Current Article

Sit Down and Shut Up

By Amy Siskind on July 18, 2009 at 3:01 PM in Current Affairs

(bumped up from from last night)

Originally published at The Daily Beast. Visit our group blog at The New Agenda.

clinton-siskind With the silencing of Hillary Clinton and Kirsten Gillibrand, is it any surprise that a brave woman from Alaska might decide to take a road less traveled?

Women should be seen and not heard. Or perhaps neither seen nor heard. That would be the message that our political leaders are sending us. Time and time again, our few rising stars are seeing their words dissipate as they ascend.

Is it any surprise then that the only way for women to be heard is to do things differently? On their own terms. To take it to the streets. To move forward in a non-traditional way. So as not to be silenced, discredited or simply disappear.

When President Obama picked Hillary Clinton for secretary of State, there were cheers throughout our country and abroad. What excitement for our new international spokesperson. And true to form, right away, Hillary exceeded even her biggest admirers’ expectations. And of course, shortly thereafter, came the quiet mea culpa’s of “you were right” whispered by those who weren’t believers in 2008 to those who were.

If a woman gets too much power, she becomes a threat and she must either be silenced, discredited or simply disappear.

But as Hillary’s poll numbers continued to rise, something rather strange started to unfold: Hillary went missing. She gradually became less and less of the spokesperson that our country so surely needed on international issues. There was barely an utterance of her name in the media as President Obama and Vice President Biden trekked around the globe working on international affairs. Until finally last week the blogosphere started to ask: Where’s Hillary?

Hillary got the memo. She wisely decided to give a high-profile speech to reassert herself. So as Hillary’s fans sat glued to their television sets eagerly awaiting her words, they were in for a surprise. Hillary wasn’t on. President Obama’s staff had scheduled an event in the Rose Garden, at, you guessed it, the same time. After all the build up for Hillary’s breakout party, well, you can catch the speech on YouTube.

Also on YouTube, you can catch the speech by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand as she introduces Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Well part of it. The part before Senator Leahy rudely interrupts her and basically tells her “shut up.”

In a Senate body known for its collegial atmosphere, especially amongst those of the same political party, the senator from Vermont just could not contain himself. Sure women compose just 17 percent of the Senate, and only 2 of the 19 members of the Judiciary Committee (Al Franken is on it; but not Kirsten Gillibrand). Don’t you get it, Kirsten? Women in politics, if you are seen, should not be heard. And certainly not beyond five minutes.

Silencing women as they rise up the ranks of public life is hardly confined to U.S. senators from New York—former and current. This is par for the course in our fraternity of leadership. If a woman gets too much power, she becomes a threat and she must either be silenced, discredited or simply disappear. We even reward men like Larry Summers with the keys to our economy as a prize for silencing Brooksley Born. And give Timothy Geithner the other key for trying, as one of his first acts as Treasury secretary, to rid himself of FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair.

……………………………..

Ani

Amy,

Thank you for your article. It is important to keep this discussion in the forefront.

Sheila Bair is a Godsend at FDIC and she should have been named Treasury Secretary in my view — not Timmy “Turbo Tax” Geithner. Of course he wanted to get rid of the competition. She also ran counter to the “too big to fail” meme that the administration was espousing.

Further, I watched the video you linked of Sen. Leahy silencing of Gillibrand. His behavior was rude and disgraceful, as if he could barely tolerate her being part of the proceedings. He likewise was one of the early loudmouths insisting Hillary get out of the race early on in the primaries last year.

Although I have always held VP Cheney in the lowest esteem, one can actually understand how he might have told the Senator from Vermont to “go f**k himself.”

Beyond this, Hillary’s speech and Q&A afterwards were truly wonderful — for President Obama to choose to upstage the woman who is faithfully carrying out his agenda is as senseless as it is childish.

It is difficult not to be heartbroken when seeing this kind of behavior day after day, and how many turn a blind eye to the same. My votes are never gender based, but when a woman is as or more qualified than the competition, she deserves a fair and equal opportunity to be heard.

After all, I thought the point was to help the American people — regardless where the ideas are coming from.

OMG

First off, he’s not my president and I do not give him that title. Secondly, he makes no decisions what-so-ever. Meanchelle is making his decisions and is very threatened by Hillary and Palin. She has them on her hit list to destroy them. She is making 600k on the payroll plus her billions in bonuses in the guise of the pork bills as well as the health bill. She wears the pants and oblahblah just travels around and throws weak-assed lobbed balls at base ball games etc.
Oh nancy pelousy makes the remainder of his decisions. Like a little kid he has his ‘mommies’ doing everything. He said in 2004 that he wasn’t ready to be president but meanchelle prolly pushed him to do it so she can have the dynasty that she wants, where whites are the slaves with very little take home pay so meanchelle can keep all the money.
Redistribution my arse. They want all the money for themselves.

Most Americans do not want this administration to go any further. We are done. Save America before he takes us down. He doesn’t know what he’s doing or saying. He bamboozled his voters. 15% are his actual voters x 4 votes each at 4 different precincts = 60% not counting all the dead voters and homeless…as it seems. Radical left likes to make it look like they have more support than they actually do. They have way less. This country is 80% centrist. So think about that.

olivia1998

Is there anyway someone can find out if Meanchelle is getting paid? I agree her and her radical friends are calling the shots. Maybe even Nation of Islam she attend lots of dinners for them few years ago. This guy couldn’t organize a children’s birthday party

N. Lee

Personally, I am ready to scream out. Maybe it’s time for women to start becoming gender biased…in favor of women. Even the worst of what we have to offer is better than what we have now…males dominating every aspect of our society. We need a new Gloria Steinem to lead the way. It’s time ladies.

