Vice President-Elect Biden’s Endorsement of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State

Photo credits: Huffington Post file photo

Barack Obama reportedly selected Joe Biden as his vice-presidential running mate for his expertise in foreign affairs; Biden’s most recent senate post was chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

In the run up to the expected announcement of Hillary Clinton’s appointment as Secretary of State in the Obama Administration, Helene Cooper reports at the NY Times that Biden has privately told people he recognizes he will not be the point man on foreign policy.

According to Cooper, ‘“Mr. Obama’s aides say Mr. Biden has backed the decision to appoint Mrs. Clinton secretary of state. ‘If he had made an argument against it, it would have carried a lot of weight,’ a senior aide to the transition said. ‘He was totally in support of it.’”

After all their raucus cheering in support of Joe Biden as VP, you’d think his endorsement of Clinton for the position at state would hold some significance for Arianna Huffington and other leaders of Obama’s online shock troops. But so far no signs of rationality have appeared in the latest eruption of pathological Hillary-hatred from the extreme left wing of the blogosphere.

Pundits Continue to Exorcise Their Misogynist Demons by Bashing Hillary

The pundits haven’t quite got their crude misogynist feelings out of their system yet. A competent powerful woman ran for president and garnered a majority of the popular vote – how threatening that must be to the likes of E. J. Dionne, Eugene Robinson, Bob Herbert, David Brooks, Mark Shields, Chris Matthews, Tim Russert, Keith Olbermann, et al, not to mention their codependent female allies, including Maureen Dowd, Arianna Huffington, and Susan Thistlethwaite.

So even after the weaker candidate, Barack Obama, has been handed the nomination, the sadistic, hate-mongering members of the media continue to trash Hillary Clinton for taking a couple of days to process events and prepare for Obama’s coronation.

Yet - even in that cesspool of misogynist gloating over at the Huffington Post - there’s a glimmer of gratitude to Hillary Clinton for her hard-fought campaign. I’m speaking of today’s post by Ilana Goldman, President, Women's Campaign Forum. In “An Open Letter to Hillary,” Goldman writes:

Dear Hillary -

I say this to you almost daily, but since it's normally to you on the TV screen, I thought I should find a way of saying it where you might actually receive the message: Thank you.

Thank you for what you have done. For your sheer tenacity, strength, and stick-to-itiveness. Thank you for working so hard every day when you must have been exhausted. For showing us what leadership looks like: doing something well, with grace, in good times and bad. Most of all, I thank you for not quitting.

Your many supporters will tell you what your race means to them and history will write what it means to the world, but it also means so much to me and to the little world I live in. I thank you on behalf of the women who have been so special in my life:

For my daughter -- who is, as of yet, just an idea in my mind. But I imagine her one day reading the story of this historic campaign. I am so grateful that the story she will read will be of a complete campaign, with the biggest numbers possible -- states, votes, and delegates. That story will show that our first woman presidential contender was truly competitive -- like, nearly won competitive - and show a little girl her own vast possibilities in this country. Thank you for giving her a history worth reading.

For my mother -- who is one of those women who work tirelessly to support her family, worries over rising healthcare costs and frets that her grandchildren may not have social security. She's always been passionately interested in politics, but never before found a politician who she felt understood her. She'll be 65 next year and she wrote the first political check of her life to you. Thank you for validating the day-to-day concerns that she faces.

For my grandmother -- who was, as it was noted at her memorial, "a woman ahead of her time." I think of her every time I see one of your senior women supporters who were born before women first got the vote and were out on the streets filled with hope that they would inaugurate one in their lifetimes. Thank you for showing them that their efforts to make women loud and proud actors in American politics created real change.

Read More.

Has the Media Lost Its Collective Mind in Trying to Force Clinton Out?

Photo credits: AP

You have to wonder if the media – the MSM and the blogosphere combined – has lost its collective mind.

Here’s the non-story in a nutshell for those who have been on another planet for the past two days: in her comments during an interview Friday with the editorial board of the Argus Leader in South Dakota, Hillary Clinton mentioned two prior Democratic campaigns that went on until June: RFK’s in 1968 and Bill Clinton’s in 1992. Her point, as I’ve now posted three times here at Katalusis, was that a Democratic primary running into June was not unprecedented.

