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Laying bear a Label
Hillary Clinton truly enjoyed the kind remarks she received on SNL just a few months ago.
For anyone who missed it, you may want to check out last week's broadcast:
Comments that have been made at TPM in the past (Hillary's willingness to play a gender card, her willingness to do anything and everything to get elected, her "logic" about why the campaign isn't over yet) are all put in context.
Why post this?
Because sometimes jokes stick. Remember "Tricky Dick"? "Slick Willie"? Should Hillary continue on the present path, she will be labeled the "sore loser".
Not a good way to continue a political career.
So why are the Clintons fighting so hard at this point and risk the label? First, Bill Clinton has been the de facto leader of the Dems since 1992 -- even in retirement. As a result, he feels the world shifting under him; and he is competitive after all.
For Hillary, it's clear that this is her last chance to run a presidential campaign. Even if McCain were to win in 2008, she has no chance in 2012: first because of her age, secondly, the novelty of her running as a woman will not be unique to her in all probability.
So, what is happening right now is that the Clintons, who were at the highest of highs for the last 16 years are about to be replaced on the world stage in one way or another. Will they disappear? Of course not! No ex-president does. But they will clearly be seen of a past era -- even with Hillary in the Senate -- and less and less relevant to the new center of the Dem party going forward.
The Clintons should refer to their historical texts and remind themselves what the Romans said to all their victorious generals:
<blockquote>All glory is fleeting.</blockquote>
Comments (18)
Thanks for the link.
May 15, 2008 6:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Your headline reminds of when I was a kid and I used to think the name of the hymn was, "Gladly, the Cross-Eyed Bear."
At any rate, when laying bear, always remember to use protection, and don't forget the pepper spray in case things get out of hand.
May 15, 2008 7:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Also carry a case of hamburger buns and wear a good pair of running shoes as a last resort. ;-)
May 15, 2008 11:01 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, titles are fun!
May 15, 2008 11:14 AM | Reply | Permalink
When you're laying bear remember to pack tightly and use plenty of caulk.
May 15, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Should Hillary continue on the present path, she will be labeled the "sore loser".
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By the hard core Obama supporters maybe. Just as Hillary supporters see things that Obama has done differently than Obama supporters, so too do Obama supporters see things in a different light about Hillary. If people had as negative a view of Hillary as some of the Obama supporters here she wouldn't have won nearly half the votes and she wouldn't still be winning some contests.
May 15, 2008 8:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
My wife thinks Hillary is a sore loser because no one ever taught her to be a good loser. My wife's theory is that Hillary has probably never played sports, so no one ever taught her that you win some and you lose some, but you always do it in the spirit of the game. For Hillary, this is a catfight--not a competition.
May 15, 2008 8:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
meow
May 15, 2008 10:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Did you fail to note that she was labeled as such on a nationally televised comedy show?
You can twist this into the Obama-thing if you like, but that's not the point.
May 15, 2008 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
I took it that the point was that the people at SNL were making a joke at Hillary's expense. Did I miss something?
May 15, 2008 1:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
My response was to OceanKat, hrebendorf. Don't understand your comment to me. But, I agree, this is at Hillary's expense.
By the way, I love your avatar.
May 15, 2008 2:37 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think Sore Winners is going to stick more permanently.
May 15, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
"remember, thou art mortal," was another roman epithet meant for people they honored.
May 15, 2008 1:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Good to have the expert weigh in! ;-)
May 15, 2008 2:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
May 16, 2008 1:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm curious about your comment, littleblackpropaganda. "Death" is hyperbolic. But "winning" isn't hyperbolic. Do you mean that comparison to be uneven? I know some gamblers, but not intimately enough to know exactly what you mean. I'm not interested in agreeing or disagreeing about the fate of the Clintons, I am just asking if you'll clarify. Thanks.
May 16, 2008 3:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, that was indeed hyperbolic of me! I meant more the psychology of the gamblers themselves. For example, if you've managed to find a way to gamble 5 to 10 times the value of your house, and you know that you have to go home and tell the spouse and kids about it, you might rather die than face the consequences. This is not to mention the interesting people who might loan you the money in the first place, and the ideas they might have about you. But sometimes they do actually jump from the riverboat... I'm not sure how they do it in Vegas.
I appreciate you being so even with me, after an outrageously speculative comment like that. For the record, I have a feeling that come September, October, we might be wishing Clinton instead was running in the general.
May 16, 2008 4:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
I appreciate the answer, littleblackpropaganda. I thought it's what you meant, given what I do know about gamblers, but then I started to wonder. High-stakes betting, extreme risk-taking to the point of self-destruction. I get it. There's also the addiction aspect to that for many people.
As for September/October, are you referring to the McCain-Bush attacks against Obama that have already started? The Republicans, like the Clintons, are not going to let go of power easily! Republicans have much more to lose, in fact.
May 16, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
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