First of all, we have to look at what politicians do generally in terms of fudging. It's endemic in the profession. But she has become a kind of specialist at it. Why has she become a kind of specialist? It has to do I think with the peculiarity of the Clinton situation. It had partly to do with the history of Bill Clinton and women in which she's had to defend him. It's been very difficult to do with the whole truth and nothing but the truth.In the interview, CNN's Brianna Keilar asked Hillary 3 times to explain why people think she's dishonest and untrustworthy. Hillary's only semblance of an answer was an assertion that she could win the election because voters will know she will fight for us and be there when we need her. See how that clicks with Bernstein's theory? She fought for her husband. She was there for him. She did what he needed, and that wasn't about truthfulness. In this light, Hillary's answer to Keilar's question becomes more apt. It could be paraphrased: People should want a President who's all in, fighting for them, and I'm that kind of fighter, on task and determined, not swayed by fussiness about truthtelling.
And I suspect that when she talks this over with her advisers, a central idea is: Politicians are dishonest. Everyone knows that and everyone thinks that. It's trifling that it shows up in a poll that people think Hillary is dishonest. It's like a poll showing people think the sky is blue. The important thing is, people are familiar and at home with Hillary's dishonesty. It's a comfortable old friend. We know all about it. It's acquired a transparency of its own. But what is the dishonesty of all those other candidates? That is the mystery. That is what people should worry about — all the strange ways in which Jeb/Marco/Scott/Rand/Ted/etc. are dishonesty. So confusing and disturbing. Who knows how to begin to delve into that swamp? Best to stay with good old dishonest Hillary!
She can't come out and say that, but that's the secret hidden message, I'm guessing.
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67 comments:
Her venality is "baked into the cake!" so there is nothing to worry about Democrats!
Some people, like Bill, are untrustworthy but likeable.
Some people, like Hill, are both untrustworthy and unlikeable.
The fact that she ate a shit sandwich for him does not make her likeable, and makes her breath stink.
I'm not convinced that the best strategy for her is to say that "I might be a liar but all politicians are all lying scum.", but then again maybe that's her only strategy (other than not talking directly to anyone ever).
So, according to Carl, it's Bills fault. Not buying it. She's is corrupt and has been for a very, very long time. At least since she was fired from the Nixon impeachment committee.
The important thing is, people are familiar and at home with Hillary's dishonesty. It's a comfortable old friend. We know all about it.
After eight years of "Hope and Change" maybe the electorate will be ready "The Devil You Know".
Maybe... but, ugh.
"People should want a President who's all in, fighting for them, and I'm that kind of fighter, on task and determined, not swayed by fussiness about truthtelling."
==> "If I promise to give you enough free stuff, will you shutup already about how I'm untrustworthy and would sell your soul if I could just make a buck off of it?"
Really? Really?
It is not Hillary's fault that she lies all the time about everything....it is her husband's?
Since the mainstream press refuses to report that she outright lied in her interview last night, I am pretty sure it won't matter.
She continued her "Ask me no questions and I will tell no lies" strategy, and played the flip side by letting them ask her a question, and then she told a lie.
Quelle Surprise!
I think (or maybe just hope) that most Americans' response will be more along the lines of recognizing the unique immensity of her dishonesty, which stands out even in comparison to most politicians'.
I welcome a more clever wordsmithing of this idea.
Hillary's dishonesty stands out even among politicians.
But we're supposed to say to ourselves, "Oh she'll lie FOR me, but she won't lie TO me."
As someone whose business sometimes brings me into contact with the political class in DC, I can tell you why Hillary spoke as she did about "fighting for us" as opposed to honesty. The political class she has belonged to for decades values loyalty above all else. Loyalty to party, loyalty to cause, loyalty to your boss/mentor. If you're going to be in the inner circle seeing the sausage getting made, they've got to know you won't rat them out. An active conscience & a morally inquisitive mind are career impediments. A good soldier follows orders.
Even by DC standards, the Clinton machine is excessive in its demands of loyalty. That's because every closet you open a skeleton or two or three falls out. Hells-bells, one doesn't need a frail conscience to find the Clintons troubling. Anything less than a cast iron stomach probably makes you fail the grade.
Isn't dishonest and untrustworthy just a dishonest way of saying unlikable?
It's not whether Hillary is more dishonest, as a matter of degree, than other pols.
