July 8, 2024

"If the Democrats’ goal is to stay true to their brand of identity politics, then Harris is the clear choice. But if the goal is to stop Donald Trump..."

"... then she’s almost the worst one, with the arguable exception of Gavin Newsom, the much-too-slick governor of California."

Says Bret Stephens, in the new episode of his weekly conversation with Gail Collins (NYT).

Stephens continues: "Betting Trump’s nickname for him will be Governor Nuisance."

Nice revelation that you don't take in Trump rally speeches. He already has a nickname for Newsom. It's "New Scum."

Back to Stephens: "[Kamala Harris] is wildly unpopular.... She’s won only one truly competitive election in her career. Fairly or unfairly, she’s associated with the immigration issue, which Americans see as the administration’s single greatest policy fiasco. She ran a dreadful primary campaign in 2020. And I don’t think she has much appeal with the swing voters who are going to decide this election. There’s a Hillary Clinton vibe to her...."

Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President or does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific? What are the similarities between the 2 women? I'd say: 1. An instinct to laugh inanely over nothing, 2. Vaulted to the front of the line through sexual alliance with a powerful man, 3. ...

74 comments:

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

"New Scum"
LOL.

Tank said...

"There’s a Hillary Clinton vibe to her...."

I'd say it's more of a Deep Throat vibe.

Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...

Kamala is a diversity hire. skin color/gender check box.
that said - the ultimate diversity hire on the left would be a black-trans-gender with a kink for kids.


Kate said...

3. ... a propensity for overly matchy pantsuits?

rehajm said...

Have you tired to listen to her? She’s just as bad as Joe in attempting to string together two…you know, the subject/predicate things…you know…

Oligonicella said...

Althouse:
Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President or does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific?

Only the harridans.

Leland said...

If the goal is staying true to identity politics and stopping Donald Trump, then just nominate Alvin Bragg.

Regardless, we have a party interested in the facade of politics going up against an opponent talking policies to improve the country.

doctrev said...

While Kamala Harris is a uniquely terrible politician, even in the Biden era, TOUGH. If her presence is disqualifying, Biden should have been primaried.

Watching the idiots play out their busted flush is a true joy. I would LOVE to see them all hang for their idiocy, including and especially "shabbos con" Bret Stephens, before 2026.

Quaestor said...

3. Contempt for everyone who does not lick her Pradas.

rehajm said...

Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President

We’ve had a few that lacked a Clinton vibe but you would never in your life consider them…

Sebastian said...

"[Kamala Harris] is wildly unpopular"

Is she? Most Americans don't have a clear picture of her, and the Dem propaganda apparatus hasn't really gone all out for her yet.

"And I don’t think she has much appeal with the swing voters who are going to decide this election."

Remains to be seen. Abortion, abortion, you know.

"does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific?"

Yes. The cackle expresses insecurity. In Hill's case about whether people like her, compared to Bill, and in Kamala's case about her intellectual vacuity.

rehajm said...

Coming from Stephens ‘Governor Nuisance’ is perfect in it’s imperfection…

Gusty Winds said...

Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to ever woman who gets close to becoming President or does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific?

Both Kamala and Hillary make you want to puke, but in very different ways. Hillary had that arrogant, shallow, war mongering evil about her. The "it's my turn" attitude.

Kamala is a dingbat.

Kamala's go to like "What can be, unburdened by what has been" is just stupid. There's a video on X of her using it dozens of times. Each with a different inflection.

Kamala went to Europe and invited Ukraine to join NATO in front of the world. That started a war. She was put in charge of solving the border problem and did exactly what she was supposed to do. Nothing.

Quaestor said...

The deplorables are good for nothing except the cash that can be wrung out of their increasingly small paychecks.

Inga agrees.

tim maguire said...

"Governor Nuisance" is better than "Governor New Scum." Stevens should advise Trump on nicknames.

I think "Hillary Clinton vibe" just means not very likable. Putting her before the public more will not help her.

