That's the image from the other side of the Atlantic, at BBC. The carry-me quote, the "girl" with wide-stretched, up-reaching arms, gazing gleefully into the face of the man she expects to pick her up.
What an image, acknowledging Hillary's inability to make it on her own. Was last April's Boston Marathon stuck in the speechwriters' mind?
The actual quote — I don't know why nonquotes are put in quotes — is "And we’re going to carry Hillary to victory this fall, because that’s what the moment demands." And let's put it in context.
Here's the whole Obama speech. I'm copying 2 paragraphs worth, with the quote in boldface, and I'm going to pick through this pretty closely. There's a lot going on here:
Look, Hillary’s got her share of critics. She’s been caricatured by the right and by some folks on the left; accused of everything you can imagine – and some things you can’t.What is it we can't imagine? I'm having a hard time imagining that — even imagining what the criticism was. What does that refer to? That line forced me to try to think of something, and what came up in my head was: destroying women that Bill Clinton had sex with. Or, second, murdering Vince Foster.
But she knows that’s what happens when you’re under a microscope for 40 years. She knows she’s made mistakes, just like I have; just like we all do.So the criticisms of Hillary are just the same things that would be thrown at anybody in public life. It's only because we looked hard — like with a microscope or something? — that we saw things, but you'd see a festering infection if you looked with a microscope at anybody.
That’s what happens when we try.She tried. And look what you get when you try!
That’s what happens when you’re the kind of citizen Teddy Roosevelt once described – not the timid souls who criticize from the sidelines, but someone “who is actually in the arena…who strives valiantly; who errs…[but] who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement.”The arena! By the way, can Donald Trump get in on this kind of sympathetic reading? He's hurled himself into the arena, striven valiantly, made some errors — a bankruptcy here and there, a Trump University fraudlette. He's not the timid soul. And in the end, high achievement. But Hillary, she's like Teddy Roosevelt, the valiant striver in the arena. Up for a big fight:
Heh. Did you know that's what "The Arena" looks like today? That's a video that went up a month ago and has over 6 million views. It begins with the TR quote, so I assume the speechwriters got it there. I invite you to try to imagine — as we're talking about things that can't be imagined — Teddy Roosevelt striving in that arena. Let me just lace up my ballet shoes.
Back to Obama's speech:
Hillary Clinton is that woman in the arena. She’s been there for us – even if we haven’t always noticed. And if you’re serious about our democracy, you can’t afford to stay home just because she might not align with you on every issue.That's the theme of the convention, you know. You don't like her, but tough. Grow up and do what you've got to do. This is serious. Forget about enjoying this encounter. Don't be ridiculous, you big baby. Put some
You’ve got to get in the arena with her, because democracy isn’t a spectator sport. America isn’t about “yes he will.” It’s about “yes we can.”He reminds us of his greatest hit...
And we’re going to carry Hillary to victory this fall, because that’s what the moment demands.And Daddy picks up the little girl.
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88 comments:
Oh good lord, you have really lost it down the Trump rabbit hole.
Yeah, this is the problem of trying to bolster Hillary. It just sounds false.
I suppose if I had to be in Obama's position giving a speech on Hillary's behalf, I probably couldn't do much better--maybe harp on her years of experience, her moderate inclinations and play up her pandering as a plus (she's always willing to work for consensus to get things done). Maybe trying to use her selling out as a form of moderation, and stability--in these times we need a stable, even if unappealing, leader. It would be another way she's comparable to Nixon.
But who knows, maybe speeches like that will fool a few people who haven't followed Hillary as much and for as long as many of us have. We'll see if this has any effect.
Was anyone watching the Convention who wasn't already a Hillary voter?
And what Brando said.
She's quite heavy and it aint like they can call on the great leftie women of the past- Geraldine Ferraro and Martha Coakley to drag her across the finish line now can they?
Heh.
Has there ever been a person more divorced from his own rhetoric than Barack Obama?
The only part I saw was when Hillary joined him on stage at the end. The height difference was striking. Reminded me of the Steve Martin joke " I recently lost 10 pounds, and got down to 5-9."