Ani

Certainly the Gloria Steinem we saw last year is not the one we were used to from bygone days. She was busy using sexist attacks against Sarah Palin as well. Not what the doctor ordered, I’m afraid. So yes, we need a “new” one, no matter what age she is.

Senneth

I agree Ani. Gloria Steinem is irrelevant as far as I’m concerned. As are Ellie Smeal and Kim Gandy, and Nancy Keenan. We need different leaders – like you and Amy.
elise

Gerry Ferraro is about as fearless as Hillary. She ended up on FOX news for a while after giving a truthful assessment of Obama’s lack of qualification to be president.

OT a little, but I often think of Stephanie Tubbs Jones and miss her wonderful smile. After months of threats, they say she died of an aneurysm.

And I think about Bill Guratney from Arkansas and never any explanation of motive from police. Then there was the nut who claimed to have a bomb in Hillary’s headquarters in Hartford. The office housing her headquarters in Tere Haught burning to the ground and the investigation never gave definitive answers. I’ve admitted my recent attacks of paranoia, but I’ve never heard of a presidential campaign having such rotten luck.

Leahy is a pig, ani. He was very nearly hysterical when he demanded Hillary drop out. What colossal gall. At least Barbara Boxer got her ears boxed when she took on the president of the Black Chamber of Commerce. He called her racist.

The women of the USOC wrestling team have filed suit against the USOC claiming harassment and discrimination.

“Athletes like Patricia, Sara and Randi have climbed as high as they can until finally there was nowhere else to climb. The national team program in the United States is the pinnacle. If USA Wrestling is allowed to continue on its current pace, then that pinnacle will continue to be held hostage, as it has been in so many other circumstances by a handful of men who seek to retain power over the uprising of powerful females. These males currently retain their power by denying the females under them the rights and privileges they have earned.”. From the Colorado Springs Gazette, July 18, 2009.

Ani

Elise,

Thank you so much for posting the above quote re women’s wrestling. Amazing how we live in a post-feminist society, isn’t it? lol
Diana

We need more Ferraro’s in the world, she doesn’t take anyone’s BS. She would be a great voice for women. Lynn Rothschild as well. She puts the elitist right back into their seats. She has a great personality women on both sides can relate too. I know both my Democrat and Republican friends adore both her and Ferraro.

I don’t even want to talk about Leahy every single time I see that man I have this urge to do a Three Stooges move on him. Maybe it’s because he is a stooge.
Scout

The Arkansas Dem Chairman’s name was Bill Gwatney. His killer was shot by law enforcement after he walked into Gwatney’s office and gunned him down. No motive was ever made public.

Prior to Gwatney’s murder, all the delegates from Arkansas had signed the petition demanding a roll call vote for Hillary. At the convention two weeks later, they unanimously stood for B0.

The truth of this shameful election has not been revealed. I wonder who, if anyone, will ever bring the truth to light.

Mandelay

I’m screaming too! Women, wake up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhXA3fXpCFk Woman Voter

YES, we need to nudge some to wake up!
We Must Divest From Misogyny NOW!

hmk_me

Remember these ill mannered idiots the next time they are up for election. If they would do it to one woman they will do it to all.
Why should our taxes pay the salary of an ill mannered idiot.
Vote them out and in a few elections you will see a change for the better.

WOMEN WITH INTELLGIENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

Seattle Moss

Folks,

The next show …

Comeuppance Time for Sarah Palin and her legion of newly disenfranchised citizens.

A punishment or retribution that one deserves; one’s just deserts: “It’s a chance to strike back at the critical brotherhood and give each his comeuppance for evaluative sins of the past” (Judith Crist).

We will remember all that happened to Hillary as we advance with the new leader of the traditional centrists.
CG

It certainly would be nice if the majority (women) would acknowledge that they were being silenced and address this attitude without regard to party affiliation. Imagine a world where women could say “shut up!” and not be designated a bitch of some flavor.

Diana

Do we really care if they call us “B”. We’ve been called worse. That’s Queen “B” to them. Yes, that’s correct that is my picture next to that word. Get used to it, we’re going nowhere. That’s exactly how they’ve gotten us to sit down and shut up for far too long. Call us what you like, we will not sit down, nor will we shut up. United We Stand. We are the mothers, the sisters, the daughters. We have a voice and it’s time once again to use it.

justme_kc

i appreciate being called a bitch… take it as a compliment. Babe In Total Control Of Herself.

robert

The floor recognized Senator Gigglebrand from New York.
Tricia Spiegel

I’m really mad. How do we bring women together. Isolated voices are very easy to mariginalize, using one of many possible pjoratives.

My caution–sometimes women’s groups compete (sometimes nastily) with each other. This is dangerous and self-defeating. How do we avoid that?
tek

OMG! I saw he was giving another one of his Great Historic Speeches. I am so sick of this guy.

OMG

He is stuck in campaign mode and the world is laughing at us.

rose

I think that Leahy is a pompus ass! Beyond anything else he was totally disrespectful to her.I don’t think i have seen that done to a male in hearings. Of course anyone that has connections to Hillary and those that don’t follow lock-step with OB and company is marginalized every step of the way.