West TX Intermediate Crude said...

Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President?

I don't get a Hillary vibe from Kristi Noem or Nikki Haley.
I favor neither of them due to their corporate vibe, but would happily vote for either over any Dem. (I don't get that vibe from Michelle Obama either).
They, like all politicians, likely have a desperate need for power and recognition, but they hide it much better.
The vibe is in the presentation.

Big Mike said...

@Althouse, number three is a sense of entitlement: “I want it so it should be mine — without working for it.”

narciso said...

Hillary causes dread kamala ridicule thats the difference

Achilles said...

Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President or does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific? What are the similarities between the 2 women? I'd say: 1. A instinct to laugh inanely over nothing, 2. Vaulted to the front of the line through sexual alliance with a powerful man, 3. ...

They are harem girls.

All democrat women are harem girls. That is how they act and they are valued for their service to the harem masters.

Stay single and sexually available to a small set of elite men. Eventually get pregnant and raise a child with daddy issues. Males end up as repellent simps who don’t reproduce and women grow up to be harem girls.

This is what the goal of feminism was all along.

narciso said...

Yes noem showed great courage in 2020 the whole dog thing is overdone

Dave Begley said...

The VP nominee will be Pete.

But if the Dems really want to win, the POTUS nominee will be M. Obama.

wendybar said...

Nobody cackles as well as Progressive Politicals....I think it is a pre-requisite!!

I can't bear to think that we may have to listen to that for 4 more years.

Mr Wibble said...

It's pretty clear that early on they tried to prep her to take over, but she simply refused to put in the work. There were plenty of articles about how horribly she treats her staff, and how she refuses to prep for speeches, or read briefing materials. She's both stupid and arrogant.

A "Hillary Clinton" vibe to me means a sort of aggressive ambition completely divorced from actual political or managerial talent, combined with both a sense of entitlement, and a disdain for the nuts and bolts of politics. We are expected to celebrate worthless "accomplishments" and credentials, while ignoring the fact that she'd stab us in the back in order to get ahead.

Achilles said...

Dave Begley said...
The VP nominee will be Pete.

But if the Dems really want to win, the POTUS nominee will be M. Obama.


She will wither under scrutiny.

They can’t announce her until September.

Dude1394 said...

"Blogger rehajm said...
Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President

We’ve had a few that lacked a Clinton vibe but you would never in your life consider them…

7/8/24, 8:32 AM"

yup

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Again nobody cares that we have a vacancy in the Top Position right now. Way to whistle past the graveyard NYT. Why should we trust Democrats to run anything when they won't fix the actual immediate problem?

Did you hear Joe rambling this weekend again about running the civil rights movement? That was a lie he admitted to Connie Chung in 1988 when he dropped out. But he keeps telling it. He can't help living in his wacked out lying memory instead of the present. And again he claimed the voters in Philly "always put me over the top" when running for Senator. But he wasn't a Senator for PA. And he wondered away from the event twice, needing his main handler Jill there to steer him back on stage.

He's gotta go. Now.

narciso said...

I mean like pat schroeder she was screechy but not evil whitmer is reptilian

Gusty Winds said...

Although Mika Brzezinski (Morning Mika) is the most puke inducing woman of them all. That smarmy arrogant way she looks into the camera when her propaganda pushing husband [Joe] is lecturing the world.

Ironically the fawned over Trump in 2016. Had him call in all the time for ratings. They even showed up at Mara Lago uninvited to try and get a post election interview.

Lump them all together. Hillary, Kamala, Mika, Joy Behar, Ana Navarro, the three female university presidents that wouldn't say calling for the genocide of Jews was harassment.

There are many women who would make great Presidents. But I want a woman of character. Like Tulsi Gabbard.

narciso said...

Steve and eydie with a homicidal twist

Michael K said...

If Kampala is the DNC offering, she might get Trump past the fraud threshold. Even Clyburn seems to realize that.