He was on quite late, perhaps when the convention was on tv in California? Trying to get the West Coast to love Hillary like they love him?
Actually, Bill's been the one lugging her corpulent frame from one post to another, but isn't Obama really saying that she really isn't all that likable?
Exactly, Ann. For months people here, Birkel comes to mind, have been begging HRC supporters to state one accomplishment, one achievement, one positive of hers. That's all that Obama the Lightworker could come up with? She tried?
It must be said that if a man had written your post, you would be all over him for PC misconduct, misogyny, mansplaining, whatever. But don't let me stop you!
As for experience, if you've been a baseball manager for forty years, and your teams have a 0-6480 won-loss record...you've got a lot of experience! Losing!
And yet, if you made a billion dollars betting on those games...well that's different, then you'd be a big winner!
Hmm. It looks like the west coast would have had to preempt regular tv to cover Obama's late speech.
Long time Lindsey Stirling fan, here :)
She's great live, too.
I was painting the last of the sails on my work USS Wasp 1807 last night. Glad you caught it all. Glad I missed it.
Have we talked about how the mayor of Baltimore had the gavel of the DNC the night before all remaining charges were dropped against the Freddie Gray cops?
It's not like Obama had much choice. What else could he say?
Accompishments? No, nothing there.
Good character? You must be kidding.
Likeable? Not likeable enough to most.
When life give you Hillary, you make the best of a bad situation.
I think Althouse doth protest too much... you really are grabbing at straws here... given the nonsensical rhetoric from the Trump side, you are nit picking a verb that has many meanings including support, shoulder, propel etc... as the saying goes, perception is a mirror... you're insight is on the level of the Drudgereport, including a selective photo...
Back to Obama's speech:
Hillary Clinton is that woman in the arena. She’s been there for us...
BIG SPOILER:
At the very end of Breaking Bad, White says to his wife, "I did it for ... me, I liked it."
The Big V is doing it for herself, not "us." If she were doing it for us, she wouldn't charge $250,000.00 for 45 minutes.
Of course they have to lug her over the finish line. she is the most incompetent, crooked, corrupt nominee of a major party in my life time. Usually calling someone a crook is defamation per se, but anyone can call Hillary that without fear; everyone knows she's a crook, and the FBI confirmed it; an unindicted criminal.
"the most qualified candidate ever "
I hear that over and over.
To paraphrase Joe Biden, she "married up".
I hear that over and over.
Other things that I hear over and over: That other Candidate is dangerous. It was said very often about Obama -- and now it's said a whole lot about Trump.
One thing I love about the Althouse blog is Ann's close and careful analysis of words and phrase.
One absolute shocking thing about this election is how so many people - either intentionally or unintentionally - misunderstand words. One example was yesterday. Trump said Russia should "find" the 33,000 emails deleted from her private server. He did not say "hack." And in any event the server's hard drive was wiped cleaned months ago and is in the possession of the FBI. But we get Jake Sullivan saying Trump is encouraging espionage and others saying Trump committed treason. Treason!
Another example is how some apparently think Trump said all illegal aliens are rapists. He said no such thing. Some of the illegals are clearly criminals, but most are not.
I suppose this should not be surprising when illegal aliens have become undocumented immigrants. Big difference between legal and illegal. I guess many people are idiots or easily tricked.
"Si se puede" = "yes you can" or "if you can", I think.
That's how Tim Kaine kept responding to the chant of "yes we can". The proper translation should be something more like "si podemos", no?
"in the arena"
In this arena that Hillary is in, she is roped off from press conferences and other gladiators.
Obama just took his final, time-release revenge on "likable enough" Hillary: she has just now been saddled, like the dutiful mare she is, with carrying on and preserving the legacy of the first black president or risk being identified as the dowdy incompetent who ended up squandering and destroying the unique gift she was given by the Lightworker.
Obama, with an approval rating over 50, just introduced us to his chosen white White House-sitter, with a distrust rating approaching 70. Will she guard the furniture or carry or sell it off?
