I've just never warmed to Hillary; I admit it

[senseandsensibility]

I have nothing against her, and defended her all through the 90's. I am female, and resented the sexist attacks against her. I cheered on her more radical moves, such as her attempt to begin a health care program, and her statement that a vast right wing conspiracy was behind the attacks against her and her husband. I don't hate her; I never did.

That said, I just never saw her as someone with the courage and selflessness required to be a great President. Her temperament, while perfectly normal, did not seem Presidential.

My "feelings" (which I admit are completely subjective), were nonetheless validated when she voted to authorize the Iraq invasion. Courage is just not on her list of qualifications.

I have still to hear a good defense of her vote on that issue. Her refusal to apologize since, and her continued warmongering show that she has learned nothing.

I'm glad we've dodged this bullet, and I hope Obama had the sense not to pick her to be his running mate.

Please note: The above criticisms contain no sexist content, and no comments about her pantsuits or hairstyle.

[senseandsensibility]

1. Two recs and no comments?

I know; everyone agrees with me, so there's nothing else to say.:)

[madaboutharry]

2. You make an excellent point in that

she lacks the qualities that make one presidential. Her temperament is very normal, but not what you want to see in a president: crying, angry, and a stubborn streak that is not becoming of compromise.

I wish Hillary well. I think she has a great career ahead of her in the Senate if she wants it, or maybe she will want to run for Governor of New York.

[Eurobabe]

3. I tried to be open minded from the beginning

I thought she did well in the debates, but there is just something about her that I find highly obnoxious. Her sense of entitlement and her response to Katie Couric back in the fall really sealed the deal for me.

Barack will not choose Hillary as his running mate. He's got more sense than that. Why would he choose someone who authorized the IWR?? Plenty of kites to fly with, why choose the leg iron w/ an anchor attached?

:hi:

[BlooInBloo]

4. Pretty much the same boat here.

[roguevalley]

12. I agree with the OP. defended them bitterly and now this. Too bad.

[riverdeep]

5. For what it's worth,

the vast majority of the nation votes on their feelings. They just don't admit it. Politicians, good ones anyway, and their advisers know that. That's why all those ads actually often work. Joe and Jane Schmoe don't spend hours online researching or watching CSPAN, they get snippets here and there, and form a gut reaction. That's why you have morons asking Obama about lapel pins on national TV.

Personally, I never cared for Bill Clinton. When I heard Hillary was going to attempt to be Senator of NY even though she had no connection there, it seemed very cynical, and I had been sour on her since. Somewhere in December '07 or so, things started to turn. I listened to many of her stump speeches and townhall things in full, and felt, "well, I can live with Clinton in the White House." She really impressed me with her depth of knowledge and her ability to think on her feet. She would go for two hours or so, just answering question after question. I was actually wavering between Edwards and Dodd, of all people, but checking out all the candidates.

Then, sometime this year, she started her scorched earth campaign, and lost me for good. I think it started with a debate where she said how thrilled she was to be on the same stage with Obama and two days later, "Shame on you Barack Obama! Shame on you!" And it's been downhill(ary) ever since.

[senseandsensibility]

6. That shame on you moment was a definite low point for me

as well. But I was against her by then anyway. I just don't understand why someone as smart as Hillary can't project a better image. She has many experts to advise her even if she doesn't have the instincts. Still, her vote on IWR make all of that moot as far as I'm concerned anyway.

[SoFlaJet]

7. for me she lost me

with the criticism of John Kerry botching the punchline and conflating it the same way all the republicans did. That was a few days before the '06 midterm election. That was the day she kicked off the 08 presidential run IMO...and that was another thing for me senseandsensi-we didn't have 2 minutes to bask in winning the congress when they immediately jumped into the presidential race. I mean they could have fucking waited say until Jan 1st 07 at least

[senseandsensibility]

8. She's not a team player

Her comments about Kerry at that time showed that and her tactics against Obama confirm it.

[SoFlaJet]

9. and that her statement

and John McCain's came back to back that news day was pretty telling as I look back now-a sign of what was to come

[Arrowhead2k1]

10. There's something about her

that leaves the impression of her having 'phony' written all over her face.

[Adelante]

11. I wasn't ever going to support her in the primaries, I knew this

Because she voted for the IWR and voted for it without bothering to read the NIE. I never cared if she apologized or didn't. She failed in her responsibility to the nation. But when the primary season started, I didn't have a fraction of the negative feelings I now have for her. I, too, defended her for all those years, only to find her behaving in this race the same way her enemies behaved toward her back then. I was very young in the days of Joe McCarthy, but I know red-baiting when I see it, dog-whistling when I hear it, and reactionary horse shit when I smell it. Fuck her.

[Samantha]

13. I have been very surprised at the raw corniness of her campaign

I would have thought someone as well educated as she who has had the exposure she has had would have had a more highly sophisticated pitch.

That which I did think was corny I found childish. I am not a Hillary supporter, nor have I ever been, but I did expect a lot more out of her campaign for the Presidency of the United States. Perhaps a lot of this sub-standard stuff came from Penn?

Sam