Thorazinetime for Hillary

Well, that answered that.

For a few days the speculation raged. Is Hillary Clinton subtly, uncharacteristically preparing for a gracious exit, in view of the mathematically insurmountable obstacles she faces in seizing the nomination?

Or is she merely lying momentarily low, scanning the horizon for opposing vulnerabilities, quietly forging a desperate, final offensive that will mirror the futility of the Old South's "Lost Cause" and litter the landscape with about as much needless carnage.

As of yesterday afternoon, there were competing, page-one headlines in the New York Times and Washington Post that first reflected and then answered the speculation: respectively, "Somber Clinton Soldiers On as the Horizon Darkens"; then, "Clinton Unloads on Obama's 'Destructive' Tactics."

There they stood, those newsy twin pillars of Hillary's political schizophrenia -- one, softly suggesting a resigned and somber wisdom; the other, harshly responding with theatrical and kamikaze destructiveness.

The charitable assessment of Hillary's press conference performance in Cincinnati yesterday is that she simply snapped and went 'round the bend. If you've seen the video of it, and I'm sure you have, you suspect that the psychiatrically trained among the spectators were shifting nervously in their seats, wondering if she was about to go the last full measure of clinical rage and start blasting.

She possessed an eerie, otherworldly look that screamed for the fictional and expository talents of a Norman Mailer. Here, one could nearly conclude, is a politician all used up, emotionally and dangerously unraveling right on stage.

But, of course, it was all just a stunt.

Her "outrage" was just an uncommonly theatrical confirmation of the cold, political calculation rap that she and her campaign staff once struggled to overcome, but finally and publicly conceded in spades. It was a meticulously orchestrated and pre-scripted show -- a last-ditch, last-minute explosion of feigned fury over what was, after all, the politically commonplace.

The "false and discredited mailings" from Obama's camp that Hillary pretended to have just discovered are, in fact, weeks old. The Clinton camp has been chronically aware of them, so Hillary's seemingly sudden and striking indignation was patently laughable.

At the core of her orchestration, however, weren't the mailings at all; neither their veracity or discreditability. The point, rather, was to discredit Obama's character, harking back to and intensifying the groundwork she had already strained to lay about Obama's fitness as chief executive. It was, that is, just as she accused Obama -- something right out of Karl Rove's playbook, with a little Swift Boating to boot, and it positively dripped with irrational venom.

He says one thing in his speeches and then he turns around and does this. It is not the new politics the speeches are about. It is not hopeful. It is destructive. Shame on you, Barack Obama. It is time you ran a campaign consistent with your messages in public. That's not what I expect from you. Meet me in Ohio -- let's have a debate about your tactics. Enough about the speeches, and the big rallies, and then using tactics right out of Karl Rove's playbook.

This is wrong and every Democrat should be outraged.

And with those nine final words, she finally said something of meritorious truth.

If Hillary's campaign still had any realistic shot at capturing the nomination, perhaps her accelerated malice could be accepted as spirited, hardball inventiveness, however over the top it might be. But it has no such shot. Her campaign is not merely dying; it is dead. Hence her recent words were not merely over the top -- they confirmed, instead, merely that the contest is over, but she has no intention of going down alone.

No candidate at this hopeless, pointless stage in what you might call his or her right mind would launch such a party-splitting, nerve-shattering attack. It was "wrong." It was "shameful." It was "destructive." It played right into the GOP's hands, and every Democrat should indeed be outraged.

But about every Democrat, Hillary is thinking not one minute. She is thinking about only one. She has lost all human perspective, engulfed as she is in a narcissistic, entitled rage. If Democrats won't have her, then the country -- which earlier this week she still mawkishly prayed would "be fine ... no matter what happens" -- won't have any Democrat in the White House come 2009. So she'd be primed for an earlier run in 2012, not 2016.

Hillary Clinton is now less a tragic figure right out of Karl Rove's playbook than straight out of Shakespeare. She's willing to sell the fate of an entire nation down the road, so that someday, sooner, she may be queen.

And if you reject the Shakespeare metaphor, perhaps Ann Rice? Please, somebody grab a wooden stake.

Comments

[neoconned]

Your post today illustrates why Hillary is all wrong for this nation. she is clearly motiviated both by a sense of entitlement and an ego that is boundless. One might wonder if her Republican ancestry isn't coming to the fore in her behavior.

Let's just hope that the wicked Queen Hillary doesn't send Snowed Half-White Obama a congratulatory apple as a "peace" offering!

[LaShanda Maryland]

You took the words right out of my mouth. Which is why I sent a concern to the DNC. Because she is giving them all the false ammunition to go after Obama. And I don't get it. At the end of the day, seems like its more important to get the white house back. But Hillary seems to be say, if I can't have it, then no one will. Very selfish lady. I'd never want someone like that as head of my state. As a woman, I would love to see a woman president, just not Hillary Clinton. Her temper-tantrum yesterday made me feel ashamed as a woman. That emotional outburst just fed into the idea that a woman shouldn't be president because of her emotions. Not to mention, all the negative attacks she has thrown to Obama! We don't forget the flier she sent in NH, the flier in Iowa, WI...she put out the first and only negative attack tv ad! This lady has lost her marbles.

