Hillary Clinton is Sinking - Paste

[WillyT]

Hillary Clinton is Sinking
By Walker Bragman | Paste
March 15, 2016 | 9:21am



<snip>

In the last sanctioned Democratic presidential debate, Hillary Clinton made a candid admission. “I’m not a natural politician” the former Secretary of State stated bluntly. The moment was as humanizing as it was accurate.

In 2008, as Barack Obama rose in popularity against a heavily favored Clinton, the then Senator found herself unable to cope, and resorted to racist and scurrilous campaign tactics. When the race got tight, Clinton went negative against “hope and and change,” and Clinton choked.

And now, we’re seeing it happen all over again.

Following a devastating loss in Michigan, a race she was heavily favored in, Hillary Clinton has fallen into her old habits—leveling attacks at her opponent, Bernie Sanders, that even her apparent allies call suspicious or interesting. Additionally, the former Secretary has made a series of bizarre remarks: from barking like a dog to calling Nancy and Ronald Reagan champions in the fight against AIDS.

So what is the problem? Why, whenever a race gets tough, does Clinton seem to shoot herself in the foot? Why can’t she handle the pressure? The simple answer is that her judgment is poor.

For all the preparation Hillary Clinton went through prior to this primary, she has found herself battling her past. She didn’t realize after the Occupy Movement and the 2012 election that saw Mitt Romney lose for his out-of-touch rhetoric, that tacking right against an economic populist progressive would backfire. She didn’t realize that her paid Wall Street speeches or her past donations from the Koch Brothers would be a problem in 2016. She didn’t recognize that her private in-home email server over which she conducted business as Secretary of State would become an issue. During that same period, she didn’t pick up on the fact that her arms dealing through the Clinton Foundation would come off as a conflict of interest. She saw nothing wrong with accepting millions from lobbyists including those from the fossil fuel industry. And while we’re discussing fossil fuels, she didn’t predict that supporting fracking would hurt her in presidential race where climate change is a central issue. In 2008, she didn’t see anything wrong with attacking Obama’s appeal to white voters, or making the sorts of race baiting remarks she made. She didn’t realize that the Iraq War was a mistake at the time. She didn’t have the foresight (let alone the conscience) to support same-sex marriage until 2013. And, of course, now she didn’t see anything wrong with praising the Reagan Administration for its shameful record on AIDS.

Never has anyone in the history American politics...

<snip>

Link: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/03/hillary-clinton-is-sinking.html

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. She got run over by her baggage car.

[Land of Enchantment]

6. LOL

Her campaign shows a complete lack of foresight and illustrates how out of touch she is with the American people. Remember Papa Bush and the grocery store scanners?

[tabasco]

21. I hate to defend the evil GHW Bush, but the thing with the scanners was distorted. n/t

[nolabels]

61. So was 9/11, so what's your point?

[tabasco]

75. Truth is better than distortion. What's your point?

BTW - what does 9-11 have to do with GHW Bush?

[Plucketeer]

53. Foresight AND Hindsight!

When's the last time Hillary (or Bill) pushed a grocery cart around in a store? For that matter - when's the last time she even spoke to a person pushing a grocery cart with all their worldly belongings in it? Or handed such a citizen a few bucks? "Out of touch" doesn't BEGIN to sum up her eminence!

[pdsimdars]

20. You are brilliant !

[Perogie]

72. found this

[thereismore]

76. That's a yuge Pandora's box there. nt

[Jopin Klobe]

98. HA! ...

.. and HA! ...

[thereismore]

2. The old adage says, liars must have good memory. And hers is not good. nt

[rhett o rick]

11. I see it differently. The Ruling Class have contempt for the Masses. They don't think they need to

tell us the truth and in fact think they, in their anointed roles, are obligated to tell us what they think is best for us. In their hubris they think we are like cattle. I am willing to bet that Clinton has told the truth to Goldman-Sachs and all the others that enhanced her personal fortune. That's why she won't let the Masses see what she told them. We wouldn't be able to handle the truth.

[thereismore]

17. I concede! nt

[Dont call me Shirley]

18. So true! They have waged constant war on the masses since the beginning of thier self-created

perverse system. This is the only way they know how to be in this world, to have total dominance over others. They know not of the higher qualities of generosity, cooperation and community that the majority of us live.