I think we need to educate alot of people especially young women that have grown up in this generation of becoming, what we were fighting against in the sixties and before. We need to organize now before the elections and get women that really care about women’s issues and not a worshipping fan club as we saw in this past election to present.

I have called CNN about the constant black issues programing that they have been doing since the primaries and asked them where are the women’s issues and the sexism we saw .After all it is all color/race issues when it comes to women. Even during women’s month it wasn’t their top issue.
graywolf

How has Kirsten Gillibrand been silenced?
She went up a notch.
If anything, she has shown herself to be just another dishonest politician – by switching positions to appeal to the basic anti-American scum who vote in the demcong primary.

fif

Ah…another enlightened commenter has joined us.

AnneinPa

I just checked out a new book from the library on Frances Perkins. How many of us know much about her?

She’s been buried in history. 60 to 70 yrs ago Frances Perkins was the first woman in FDR’s cabinet as Sec. of Labor. She was the one who pushed for Social Security, unemployment insurance, women and child labor laws, and a minimum wage.during FDR’s presidency.
She also was maligned by her fellow male cabinet members and poiticians at the time. The media abuse and ridicule was similar to what happened to Palin and Clinton this past year.
She truly was someone who made America great, but we never hear a thing about her.
It’s a sad commentary on women’s history in this country.
Hot Librarian

Margaret thatcher said -There is no one thing as “society”. Women have got to not give a toss to everybody in their lives but those they choose. “”Society” is only in one’s mind.

Sarah Palin is a better example than Hillary even thought Hillary’s brain is first class & Sarah’s isnt . Sarah is wiling to give it to thef**Hillary should have said P**ss off f**kers long ago to critics.

Few of the American feminists were intellectuals although Betty Frieden was fiery. Some ,like Steinem ,traded on their good looks ,some on their jewishness.

Now they are old & tired unlike that great old warhorse Germaine Greer. She lovs it when people hate her.

OMG

Sarah Palin is a better example than Hillary even thought Hillary’s brain is first class & Sarah’s isnt

Why compare? There is no comparison. Sarah brain is just fine thank you. Hillary’s brain has been hijacked. Sarah’s hasn’t. So who’s brain is best now?
Saying that about Sarah is misogynistic.
She has an accent and is a pioneer woman. Get used to it because it has nothing to do with her ‘brain’. She is a great thinker, strategist and not a sheep follower like the big H…
and I voted for the big H but no more.

Chris

Yes and yes! Good post. I think Hillary got caught in the game of “I have a bigger threat to hold over you than you have on me” game with Obama. She exited much too quickly imo and then played follow the leader to keep her cards in the political game. Sarah luckily, does not have the skeletons in her closet that hide in the Clinton’s gigantic closets. Sarah has been vetted unmercifully and still comes out clean. What more can they find on her? If she’d stayed gov any longer, the trumped up charges and legal threats would have come on like gangbusters. She would have had a really tough time running for gov again let alone hitting the national stage as a viable candidate. Now she leaves office, completely vetted, with an intact record and a clean slate, plus a huge, appreciative following. I think it’s working out beautifully. She still needs to watch her back and continue to learn, but she did the smart, clever, right thing.

elise

I’m sorry to see you didn’t mention Simone de Beauvoir. Her book, “The Second Sex” did as much as any one single thing to inspire the women’s movement. She was a brilliant woman who maintained a long time friendship with Jean Paul Sartre.

“Woman: Myth and Reality” of The Second Sex, Beauvoir argued that men had made women the “Other” in society by putting a false aura of “mystery” around them. She argued that men used this as an excuse not to understand women or their problems and not to help them, and that this stereotyping was always done in societies by the group higher in the hierarchy to the group lower in the hierarchy. that it was nowhere more true than with sex in which men stereotyped women and used it as an excuse to organize society into a patriarchy.

She believed that women are as capable of choice as men, and reach ‘transcendence’, a position in which one takes responsibility for oneself and the world, where one chooses one’s freedom.

If it is the fear of standing alone, which keeps women from uniting in an effort to move beyond the stereotype created for us (ie. debilitating menstrual cycles, PMS, menopause, child bearing) we need to admit the fear and not allow others to brand us with these “mysteries” in order to deny our freedom.

I hope I’m making myself clear because at times words get in the way. Men also go through their own passages: puberty, aging, concerns of virility, life changes and mid-life crisis, but they are not branded by them in a negative way.

What young women need to understand is that each change should be celebrated as part of the experience of being human instead of clinging to them as “women’s” problems. We can never be released from biological realities or deny young women the joy of being young, but if we can reach them through teaching them things change, perhaps they will be more inclined to think beyond today, knowing they succeed or fail on their own merits without being restrained by gender.

It is very disturbing to me when young girls and women are led to believe certain areas, particularly math and the sciences, are above their pay grade or are not feminine endeavors. There have been no studies indicating the brains of women differ in a physiological way from men and Larry Summers couldn’t have been more wrong.

He used the ridiculous example of giving his own daughter trucks to play with instead of dolls and he said she promptly named them “Mama truck” and “Daddy truck” never considering his own behavior toward her could have prompted this reaction. If he had a son and had given him two dolls, would the child have named them “tonka” or “mac”? This man was president of Harvard when he made these statements without the benefit of any scientific study to back him up and I wonder how many young women took his words to heart and were discouraged in their studies?