Yancey Ward said...

Harris is no Hillary. In Hillary's case you knew she was just trying to hide the insectoid soul under the skinsuit. With Harris, we know she is just a dimwit.

gilbar said...

Fairly or unfairly, she’s associated with the immigration issue

unfairly?
Serious Question.. WHO did resident Biden place in charge of the border?? hmmm?

Narr said...

I'm partial to "Noisom" myself, but it's an archaic word.

Yancey Ward said...

Harris is no Hillary. In Hillary's case you knew she was just trying to hide the insectoid soul under the skinsuit. With Harris, we know she is just a dimwit.

Static Ping said...

The third similarity is they are both very unlikeable, but for very different reasons. Hillary is ruthless and cruel, and apparently has been so since before meeting Bill. Kamala is vapid and annoying, an empty pantsuit if you will.

It is possible to imagine someone like Hillary being successful in politics without her husband. It is hard to imagine anyone like Kamala winning anything perhaps a local municipal election without help, which is exactly what happened.

Kamala is basically Biden except less competent.

Jimmy said...

what does harris being unpopular have to do with it? Biden was unpopular in 2020, he barely campaigned, and won.
Abortion is what motivates single women, and once they are told who to vote for, they will be good trained seals and do whats best to 'save democracy'
8 years of propaganda about trump, and they obey and hate him. They are a bit sketchy on why, but yes they obey and vote.
Biden has fallen apart, and so things are in a tizzy- once their masters tell them how to think, and who to vote for, things will fall into place. Wisconsin with the drop boxes is the other plan to 'win'.
Millions of illegals voting will cancel out Americans votes.

Sally327 said...

I don't think no. 2 is correct. Hillary married Bill and is still married to him. They met at Yale and started dating and then got married while they were both law professors, before he was elected to anything. They have a child together. She gave up a lot to support him in his political career and didn't pursue one of her own until his was over. Kamala, reportedly, had an affair with a married politician who sponsored her career. Not really the same thing.

I think a Hillary vibe means a candidate that men and women both, more or less equally, find reasons to dislike.

Wa St Blogger said...

The question begged is whether identity politics is a good thing to begin with. Why can't they focus on things that matter to all Americans rather than pitting groups against each other? Maybe othering significant portions of the citizenry is not a worthwhile approach.

Rusty said...

Just think of Hillary as the head Karen. And then Harris comes into perspective.

Birches said...

Agree with Yancy and Mr. Wibble. Hillary fakes her personality because she is craven and power hungry. Kamala doesn't fake it, that's the real her.

Heartless Aztec said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Heartless Aztec said...

Tulsi Gabbard definitively does not have the Hillary vibe. She'll have my vote for President if she ever decides to run. And if you'll excuse an Hawaiian colloquialism - Geev'um' Tulsi!

Prof. M. Drout said...

3. Condescending, sing-song way of speaking that kicks in when a softball question sets them up to give a little lecture. It's like they are talking to a toddler rather than addressing fellow citizen. (Think "DR" Jill Biden's tone with her demented husband after the debate).

I'm sure the journalists who ask those kinds of lecture-prompt questions—"Why is it important for Americans to get vaccinated against the disease-panic-of-the-month?" think they are supporting Harris, H. Clinton, Whitmer and other lefty female politicians, but they really aren't doing them any favors by triggering this seemingly unconscious tic.

Despite being a traditional misogyny trope, there is an element of truth to the "schoolmarm" characterization of certain politicians, who come across as condescending, self-righteous, and intrusively bossy. Almost no one under the age of 60 suffered under the harsh, severe, elderly female teacher that the older stereotype depicts. Now the voice of self-righteousness and condescension is a falsely cheerful sing-song (in my nightmares, it is the voice of every care-given in the Nursing Home).