The uproar has since been unabated. One expects the Huffington Post to jump on every word Clinton says, twist it beyond recognition, and spread it in 3-inch red letters in a banner headline on the homepage, accompanied by the most garish photo of Clinton its editorial staff can find.

But the Washington Post, the NY Times, the LA Times, The Associated Press… all trying to outdo one another with warmed over analyses of yesterday’s shabby tabloid reports?

What does it take to jar the media into responsible journalism?

So far the Clinton campaign has published a clarification in response to the Obama camp’s immediate farfetched interpretation of her remarks; Clinton followed up the earlier clarification with a personal statement, including an apology; a member of the Argus Leader editorial board in South Dakota supported Clinton by putting her remarks in context; and RFK’s son, Robert Kennedy, Jr., has spoken out on her behalf.

Still the boys in the press, along with their codependent female allies, keep pouring gasoline on the flames. You have to conclude that even though they’ve declared Obama the presumptuous nominee for weeks now, his devoted supporters are so threatened by Clinton’s presence in the campaign, they compulsively do whatever they believe it will take to force her out.

But despite their best efforts, the uppity Hillary has had the gall, not only to keep running, but to keep winning. Since March, she’s won Ohio, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Indiana with blowouts in West Virginia, and Kentucky; Obama has won North Carolina and Oregon.

At the moment, she’s campaigning in Puerto Rico where she’s expected to score another major victory. Rumor has it she’s getting her message out with batucada percussion ensembles and mobile loudspeakers playing reggaeton chants.

Go Hillary!

More on Keith Olbermann’s Brutal Hillary Bashing

Photo credits: MSNBC

MyDD has this to say in response to Keith Olbermann’s on-the-air suggestion that someone should use physical force to take Hillary Clinton out of the Democratic race:

“Where is the uproar, the outrage, the demands for Olbermann's resignation? We know that such comments would be unacceptable if they were aimed at Obama.”

Indeed.

Obama’s Image Conflicts With the Hate Speech of His Hillary-Bashing Followers

Photo Credits: DenverPost/Kathryn Scott Osler

The contradiction has been bugging me for weeks now, like a loose thread in the carpet that I walk over several times a day, until I finally take a break from whatever it is I’m doing and fix the darned thing.

But in reality, the issue at hand is much more serious than a loose thread. It’s ultimately about who will serve as the next president of the United States and the kind of followers he or she attracts.

Consider this: day after day, the Obama campaign presents its man as the harbinger of the new politics, the one who has transcended the struggles of the Baby Boomers. The impression you get from his extensive PR is that Obama can unify the country solely by virtue of his charismatic self and even go forth to change the world.

Although scripted by a talented team of speechwriters, Obama’s oratorical gifts are impressive. Reading from a teleprompter in the style of an evangelical preacher, Obama expertly works a crowd to the feverish pitch of a revival meeting with hundreds stomping their feet and shouting in unison, “Yes, we can!”

There’s no disputing it: Obama’s campaign has created excitement, especially among the young, who are eagerly embracing their newfound messiah’s much-touted ethical purity and mantra of change.

But here’s the rub: wherever I go on the internet, be it the mainstream media or left-wing blogs, such as the Huffington Post or Politico.com, I encounter overwhelming numbers of hate messages written by Obama supporters directed at Hillary Clinton and her family. And I have to ask, do we really want to elect as president of the United States a man who presents himself as morally pure, while attracting as followers hundreds of rabid hate-mongers apparently incapable of civil discourse?

The hate mongers were out in full force recently in response to MSNBC’s suspension of David Shuster for his on-the-air remark suggesting the Clinton campaign has been “pimping” their daughter Chelsea. An unbelievable number of Obama’s supporters jumped to Shuster’s defense while verbally assaulting the Clintons.

(For a letter to MSNBC written by Smith College Professor Lois Dubin protesting Shuster's blatant misogyny, go here.)

Here are a few examples randomly pulled from the Washington Post, the NY Times, Politico.com, and the Huffington Post.

From the Washington Post

Example 1

The Clintons are ridiculously thin-skinned sometimes. The phrase "pimped out" no longer has anything to do with prositution. Grow up, Billary. This is exactly the kind of crap you pull that has me supporting Obama.