Aside from the female professors at Harvard, how many women protested and why was he subsequently given a place at the White House table? When William Shockley (Nobel Prize) suggested the brains of black men was inferior to that of white men, he was ostracized from the academic community.

We can “transcend” the stereotype when we begin to change our thinking and reject the stereotype.
elise

Sorry, Librarian, I didn’t get a chance to get to the point in my original post. Your comment is an illustration of the way we are educating young women today by example. We show them the wrong headed ideas of society are a-ok and there’s nothing wrong with judging other women by the stereotypes we have to avoid if we hope to achieve equality.

If you had something constructive to say about Steinem it would indicate you have moved beyond the petty, superficial stereotype, but you chose instead to refer to her appearance.

I also take issue with your opinion the feminists of the 70s weren’t “intellectuals. For example, Simone de Beauvoir, mentioned in my prior post, was philosophically important in the existential movement and a companion to Sartre.

Gloria Steinem wrote several important books on sexism and went “undercover” at the Playboy Club to expose the objectivication of women in society. Whatever you think of her, she did not trade on her looks or her “jewishness”(?). BTW her mother was not a jew. She didn’t wear makeup or revealing clothes. Her present may not be revelant to you , but her past is revelant to many women.

It was my experience only intillectual women were attracted to the movement and those who, for the most part, rejected the emphasis on looks.

fif

I don’t think Hillary has been silenced. She is doing what she always does–working hard, making a difference. Yes, she (and we) were robbed last year, but she forges ahead, recognizing that this is a marathon, not a sprint. We are not there yet, but she has been indispensable to our progress. I loved her response to all the drama about her position at State lately:

“I broke my elbow, not my larynx.”

Classic Hillary. She rises above all the idiocy.

http://noquarter foxyladi14

that,s why she is my hero………
http://departmentofhomegirlsecurity.wordpress.com/ Still4Hill

Yes -classic Hillary exactly the way she was in the Senate. I love to watch her at work, but she’s not into high profiles – especially at the beginning. Anyway, the really gritty diplo work goes on behind closed doors.

hmk_me

Remember the next time these ignorant, ill mannered, (men?) are up for election again. Vote NO WAY and make them understand manners by way of the pocket.
If we do this in enough elections the message will get through.
We are 52% of the population we DO NOT have to accept poor treatment.

WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

Senneth

I agree, Helen. We must use our vote and oust many of them if not all.

typical.white.person

There was barely an utterance of her name in the media as President Obama and Vice President Biden trekked around the globe working on international affairs.

You mean when they trekked around the metro, making their Five Guy’s PR appearances, don’t you?
politicsisdirty

I am a Hillary supporter and the only words I can say is “she deserves whatever treatment she is getting from Pres Obama”.

There are a lot of options for her…one of them is to quit, show that she cannot be muzzled anymore and be the voice of the “main stream democrats” like me.

d2i

I couldn’t agree with you more. Why Hillary continues to play by the misogynistic club is beyond me. Look where its gotten her and for that matter us!

What Sarah Palin has done is what a woman would do if found in similar circumstances. Being abused whether by a spouse, partner, lover, the left or the MSM is not acceptable under any scenario. Period. Sarah said you will not continue to abuse this office, this state or me and my children any longer.

So why does Hillary continue to subject herself to such misogyny and pretend that all is alright in her world. I see weakness not strength. It’s time for her to make a bold move and fight for this country and her future. I’m tired of hearing all of the excuses people make for her. She needs to lead b/c it’s what she does best. And dammit, we need her, this country needs her!

lorac

It’s really not a fair comparison – Sarah has always been in a position to criticize Obama, as she is in the other party, while Hillary’s position has always been more complicated, as she is in Obama’s same party. I think that Sarah’s move to leave her job may turn out to have been a genius move, but I don’t believe the two women can be compared, because their paths (and options) are necessariy going to be different, because of their party affiliations.

At some point, Hillary’s options may open up to be more similar to Palin’s, but that point won’t be reached while BO still has relatively high approval ratings. To stand up so strongly against him up until that point would only cause her to be labeled nothing but “a sore loser”.

We all know that Hillary has an incredible mind, and she certainly knows way more about politics than we do. She also thinks about the big picture, the long-term scenarios, and isn’t likely to do something that might only be satisfying or helpful in the short run. If the right time comes for her to change her course, she’ll know when it is. I don’t think it’s helpful or accurate to judge her because we’re feeling frustrated and would like some immediate gratification.

Her speaking out right now might make us feel better for a short time – it might validate how we feel – but it might ruin her and her chances for helping us in the long run.

tango

And also consider this: Sarah Palin was slammed by both the left and right for resigning as Governor. They pointed out that it was understandable and expected because she’s “stupid and flighty” and pretty much killed any future political aspiration she might have. Well if I’m Hillary, I wouldn’t want to resign my SOS position anytime soon because of what happened to Sarah Palin. Now Hillary is considered a brilliant, dedicated and tenacious politician, but the MSM has portrayed for the past 3 weeks that only losers quit and if they do, it’s because they’re selfish, lazy or unqualified. Especially if they’re a woman. So to bail on the Great Obama and do something else?? I’m sure the Obama Presstitutes would call her a sore loser throwing a temper tantrum and all that so it’s best she just keep working for him for now.

