsters and layers and layers of advisors telling her what to say and how to say it,

that frankly she would be much more liberated if she lost (and then she could fire the pollsters, and the focus groups, and the advisors and the advisors' advisors, and maybe even her husband.) She might even get her soul back in that case.; 1/7/08, 1:53 PM
Mortimer Brezny said...: Eli,

I was trying to sell Hillary to you. I honestly thought it would work.; 1/7/08, 2:14 PM
George M. Spencer said...: Mitt wept.; 1/7/08, 2:31 PM
TWM said...: "Mitt wept."

In is car. In private. Not in the middle of a campaign and in public and on film.; 1/7/08, 2:46 PM
Revenant said...: The likable candidate invariably defeats the unlikable candidate.

Not invariably; Nixon won twice.; 1/7/08, 3:04 PM
Eli Blake said...: John 11:35.

Weeping in itself isn't bad. But one has to consider the reason.; 1/7/08, 3:15 PM
rhhardin said...: It seems like a harmless statement to me; if anything he's slamming the quality of the voters.; 1/7/08, 4:33 PM
blake said...: The GOP wants Rudy?

Well, some of 'em do. Some of 'em want McCain. Some of 'em want Huckabee. Some Romney. A lot of 'em seem to want Thompson, Hunter or Tancredo but don't find them viable for some reason.

It seems like each sub-section wants its own perfect candidate, but if any section gets that, the others are gonna be pissed.

What the GOP wants, as a whole, is not clear.; 1/7/08, 5:05 PM