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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Hillary, if gone, will be back
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Is Hillary married? Just asking.
In many ways, it was a strange speech from Hillary. For one, there was no acknowledgment that any man in her life might be anywhere that mattered. Bill sat, looking proud and almost tearful. She began her speech by saying that “I am honored to be here tonight” Then she identified the special distinctions she represented: ” A proud mother. A proud Democrat. A proud American. And a proud supporter of Barack Obama.”
No “Proud Wife and Mother.”
No “Proud Wife.” Or “Former First Lady.”
It’s true that unmarried women are drawn to the Democratic Party. For many, government is the supporting husband — if not directly, then in providing the back-up financial security that marriage once represented.
But maybe I read too much into her intentional omission. Maybe she just didn’t want to risk sharing the spotlight.
As a viewer, I expected an adoring crowd of Hillary supporters. There were some of those, yes. But many of them had the look of bystanders watching a potential suicide bomber. They weren’t quite sure where this spectacle was going. Me neither.
Much of it sounded like her acceptance speech or her first State of the Union. An example was her laundry list of things to do in the White House. In the following paragraph of her text, strike “he’ll” and substitute “I’ll” and in the last sentence strike the phrase “watch Barack Obama.” The paragraph:
“He’ll transform our energy agenda by creating millions of green jobs and building a new, clean energy future. He’ll make sure that middle class families get the tax relief they deserve. And I can’t wait to watch Barack Obama sign a health care plan into law that covers every single American.”
Yes, she couldn’t have been vice president. She is the dominant personality in the Obama-Hillary duo. She would have overshadowed him at every turn. His successes would have been because he implemented her programs, his failures because he didn’t. Joe Biden may be a windbag, but his fulsome rhetoric is not threatening to his potential boss.
Did she drive any Hillary supporters to the ticket? My sense is no, or at least none of those not already inclined to support the ticket, no matter what. The lady, if gone, will be back.
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