[rhett o rick]

24. Their hubris and greed are killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. But we will not go lightly.

A vote for Clinton is a vote for more of the same looting by the banksters.

[Dustlawyer]

32. +1!!! ^^^This^^^!!!

[Thespian2]

43. Excellent response...

Every where we look, we are confronted by corporations that care only about profits...they are strip-mining the American economy...the 1%er is a corporatist...

[Festivito]

56. ^^ Painful truth. ^^

[Ferd Berfel]

63. yea

[C Moon]

66. Spot on!

[shadowandblossom]

107. ...

Last edited Wed Mar 16, 2016, 09:52 AM - Edit history (1)

...Really?

[earthside]

3. “Libya was a different kind of calculation. And we didn't lose a single person."

Whether the sinking accelerates today, or comes a bit later ... HER is Done.

[Fuddnik]

8. Her memory is so bad, she forgot about some dust-up called Benghazi.

The investigation was a farcical witch hunt, but I think some people died there.

[amborin]

12. not totally:

i used to think so, too, until i read part of the transcript; she lied; plus she was taking
input from someone w/ no cred and who had business in Libya:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511468802

[Nitram]

16. No, Clinton did not lie about Benghazi.

If she had, one or more of the investigations would have proved it and she would be toast. Very sad that a Bernie supporter would stoop that low.

[pdsimdars]

22. Takes a lot of nerve for any Hillary supporter to talk about stooping low.

Have you seen the OP about the 6 big lies Hillary told last week?
She smears and lies about Bernie every week. She's done more swift boating than the GOP did against Kerry.

[Nitram]

27. I repeat, Clinton did not lie about Benghazi. For you to say she did is dishonest.

what would Bernie say?

[tularetom]

40. See, theres your problem, nobody believes she didn't lie about Benghazi

Because she lied about everything else.

This is America where perception is reality, and Ms Clinton has a ginormous perception problem.

[Nitram]

71. No, see, anyone with half a brain knows she didn't lie about Benghazi.

Clearly you have strong doubts about Sanders as a viable candidate if you have to resort to Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghaz.

[roguevalley]

77. she just did . she said no one died

[tularetom]

78. Don't look at me, I don't know whether she lied about Benghazi or not

But I can tell you that a lot of people believe she's been lying all along about Benghazi. She actually did lie about it the other day when she said no Americans died there.

And WTF does Sanders have to do with whether or nor she lied about Benghazi?

I'm pretty sure he didn't lie about Benghazi.

[amborin]

84. here she is lying during the hearing:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511468802

[Marr]

79. Do you know what country Benghazi is in...? /nt

[DhhD]

70. Bernie would say, what part of the transcript did amborin and others read? Did you read that part?

[amborin]

83. i posted verbatim testimony wherein she lied;

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511468802

[dixiegrrrrl]

37. Thank you for the link......

That's what I like about the effective members of DU....use of links to support factual statements.

[Stellar]

4. Poor Hillary...

In Chicago I voted for Sanders this morning (and nine others under his name). But if she wins the primary, I will definitely vote for her in the general. NO BAGGERS ALLOWED in the WhiteHouse!

[FlatBaroque]

5. #HaveIMentionedShesAGirl

[bullimiami]

7. Author is a little slanted you think?

MONDAY, NOV 30, 2015 04:33 PM EST
More like Reagan than FDR: I’m a millennial and I’ll never vote for Hillary Clinton
I never thought I'd be encouraging people to not vote for the Democratic nominee for president. But I am
WALKER BRAGMAN

[SunSeeker]

47. Wow. That dude is a fool.

[JDPriestly]

68. I'm 72, a life-long Democrat. Never voted for anyone that wasn't a Democrat, but I will vote for

all other Democrats on my ballot and never, never, never for Hillary.

Bernie Sanders is a once in a century great candidate. And if the American people shun him, then our country deserves what it gets whether it is Hillary or Trump or Cruz.

I have never seen or heard a candidate as morally upright as Bernie Sanders. Hillary misses it by a country mile.

It's the morality of Bernie Sanders that I admire.

If our country misses this chance to put this moral man in the White House, we really deserve what we get and it won't be pretty.