I think Hillary has seen the writing on the wall for the Obama Administration if things keep going in the current direction and decided she has nothing to lose by asserting herself. What, Barack Obama is going to fire her? Nah, she’s one of the few truly qualified in his Administration. So I think she has a plan and in the long term, I place my bets on Hillary besting the Amateur In Chief Obama.
FLDemFem

Exactly!! She needs to wait until Obummer does something stupid, which shouldn’t take long, and makes it look like he is pushing her out for some silly reason, like his ego. Which shouldn’t take long. And when the “agreements” he came up with during his recent trip abroad come to Congress to be ratified, he is going to get a real wake-up call. No way is Congress going to allow that deal he made with the Russians to be ratified. The US does not compromise it’s defensive ability. Ever. Obummer should take a few lessons from an old time horse trader..You don’t give away the barn and all the hay on your first offer. Leaves you with nothing but manure. And it’s probably not a good idea to take the family, including your mother-in-law and a cousin or two, along for fun tourism when you are supposed to be doing business on behalf of the US. Makes you look unfocused, to say the least.

tango

Well someone has to watch the kids so you and your wife can have date night!

http://noquarter foxyladi14

lol

FranSC

I agree, lorac. I have every confidence Hillary knows exactly what she is doing. She is in a much better position as SoS to make a huge difference and enhance her already steller credentials. Were she to ‘quit’ in a huff and come be our leader, she would be bashed to kindom come – and you think Sarah Palin has been criticized!

The media is hidden in the bushes just waiting for Hillary to slip up. And that doesn’t even take into consideration the B0 administration and how they would jump on her as well. She would be a fool to do as some are advising. And Hillary is nobody’s fool when it comes to politics.

Seymour

IMO, I really do think at this point Hillary could conduct these speeches anytime she wants and should. She was outstanding and for a nanosecond I felt that comfort I would have felt had she been elected. Obama for some reason is holding her back even while she expresses overt and total support of him.

The only reason I can see why Obama is muting his best and brightest is because he simply can’t identify the best and brightest. She’s been to the puppet show and knows the puppet masters of the world and knows who pulls the strings. Obama is obviously still talking to the puppet when Hillary could merely introduce Obama to the puppet masters or better yet for Obama to delegate foreign policy strategy entirely to Hillary who would then give Obama the kudos. Only jealous inexperience would defer such value.

Hillary’s speech was “big time” strong but the event was dispatched to third tier reporting from MSM. What’s new?

It would take a lot to get Hillary to say ENOUGH but I have this succinct feeling she is closer to this point sooner rather than later again IMO.

I look at it this way; Hillary is the best driver out of 300 or so million folks we have for America’s only Formula One racecar. She is racing on the world’s “state of the art” political racetrack but tragically the American people decided they wanted her to follow a Volkswagen with Obama in it. If Hillary can’t even get into second gear, which she can’t, it’s just a matter of time, IMO.

d2i

geez, i hope you’re instincts are right.

0 is holding her down for one reason only, she threatens him. Her intellect, her understanding of the issues we face, her ability to speak on just about any topic w/o notes or a damned teleprompter, and her ability to connect with her voters.

She upstages him and his handlers know it. That is why she is shoved to the background, b/c they know that if the two of them stand on a stage together, and they both provide a speech, she’ll blow him away simply by her intellect and ability to articulate the issues in terms average Americans understand.

Seymour

d2i,

This is a level of personal insecurity and inferiority I find unnerving with Obama. Sacrificing the good of the People for an ego trip? I cringe when I see him walking onto Air Force One or Marine One. He looks like a child because he has demonstrated that level of acumen IMO. He looks awkward walking past crisply uniformed Marine’s as their Commander in Chief. Makes me want to heave just writing about it.

The more I contemplate Obama’s treatment of Hillary the more my devious instincts kick in. Young Obama et al., is thinking Hillary could nuke me at any given point and she may have too in order to preserve her political capital to run against me in 2012. Obama would never think of personal integrity but Hillary would.

The problem with this thought is how close or distant do you keep such known talent. If too far the non political citizen will take notice which is happening. If too close he could get burned.

He has created a perfect storm on all vertical fronts. But and this is key, if not for his ensecurities, he would have seen Hillary’s unwavering allegiance and congruent support for his purpose throughout his administration. He wouldn’t have had to worry about a thing. Not only would his poll numbers increase but he would look the part of a leader who delegates authority well as an executive normally would.

Too late Obama, we saw strings……

OMG

Obama would never think of personal integrity but Hillary would.

Integrity? What integrity? Have you forgotten already when she went to China and made a deal to give them Eminent Domain over all of US including your and my personal property in exchange for them buying more bonds and as collateral?

The written agreement was brought to Beijing by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and was formalized and agreed-to during her recent trip to China.

This means that in the event the US Government defaults on its financial obligations to China, the Communist Government of China would be permitted to physically take — inside the USA — land, buildings, factories, perhaps even entire cities – to satisfy the financial obligations of the US government.

Go here>http://patriotroom.com/article/be-prepared-to-learn-chinese
to refresh your memeory.

You can stop picking on Sarah now because she would NEVER do this.

OMG

http://patriotroom.com/article/be-prepared-to-learn-chinese
Seymour

OMG, where in my post did I even mention Sarah Palin? Your argument is parallel to mine unless you don’t the policies Hillary espoused during the primary. Hillary is biting her finger and lip simultaneously trying to follow Obama’s elementary objectives here including China. She is putting huge effort into showing unification when in truth; she would be approaching this from a different position by 180 degrees.