Example 2

Seems to me that the analogy is fitting, given the Clintons's pimping out of the White House during his reign. Anyone remember selling access to Bill via the Lincoln Bedroom? What about transfer of top secret technology to China after Bill's fund raising activities with Chinese government surrogates? How about Bill's influence peddling this year for uranium exploration that is netting him $100MM+? Suddenly Hillary can afford to "donate" funds to her own campaign. Yuck - how slimy can you get?

Example 3

The P.C. police strike again...

The New York Times

Example 1

Yes, the comment was offensive, and Shuster was rightfully suspended. But I have a feeling Clinton is taking this further as a matter of potential political gain. And I have a feeling it’s going to backfire on her: it reeks of the victim card.

Example 2

Clinton will benefit from the sympathy… hence the letter. Also, the letter will ensure that Chelsea is now off limits. She will be free to make calls to super delegates without any discussion as to the appropriateness of such calls.

Example 3

The lady doth protest too much. The MSNBC comments were way over the top, but nowhere near what Fox says on a daily basis. This is a ploy to get her base worked up and angry. She’s hoping that people will rally to her, like they did in NH. I don’t think this story has much sticking power though.

Politico.com

Example 1

I agree that MSNBC shouldn't cave in to Clinton criticism. This is journalism and it's supposed to be free speech and hard hitting. Sure sometimes people can make an edgy comment...one that is a bit insulting...but that's the price of free speech. Journalists cannot back down every time they offend someone; that's their job. In fact, the media has often not been critical enough of the Clintons.

Example 2

I wouldn't go so far as to call the comments offensive. Were they in bad taste? Of course, but in no way does it seem that the gentleman from MSNBC was going so far as to call the daughter of the former first family a whore. Don't you just love the politically correct atmosphere that we've allowed to be created in this country? I'm sure this made the Clinton campaign happy to gain airtime prior to next round of caucusses and primaries. Just another non-issue during this year's nomination process.

Example 3

And the Clintons think Barack Obama will have trouble standing up to the Republicans in the Fall? Please..... Campaigns are rough. Billary put Chelsea out there to campaign for Mom yet she won't accept interviews & apparently can't accept edgy criticism either. Grow up Clintons or get out of the race!

From the Huffington Post

Example 1

“Shuster should have given them the middle finger. Pimp is becoming part of the vernacular today. It's one of the slang words thats utterly harmless. And the fact that the Clinton Machine is pimping Chelsea out makes this even more pathetic. People get so pissy and uppity over the stupidest things.

“What they really need to address is how the hell Chelsea became the ugliest child/ person in politics. Or Public office. That poor thing got beat with the ugly stick one too many times.”

Example 2

The Clinton"s want to have it both ways. They put Chelsea out front, but will slap you down if you dare to try to talk to her or about her. First of all, Chelsea is not a baby, she"s a 27 year old woman working for her parent"s friend"s hedge fund. Now, let"s look at a few of her actions. She continued to speak with caucusgoers in Nevada long after she was warned that the time for solicitation had passed. She called The View women and in a babydoll voice begged for votes. She"s calling superdelegates trolling for votes and meeting with them privately. So, maybe the only argument here is whether she"s being pimped or whether she"s doing it freely. Either way, she has interjected herself into the race, so game on. We women need to wise up and realize that Hillary is, once again, playing the victim for votes. That"s soooo yesterday.

Example 3

Last year, the then 25 year old Clinton Child started her First job as a HEDGE FUND manager earning a SIX Figure salary. She is old enough to come out and speak for herself and not have mommy and daddy defend Her Royal Highness.

Example 4

I'm really disappointed in MSNBC for caving in to the Clinton's. All this got her was some free campaign coverage. And Keith Olbermann!!! I can't believe he sold out too! He knows perfectly well how the "pimped" comment should have been taken!!! Nobody was calling Chelsea Clinton a "whore". It was a term meant to infer that Chelsea was being "used" to further the Senator's presidential campaign. The term "pimped" has evolved into the vernacular and for Keith Olbermann not to defend David Shuster right as an journalist to say this is just a case of the pot calling the kettle black! Especially since he used the SAME term (and justifiably) in his Special Comment: "President of Hypocrisy".

I repeat the question: do we really want to elect as president of the United States, a man who attracts such hate-spewing followers? It's something to think about.