It's what drives all that dishonesty. It's that she has so much more to be dishonest about.
And Bill's affairs are the least of it.
I remember that I turned on Bill Clinton when he denied everything. I believed him. He seemed so sincere. Maybe it really was a bunch of right-wing whack jobs making stuff up. He got right past my BS detector. Once I knew he could lie to me and I couldn't tell, I never trusted him again.
At least we don't have that problem with the Red Queen. We can all tell when she is lying. The question we have to ask ourselves, and Dirty Harry would put it, is "Do we care?" Close to half will say no as a matter of course.
Donald Trump has burned his boats and will run as a third party candidate in the hopes that the Clinton Machine will rehabilitate him for the favor. It will work. 4% of Americans will vote for him no matter how obvious it is that he is just in it to get Hillary elected.
with the history of Bill Clinton and women in which she's had to defend him
Sloppy writing by Bernstein to put 'Clinton and women' right before 'in which'. Am I not supposed to have the visual of Clinton in the women?
She can't come out and say that, but that's the secret hidden message, I'm guessing.
Close. It's the narrative she's feeding her flying monkeys in the media.
Why isn't this woman in prison?
She can't come out and say that, but that's the secret hidden message, I'm guessing.
It seems to me she's laying the groundwork for her surrogates to claim the "dishonesty" accusation is sexist.
They're holding her responsible for her husband's actions.
Bill isn't held accountable for his actions, but Hillary is?
Letting this influence you is submitting to patriarchal pressure!
WaronWomen#
Vote Clinton: She'll Lie Cheat & Steal For YOU! is only convincing if you think the "for YOU" part is true. Extremism in defense of liberty may not be a vice, but what was Mrs. Clinton's mendacity in defense of? Her husband's good name? (chuckle chuckle) No, his political power. Their political power!
If the sales pitch is that Mrs. Clinton will lie or conceal the truth in order to gain or retain personal political power, sure, we'll all buy that. The missing step is convincing voters that she'll lie, etc, to help THEM. I don't see any evidence for that proposition, and I don't know why anyone would assume it.
Hillary! is campaigning to be the first Vagino-American US president because that's about all she had going for her. However, her history is full of cases where she stomped all over women who threatened her or her meal-ticket husband. Anyone stupid enough to believe in and vote for Obama probably deserves to be lied to.
the phrase everyone is looking for is "congenital liar"
Bill Clinton was "the trickster," a popular archetype from many of the world's folklore traditions. Oh that scamp!
Hillary? Lady Macbeth comes to mind. The Red Queen from Through the Looking Glass, Wicked Witch of Little Rock from Wizard of Oz, The Borg Queen "Resistance is futile."
Nobody sees her as Glenda, The Good Witch from the North, nobody sees her as Wendy from Peter Pan, nobody sees her as Lara Croft, Tomb Raider.
Ann Althouse said...That is what people should worry about — all the strange ways in which Jeb/Marco/Scott/Rand/Ted/etc. are dishonesty.
It's probably a typo, but I like the idea that people should be afraid that the Repub candidates ARE dishonesty; that they personify dishonesty in some way. Their very existence is a lie--they're walking talking untruths.
The working from supporting Hillary backwards to explaining her behavior as somehow justified is reaching a fevered pitch.
She's a liar and vastly overrated. Her skills are about destroying opposition and covering up the truth.
Hillary also claimed she never was subpoenaed by the House. Trey Gowdy came right in response and produced a copy of the subpoena to Hillary. Why lie about things so easily disproved.
But Dave Burge over at Iowahawk had the best line in response, "Asking Hillary to recall how many subpoenas she's received is like asking Bill Clinton to recall every blow job he got from an intern."
National Journal calls out Hillary on her lie during the interview.
Will wonders never cease?
She is just a girl.
No consequences.
Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the Benghazi panel, dismissed Wednesday's release [of the subpoena that shows Hillary lied] as "nothing but a stunt in this latest taxpayer-funded attack against Secretary Clinton."
His lips to the media's ears, right Hillary?
Vote Clinton: She'll Lie Cheat & Steal For YOU! is only convincing if you think the "for YOU" part is true. Extremism in defense of liberty may not be a vice, but what was Mrs. Clinton's mendacity in defense of? Her husband's good name? (chuckle chuckle) No, his political power. Their political power!