That’s what I meant OMG, how long will she be able to keep up the charade? Not long. She is a foreign policy specialist. She knows the players. She risked getting bounced for her request of Obama to issue a statement of support for the protesters in Iran. Her statement of administration support to Honduras’ attempted Dictator Zelaya I know stuck squarely in her craw as did reinforcing Obama’s BS in telling Israel to cease settlements. This is not Hillary and if she continues following Obama it could impact her credibility. Either that or have been taken for another ride

You won’t get any argument from me that Obama’s policies are the worst I’ve experienced in my voting life but it’s up to Hillary to say enough is enough. If not we’ll simply move forward as we’ve always done which IMO certainly doesn’t preclude Sarah Palin.

I like Pailin….???
Seymour

OMG, where in my post did I even mention Sarah Palin? Your argument is parallel to mine unless you don’t like the policies Hillary espoused during the Primary. Hillary is biting her finger and lip simultaneously trying to follow Obama’s elementary objectives here including China. She is putting huge effort into showing unification when in truth; she would be approaching this from a different position by 180 degrees.

That’s what I meant OMG, how long will she be able to keep up the charade? Not long. She is a foreign policy specialist. She knows the players. She risked getting bounced for her request of Obama to issue a statement of support for the protesters in Iran. Her statement of administration support to Honduras’ attempted Dictator Zelaya I know stuck squarely in her craw as did reinforcing Obama’s BS in telling Israel to cease settlements. This is not Hillary and if she continues following Obama it could impact her credibility. Either that or have been taken for another ride

You won’t get any argument from me that Obama’s policies are the worst I’ve experienced in my voting life but it’s up to Hillary to say enough is enough. If not we’ll simply move forward as we’ve always done which IMO certainly doesn’t preclude Sarah Palin.

I like Pailin….???
jillforhill

OMG you are a dumbass. That story is a lie and was started by the racist Hal Turner. Freerepublic (republican website) proved it. Hillary nor obama has that right,jackass.

Proof that it is a lie by freerepublic who hates hillary and obama

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2196426/posts

Mr. Larry Johnson I hope you remove that post and others like it becasue it is a lie started by the racist hal turner. I except more from a site like this then to allow posts that are nothing but lies like OMG’s post is.

Scout

“Obama would never think of personal integrity but Hillary would. ”

That is a key as to why the primary unfolded as it did.

Just_Saying

As a very conservative person, I support Hillary over Obama. I hope Hillary resigns SoS, since she’s being stifled/harnessed by the Obama administration. I really think it was a bad decision to give up the senate seat to be a servant of Obama. Hillary can do more without the position than she’ll ever be able to do in it, thanks to Obama’s fears of her.

Resign, Hillary; tell us why you’re doing so, and run against Obama in 2012!!
.
politicsisdirty

Resign, Hillary. You are wasting your time and effort with this President. You are far better that any them.

Don’t let Obama and the Washington elites consign you to the dustbin of history.

You promised to never STOP FIGHTING FOR US. What are you now? Your are being useless in your current state.

Resign and be our voice!

lorac

“are being useless in your current state.”

Okay, that’s a really strong, generalized, and inaccurate statement. Do you really believe she is doing nothing useful in her current position? I know the MSM doesn’t put her front and center, but there have been some articles, and she’s doing very useful, good work.

Obviously, people will have different opinions on the matter, and that’s okay. But to be honest, I’m starting to wonder if some of these voices calling for her to quit are really Hillary supporters – or if they’re really motivated by what’s best for Hillary or the country. There are Obama supporters out there who are threatened by her continued strength and wisdom in the face of the Messiah’s failures…. they’d probably like nothing better than for her to step down.

fif

I love how people think they know what is in Hillary’s mind and what is best for Hillary. She has served in public service for 40 years, and seen more sh*t do down than any of us–I think she can handle herself and doesn’t need our advice or approval. When you’ve put in that kind of time and effort, then you can talk. Until then, blah blah blah.

politicsisdirty

I admire Hillary much more than I admired Sarah. Howeer, the Sarah Palan resignation from Governoship to “keep the state from wasting money” is very admirable.

Show how we can admire you more Hillary!

Diana

I admire both women for different reasons. Hillary has been beat down repeatedly, yet remained standing. This last time from within her own party. That angered me beyond words. Now I see the exact same thing happening to Sarah from Republicans. Both these women have stood up against their parties.

Both these women should leave their parties for a third party, as I’ve said before neither party represents me as a woman. I thought the Republicans were starting to wise up, realize just why they were knocked down. I was wrong. They’ll never get it, because they don’t want to hear it.

The Democrats are repeating the exact same mistakes. Here have a piece of candy. Oh well, we tried. Yes, I can see just how hard you tried. Was that before or after the Hillary Nut Cracker? Twits! So now they need a knock down.

Sick of the Good Ole’ Boys Club that think they know what’s best for us and our families. We’re not children and it’s condescending for them to treat us as such.
justme_kc

but that “to keep the state was wasting money” was an absolute lie. there will be no cost savings from her resignation. the money for state lawyers is already going to those lawyers. all those lawsuits were doing was making overpaid lawyers work a little harder for their salary.

so give people the real reason, not a lie.