[johnlucas]

104. THANK YOU JDPriestly! THANK YOU!!

BERNIE OR BUST if we want to have a REAL chance for justice in this country.
The West Coast will come through where the Midwest did not.
Where the South did not.

Add them to the Rocky Mountain & Great Plains states & we're gonna win this.
In June in California, Hillary Clinton's political career comes to an end.
John Lucas

[ChiciB1]

112. JDPriestly, I Concur. I Don't Really Down Deep Think Hillary Can Beat Trump...

so he will need NEW Democrats to show him that Governing doesn't work with HOT AIR. I wonder if he really understands what to do should he win.

The country has been running rather lopsided for too long, I think it just lurched to the Right and almost upside down. Can't say I'm not afraid though.

I respect neither of these people, and I doubt anyone can Govern when so many don't have any respect for them. Maybe this is what needs to happen so people will FINALLY find out who Hillary is. They've played the game well and hold all the cards, but many of us know they have some REAL enemies in high places. Who will draw the first knives against them??

[NoMoreRepugs]

113. I don't understand JD.... if YOU and other Democrats will not vote

for HRC WE get what we deserve?? I voted for Bernie yesterday in Florida, as did many others
in states across the country - I think the reason many of us did was because we thought he represented
what we want our President to represent. But if he doesn't get the nomination and I have to choose between HRC and Trump I cannot expose my children and their children to the country that we are sure to become if a dufus like Trump can be elected POTUS. No sir, WE DON'T DESERVE THAT BECAUSE YOU AND OTHER DEMOCRATS CANT OR WONT VOTE HRC - THAT OUTCOME IS ON YOU NOT US. I respectfully ask that you reconsider the ramifications for ALL OF US. Thank you.

[global1]

9. She Is A Flawed Candidate.....

I'm worried that if she is the Dem nominee in Nov - she will lose.

[Myrina]

50. Yes, she will.

There has never been a greater GOTV cause for the GOP than the Clintons.
They will crawl from under their rocks, out of their holes, pop up from their graves ... whatever it takes to vote against her.
And the country will be screwn.

[amborin]

10. scary to contemplate; unfit for office; don't want this hand on any button; has done enuf damage; nt

[BernieforPres2016]

13. I think Hillary has a bad personality trait that is very much like Nixon

She is paranoid and thinks her enemies are always out to get her. When she's wrong, instead of considering the possibility that she's wrong and listening to other points of view, she attributes bad motivations to people with a contrary view and shuts them out. Even if she is later proven wrong, there's always some convoluted reason why her decision was really right at the time.

People with personalities like that draw a tight circle and surround themselves with people who only tell them what they want to hear. Has anybody noticed the correspondence from her aides in the emails that have been released? Many of the ones I've seen are the kind of gushing, suck up praise that one would expect to see on a TV comedy like "Veep" or to see in corporate America. Stuff like "your performance was masterful!", "never been prouder to work for you!", etc. Any self respecting person would be embarrassed to write the kind of fawning praise I've seen in those emails.

People like personalities like that become completely detached from the real world because they live in a bubble of their own creation.

[Nitram]

19. Sometimes, even a paranoid has secret enemies.

Considering the rhetoric, propaganda, false accusations and harassment Clinton has been subject to since her husband became president, it would be rather odd if she did not feel some distrust of the media and those who oppose her politically. But enough of the amateur and speculative psycho-babble. Please.

[pdsimdars]

26. All she has done is lie, distort and smear Bernie from day one.

People in glass houses . . . . . . . . . . ..

[Nitram]

29. Aw, poor ol' Bernie. Did the big bad woman say something mean?

The nasty rhetoric I've heard from Bernie supporters since day one has taught me a thing or two about the emotional hyperbole of primaries.

[Hiraeth]

97. speaking of hyperbole ...

you just wrote a pretty good dose of it your own self

[Nitram]

102. Hyperbole? No that's sarcasm. Get a dictionary.

[Hiraeth]

115. get a life.

welcome to ignore

[truebluegreen]

35. So her solution is to resort to the same tactics

and that's a good thing?

Alrighty then.

[Duppers]

65. Excellent summation.

Her personality type seems somewhat aligned with the Rs. Yes, those emails are very telling!
However, if by hook or crook she wins this primary, I'll certainly vote for her in the general. The alternative is sickening to me.


Go Bernie!