Most people remember the (Bill) Clinton years as ones of prosperity and security. If her subliminal message is, "I'll bring back that time and I don't care if I have to cut some corners and run over some people to do it"--well, I think that's a winner.
Most people remember the (Bill) Clinton years as ones of prosperity and security.
Yeah, remember when he launched that missile attack on Afghanistan less than two years before 9-11, then was gone from office before the blowback hit? Good times... good times.
Oh yeah, and when he started the no fly zones in Iraq and called for regime change there?
Those were the days, my friend. We thought they'd never end.
And yet just a few minutes ago, the women on the Five, on the hated Fox news no less, both admired the answers Hilary! gave on honesty yesterday. Just like our Hostess Kimberly Guilfoyle surmised, "what could she say" 'I suck. Yeah I'm dishonest.'?" And Dana Perino admired the answer and said that what Hilary! said is exactly what she would have advised her to say. Yikes.
Had to shut that off and go back to work.
The Clintons really are at a higher level of corruption. Bill could paper over it with slick charm, but Hillary doesn't have that.
The thing of it is, many of these lies are unnecessary, and often honesty can work to your advantage. At this point we have no reason to give her the benefit of any doubt due to her history.
And while yes, all politicians spin, they're usually not outright, compulsive liars. This attempt to convince us that everyone else is just as bad only works on hyper partisans and morons.
Can we stop talking about Hillary! already and her lies and distortions etc?
Please? Let's go back to talking about Republicans and what a clown Trump is, or how Cruz is not really sincere in his fight for the right, or maybe how Marco Rubio doesn't know how to balance his own budget?
Let's get back to the important stuff. Surely we can use the words "Todd" and "Akin" again in a news story soon? Please?
"The important thing is, people are familiar and at home with Hillary's dishonesty. It's a comfortable old friend. We know all about it. It's acquired a transparency of its own. But what is the dishonesty of all those other candidates? That is the mystery."
That's an incredibly provocative thought. And probably the precise truth. Past scandals seem to have effectively inoculated her against present or future scandals.
Hillary, like Nixon, is totally dishonest. People notice when politicians exceed the usual dishonesty threshold. Plus, like Nixon, she's not likeable. So her dishonesty grates. I question Bill Clinton's judgment in marrying her. What a terrible decision.
Hillary also claimed she never was subpoenaed by the House.
Her emails/documents were subpoenaed, not her personally.
It depends on the meaning of is, or something like that.
Those who knew her at RLF says she's independently corrupt and calculating. But, she doesn't want to control and take care of Bill. So maybe he's right. And maybe that's her strategy (vote for me, the devil you know).
But I can also vote for Jeb Bush - we're pretty familiar with that devil too. But either way, it's hell.
"I'm not convinced that the best strategy for her is to say that "I might be a liar but all politicians are all lying scum."
I think this works with Democrats. I was talking to a doctor I know who is a Democrat. He was telling me about how corrupt Nixon was based on some new biography he's reading (I have never heard of it). Then he said, when I objected to his description of Nixon, "All politicians are corrupt lying scoundrels."
He is getting ready to vote for Hillary, I'll bet.
His example of Nixon's corruption was, "Can you imagine, He sold ambassadorships for $250,000 ! Does he not know where the usual ambassadors come from for the high profile countries ? Obama's ambassador to Argentina doesn't speak Spanish !
Hillary Clinton might push the notion that she'll fight for "us," but in her case the "us" is limited to very rich people who fund political campaigns and throw money way past the legal limits to her via the Clinton Foundation.
There are lies. There are damned lies. There's statistics. Then there's the average political speech. Hillary goes so far beyond that that she can't be seen with the Hubble Telescope.
I don't think it helps to have Bill Cosby flaring up again. It reminds everyone of the I-did-not-have-sexual-relations-with-that-woman and her vast-right-wing-conspiracy explanation, which didn't quite cover the facts when it was revealed that Bill articulated a cigar in the vagina of one Monica Lewinsky. In the Oval Office. I think the dishonesty problem will be a sweet, ironic bookend to her career when she loses in 2016. She started off with a minor role on the Watergate committee staff that she exaggerated out of all proportion. In her last run, she resembles Richard Nixon more than she knows.
America loves Hillary like Hollywood loves Roman Polanski.
I defy Althouse to parse this in any way that is not obvious to the common reader.
I am Laslo.
Liberal women can't take the heat. We also see that in the campus rape narrative.
mccullough said...