Hillary herself, her status as first female nominee, are left as only incidental details, like the number and placement of her moles.
"How many national-security secrets have you compromised, Mr. Armchair Quarterback?"
Seriously, I can't seem to get all that arena stuff to come out any way other than that the only people entitled to criticize politicians are other politicians. (Not including Trump, as Althouse notes, because shut up.) Once you broaden the definition of the arena to include participation in the political process, as I think a democrat would have to, then the critics are in it as well.
si, se puede
"Yes, one can" or "Yes, it is possible". "Se" is an impersonal noun. "Podemos" means "We can".
Trump is so bad you have to vote for this power hungry narcissist who has corrupted every institution she occupies. She is the Queen Midas of Rot. But he's the scary one. She has the press protecting her. But he's the scary one. She is a war hawk who pushed for 3 different wars. But he's the scary one. She's advocating unlimited immigration, both legal and illegal into this country. But he's the scary one. Her State Department and her party gave Russia the "Reset" that led to them invading Ukraine. But he's the scary one.
"And we’re going to carry Hillary to victory this fall..."
This outta do it
Good analogy, Unknown. Hillary is the baseball manager who loses game after game but has made a fortune on selling influence - betting big - so she's a winner.
It's her turn. We promised her - numerous times - that: if she bit her lip; held her tongue; did some dirty work; lied on our behalf; looked the other way and played the Party way, we'd reward her. It's been tough making her look 'likable enough', but we'll get through this too.
Can you imagine the rage that will let loose if she doesn't win? Hell hath no fury...
And Daddy picks up the little girl.
Oh, that is rich when we know HE had to be carried over the threshold in 2008. Is this what a woman has to endure to get elected in this country being compared to a girl child and addressing the male predecessor as a daddy. Shame! Or, Althouse is trolling for clicks.
"Can you imagine the rage that will let loose if she doesn't win?"
Already been done.
"No one puts baby in a corner"
furious_a, thanks for the clarification. My high-school Spanish isn't really up to this, but the question had been bugging me.
Hillary is a terrible candidate (with a good campaign team to compensate) who prevails only when the contest is stacked in her favor (carpet-bagging in,New York, rigging the Primary here). That's why she needs to carried in this election.
Bloomberg the Independent will help carry her and he is not her daddy.
Is there anyone who believes this "most qualified candidate ever" schtick? Do they think they can try to create reality with it?
(I guess it goes along with the idea of unity, from a party that keeps booing itself at its own convention)
My teenage son and his friends are obsessed with Fantasy Football. They form teams, rate the players, "buy" free agents, and crunch numbers. Some scoring system based on touchdowns and yards gained has been concocted to see who "wins".
But now, as they enter high school, they have to contemplate putting on the pads, hitting the gym and playing real football. They're a bit nervous.
The Dems play the political equivalent of fantasy football. They ignore the 93 million Americans who have been forced out of the workforce. They ignore BLM, whose worst elements assassinate our cops at rallies. They ignore Isis, who is running wild throughout the world. They do smile, and give good speeches. Such oratory!
Great dissection of the speech and its actual text. All along it has seemed to me that Mrs Clinton is being carried to the nomination and into the general election. And to the Presidency if her supporters can do so.
Yes, too, of course the arena segment applies to Trump. I agree. And he didn't' even have to leave his business life, he left his comfortably rich personal life, without the MSM and half the country piling hate on him, to enter what was once quaintly referred to as public service.
Sheesh, when the Kennedys did this they were deified.
And to MayBee
"Heh.
Has there ever been a person more divorced from his own rhetoric than Barack Obama?"
Yes! I suffered severe "rabbit-hole-syndrome" while listening to his fairy tale of a speech.
7/28/16, 7:15 AM
Again, the Dem party has a big tent ...
An army er Democratic Party is a team. It lives, eats, sleeps, and fights as a team. This individual hero stuff is bullshit. The bilious bastards who write that stuff for the 'Saturday Evening Post' don't know any more about real battle than they do about fucking!