Righty female politicians don't seem to slip into sing-song voice nearly as frequently. I do remember Sarah Palin doing it occasionally, but I don't recall hearing the sing-song voice from the dog-killer woman from the Dakotas, or Trump's old press secretary in Arkansas, or those two women in congress who make my liberal friends' heads explode.

Chuck said...

… Righty female politicians don't seem to slip into sing-song voice nearly as frequently.…

Isn’t the reigning world champion of Fundie Baby Voice Alabama Senator Katie Britt? There’s Marsha Blackburn; my personal choice is the insufferable voice of Michigan MAGA Rep. Lisa McLain.

Todd said...

a Hillary Clinton vibe

- Power, power, power, power, at any cost.
- Sleep your way to the top.
- If they can't prove it, it was not illegal.
- Nasty to the "help".

Best I recollect, that is the definition of a "Hillary Clinton" vibe. She was and is a "very not nice" person that no one would think even once about if she were not married to Bill. Pretty much the definition of failing up, badly (though she is not the only one).

Bob Boyd said...

I don't think Kamala has a Hillary Clinton vibe.
Kamala seems kind of helpless, out of her depth and used to having people carry her.
She seems content to be mounted on the prow as a human totem and leave the operation of the machine to the engineers and the oilers and the coal stokers.

Bob Boyd said...

Noose'em

Biff said...

Regarding Hillary Clinton, I've been thinking about her old "It's 3 AM...and the White House phone is ringing" campaign ad.

Joe? Kamala?

tcrosse said...

Only Hillary could argue that Trump was an illegitimate president because the office was hers by right.

Old and slow said...

"I'm partial to "Noisom" myself, but it's an archaic word."

Is it? Not commonly used, sure, but archaic?

planetgeo said...

I second/third the emotion about Tulsi Gabbard. Definitely no Hillary Clinton vibe. How did the Democrats not manage to stay normal and sane enough to keep her?

As for the Democrat "brand" now, it really should be referred to as "the far-left Democrat Party". Open borders? Pro war? Anti free speech? Men in Women's bathrooms and playing/dominating women's sports? This ain't JFK's party anymore. And NO, Rich/Inga/Chuck, these definitely arent "adults."

Joe Smith said...

'Is there going to be "a Hillary Clinton vibe" to every woman who gets close to becoming President or does "a Hillary Clinton vibe" mean something more specific?'

I think the 'Vibe' is rank insincerity. It's a lust for power that is obvious.

Trump could be doing better things. He doesn't need the POTUS job.

Mark said...

[Kamala Harris] is wildly unpopular

Harris has this going for her, though: She's not Trump. And that was enough for Biden in 2020, when Trump lost to someone no one really wanted (except for Jill and Joe). It will be enough in 2024.

Brian McKim and/or Traci Skene said...

I can name a dozen women who are prominent in national/state politics who don't come close to having a "Hillary vibe."

Joe Smith said...

'Harris has this going for her, though: She's not Trump. And that was enough for Biden in 2020, when Trump lost to someone no one really wanted (except for Jill and Joe). It will be enough in 2024.'

Sure.

Except for all of the massive cheating and keeping Biden in the basement, the dems 'won.'

Yancey Ward said...

There are far worse vibes a female politician can have than a Hillary- or Kamala-Vibe such as having a Chuck-Vibe.

Chuck said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chuck said...

… Except for all of the massive cheating and keeping Biden in the basement…

This is what I hope for more than anything. A 2024 presidential election where the issue is, “Was the 2020 election stolen?”

I think that “2020 was stolen from Trump” is the single best electoral issue that we Trump-haters have.

Better than abortion. Better than “Trump is a felon.” Better than the more generalized “Democracy is on the ballot.” Better even than “adjudicated sexual assaulter Trump.”

Here in Michigan, every Republican who’s run in a legitimately contested race and who seriously contended that “2020 was stolen” has lost. See also; AZ, PA and GA.

Greg the Class Traitor said...