[Dont call me Shirley]

14. The American people are sick of getting pissed on by the rich and their minions. That is what hil

does not get!

[rhett o rick]

31. The Ruling Class never understand when the lower classes object to their treatment. They feel they

were anointed to rule. They rationalize that whatever they do is for our benefit. They need to acquire our resources because they know best. Clinton is the consummate Ruling Class representative. Money and Power, Power and Money.

[shadowandblossom]

108. Really?

Really? I mean, really? "anointed one?," "consummate Ruling Class?" Really?

[rhett o rick]

116. Are you trying to engage in a discussion? If you don't agreed plez provide your

arguments.

[AlbertCat]

15. The simple answer is that her judgment is poor.

There it is....

[dana_b]

25. exactly and that matters MORE to some of us

than the amount of experience. All the experience in the world won't help if you don't have the ability to make sound decisions based on that experience and knowledge.

[pdsimdars]

28. Cheney has LOTS of "experience" and nice long resume. . . also has BAD judgement

[Duval]

49. You nailed it.

And we don't want her near a button in the White House, much less Commander in Chief. She's done enough damage in the ME.

[warrprayer]

23. That's Hillary

All over.

[bunnies]

30. This. KnR. nt

[zentrum]

33. K&R

[pkdu]

34. by Walker Bragman - enough said. nt

[Agschmid]

36. I'll give you that she isn't a great candidate...

But "sinking" so far means winning more pledged delegates overall.

That could change tonight we will see, but seriously her pledged delegate count isn't sinking.

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. Do you happen to know

what that "barking like a dog" comment in the excerpt was about?????

[Agschmid]

39. Maybe this?

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/15/politics/hillary-clinton-barks-like-a-dog-gop/

[PADemD]

45. Hillary Clinton barks like a dog to slam Republicans

http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/15/politics/hillary-clinton-barks-like-a-dog-gop/

[mountain grammy]

41. I honestly cannot get past what she said at Nancy Reagan's funeral..

I re watched "the Normal Heart" last weekend just to relive that horror and would suggest Hillary watch it too. She is my age.. she lived it. WTF? Was she in some kind of bubble? I can't believe she or Bill didn't lose someone they knew, someone they loved.

[veronique25]

42. more clinton dramas are toxifying the country

i really think the clintons have reached a point of 'political alzheimers'

last example: she wrote bernie a thank-you note 25 years-ago thanking him for (literally) standing behind her in her fight for health-care -- and now makes speeches against him, forgetting his loyal support...

She credits the Reagans for speaking out against hiv when no one else would -- which is completely the opposite of the facts!

I don't think she's a bad person, but nearly everyday, a new drama, a new rationalization, a new secret she refuses to release...

I just no longer think she has reliable judgment...

sorry, america, she's past the point of changing.

take her as she is, or leave her... it's your country

[Duppers]

67. "Political Alzheimer's"

Excellent description.

[basselope]

44. That line made me sick.

"I'm not a natural politician".

You have been in politics for literally most of your life. Whether you are a "natural" or not doesn't matter anymore. You've put in your 10,000 hours and if you were capable of learning it, you SHOULD HAVE learned it by now.

The fact that you haven't, shows just how unqualified you are to be president!

[Fast Walker 52]

58. It seems like she has trouble just being human. In contrast to Bernie, who is amazingly human.

[nxylas]

46. I vonder vot she is sinking about?

OK, but jokes stolen from The Muppet Show aside, I think it's a little premature to say she is sinking. I'd like to at least wait until today's results are in before making a declaration like that. If she does better than expected, it could leave the author of this article looking a bit silly.

[ejbr]

51. Having read the entire article,

the "sinking" may not thwart her chances, but she does not do well under pressure.

[Wednesdays]

111. Please re-read the last paragraph in the article.

nt

[Betty Karlson]

48. The last lines are bold writing on the wall for the DNC:

Even if she wins big today, her margins will be slimmer than they should have been considering where she started from. The damage has been done, regardless of whether or not she staggers on to the general election.

DNC, are you really hoping for four years of damage control?

[noiretextatique]

52. An indictment will sink her

Is that still a possibility?

[Holly_Hobby]

59. Read this thread and decide for yourself...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511462278

On edit, correcting link

[magical thyme]

60. anthing is possible. likely is another story.

