Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

calimary

(80,700 posts)
25. This is actually a good point. Hillary would be laboring under the same confines as Barack Obama
Sat May 30, 2015, 01:37 PM
May 2015

faced. As the FIRST (fill-in-the-blank-here). In his case, the first Black President. In her case of course, it'd be the first Woman President. The first of anything would be dicey. Human nature at work here - especially the worst of our human nature, VERY MUCH at work here, as we've seen in President Obama's case.

I'd bet that then-President-Elect Barack Obama had more than a few discussions with advisors and his wife and his most trusted friends and everyone in his inner circle about, well, let's call it the "Curse of The Uppity" that he would face if he came out strong and forceful from the beginning. They probably urged him to take a conciliatory approach, an open hand, never a fist.
They probably urged:
Try to meet the opposition halfway - or MORE than halfway.
Don't be too threatening.
You're breaking a mold that's been CENTURIES in the making.
You'll be swimming against a tide that's been CENTURIES in the making.
Even in a best-case scenario, you'll be fought anyway, so you have to take great care, try to outthink and outwit the opposition but gently. And did we remember to say don't be too threatening?
Yes. Don't be too threatening. They're all new at this. They won't know what to do or how to react except negatively to something strange and new and unfamiliar - because someone like YOU in the Oval Office is going to be exceedingly strange and new and unfamiliar. And people react in predictable ways to the strange and new and unfamiliar - usually with distrust and hostility. Especially if you're black.

Hillary would get the same thing. Especially as a woman. MORE unfamiliar territory that would be full of opposition and prejudice and pre-conceived notions dating back to the Dark Ages, hell, even to cave-dweller days, when the woman was merely hit on the head by the man, and dragged back to the cave by her hair. Hillary would have to fight against the assumptions that a woman is weak, a woman can't cut it, she can't be Commander-in-Chief - she'll hand it all over to the Russians/Taiban/ISIS/Fill-in-the-blank-here. Her place is in the White House kitchen or heading up the household staff or something. Women don't belong in the Oval Office except when they're visiting their husbands... OR because they're the cleaning lady making her rounds at the end of the day. All that rot.

It'll be interesting to see it play out if Hillary does prevail. Watching the human nature play out - or maybe it's more appropriate to say the BASER human nature playing out, considering what we've seen so far. I'm wondering if there'll be one of two effects on display:
Will this be seen as a one-two punch against all the damn prejudice out there? ("SHIT, Bessie, first we had to put up with one o' THEM black folks in the White House, and NOW it's some brassy broad in there, we're-going-to-hell-in-a-hand-basket, I-want-MY-America-BACK" blah-blah-blah.) And will they act out?
OR will it be resignation and capitulation as the Bronze-Agers see the tide irreversibly running against them (and the "America" they thought they knew and with which they were so much more comfortable)? Will some of 'em give up? Will they give up and go away, seeing their "cause" is lost?
I kinda suspect we'd see the former rather than the latter. These folks are the ULTIMATE Sore Losermans. As we've seen, they revert to their own inner spoiled brat-child, screaming and thrashing on the floor throwing temper tantrums in the middle of the grocery store because Mommy wouldn't buy them sugar-cereal. They act out like nobody's business. It's really embarrassing. I always feel like I'm watching an erupting class of unruly spoiled-brat kindergarteners in mid-tantrum every time I see a group of 'em.

And then again... just imagine how this "well-disciplined, reasonable, intelligent and thoroughly adult" bunch would react - knowing a SOCIALIST!!!!!!! had been elected to the Oval Office... GEEZ...