Ani

They’ll never get it, because they don’t want to hear it.

You are exactly right, Diana. That applies to both parties. Each party has its “faithful” to whom they pay lip service but little more. Until those who have been taken advantage of on both sides declare their independence and leave these boobs in the dust, there is no hope for true reform.

elise

Ani,I can’t help but think Palin will be sunk by her own party. She is not attending the Governor’s conference and when the “right talks” about a nominee for 2012, her name doesn’t come up.

She’ll be free in a week or so to take on her critics. She can make some speeches and write a book, make some money. Then what? She may leave her party and go Independent, but I ask again, what then? Even if she spends her time studying foreign policy and economics, she will not be able to run for national office. She will not be able to raise the money.

You have said before you don’t believe Hillary will be able to run again and I agree, barring a major scandal involving Obama. Yet some comments suggest she should turn her back on the power she still has available. These people claim to love and support Hillary, but I don’t believe them. And I don’t believe Hillary will walk away as long as she believes her voice will be loud enough to prevent disaster for America.

FranSC

Can’t help but think Palin will be sunk by her own party

elise, that may very well be true. Hillary was sunk by her own party.

Evenso, I, too, believe Hillary will end up being the winner when all is said and done – in one way or another.

elise

Fran, Hillary’s experience in 2008 is exactly why I don’t believe the Republicans will ever support Palin. The leadership is already doing to her what the DNC did last year.

The only way for her to go is Independent and she doesn’t have a broad base of support to take her into a national election.

I think Hillary will come out of this as the winner too even if she is never president. Her words of support for Obama are always carefully constructed and she gives no more than what is necessary to maintain her position and he needs her diplomatic skills. Biden is a joke.

Ani

No, Hillary should not walk away. She is still able to affect policy and is doing so in her position at State. One cannot affect change within a situation while taking one’s marbles and going home. That doesn’t make sense to me. We need an adult at the table.

Is it difficult for her to be in this administration — of course. But since she is the real thing, I think she will outlast them all.

It is very easy, from the anonymity of one’s keyboard, and make pronouncements about what she should be doing. She has to know the realities on the ground better than we do. The Clintons are successful political animals. I’m sure they’ve weighed the options. I’m also not buying this powerful Senator crap — those backstabbers would not even give her head of any committee much less majority leader. If she were to buck O’s policies in the Senate, once again the press would be out for blood at his behest, painting her as a sore loser.

Much as there are parts of this I really don’t like, I still think she’s doing the right thing and has a much bigger platform around the world now — even if the US press tries to ignore her.

JoeCHI

Jesus! Leahy is an ass!
Arabella Trefoil

I trust Hillary. She knows what she’s doing. She can and will outlast Obama.

http://noquarter foxyladi14

oh.yes.bet on it..
fif

Me too Arabella. She has more than proven her instincts and endurance.

TeakWoodKite

CHICAGO — Iran’s nuclear ambitions are the greatest current threat to global security, says Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

“Iran is the one that concerns me the most because there don’t seem to be good options (or a scenario) where one can have any optimism that good options will be found,” Gates told the Economic Club of Chicago.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Friday announced the appointment of Salehi, Iran’s former envoy to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), replacing the former chief of 12 years, Gholam Reza Aghazadeh.

Hillary Clinton says the United States remains ready to engage with Iran, but warns that the opportunity will “not remain open indefinitely.”

.

??
TeakWoodKite

“As soon as the new government is established, with power and authority, ten times more than before, it will enter the global scene and will bring down the global arrogance … In this recent election the enemy tried to bring the battlefront to the interior of this country … But I have told the enemies … that this nation … will strike you in the face so hard you will lose your way home!”

Diner Jacket Ahmadinejad.

This is one person who SHOULD sit down and shut up.
IMHO

It seems to me that Hillary silenced herself when she decided to join this administration. She knew exactly what she was dealing with and she warned everyone of it during the campaign yet she chose to be apart of this man’s team.

I don’t understand it but Hillary opted for a self inflicted wound. To me, it seems that this article is portraying Hillary as a victim and I don’t think the portrayal is accurate.

Sorry, but she lost credibility and sympathy with me!

http://N/A breeze

I agree with you, IMHO!

tzada

It has only been within the last century or so that women have finally gotten a voice and a few rights. But we now see what little gains we have made, going.

If the Muslim regime has it’s way every woman alive now and in the future will be a chattel. What we own will belong to whatever man is in charge of our fate, father, brother or husband.

I hope Sarah fights with us. If we don’t push back now then we deserve what is in store.
Pingback: This Mouth is Mine : NO QUARTER
Seymour

Two of my responses incorporating great debate on this Saturday afternoon with OMG have not posted.

Anything I should know about? Have I offended anyone? If so please accept my apologies, it certainly wasn’t intended.

Seymour

oowawa

Seymour, it’s undoubtedly the “spam filter.” It happens to all of us. The administrators look through the filter from time to time and try to pick out the valid posts. It’s nothing personal.
TeakWoodKite

Spam filter got one o mine respnding to oowawa to Spam filter 1 Teak 5.

Win some loose some.
Steve_in_KC

I just cleared all legitimate posts from the spam filter Seymour. You posted the exact same thing at least three times. If you want the spam filter to memorize your name as a spammer, that’s a surefire way to do it.