Hillary, like Nixon, is totally dishonest. People notice when politicians exceed the usual dishonesty threshold. Plus, like Nixon, she's not likeable. So her dishonesty grates. I question Bill Clinton's judgment in marrying her. What a terrible decision.
7/8/15, 5:39 PM"
I beg to differ. I remember Nixon and he was no Hillary!! With Nixon you could always tell when he was lying.
Hillary, like Nixon, is totally dishonest.
This is why she will be the most effective Democrat to run against and take on the Republican delusion machine.
Republicans keep convincing the American people that they're not responsible for their lies - by virtue of the fact that they believe them.
Hillary can convince herself of anything. She was, after all, a Republican growing up.
All my life I've learned that Republicans, for the most part are incapable of reason. The lies they will defend are about as gargantuan and delusional as they come.
It's time to stop voting for a truth teller and to play the Republicans at their own game. Only a liar as skilled as Hillary can take on the party of Iraqi WMD, the party of no culpability for 9/11 or the 2008 crash, the party of economic interests can dictate the science of the planet's climate, and all the rest of their irrational and insane bullshit.
Seriously. Put them in the position of competing on the basis of telling the truth.
It's a fight they'll never win. And one they'll never want to win, either.
It's time to stop pretending that they're sane. You can only fool a crazy person by out-crazying them.
Hillary will do that. She will outwit her willingly delusional opponents.
From the interesting alchemy of commodity trading decades ago right on through the private email server of the last few years, history shows that Hillary is a twister.
That's who she is. That's who she has always been.
It has nothing to do with Bill Clinton.
Nixon helped uncover a Soviet spy at the top ranks of the foreign policy establishment, and the Dems never forgave that impudence, Alger Hiss might have ended up as Secretary of State,
in the next administration,
Only a liar as skilled as Hillary
The fact that she's innately dishonest hasn't translated into her being particularly skillful. But I too look forward to her taking on the "(p)arty of Iraqi WMD".
but there wisdom is counted, not so much in years as in cold hard cash
http://freebeacon.com/blog/flashback-clinton-son-in-law-bet-big-on-greek-recovery/
... she will fight for us and be there when we need her.
Said nobody at the Benghazi Consulate, ever.
"The finest trick of the devil is to persuade you that he does not exist." Or she, in this case. Ambassador Chris Stevens could not be reached for comment. -CP
Sometimes I wonder to myself, how could someone so uneducated, so unskilled, so bad at leading and having no resume, like President Obama, get elected once to this nations Presidency, let alone twice?
Then I read a screed like what R&B wrote above and I think to myself, "Ohhhhhhhh, now I get it."
Blogger Michael K said...
"I'm not convinced that the best strategy for her is to say that "I might be a liar but all politicians are all lying scum."
I think this works with Democrats. I was talking to a doctor I know who is a Democrat. He was telling me about how corrupt Nixon was based on some new biography he's reading (I have never heard of it). Then he said, when I objected to his description of Nixon, "All politicians are corrupt lying scoundrels."
He is getting ready to vote for Hillary, I'll bet.
Yep. This was the Clinton defense when he was caught lying red handed, "All Presidents have affairs, look at JFK and Marilyn Monroe!"
Or, you don't even have to remember that far back, read up a few posts to what R&B wrote, he's preparing his mind to vote for Hillary.
More importantly, habitual Democrats, unionists, political elites, freeloaders, genitalia voters and ethnic voters don't care if she's dishonest. To them, it's a feature, not a flaw.
Why isn't this woman in prison?
It's almost like she has to run because she's the only one that can keep the kitty litter covering the turds....and stay out of jail.
When the 3am call came in, instead of fighting for her imperiled ambassador, she rolled over.
And she lied. And she erased her server to cover her ass. And then she lied on CNN and said they weren't subpoenaed. And then Gowdy released the subpoena to show she lied.
But hey, look over there, Cosby admitted he bought roofies! (shhh, noone say anything about Bill Clinton and his 'elite trash' buddies who frequented Pedophile Island. Them little whores wanted it.)