Sebastian said...
"[Kamala Harris] is wildly unpopular"
Is she? Most Americans don't have a clear picture of her, and the Dem propaganda apparatus hasn't really gone all out for her yet.


Up until last week, here "head to head" numbers vs Trump were always worse than Joe's

"And I don’t think she has much appeal with the swing voters who are going to decide this election."
Remains to be seen. Abortion, abortion, you know.


If you're "Abortion, abortion", you're NOT a "swing voter". You're already in the tank for Joe.
And Joe is losing.

So no, "Abortion, abortion" isn't enough to get a Dem across the finish line. Esp. since Trump is correctly campaigning on the premise that aboriton isn't a Federal issue, it's one that should be left to the States.

JK Brown said...

Hillary Clinton vibe in that like Hillary, Kamala has done nothing on her quest for power and she has none of the warmth of Bill or in dealing with people. Or at least affability that Obama had.

Trump engages people. He makes jokes.

Biden, Kamala and Hillary treat people like a bad smell they must endure to reach what they treasure. Biden was better at masking it until recently

FullMoon said...

Hillary avoided sniper fire
Kamal was the poor black girl who suffered through forced, segregated busing.


Narr said...

@Old and slow--

Uncommon would have been better, but I didn't think of it because I'm old and the right word doesn't always come readily.



Joe Smith said...

'I think that “2020 was stolen from Trump” is the single best electoral issue that we Trump-haters have.'

If you think 2020 was a clean election you're dumber than I already think you are.

But Trump will run on his record and it's very good.

Are you better off today or 4 years ago?

If you love child mutilation, illegal criminals, DEI everywhere, high gas prices, unaffordable car/home insurance, spiking food prices, foreign wars, unlimited US cash to corrupt nations, etc., then sure, vote D.

Drago said...

Banned Commenter LLR-democratical-Chuck: "I think that “2020 was stolen from Trump” is the single best electoral issue that we Trump-haters have."

Joe Smith: "If you love child mutilation, illegal criminals, DEI everywhere, high gas prices, unaffordable car/home insurance, spiking food prices, foreign wars, unlimited US cash to corrupt nations, etc., then sure, vote D."

Joe, you concisely captured precisely the policy positions LLR-democratical Chuck has been pushing for almost a decade at Althouse blog.

One of the most amusing discussions on Althouse which exposed LLR-democratical Chuck's true far left lunatic policy preferences, besides his passionate defense of the Lincoln Pedophile Project....AFTER the Lincoln buffoons and weirdos, like George Conway, were exposed as covering up the pedophile problem, was Chuck's exposure as a complete and total open borders fanatic who cared not a whit for stopping any person from crossing our border. Zero controls.

Chuck famously gaslighted the blog by claiming he wanted the strongest borders possible before Meade took Chuck to the policy woodshed by walking Chuck down the path of every possible way illegal immigrants could actually be effectively stopped.

Chuck opposed every single one of them. Because of course he did. He is on the far left of the policy spectrum and he always has been.

Great job Meade! A truly fun memory, although I cannot recall if that was one of the many, any issues that caused Chuck to harass Althouse via direct messages.

Joe Smith said...

@Drago...

There are many things that I am not in synch with Trump on, but the policy positions are so stark that those doesn't matter.

And if Trump were showing the same signs of decline as Joe I would not support him at all.

I understand Ds wanting to hold onto power, but they are willfully sacrificing the security of the country by putting day-to-day policy and military decisions in the hands of a man who doesn't know what day it is.

Of course, Joe isn't really making any such decisions, nor will he if he steals '24.

Chuck said...

Day after day I try hard to resist things like this. I am indeed sorry to you, Althouse, for those occasions on which I am unable to resist. (I have suggested better moderation of Drago's regular violation of your now-removed commenting rules/guidelines; I still make that suggestion for the good of your comments pages.)