[PG Bowden]

Yesterday's performance by Hillary was completely distressing. The schizophrenia in her message is reflective of the disperate views held in her own camp. She seems to be mollifying them both while accomplishing nothing. Death by DC consultant. I would suggest she jetison the Penn/Wolfson sect and get in touch with the "better angels of her nature" before she splits the party and makes herself a pariah. At that point she will have acheived Nader-like status with few of the accomplishments.

[marc]

got the stake! but can't seem to find her heart. little help, please.

[ravensbud]

PG Bowden.....her heart should be there in her chest like everyone else's, but I think your problem is that it's not beating.

[ras]

Pass the popcorn please...

[Alex]

My exact sentiments just a few days ago. At least some of us see things as they really are!

[Tim]

Oh please.

I won't be voting for Hills, and I think her shout out to Obama was just fine. What's with all the faux faint heartedness and shock and calls for smelling salts at such tactics, which have only been going on since this country's first contested election? This blog, which I used to read for a more independent political view, has become just another "Hillary is a bitch" outpost. Rush Limbaugh's had that perspective covered for at least 16 years. And it's amazing how you Hillary-haters on one hand say she looks and sounds vicious and crazy and nuts and hateful, and on the other that it's all fake. She is obviously the greatest actress of our time.

[Phyllis]

Would a man be critized for saying or doing the same things.

Women, get behing Hillary, if you don't, you let all women down.

[Zephyrbag]

It is indeed hard to understand why Hillary suddenly turned so venemous, since even though I’d never vote for her, I’ve always considered her to be one of the more decent of the corporate types. But Tim’s reference to Hillary as a great actress reminded me of what I’ve known all along, but had temporarily forgotten in the rush of excitement that the Democratic primaries have generated. If one can entertain the notion that American politics is kabuki theatre directed by the wealthiest among us, then Hilary’s goblet of venom becomes more understandable. The directorate of the threatre has decided that for their purposes, McCain is obviously better than Obama for the starring role. Obama not only suffers from a number of failings in their eyes, but now he’s riding a tsunami of public support. He’s tapped into a swelling anger. The masses are getting restive, and they’re revealing an enthusiasm to disengage from corporate power and imperial visions and put the focus on the rest of us—all races, all ages, all sexes, all income levels, all creatures at the edge. This is bad for the kleptocrats. Time to change the script. They could have lived with Hillary as Queen of Kabuki, but in view of her humanly motivated desire and basic good sense to bow out gracefully at the Texas debate, the right wing of the Kabuki directorate (Penn and ilk work for them) freaked out and pulled out another script, this one fashioned to have Hillary play the role of Divine Whistleblower, jerkily swinging the scythe of Obama’s destruction. Oh, but wait, it’s not really theater, is it?

[John]

I hope they have her on suicide watch. It's not sounding good.

[Thomas Chacko]

Thank you, Dr Carpenter, for your expert diagnosis! Now what have you been sucking into your nostrils? And your previous bloggers here must 'ave been passin' round de ganja weed, mon! (The one who is ashamed to be a woman may need some special attention!)

Hillary can never do anything right, according to members of the Obama cult. But the You-de-man of the Hour can lie through his teeth and still have his fans ready to kiss ... never mind!

So PM, Buzzflash, and Common Dreams are falling over each other to become Obamamania's Drudge Report, complete with gossip, falsehood, amateur psychoanalysis, and people in need of English Writing 101.

And now that Barack's competitor in the sainthood department, Ralph Nader, is jumping into the race -- well, this should be a fun autumn!

[rikyrah]

One of the repliers over at Jack and Jill Politics suggested that we read this and I'm glad that they did. I have long believed that she sabotaged Al Gore and John Kerry, so why the hell would we be surprised that she'd try this with Barack Obama.

I'll never vote for her.

Period.

Not today. Not tomorrow. Not in 2 or 10 years.

NEVER.

[Baratunde Thurston]

awesome post.
we pulled the video here

http://jackandjillpolitics.blogspot.com/2008/02/shame-on-you-barack-obama-really.html

[John Petty]

Are you guys all about eight years old? This is mild stuff, and thoroughly legitimate. Obama has been getting a pass on his myriad attacks on Hillary, but when she pushes back, you guys get a case of the vapors.

By the way, p.m., this race isn't even close to over. Good night, there's only a difference of a hundred or so delegates between the two.

[patience]

I love her "enough with the big rallies" Ha! Oh yes, Obama somehow "controls" how many people come to his rallies. Uh, lady, they just SHOW UP and stand in line (in Maine it was very cold the day 8,000 people stood in line for several hours). Wow. Obama is being blasted now as a "cult" and that we who support him are being "duped". What he is is a leader of a movement and for a movement a leader needs people to change the hypocrisy that is Washington D C. I pray he stays safe and that he wins. And I pray this horrible woman (as a woman of 56 I would LOVE to vote for a woman) goes away soon. Rovian tactics indeed. I think the lady is projecting her own Rovian darkness.