The negatives far outweigh the positives... Let's work hard to make sure you don't have to vote HRC peacebird May 2015 #1
Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #2
I like #FeelTheBern myself! peacebird May 2015 #4
Love it! Roland99 May 2015 #53
Lets get dangerous? hrmjustin May 2015 #9
Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #34
How do you get dangerous? hrmjustin May 2015 #35
Message auto-removed Name removed May 2015 #39
Oh you think he is dangerous to the status quo. hrmjustin May 2015 #41
Oh stop that shit. pangaia May 2015 #44
I do what? hrmjustin May 2015 #45
Just for your information. hrmjustin May 2015 #61
You never told me what I do. hrmjustin May 2015 #67
That was unnecessary... Agschmid May 2015 #70
Ask Michelle Bachmann pscot May 2015 #43
Hey. HEY! There's only room enough for so many cartoon characters on DU! Scootaloo May 2015 #58
False Positives. She won't fight for women or civil rights or growing the safety net. NYC_SKP May 2015 #11
Go Bernie. CentralMass May 2015 #60
+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast May 2015 #72
So true. H>'s friendly suck-up to Wall Streeters, her support for BS trade agreements that harm Main Streeters, her ignorant vote for IWR... InAbLuEsTaTe May 2015 #83
maybe, but not compared to a rethug cali May 2015 #16
Reminds me of the story of the frog in the pot. Which would one rather have, rhett o rick May 2015 #65
All in. Me too. Enthusiast May 2015 #73
I'd rather the heat be turned up gradually, cheapdate May 2015 #79
not sure about that - "non-wingnut SCOTUS Justices" is a pretty heavy positive DrDan May 2015 #27
Something EVERY Dem can provide n/t arcane1 May 2015 #40
It would be a lot heavier if you could add non-corporatist to it. A Simple Game May 2015 #57
They'll favor corporations over people though, you can bank on it. Jester Messiah May 2015 #63
We're still in the primaries. That's a false arguement. cui bono May 2015 #84
it was brought up in the OP - and I responded to that DrDan May 2015 #85
They were being pragmatic Dem2 May 2015 #51
+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast May 2015 #71
I'm not ready to concede donf May 2015 #3
Dare to Dream HassleCat May 2015 #5
A vote for Hillary is a vote for more war. kentuck May 2015 #6
When you vote for...whaaaaa? Wilms May 2015 #7
+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast May 2015 #74
also the whole sell-off of what should be public services will continue Doctor_J May 2015 #8
Totally sucks. Enthusiast May 2015 #75
Honestly, if we can't do better than I don't give a shit anymore, fuck this shit. NYC_SKP May 2015 #10
I'm not going to stay in the Dem party if Hillary wins the primary. I'm going to turn my back... L0oniX May 2015 #30
Right - who cares if we let someone 10 times as horrible into the White House? groundloop May 2015 #37
Without Bernie basically I don't give a shit what happens to this fucked up country. L0oniX May 2015 #47
if you vote for what you dont want, you own it and get what you deserve. CentralMass May 2015 #62
I did that in 1968 pscot May 2015 #49
Without Bernie things will get worse ...I guarantee you. L0oniX May 2015 #54
Experience tells me things will get worse anyway. pscot May 2015 #56
Why do we always have to get worse when the nation and its people have so much potential? Enthusiast May 2015 #76
I'm with you. It's time to go for it like there is no tomorrow. For many there isn't. rhett o rick May 2015 #66
I don't know about the blocking of the encroachment of religion. Fuddnik May 2015 #12
Old Dick (nobody can suck a toe like) Morris? now theres a dude for ya. nt Snotcicles May 2015 #36
There ya go. Can we just ignore this shit? I say not! Enthusiast May 2015 #77
Hillary!! Not far left and not far right. She's just right!!! Laser102 May 2015 #13
clearly my post is grounded in reality cali May 2015 #17
I not only support her issues and policies... Laser102 May 2015 #33
yep . . . spot-on DrDan May 2015 #29
I have never beena quiter. pangaia May 2015 #50
I disagree in part with your analysis Cali Dragonfli May 2015 #14
+1 an entire shit load. Enthusiast May 2015 #78
Don't look for her to start a war for the hell of it DFW May 2015 #15
whatever the rationale, her history clearly demonstrates her propensity to turn cali May 2015 #19
As a solution to what? DFW May 2015 #21
I also have my concerns about her hawkishness.. DCBob May 2015 #18
I hope you're right. cali May 2015 #20
This is actually a good point. Hillary would be laboring under the same confines as Barack Obama calimary May 2015 #25
Really ? At this stage in her life, what is preventng her from running as a died-in-wool democrat ? CentralMass May 2015 #64
Of course, I'd vote for dame Hillary if I HAD TO. Plucketeer May 2015 #22
At what point to we simply stop compromising???? raindaddy May 2015 #23
A little early for surrender. davidthegnome May 2015 #24
fyi, I doubt if Cali will ever surrender, thank Dog. truebluegreen May 2015 #42
Then vote for and campaign for the better candidate. I believe he WILL win sabrina 1 May 2015 #26
Don't feel that you need to if it bothers you that much..... brooklynite May 2015 #28
"Odds of war" overwhelming!? oasis May 2015 #31
In other words, you'll be voting at cross-purposes against yourself. leveymg May 2015 #32
I'm not ready to hand her the nomination quite yet... Joe the Revelator May 2015 #38
Thanks Cali jalan48 May 2015 #46
I'll be voting for Obama part 2. Which is fine with me. DanTex May 2015 #48
If Money wins yet again, let's hope it's the last time n/t arcane1 May 2015 #52
I just may be sick and not able to make it to the polls that day but time will time. eom Purveyor May 2015 #55
You can add a pro-Monsanto/GMO stance as well CentralMass May 2015 #59
Very good summary of the situation Jim Lane May 2015 #68
This message was self-deleted by its author Enthusiast May 2015 #69
You know Mrs. Clinton isn't a bad candidate, and O'Malley would be a good CEO RoccoR5955 May 2015 #80
At least you're not a single issue voter? joshcryer May 2015 #81
Control of the SCOTUS is an important isuue to me Gothmog May 2015 #82
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»When I vote for HRC, here...»Reply #25