Hillary Clinton and the Five Stages of Grief

[southern_belle]

In her famous 1969 book “On Death and Dying”, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross describes the five stages of grief by which people deal with grief and tragedy. Since Barack Obama’s victory in Iowa on January 3rd, we may be seeing Hillary Clinton and her husband Bill go through Ms. Kübler-Ross’s five stages as Barack Obama slowly but surely takes the nomination away from her.


First, there is denial, “this can’t be happening to me”. This stage was epitomized by Bill Clinton’s comparing Barack Obama’s win in South Carolina to Jesse Jackson’s similar but different win in 1988 in the same state. Barack Obama’s win, coming after taking Iowa, almost winning New Hampshire, and positioning himself as the leading contender to take the nomination away from Hillary, was certainly real. That the Clintons tried to convince themselves that this was all just a fairy tale was typical denial mode.


The next stage after denial is anger. “Why me? It’s not fair.” Both Hillary and Bill have exhibited anger throughout the primary, but the highlight of their anger came after the debate in Texas, when Team Hillary began to complain about press bias, called shame on Barack Obama for his hits on her Nafta and healthcare positions, and with Bill’s wagging finger (which still hasn’t quite gone away).


Anger only lasts so long, however, and has to give way to a more reasoned emotion. The third step in the grieving process is called bargaining. When dealing with death and dying, it is an attempt to reason with terminal illness and extend the living process to just another day. Hillary Clinton is in the midst of the bargaining process with the electorate right now.

More at http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/04/hillary-clinton-and-the-five-s.php

[lisa58]

1. makes sense, but...

...I think the bargaining will go on a long, long time and that the SD's will be haunted by the Clinton campaign through to the convention.

[marshall]

3. Then comes depression

I guess that will last throughout the campaign between Obama and McCain. Hopefully she will reach the last phase, acceptance, before the election so she can get out and hustle for Obama.

[DemGa]

2. Not this again