>
"Oh good lord, you have really lost it down the Trump rabbit hole."
'Ya think, it's been a slow process w/Althouse ie her infatuation w/Scott Adams when he believed Trump would win a landslide victory. Her break up w/Adams when he flip-flopped ie now thinks Hillary will win.
Presidential elections are just soooo damn confusing to some folk.
The better metaphor is the horse race. The Dems are trying to haul a limping horse with a broken leg across the finish line, and the Republicans are trying to keep their untamed horse from running off the track.
"Did you plug the leak yet, Daddy?"
It's never good when somebody in the arena has to be carried.
Last night the Dumbocrats had a retired admiral come to the podium and give a rousing speech about America's veterans while images of war ships flashed on the screen behind him. Patriotic, yes?
Except according to an article at militarytimes.com that was linked to over at Instapundit, those are Russian war ships from their Black Sea fleet.
Does anybody wonder anymore why I refer to them as "Dumbocrats"?
Mike: That's from 2013.
"Daddy picks up the little girl."
Your most cruel neutrality ever.
I thought it was a reminder to journo-lists.
Carry her like you carried me.
I never give you my pillow
I only send you my invitation
And in the middle of the celebrations
I break down
Boy, you gotta carry that weight
Carry that weight a long time
Boy, you gotta carry that weight
You're gonna carry that weight along time
Reminds me of mattress girl. btw, "rape culture" must not be polling well..
Alternate headline:
Aging Gladiator Hacked In Arena, Has To Be Carried
The Dems are trying to haul a limping horse with a broken leg across the finish line, and the Republicans are trying to keep their untamed horse from running off the track.
Brando, it's more like Trump the horse has broken onto the track after running in from the outfield somewhere, and all the Republicans that bet on the conventional horses are wondering wth is going on.
You never give me your money
You only give me your funny paper
And in the middle of negotiations
You break down
I never give you my number
I only give you my situation
And in the middle of investigation
I break down
Out of college, money spent
See no future, pay no rent
All the money's gone, nowhere to go
Any jobber got the sack
Monday morning, turning back
Yellow lorry slow, nowhere to go
But oh, that magic feeling, nowhere to go
Oh, that magic feeling
Nowhere to go
One sweet dream
Pick up the bags and get in the limousine
Soon we'll be away from here
Step on the gas and wipe that tear away
One sweet dream came true today
Came true today
Came true today (yes it did)
Can anyone explain how Obama can brag he is the Tough Russian Fighter while he intentionally Bankrupts the Dollar with debt as he cuts the military budget in half and RIFs the Military, picking to fire first the essential cadre of experienced officers needed in war, and at the same time unilaterally cuts back our nuclear Arsenal while challenging Putin to war, China to war, and personally leading the conspiracy to give Iran its own nuclear missile force.
But when Trump suggests better relations with with Russia he is called a Traitor.
"He" got Bin Laden, Trad guy. Forever golden.
AKA, "putting lipstick on a pig".
I think there's a show on NPR, Sunday mornings, called "On the Media."
I've tried listening to it but I never get more than a minute or two in.
With a straight face Obama just told black America that old white woman Hillary was more qualified than their first black president, the one who defeated her the first time around.
This is the tasty hot sauce hidden in the purse: hyperbolic ridicule masquerading as "Yes Ma'am, Missus" praise. Black people will get the joke.
In a bit of irony, we decided to watch 'Hail, Caesar!' instead.
I don't know why nonquotes are put in quotes
I don't know what the actual rule is, but in practice, news outlets use single quote marks to paraphrase in a headline.
Obama has reneged on his one great promise: to reduce the red states/blues states partisan gap. He never tried to do it and last night he went full bore on driving a wedge further between the Americans he approves of and those he doesn't. He implied that Trump is a fascist and a demagogue. This coming from the president, a president who claimed to be a uniter, is disturbing to me. He is, in my opinion, a failure as a president for this reason alone.
Big Mike quoting a story from 2013 while calling the other side dumb is just so perfect.
Hillary: Barrack?
Barrack Obama: Yes'm.