[Thomas Chacko]

Thank you, John Petty, for summing up the real situation. PM and the other so-called "progressive" websites feel that Hillary has no moral right to compete with the saintly Mr Obama. Their contempt for her matches that of the mainstream media. (Sunday's front page feature in the New York Times almost felt like Hillary's obituary!)

Sorry folks, but whether you like her or not, Hillary has every right to challenge ol' Barack, something he is not used to. Politics has always been a tough game, and it is NOT the fault of the Clintons!

[patience]

To people supporting Hillary: why hasn't she released her income taxes? Hmmmm? Could be something potentially embarrassing? Obama has released his. And why doesn't the Obama-coddling press ASK her why she hasn't? That never seems to come up. Billary needs to step aside to save us from losing again. If she really wants the best for our country she should quit after March 4. And if she tries to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida after all candidates signed off on NOT campaigning there, I'm done. She has to win fairly and she knows she cannot do that now. And, unfortunately for Miss Entitled, the delegate count is nearly impossible to make up. She has to win both Ohio and Texas by a twenty per cent margin. It ain't gonna happen. I felt entitled to be Camper of the Week in 4th grade because I diligently worked so hard and did everything "right" and lost to a "unifier" instead. I understand her entitlement feelings but that does not mean squat to the good of Americans.

[Clemsy]

Calling Obama's strategy 'Rovian' is just plain desperate, if not suicidal. It's a completely over the top comment to anyone who knows what 'Rovian' means.

[Felonious Punk]

This venom was so predictable, when last week we heard about the division in the Clinton campaign concerning which tactic to implement. It was widely reported that Penn was itching to lay down the smack, and apparently he's been let off his leash at last.

Listen, I'm no cultist. I'm a college-dropout who waits tables. Can't you come up with some serious, substantive arguments against Obama instead of what is basically name-calling directed at Obama and his supporters? Is that all you've got? Oh, and "he's all talk" doesn't work. Check his website, their's enough policy there to satisfy the wonkiest wonk.

Hillary touts her experience as an effective leader, but she hasn't done squat for NY while being our Senator. Being Senator was just her way of staying in national politics while waiting for her chance to run for president. THAT'S IT.

She claims being ready from day one when she gets the office, but she and her campaign weren't ready for primary season, betting the farm on a Super Tuesday victory, and now struggling because it didn't happen.

Can anyone really claim she has run an effective campaign? She wasn't aware of Texas' primary/caucus process. She failed to slate the proper number of PA delegate candidates.

Regardless of who you support, you must admit Obama has run a very effective campaign. He doesn't believe millions of citizens - including residents of red states - are inconsequential. In fact, Hillary's campaign has adopted the decidedly despicable ROVIAN 50+1 campaign strategy, so she isn't in a position to throw that particular brick at Obama.

Besides, after claiming she's more prepared to deal with GOP attacks, doesn't this response prove otherwise? Is this how she'll deal with the inevitable attacks? I haven't seen effective responses to any attacks on her so far.

So cut the whining about "sexism", quit demanding women are gender traitors if they don't support Hillary (Don't tell me what to do with my uterus, and don't tell me what to do with my vote). Shut up about the "cult" accusation, the "saint" rhetoric, and put up some real reasons to support Hillary. Tantrums and name-calling by a candidates supporters don't do much to persuade me to support that candidate myself.

'PM and the other so-called "progressive" websites feel that Hillary has no moral right to compete with the saintly Mr Obama.'
No moral right? Where did you pull that out of? That's no argument for your candidate, it doesn't even make sense.
Questioning our "progressiveness" if we don't support your candidate? That sounds kinda familiar, where have I heard that... Oh yeah, it sounds kinda like questioning patriotism if you don't support the president.

If this is how she'd perform in the general, the independents that are needed to win would have a tough time choosing between her and McCain, especially after the attacks the GOP machine has lined up and ready. More independent support Obama - by a wide margin - and that's what is going to decide the election.

Also, any candidate who wins with 50+1 will have an incredible challenge trying to accomplish anything meaningful and lasting while in office.

[J Snow]

Hillbilly is just following Mark Penn's prescribed script as per his WPP sponsors.

Hillbilly is a slimeball. The first clue of that was she never owned up to the fact that she voted for the war in Iraq.

The second clue is that she never advocated impeaching "Dick" Cheney and "Dumbyass" Bush.

[devin]

jesus why does Hillary always have to be the nice one? the controlled one? She should fight back and not have to pat little Obamieboy on the back...if barack were freaking out he would be sent flowers and candy in buckloads by his adoring college fans. This an election-the gloves are off-grow some freakin spines, people!

[billarybush]

funny hearing all these accusations of whining from the ultimate career whiners.

whats the problem with making simple observations about Hillary's wild mood swings/personality changes?

She goes from Obamas good buddy to angry paranoid accuser to ranting tirades about celestial angels descending from the heavens over the course of 48 hours

i wonder which Hillary we'll see tonight?

It's not whining to point out the obvious, that her behavior seems erratic.

It could be something psychological or it could just be tug-of-war between all her consultants and advisors over her public persona