But Drago's 5:22 PM comment is a total lie; a complete fabrication. I'm not sure (given his antipathy toward me), but it is such a total lie that I suspect that even Meade might be offended by his name getting dragged into the toxic mix. Drago's comment represents the Trifecta of rotten commenting; (1) a personal attack that is (2) repetitive and (3) completely off-topic.

Drago, I consistently respond to your defamatory screeds by telling you to quote me and link to that quote. You never do it. I tell readers that you cannot do it, and that is why you won't quote me or link to anything. This is no exception. You cannot back up anything in your crazily weird, false comment. And you won't.

Chuck said...

Joe Smith said...
...
Are you better off today or 4 years ago?
...

Lol!

Four years ago today, the U.S. hit 3 million COVID cases; the most of any country in the world. Texas and Florida were hitting peak numbers. 16 million Americans were unemployed. The unemployment rate was 10.2%. The Dow was struggling back to 24,000 after hitting a pandemic low of 19,000. Times were truly shitty. The nation was looking forward to a better future without Trump by that time, as Biden had locked up the nomination.

JIM said...

The goal is to stay in power. Because they believe in how awesome they are and feel America can't function without them picking winners and losers. Country has nothing to do with it. That's why they always use the improper notation of Democracy. A Republic has too many restrictions.

Drago said...

Joe Smith: "@Drago...

There are many things that I am not in synch with Trump on, but the policy positions are so stark that those doesn't matter."

Quite so.

Drago said...

Banned Commenter LLR-democratical Chuck: "(I have suggested better moderation of Drago's regular violation of your now-removed commenting rules/guidelines; I still make that suggestion for the good of your comments pages.)"

A comment, by Banned Commenter LLR-democratical Chuck.

Althouse readers should fee free to point and laugh at Chuck, whose explicitly stated purposes for posting at Althouse blog is to smear (lie about) conservatives and republicans and drive a wedge between Althouse and her readers.

Remember, self-proclaimed legal beagle Chuck, also claims to be the most judicious and precise user of specific language...thus, his use of the word smear (lie about) was quite purposeful and illustrative.

And yes, LLR-democratical Chuck melted down quite nicely under Meade's withering questioning...which is strange, since Chuck often bragged about what he does to witnesses he questions!

One can easily imagine Chuck sitting before an old black and white TV, slamming gin and tonics while watching Perry Mason reruns and shouting "that's me, getting the witness to admit the killing in a mere 56 minutes with 4 minutes remaining in the hour for commercial breaks!".

LOL

Drago said...

Brett Stephens: "There’s a Hillary Clinton vibe to her....[Kamalalalalalala]"

Uh oh.

I would admonish Stephens to tread quite softly here as LLR-democratical Chuck could be a potential reader and Althousians will recall, with some satisfaction I might add, the unrestrained joy with which LLR-democratical Chuck posted about the 2016 election prior to the vote when Hillary and dems were expected to walk away with the whole ball of wax.

Chuck would abide no criticism of Hillary whatsoever! Like all democraticals, at Althouse blog Hillary was defended by Chuck with the passion of a mama bear watching over her cubs.

Of course, as fate would have it, all that was followed by one of the most Jekyll and Hyde transformations that could ever occur on a blogsite once it became clear that not only did Trump win, but he helped carry the republicans over the hump in the House and Senate.

You've never seen a commenter go from giggly little girly girl mode to spittle-flecked rager at the flip of a switch.

Quite impressive in its degree of lunacy and lack of anger management.

Mikey NTH said...

Hillary Clinton has a personality problem. Her desire for power is quite open, and she can't do retail polics well enough to cover that. As a politician you may think that all other people are tools fit only to be used and then discarded, you just don't make that seem to be eye-bleedingly obvious.

Yancey Ward said...

Drago at 7:07 PM,

Now that was hilarious!

Yancey Ward said...

"If you think 2020 was a clean election you're dumber than I already think you are."

One's assessment of Chuck's intellectual prowess is a monotonically decreasing function as t approaches infinity. Expect to always be surprised at how dumb Chuck really is.