Tag: Hillary Clinton

Journey of the Hero

Hillary Rodham (Clinton) circa 1992.“I’ve been there. You have no idea what you are stepping into.” So Hillary Clinton suggests–especially to Barack Obama.

Some say that Hillary had a Howard Dean moment during the debate last night when she flared about her experience as an agent of change. I don’t agree, I think that she directly addressed her record and her frustration that people don’t get the fact that it’s a trial to be in the White House.

Joseph Campbell, in his well-known theory of the journey of the hero, writes

“ A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.–The Hero with a Thousand Faces

So you are Hillary Rodham–Yale Law grad, big fish in little pond attorney in Arkansas, and you live in the governor’s mansion. You give this comfort and status up to live out a dream in the White House–but deep down you are still wonder how you got here. You have trappings of the middle-class girl in suburban Chicago. And now, the White House?

They make fun of how you look, your old man humiliates you with his philandering, and there are all these rules and protocols that you slip and slide in. And you have trials–health care reform, travel office scandals, dealing with the intrusion of secret service so you can’t even have a good fight with your husband. But you are smart, and you prevail.

So, here she is, in true hero mode, bestowing boon on Obama. She warns him that this is not so easy. “It is only for the tried and true. I have walked through the fires, I have lost myself, all in a quest to find myself and return in triumph. It’s my turn for the payoff.

I get to be Luke/Leia. I don’t want to be Yoda. Why don’t you be Han Solo and fly to the next galaxy? On hyper-drive.”

(c) 2005-2016 Doctor of Thinkology. Some rights reserved under Creative Commons License.
Posted on by docthink 1

Making Fun of Yourself–If You Can

I really liked Kanye poking fun of himself–liked it really alot–on Saturday Night Live on Saturday.

I like Kanye anyway. When people talk about his oversized ego, I don’t think that they have sat through any of his CD’s. The man has alot of big feelings, is passionate about his art, and, he can really make a beat. In all of his big-head phoniness, he comes off to me as a real person.

Contrast that with another Chi-town transplant, Ms. Hil. Jon Stewart had a time with her, and her very squirrely laughing.

I know, as Kanye says, it’s the media that makes it bad–cutting and splicing. Heck she might not have really even been there.

But when Hil is being touted as perhaps the next Al Gore–I get the shivers.

“Like the former vice president, she often came across as a pontificator and an automaton — in contrast to the personable and humorous person she is known to be off-camera. And she seemed especially evasive when dealing with questions requiring human reflection instead of wonkery.” (Frank Rich, NYT)

Here is some important data points for all potential presidents:

  1. Remember that the wonky Al Gore LOST. Becoming real after the election is simply too late.
  2. Be more like Kanye. He makes mistakes, but for all his Louis Vuitton-isms, he seems more real than the whole lot put together. (Get that Barack?)
(c) 2005-2016 Doctor of Thinkology. Some rights reserved under Creative Commons License.
Posted on by docthink 0

Family Affair

That “great” expert, Liz Cheney (aka daughter of the VP), is sniping at Hillary in the Post today. I will wait a second while you read it.

Liz, like her dad, uses redirection and name calling to make her point–that anyone who disagrees with the White House Iraq policy is spineless, chicken, misinformed, cowardly, anti-patriotic, and wants to support terrorists on our shores. Whatever!

[Aside: I am tired of supporting the Cheney family. Liz is “former principal deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs,” and has been at the high-end of the political appointee trough since 2000–with time out for the 2004 campaign and to birth her fifth child. Add up hers and the top federal salary of her husband, #5 at Homeland Security, and we can see how a doting grandmother can keep her five grandchildren close to her in financial security. They had to pull in at least $300K.]

And for all that experience and know-how, we get the regurgitation of the worst, least sophisticated “stay the course and WIN!” arguments.

But why Liz? Why now?

Looks like the Republicans are terrified of Hillary Clinton. A few short days after Hillary throws her hat into the presidential ring, the Republicans trot out a working mother to tell us how awful it would be to have the Senator-mother as the President-mother. Hillary’s favorable numbers were especially good with women. The Clinton campaign must be crowing since they got this early, full-frontal attack.

But back to the issue at hand. Liz, I know you didn’t write the “op-ed,” but let me pose a question. Despite the lack of military service in your family, would you encourage your two sons to fight in Iraq when they grow up? C’mon Liz, break the mold. Be authentic.

(c) 2005-2016 Doctor of Thinkology. Some rights reserved under Creative Commons License.
Posted on by docthink 1

Burning Speech

Hillary, Hillary, Hillary. Who for art thou? Thou want-est thy throne so greatly, thou est willing to throw away the baby with the flag? To the centre with thee! Not to the arms of whack right.

Hillary, Hillary, Hillary. Get thee to a nunnery or something. I do not want to hear-eth you utter the words, “Out, damned spot, out I say.” No, Lady Clinton. No.

Posted on by docthink 0