DISQUS

michael cook · 1 year ago

I don't think Hillary's victory was all that surprising, all the high flying endorsements aside.
Hillary, don't forget, had some pretty major endorsements of her own from some hardball playing, in the trenches, powerful, Bay State politicos.
Not to mention the Clinton machine is a far leaner, meaner machine than what's left of what used to be seen as the all powerful Kennedy machine.
But I think the biggest reason Clinton won is because the Obama camp put far too many of its eggs in the youth basket in the state.
And history has shown, time and again, that young people love to get all fired up attend political pep rallies in large numbers, as happened at the Obama rally at the World Trade Center Monday night but, when push comes to shove, they very often fail show up at the polls.

Karen Baker · 1 year ago

No surprise that Hillary took Massachusetts. Obama could have had the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus stand up and endorse him, but first, he has to prove to the voter's that he is more than just "a fresh face" or that "we can do it" or that " the time for change is now". He has to like Hillary has done, spell out just how that change will be accomplished. A speech is not all it takes to persuade voters to vote for you. Specifics are required.

jacrlsn · 1 year ago

As I stated on a previous blog entry, I don't believe endorsements by anyone change or make-up anyones mind.
All they do is harden one's position for or against a candidate.

michael cook · 1 year ago

Ah, Ms. Baker, just what specific changes has Hillary spelled out she would enact if she brought all the Clinton baggage back into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
She backed this Bush march of folly into Iraq and continues to refuse to admit doing so was a mistake.
But the best read on Hillary Clinton I've ever encountered came from a woman I worked with as a social worker years ago.
I had to tell this woman way back in 1992, thanks to her husband's drug addiction and chronic infedility, that she was HIV positive.
She's still alive and doing reasonably well.
She is a vocal spokeswoman on behalf of women and the fight against HIV.
She recently said to me,"When I put up with all Bob's crap, the "faux feminists" in social work lectured me about my 'co-dependency and lack of self esteem', but most of those same women are telling me I need to vote for Hillary. But Hillary, from what I can see, was just as co-dependent and lacking in self esteem as I was. The only difference was I put up with Bob because we had two kids and I needed to keep a roof over their heads. Hillary put up with Bill's abuse because she believed doing so was the best way to advnace her own political career. Hell will freeze before I vote for Hillary Clinton".

bilge rat · 1 year ago

I have to admit, I'm surprised Obama didn't win in Mass.
In my community, I've seen a lot more Obama signs than Hillary ones.

I think Michael may be right (hey, who thought we would ever agree on anything!) about the younger voters.
A lot of talk and no action...

My 14 year old said to me last night that "I'll be old enough to vote in the next presidential election".
After my initial shock at her statement ( I had no idea she was paying any attention to anything other than Mtv, and we were not talking about anything remotely related to politics), I told her how proud we were that she wants to participate in something as crucial as exercising her right to vote.

bilge rat · 1 year ago

Michael, your former coworker stated what so many women feel about Hillary Clinton.

It is sad, though, that she feels she has to ride on his coat tails to be successful.

However, I also think it's a double standard. Romney supporters (which I am...no surprise, right everyone?) say that the opposition shouldn't attack his religious beliefs and personal life.
The same should be said for the opposition of Mrs. Clinton.

I choose my candidates based on how closely they reflect my political beliefs, not what they do in their personal lives.

michael cook · 1 year ago

But bilge rat, I've not heard anyone attack Romney's personal life and, even though I think the man is the biggest political phony to come down the pike in a very long time, I think people who atacked him about his religion were disgusting.

As for Hillary, I think my former client's observation is perfectly valid and appropriate precisely because Hillary has so mixed the personal with the public and political.

She is holding herself up as a role model for young women, but would you want your 14 year old daughter to hook with a guy like Bill Clinton who would publicly humiliate her time and time again? Is Hillary's putting up with such treatment because she decided it was in the best interests of her own political ambitions really appropriate "role modeling" material for young women?
I don't have daughters, or kids for that matter, but I sure ask don't think it is.

JasonW · 1 year ago

All of the politics aside... most concerning here is the fact that NOBODY KNOWS what is involved in the Clintons' personal lives. It is presumptuous and arrogant to think we know why Hillary has stayed with Bill.

We all watched the Lewinsky affair play out like an episode of Grey's Anatomy. But nobody here knows what the real argument was like behind the scenes. We don't know what happened when they made up... did they sit down, call each other awful names, then mutually decide that they must get past their sheer hatred of each other in order to rule the world? Or was there real emotion, anger, regret, remorse, forgiveness, affection?

bilge rat · 1 year ago

I do agree with your former client's view of Hillary, all I'm saying is I wouldn't totally base my vote on her marriage failings....
Many people have criticized Romney because he's a Mormon, that's where I was trying to go with my point, which you acknowledged.
I can't even IMAGINE what I would do if my daughter hooked up with someone like Bill Clinton.....ewwww.....

Karen Baker · 1 year ago

If your employer hired you and kept you employed based on whether or not your husband (or wife) had affairs, a lot of really qualified people might be out of a job. You don't have to like the presidential candidate's husband (or wife) to declare that they'll be a good president or not. It can certainly influence your personal preference when you vote and you are entitled to that opinion, no matter how wrong it may be.

Mike R · 1 year ago

Totally agree with what Jim Carlson said (earlier) that endorsements don't change or make-up anyones mind.

Also, totally agree with JasonW, nobody knows what is involved in their personal live and to think otherwise is totally "presumptuous and arrogant".

The social worker anecdote is totally irrelevant, other than showing that a lot of American have misplaced biases against HRC.

Uncle Bunky · 1 year ago

It was just to pump up the the hot air bag shes is she is in for a rude awakening and disappoinment We dont want someone who served on wal-marts board and someone who thinks taking money away from people who earned it and the people who create the tax revenue she has been living off of for her whole life is the way to go. She is a pin-head and a bi-polar communist.