During the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee’s Clinton…uh Barr Hearing today, I was reminded of my dismay in the years 2000 and 2016. In both instances, as with former Vice-President Al Gore rebuking Bill Clinton and the never-Clinton-ers throwing just enough support to Jill Stein, costing Hillary Clinton an electoral victory in 2016, the Democratic Party is making the same mistakes. Listening to the Venus-Democrats and the Mars-Republicans was a crash course on reality and fantasy. The Democratic Senators performed up to the task by narrowing the focus, while Republicans polished their vibranium. The hearing was to determine why William Barr has purposefully deceived the American public with his summation of the “Report On The Investigation Into the 2016 Presidential Election.”
My larger point is that I am hoping that Democrats and the public recognize this overworked Republican tactic for what it is, a tired, back-breaking exercise in futility. Al Gore was so appalled at the personal and moral failings of Bill Clinton that he threw Clintons’ endorsement back in his face. That led to a questionable decision by the United States Supreme Court and as a result we are still in the midst of wars and recovery because of who was given the Presidency. I contend it would not have been a close election had Gore ridden the coattails of his predecessors’ success. I get it that a lot of people feel Hillary Clinton was a bad candidate and her campaign was lacking connection with the public, but why do Democrats buy into the Republican mantra of “Hillary go away.”
No one said, the recently elected Senator Mitt Romney should go away, Newt Gingrich the disgraced former Speaker of the House just released a new book and is called upon for his verbose opinionated spin regularly. John McCain who may have ushered in this period of Republican ignoramuses with his selection of Sarah Palin was lauded in life and death. Even in death he [McCain] is regarded as an elder statesman. Maybe subtly Hillary Clinton’s gender plays a role. What am I talking about; it is evident and even more galling a lot of it comes from women opinion writers. In a December 4th, 2018 an article written for the Washington Times, by Joseph Curl, his commentary was on a Maureen Dowd opinion piece Maureen Dowd premonition: Clintons are about to go away forever. I hear much too often Dowd’s name used as a source for anti-Clinton punditry confirmation bias. Anytime the name Hillary Clinton is brought up efforts are made by the reader to divine the opinions of the writer; my point here is to stop the rock throwing at intelligent Democratic voices who have earned the right to talk. Hillary or Bill Clinton may not have been your cup of tea but adding vinegar will not sweeten the taste.
We seem to be at an impasse that only allows for men, especially old white men to achieve the status of ‘elder statesman.’ I am fully aware of the ire that will be raised by the mention of Mrs. Clinton’s name and lip curling exasperated sighs are being released. I am watching William Barr testify while typing the preceding words and am reminded of the words of President Trump, "impossible" for government to work and "virtually impossible" for Clinton to "govern or lead" while under criminal investigation.
Vote in 2020 for Change.