Hillary: You're my best friend.
Barrack Obama: No, go on Miss Hillary.
Hillary: No, you really are...
[Takes Barrack's hand]
Hillary: You are.
Barrack Obama: Yes'm.
- Carrying Miss Hillary (2016)
"Big Mike quoting a story from 2013 while calling the other side dumb is just so perfect."
So you're sayin' Big Mike is a fuckin' idiot!
Hillary needs to be carted around the arena, not because she's a woman, but because she is an incompetent fool, a liar and an inept manager who has traveled the world on the taxpayer dime shaking down every and anyone for protection money.
The only reason she's even still IN the arena is because she's a girl and you can't hit the girl. All her damage is self inflicted.
This is a more realistic description of what the Dems are attempting to do at this convention: The Democrats' not-so-secret closing argument: Hillary Clinton is Leslie Knope. It might work, hard to say. I liked the show.
One of the pictures on the front page of the WaPo is even worse with Hillary snuggling up to Obama like he IS truly her daddy.
If Daddy Obama can carry Hillary that far he must be a very STRONG Daddy. A powerful, powerful Daddy.
Oh how we will miss you when you are gone strong Daddy Obama.
Are the folks who were outraged over the exploitation by RNC of the Benghazi victim's mom upset over the parade of those who lost family to "gun violence"?
Speaking of Lindsey Stirling, did you know her sister plays the tuba? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9omhrI0Pnq8
Okay, the video is a parody. But it's pretty darn awesome.
TR was Secretary of Harvard's Hasty Pudding Club, which traditionally mounts a revue in drag. So he probably looked good in ballet shoes.
http://hastypudding.org/alumni
AReasonableMan said...The Democrats' not-so-secret closing argument: Hillary Clinton is Leslie Knope. It might work, hard to say. I liked the show.
No--Leslie Knope didn't get her position because of her husband (his failed political career was actual a liability when she first ran). Knope deeply loved her city and its people--does anyone think that of Hillary (which people? Arkansas, NY, who? She talks about women & children a lot..is that it?). Knope was always overprepared but had a SOLID dedication to playing by the rules, even when no one else was. That's clearly not Hillary (she cheats and lies for her own benefit all the time, to a pathological degree). Knope was a consensus-builder who always worked hardest to persuade people while respecting all viewpoints. Hillary...doesn't exactly have a reputation for bringing people together. Shall I go on? Hillary's the anti-Knope..she's more of a councilman Jamm if anyone (using her office & influence for personal gain, getting ahead via back-office/under-the-table deals, etc).
The comparison I've seen lately is to Tracey Flick from Election.
Hillary is, indeed, a woman who has been carried on the shoulders of men her entire career. When she's left to her own devices she is an abject failure- unsecure server for state business, failing to answer the 3AM call, jailing an internet video maker to cover her own mistakes.
I can't tell you how many women I have lost respect for who have told me they are voting for Hillary simply because she's a woman who dares to run for president. Seriously? Would you vote for Kim Kardashian if she dared to run? Paris Hilton? Ma Barker? Grow up, indeed.
(posted on the wrong thread before- removed and put here.)
HoodlumDoodlum said...
his failed political career was actual a liability when she first ran
As is Bill's. I, like a lot of people, are even more skeptical of Bill than her. He is an unprincipled undisciplined one man wrecking crew. The Clinton Foundation is Bill's baby not hers.
Re: Tracy Flick and Hillary- yep.
I'm sure that's what Hillary has in mind--being the torchbearer for Obama's legacy after he carries her across the finish line.
I'm reminded of Pat Moynihan's intro as he (reluctantly, I thought) handed Hillary the keys to his Senate seat. Apparently failing to find virtues and accomplishments he could extol, the one thing he did come up with was "Eleanor Roosevelt would have liked you."
AReasonableMan said...As is Bill's. I, like a lot of people, are even more skeptical of Bill than her. He is an unprincipled undisciplined one man wrecking crew. The Clinton Foundation is Bill's baby not hers.