I recommend that all comments be copied to your clipboard in case the filter or some other mishap kills your comment, but don’t post it again with the same exact words. ~~If you have to repost your comment, change it around a little after you paste your clipboard~~. Identical posts are considered spam. And the filter will remember you!

[ADMINISTRATOR: Don't post a comment more than once, even if you change the words around a bit. If your comment doesn't appear, don't post it again and instead rest assured that one of the writers will spot it quickly and rescue your comment from the spam filter. You can also write to susanunpc at gmail dot com to ask that your comment be restored. Steve is correct that posting a comment more than once is a sure-fire way to find all of your comments ending up in the spam filter, which will be frustrating for you and create more work for us.]

Seymour

You got it Steve and thanks……if it gets hung up; it gets hung up, no problem. If I had reviewed my atrocious spelling on these posts I would have never even brought it up, LOL.

I believe it was the site Confluence coupled with my Wife that brought me here mid last year and I’m glad that happened.

It’s refreshing to come to a site with folks that express an amalgam of different thought and opinion from such diverse backgrounds.

Thanks again Steve,

Seymour

Seymour

Thanks oowawa and Teak, just wanted to make sure.
mountainaires

I don’t really know what to make of Sec/State Clinton’s choices, but I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to criticize her for them. It’s a little arrogant to slam her for being a woman of substance who wants to contribute, imho.

Why should Hillary Clinton base any decision on Obama, when her goals and aims are so much more substantive than that? She wants to contribute in any way she can, and will take any opportunity to give to this country.

You got a problem with that? Then get into politics and do it yourself if you can do it better. Until then, let a talented woman with experience, brains and ambition do what she’s best at doing–finding a way to bloom wherever she is planted!!! I for one am grateful for her strong values of service to country. We could do much worse at Sec/State.

elise

AMEN.

warehouse553

I am sorry if I sound like a racist.

Hillary joined the Fraud because of the perception that she was a racist. She needed to repair the so called damage with the black community after they stabbed her and her husband, whose done more for them than Obama ever will, in the back by choosing color over country. African Americans are a powerful force within the Democrat Party and especially in the Primaries. Any person who wants a future in the Democrat Party cannot be at odds with blacks.

Paterson is subtle example. Governor Paterson is unelectable. The party knows this but Cuomo will not challenge Paterson because he is black.
http://www.lesstalkmoreactivism.blogspot.com whoframedrudy

Hillary outranked Secretary Albright in Bill’s Administration — since then she’s added to her resume with a brilliant Senate career and historic presidential run. So I felt State was a step down for her. Also, McCain said Hillary would be one of the most influential senators after her campaign for POTUS.

Warehouse, your analysis is keen and true. Whether the race factor influenced her choice to run State, who knows? But you are certainly right — there was some real iron knuckleball played to get her out of the Senate. I bet O, Pelosi & Reid threatened all-out intra-party war.

I remember Newt Gingrich crying crocodile tears about how ruthless an opponent Hillary was. Conservatives expected her to shred Obama like she did Newt, etc. But she’s never unleashed on fellow Dems like she did on Republicans.
IndieDogg

How long is it going to take for us to all really get, in our guts, that BHO is a political animal, nothing more, nothing less.

[Disclaimer: I hate the CAPS key on blogs so this takes a lot for me.]

BARRY NAMED HILLARY SOS TO MARGINALIZE HER, NOT TO REWARD HER!

She was the ONLY gorilla in the Democrat room who was a threat to him. She got more popular votes, kicked him from one end of the country to the other in the closing weeks of the primary and, but for some caucus horse shit and some Dean & Brazile back room thuggery, would have been the party nominee and probably POTUS today.

He nominated her as SOS and, poof, gone (as a threat).

But he’s more ruthless and “better” (not a compliment) at this than even I, the crown prince of cynics, saw. I figured the trade off for having her co-opted and marginalized was to give her the foreign affairs mantle, spotlight, whatever you want to call it. I really didn’t get that he’d give her the job but turn off her microphone.

The man is brilliant. Just not in the way the swooning masses thought.

I guess the message here is, why are we surprised at ANYTHING this man does to advance his own political position (at least as he sees it — Washington ain’t Chicago, no matter what his entourage might think — and storm clouds are forming).
cat

Gillibrand handled Leahy’s ridiculous outburst just beautifully.

She didn’t back down, she didn’t flinch, and made him look like a fool for interrupting her.

She can handle herself.

Tough women can save America.

Support their political candidacies.
I’m a Linda too

Patrick Leahy is coming off more and more like a very cranky, bitter old man.

Yet, the disdain that he showed when interrupting Kirstn Gillibrand, was even beyond. My when the spotlight is on, you really can see some, can’t you?

Too bad we couldn’t get Gaye Symington to challenge Leahy, but, I guess that would be considered “bad form” and be on the outs with Democrats.

Isn’t there someone else thre that can challenge the not forward thinking Senator?
Seattle Moss

I see that Hillary is taking over the foreign policy from Obama.
Obama’s appeasement policy is dust…

I always knew that Hillary had the foreign policy brain!
Anyone that was for Goldwater doesn’t appease anyone.

Hillary’s position on North Korea is the correct one.

Watching her on Fox/Greta reinforces the fact that Fox has become the right of center broadcast and welcomes Hillary as a fellow centrist.

Hillary is rising!

I have this bizarre fantasy…

That it will be Hillary vs Sarah in 2012