In the meantime, the Judiciary committee has now targeted another IT guy for interviews (the head of State's IT), and is threatening to subpoena him.

https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2016-3-4%20CEG%20+%20RHJ%20to%20Bentel%20%28Interview%20Request%29.pdf

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/hillary-clinton-emails-state-department-220689
A State Department staffer who oversaw security and technology issues for Hillary Clinton is refusing to answer Senate investigators’ questions about the former secretary of state’s use of a private email server — marking the second time an ex-State employee has declined to talk to lawmakers.

John Bentel, a now-retired State employee who managed IT security issues for the top echelon at the department, declined to be interviewed by GOP staff on the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security committees, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/hillary-clinton-emails-state-department-220689#ixzz42zaqif47
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

[saidsimplesimon]

69. I don't expect that Mrs. Clinton will be charged

with high crimes by the current Congress. I do know that those little people in their ranks will whine, like Ted Cruz and the turtle, to make it so.

[MariaThinks]

54. Let's see how she does today

[sharp_stick]

55. Yeah that devastating loss in Michigan

Delegates from Michigan

Sanders 67
Clinton 60

I don't know how she'll ever manage to cope with such a horrendous blow to the campaign?

[beedle]

81. "it's just a little wall" - said the Soviets

[Fast Walker 52]

57. Damn-- harsh but I can't argue with it

Certainly Bernie's momentum is rising.

Good thing she has all that cash to go back home to.

[Contrary1]

62. The first comment gives another great example:

"...Chelsea Clinton is appearing at embattled blood-testing company Theranos next week for a fundraiser for her mom's campaign. Why in the world would someone running for president willfully associate with a company that the FDA is investigating for wildly overstating the effectiveness of its so-called revolutionary blood testing product, putting people's lives at risk?"

[hedgehog]

64. The Internet giveth, an the Internet takest away.....

[ucrdem]

73. Paste - It's not just for breakfast

[dae]

74. Yes she displays poor judgement but she has

an uncanny knack for choosing wrong. This makes her priceless working on Wall Street.

[Ivan Kaputski]

80. We don't eat that kind of cake.

[Don Draper]

82. I really hope Bernie gets the nomination

The thought of voting for Hillary literally makes me feel nauseated

[Karma13612]

85. ^^^^ +1000 ^^^^

[HR_Pufnstuf]

86. When will Hillary disavow THIS?

I'm waiting. And if she doesn't, will the media make it an issue? no.

The KKK leader who says he backs Hillary Clinton

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/12192975/The-KKK-leader-who-says-he-backs-Hillary-Clinton.html

Why do blacks support Obama (of which Hillary and Rahm were members), when black unemployment is twice that of whites? The current administrations does NOTHING for african-americans and have actually made it worse. How's Chicago going Rahm? Worse aye? figures..

[William769]

88. I think you should have waited to post this.

[George II]

89. Time to revisit this post.

[Stuckinthebush]

90. Revisiting this post makes me happy

So very happy.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

91. Someone is having a meltdown

[Agschmid]

92. You sure?

[bettyellen]

93. Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Sweep! Pasted.

[shenmue]

94. Walker Bragman who?

[Renew Deal]

95. HA Goodman's pseudonym?

[Beacool]

96. That must be why she won all 5 states tonight.

If Bragman calls that sinking, I wonder what he considers winning.

[Pauldg47]

99. The fun is about to begin.

[Progressive dog]

100. Five of five primary wins for

Hillary. About one hundred delegates added to her lead. That was one big loss for Hillary.

[stonecutter357]

101. sorry your man lost last night.

[JaneyVee]

103. I bet this author wished he waited one more day.

[PeaceNikki]

109. I doubt it. That would require some self-actualization.

[Major Hogwash]

105. " . . . resorted to racist and scurrilous campaign tactics."

Didn't work then, won't work now.

[misterhighwasted]

106. Yup she sure is sinking!

[Gamecock Lefty]

110. If Hillary Keeps Sinking Like She Did Last Night . . .

I say keep sinking. I love this!

[Amimnoch]

114. Is "sinking" some new catch phrase for winning everything and the Kitchen "sink"?

Should probably be a new entry in the Urban dictionary:

Sinking - Winning everything and the kitchen sink.