I am simply amazed at the normalcy bias and cognitive dissonance that the "law prof" (giggle-- what law?) displays. Like HRC is not the evil, criminal lying New World order bitch that she is. To "law prof" she is just a politician who, in doing her job, requires a "little fudging". We may disagree on certain policies, but surely she is a nice person. GAG
Let me cut through the cognitive dissonance for you. HRC is EVIL. That she is even considered for POTUS is a sad joke, and an indicator that the principles upon which this country was founded do not exist any more. It is GONE KAPUT FINISHED. There is no "United States" when this evil bitch can even be considered for POTUS, a position that the paradigm of trust, morality, legality and truth should only be considered for.
Why don't you write about how she has flouted THREE subpeonas to testify about Benghazi, and lied that she never got them. Or how she supposedly fell and bumped her head as an excuse for not testifying (did she get a note from her mother?)Or maybe about how she sponsored (with the Usurper) Resolution 511, covering up Obama's ineligibility, thereby guaranteeing her the SOS position when Obama was INSTALLED. Or maybe how she was installed for SOS despite the Emoluments clause that said she was not eligible. Or how she lied that Benghazi was the result of a silly movie. Or how she helped the Usurper arm what is now ISIS in Syria, and totally destabilized the sovereign country of Libya. I could go on.
What you should write about is outrage that this bitch can even be considered, not some puff piece about how her lying is a necessity of the job.
Her candidacy, and the fact that the media helps and in no way presses her despite the way she fences them off, should tell you everything you want to know about the "law" in America. It is dead, and thus America is dead.
Hillary's relationship with honesty is a lot like garages relationship with reason.
They both occaisionally show up with spectacularly unimpressive results.
Better the Nixon that you know... Er, the Hillary that you know...
Mark Daniels said...
Past scandals seem to have effectively inoculated her against present or future scandals.
Bingo. Like a smallpox survivor, she's immune to catching it again. Pay no attention to her pockmarked integrity. Because what difference, at this point, does it make?
Hillary’s dishonesty extends beyond Bill’s “Bimbo eruptions”. Her dishonesty with the State Dept emails, with Benghazi, with the Rose law firm, with cattle futures, with the travel office. All non-Bill related. Sure you can say all politicians are crooks, but what other pol could your average voter name 4 or more scandals just off the top of their head?
Hillary will survive- it’s what she does, but she will implode or self destruct and will never be President.
Politics has become a lot like the logic puzzles involving the island of liars and truth tellers. But the clever islanders have convinced the visitors (us, the voters) that instead of determining whether or not they are truth tellers, we should ask whether or not they will use lying in the service of our perceived needs.
In other words, neither village on the island is made up of truth tellers- it's just their liars and our liars. This formula does work better for Democrats, based on who they are and what their voters want (for government to secure their interests against other citizens and corporations) but Republicans should no longer convince themselves that their island village contains truth tellers, either.
Only a liar as skilled as Hillary can take on the party of Iraqi WMD, the party of no culpability for 9/11 or the 2008 crash,
LOL, That's a rationalization not a ratiocination. Spot the difference R&B!
Who launched missile attacks on Afghanistan a year and a half before 9-11? Oh that's right! We are all supposed to pretend that the attack was unprovoked! I forgot!
Who signed the repeal of Glass Steagall? Why it was Bill Clinton. You know why the lame duck Congress went to Clinton to sign it? Because they knew Bush wouldn't. But we are all supposed to forget that Bill Clinton signed the repeal of a protection put into place after the crash of 1929.
Talk about delusional! Talk about being incapable of rational thought.
R&B is right in line with other Hillary supporters.
http://freebeacon.com/culture/high-profile-hillary-clinton-supporter-i-hate-americans-i-hate-america/
"I hate America", "I hate Americans", "I'm voting for Hillary!"
LOL.
Hillary Clinton's relationship with honesty is non-consensual.
"congenital liar"
Yes, but lets add pathological and sociopathic in there just to really cover the waterfront..
With Nixon, when his megalomania, paranoia and criminality became obvious to even his supporters in the Republican Party, he was forced to resign or face impeachment and conviction. The Republican party passed that test of integrity.
Bill Clinton, in the same situation, found the Democrat Party supporting his efforts to stay in office. The entire Democrat Party failed that test of integrity.
Now Hillary notes that she is the best Hillary - and she is correct, nobody else can do wrong so often, so obviously, so egregiously, yet still be supported by her political allies.
I thought we paid for Nixon with the election and performance in office of Carter. We have never paid for Clinton; Obama's costs as president will be with us for decades to come. What Hillary could accomplish as President makes anyone with a rational thought process blanch in horror.
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