Hillary Clinton. What can be said about Hillary Clinton that hasn’t been said? Nothing, really. She’s all things to all people and nothing at the same time. She has all the excuses of her husband, but none of the charm. Aside from which restroom she uses, what exactly is her appeal?
Hearing Hillary Clinton give a speech is like sitting in on a college civics class taught by someone who thinks she’s speaking to kindergarteners. Condescension squared is about as close to an accurate description as you can get. With all the charm of sweat socks and the warmth of the moon, Hillary Clinton is still leading a major American political party’s race for their nomination.
Granted, it’s at least half a year before people who haven’t already made up their minds even begin to think about the election, but there is no viable alternative for the Democrats. Hillary’s mere existence has propelled her to a position she is simply unsuited for.
It’s not the first time. In 2008, Hillary was a given. She’d been a senator for eight years, stood by as her husband humiliated her, and was a woman – it was her time. Democrats had another idea.
Rather than go with someone with a padded resume, they went with someone with no resume. They passed on someone with few accomplishments in favor of someone with none. Hillary was expecting to be Neil Armstrong, but ended up even being passed over for the role of Buzz Aldrin, finding herself Michael Collins instead.
That’s unfair. Barack Obama did accomplish something few, if any, people would dare to even try: He wrote two autobiographies before anyone knew who he was. Hillary has matched him in the number of books about herself, but no one believes them. Whereas Obama was an unknown, Clinton is too well known for her own good.
Hillary is a formidable candidate in the abstract; it’s just reality where people don’t like her. It will, eventually, be chalked up to sexism. Like Bill, there will come a point where Democrats can’t get out, they have to go on through.
Benghazi, the emails, the family foundation … these aren’t “conspiracies;” they’re par for the course. And they aren’t going away.
It reminds me of the Morrissey song “The More You Ignore Me.” The lyrics, “The more you ignore me, the closer I get. You’re wasting your time” might as well be Hillary’s campaign slogan. Had she addressed each of them at the time they broke, she probably could’ve walked away from them; scathed, but under her own power. Now she’s just coasting.
But that’s the story of the Clintons – their wounds are always self-inflicted. Yes, they damage others around them too. In fact, it’s these others who pay the highest price to their credibility. But they always end up wealthier for their loyalty. Throwing yourself on a grenade for a Clinton is a growth industry.
Think of how many from the Clinton social circle are household names with high-paying jobs. Now think of any of them with credibility. There isn’t much of a Venn diagram there.
Judging by the enthusiasm gap, indifference is the only thing Hillary Clinton inspires in those who don’t stand to earn seven-figure salaries after their association with her.
None of these scandals and character flaws, individually or collectively, will be enough to beat Hillary. The media is that devout Catholic in a loveless marriage who doesn’t believe in divorce – they may want to leave, but they aren’t going anywhere. Simply because its standard bearer is a sociopath, the “Clinton mystique” won’t die. It has to be beaten.
So how do you beat someone against whom nothing, no matter how outrageous, sticks? Eventually.
Every revelation, every lie lands on an older one. No single incident of influence peddling or profiteering will break the camel’s back, but the camel can be buried in them to the point it can’t breathe. Republican candidates should remember that every day they sling arrows at their fellow Republicans is a day they aren’t burying that camel.
Whoever the GOP eventually nominates will need the help of those who were defeated to vanquish the Teflon Dame. The sooner all the candidates realize what they’re eventually going to be up against, and act accordingly, the better the chances they can stick on Hillary Clinton the only label that matters – loser.