OPINION

Hillary is Trickier Than She Looks

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Richard Nixon said “I am not a crook”. He professed to know nothing about the Watergate break in. He laid full responsibility on others. Of course, had he simply stated, like Harry Truman, “that the buck stops here” he would be remembered much differently today.

President William Jefferson Clinton learned well from the disgraced Mr. Nixon and always took full responsibility for his legal, illegal and immoral actions. Nothing to see here folks, let’s just all move on. Most don’t even remember that Bill was impeached. We all just moved on.

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44th A Presidential Conspiracy 

Now Hillary is playing Bill’s card as she gave a press conference on co-mingling personal and business (State Department) emails. “Probably not the best thing to be done.” Just move on.

Senator Diane Feinstein said “She stepped forward”. Democratic operatives say personal emails are private. Republican Rand Paul and others on the right are calling for an investigation, hearings, the continuation of a public discourse for as long as it takes. That, of course, means right up to the election.

I have been mystified and enthralled by magicians my whole life. Perhaps two of the greatest magicians of all time are Bill and Hillary Clinton. Much like the great illusionists, who direct your attention to one area only to be doing something in another, it is very possible that this entire episode has been contrived.

The Hillaryites will contend that it is not a public scandal and there is really nothing to see. Just move on. The right wing, from talk show hosts to Presidential candidates, will dismiss this position and continue the drumbeat for many months to come. Privacy and National Security will meet head-on in the mainstream media and even on the blogosphere. Let the lengthy debate begin.

Thirty thousand deleted emails on a server in her house will eventually be read, but not for awhile, perhaps several months. Any personal emails that cross the line will be scrubbed and sanitized. Not possible? Of course it is! We’re talking about the Clinton’s after all, and at stake, the most powerful position in the world.

The American public will follow with interest for awhile and then become bored and eventually blame the Republicans for harassment or something else just as silly.

So why all the gamesmanship, Ms. Magician? Because it will take the focus off your real problem – Benghazi.

The further from the eventful evening of September 11, 2012, when the attack on an American Diplomatic compound in Libya killed Ambassador Stevens, the further from the voting public’s consciousness.

Could this be the real reason a hacker discovered something that was meant to be discovered or do we just believe Hillary’s Mom’s death and Chelsey’s wedding clouded her judgment.

Which direction does public discourse take?

Perhaps it is the one Hillary wanted us to take all along?