As is Bill's? No. She won her Senate seat, remember, in large part based on sympathy for her based on Bill's bad behavior. In that way he HELPED her tremendously! She was rewarded for his shabby treatment of her, and attacks on him didn't hurt her ("how dare you blame her for his personal failings!? She stood by her man and kept going despite all she'd been through; she's a hero I tell ya").
Clinton Foundation--they both own that one, I think, and the "scandal" part of the Foundation getting big money from people & organizations who were looking for (and may have received!) favors from the federal gov/Dept. of State while Hillary was Sec State...that's on her (at the VERY least for letting it happen, but more probably for being directly involved).
What is it we can't imagine?
We can't imagine how you could imagine such horrible things about our Hillary!
(Never mind the facts backing up your imagination!)
This is an old technique of arguing that the things we know to be true are so horrible they cannot be true, because it is beyond belief or imagination to think so.
It demonizes the thoughts of the person pointing out that the Empress Has No Clothes.
And sorry for making you envisoin THAT truly horrible, but entirely imaginable, thought.
HoodlumDoodlum said...
No. She won her Senate seat, remember, in large part based on sympathy for her based on Bill's bad behavior.
I lived in NY when she was elected and this is not my recollection. She was viewed as competent and ultimately ran against a bunch of midgets. Remember, Giuliani was going to run against her but withdrew thanks to his own very messy personal life at the time. That left the Red team struggling to find a viable replacement. They were not very successful. Clinton on the other hand was very lucky. The Dems thought they needed someone to match the star power of Giuliani, not anticipating that he would be forced out. This made them much more receptive to Clinton than they might have been otherwise and they largely cleared the field for her. The Dems did what they thought gave them the best chance to win against Giuliani.
"Giuliani was going to run against her but withdrew thanks to his own very messy personal life at the time."
And..that "big ugly head".
"withdrew thanks to his own very messy personal life at the time."
Although his personal life was messy, he mainly withdrew because he was diagnosed w/prostate cancer.
TR's example of being in the arena -- during a campaign speech in 1912, an assassin shot TR in the chest -- TR finished the speech before seeking medical attention.
Thanks for posting the video. It brings to mind how much of the Clinton success in the arena is due to jump cuts, fancy editing, and elaborate dance moves.
Big Mike made a mistake.
Shiloh, that maggot-ridden son of a five dollar whore, made a bigger one.
The only way you aren't going to cry before this is over is if you have them surgically remove your tear ducts.
Seem to have struck a nerve w/fuckin' idiot Big Mike!
The term "the arena" reminds me of the Hunger Games.
Obama: Our power doesn’t come from some self-declared savior promising that he alone can restore order. We don’t look to be ruled.
Left out: "By the way, I won, I've got a pen and a phone and I'm happy to take all sorts of unilateral executive actions--including some that are declared unconstitutional by the federal judiciary--to impose my political will on the nation. But, you know, "we" don't look to be ruled, so, you know."
Obama admits what we all know: the DNC rigged the primaries in its effort to carry Hillary to victory, and the FBI and DOJ rigged their "investigation" to avoid indictment and carry Hillary to victory "because that’s what the moment demands." Indeed. Right now the moment demands someone other than Crooked Hillary.
Yeah I discovered Lindsey Stirling a few years ago. Nice stuff she does.
I do somewhat empathize with Dir Comey. Yes, with the facts that he presented, they probably could have convicted her of at least violations of the Espionage Act. His extreme negligence is functionally almost indistinguishable from the gross negligence required under that law. But, then he would be the one playing kingmaker, determining the Presidency. I think that that was why he set the standard higher, essentially requiring specific intent (versus the general intent she showed). If they could have found a smoking gun, it would have been hard to second guess him. But there really wasn't one - her actions could almost be written off as mere stupidity (despite having been one of maybe 5 primary classifiers in the fed govt at the time). I think that Comey was looking at the long term effects on the FBI when he did that. Of course, a Lynch DoJ wasn't going to prosecute her if the FBI had recommended it, which was another factor probably in his calculations. In other words, I think that I might have done the same in his shoes.
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