Dan Balz
Hillary Clinton hasn’t announced that she’s running for president in 2016, and launched a campaign yet. But the Washington Post is already complaining that her nonexistent campaign for an office she may or may not seek lacks a clear message.
“Clinton’s gender likely would be a significant asset,” writes chief correspondent Dan Balz (8/12/13), adding: “It, however, is not a message.” One has to admire the first 44 presidents of the United States, each of whom somehow managed to achieve the office without the benefit of this asset.
The next day (8/13/13), Post columnist Richard Cohen picked up on Balz’s take that Clinton’s noncampaign for an election to be held three years from now lacked focus, writing: “Clinton, as my Post colleague Dan Balz points out, needs a message. At the moment, her only one is that she is a woman.”
Richard Cohen
Notice how Cohen switches it up, so you’re not just reading the exact same article one day later. Now being a woman is a message—just not a very good one: “Becoming the first female president is a worthy goal, but it kind of falls into the category of miles traveled and countries visited,” Cohen writes, dismissing it as “not a stirring trumpet call.”
Luckily, Cohen has a better strategy for Clinton: “If she is to run for president at the age of 68, she must rediscover her youth.” I see. And how’s she supposed to do that? “She has to revert to the brave and inspiring woman who was the first student to deliver the commencement address at Wellesley College.”
First female president of the United States—meh. But first student commencement speaker at Wellesley—now you’re talking inspirational.
Cohen also does some close analysis of polling data to suggest that Vice President Joe Biden might be a tough rival to Clinton:
At the moment, Gallup gives Obama a healthy approval rating of 80 percent among Democrats. He does less well among the public at large—44 percent in the most recent poll—but it is Democrats who vote in the Democratic caucuses and primaries. It can’t hurt to be Obama’s vice president.
Now, I’m no Nate Silver, but it might be more relevant to compare the poll ratings of Biden himself—whose favorability rating tends to be in the 30s or low 40s—with those of Clinton, whose ratings are more often in the upper 50s–low 60s. Maybe?
But thank you, Dan Balz and Richard Cohen, for this glimpse into the kind of campaign coverage we can look forward to for the next three years.
Lets see they can’t find the message, which they diss her about not putting out…..
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a woman who wasn’t there
She wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish she’d go away,
because we can’t find her message.
What about all the campaigns and non-campaigns of Congress critters who may or may not run for office next year and in 3 years, and 5 years, and … and …
And what about all the ALEC money at the state level? Even the MSM seems to be more than a bit aware of ALEC, who fund campaigns for numerous state legislators.
OK, so Hillary Clinton may or may not run a campaign for an office she may or may not run for and may or may not win. In three years. And she is a woman. Hoopti-dooo!
I wish the MSM would pay 50% as much attention to Congress and the Legislatures as they do to this one single race, which is often not even responsible for most of the corruption that goes on in the country (and, in turn, the entire US empire).
This is just another way for the elite’s to control who gets to be considered an acceptable candidate. The assumption is that all she needs is the right message. Of course, that message is endorse empire and capitalism 100%. We know Clinton is a moderate Republican. As such, she endorses empire and capitalism but she avoids saying how much. Based on my readings from FAIR, I’d say she is 99% pro-empire and 85% pro-capitalism. This might be enough for some elites and not enough for others. But, is that what the US public wants? Don’t hold your breath waiting to read that article.
Clinton would be a horrible candidate. Anyone remembers Bosnian sniper?
I guess it’s a great gig if you can get it. I would love to get paid for not doing my job as well. Dan Balz has none. Hillary is a criminal just like the rest of ’em, tainted by the same Imperialistic tendencies as the last dozen or so. We’re is a death spiral economically so I guess that will continue. If you like war a police state and no privacy, she’s your babe.
“Clinton would be a horrible candidate. Anyone remembers Bosnian sniper?”
And what about her laughing at the announcement of Qaddafi’s cruel murder without trial ?That one did it for me.
Richard Cohen, I’m picking up a theme here and it’s not all that great. i’ll just take what you wrote about a woman and age and things that have been said and mirror it back to you. Maybe you should look for some new topics.
If, you, Richard Cohen want to be a respected journalist at the age of 72, you should…..um….shave the beard, spike the hair, plus maybe add a nice pink and blue color… you needs to revert to your youth, or find your youth….yeah… that sounds really lame when you dissed someone younger than you as being too old. : )…………geez Richard.
O.k. let’s try great achievement: You graduated from Far Rockaway High School in the Bronx….and over time some famous people did too…A famous scientist, a famous rapper, … I’m not sure what you accomplished at school because the article didn’t say.
You went to Columbia. So did Joseph Campnell, and he’s pretty famous with college people.
You said Israel is a mistake…etc. because it went to an Arab land which was already populated with people in it…and then Israel got mad and you said you didn’t really mean that..so..maybe you were trying for some James Joyce stream of consciousness there? It’s bad form, you know, to write as a journalist and then say you didn’t mean what you said that when people complain…so stand by what you mean or don’t write it.
Oh and this… you haranged an assistant editor and created a “hostile workplace.” …um…maybe you should stay away from commenting on women.
Oh my goodness, Richard. You thought the Iraq War was a good idea and loved Colin Powell’s slide show. You thought that Scooter Libby should not have been sent to trial because he was practicing the “dark art of politics” and so forget Valerie Plame. Geez, Richard..there’s that problem with women thingy again.
O.k. to be fair, Richard, I just read what was written about you on wikipedia…has anyone found anything from wikileaks? That might boost your street creds, Mr. Cohen.
It’s probably not a good idea to talk about age, dark political arts and anything about women, because unless you really mean it then it will some back to bite you in the bahookie. But gosh, a new mammal the Olinguito was just discovered. That might be a good topic. : )
I will never forget her laughing at the murder of Gaddafi. I would never vote for her. The State Department was a total disaster under Hillary…as has been the country under Obama.
“Now, I’m no Nate Silver, but it might be more relevant to compare the poll ratings of Biden himself…”
Hilarious.
the good news is that the Washington Post has a new owner; perhaps it will soon have some new journalists as well
Clinton is no better than her husband who helped the Republicans institute Free Trade Treaties that stole the manufacturing base of the US, destroyed the Mexican economy, which opened the floodgates of undocumented immigration for Mexico, and who helped the Republicans eliminate banking laws, which paved the way to big banks, too criminal to fail.
Stop voting out of fear for the lesser of two evil corporate political parties, because you are still voting for evil.
Well i know the Clintons.If she did run she would run a strong campaign Im sure.And the ever growing dependency class created and imported by the left for the left,would indicate favorable numbers for her election.Now for the shocker…..I don’t think she will run. Three reasons.First is the least important.She has baggage.She rode herd on the Clinton sex capades accepting and moving on.Not totally a good taste in ones mouth over that.Right on up tp Benghazi.Every day we are learning more on that.She did a lousy job on that. Second is the power elite in left wing politics already dropped her once.They know she has a long memory and will attack the minute she is in office.They wont support her fully.Lastly and most importantly…..This country is collapsing.Supported by the FED buying our own bonds.Printing and borrowing faster and faster.She has no illusions.And is smart enough to understand that no social justice activist left wing liberal will ever be able to fix this.Their bag of tricks does not have the tools for this job.She WILL NOT GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP.Mark my words.Could she become a conservative?Or a libertarian?People who DO have the tools to pull this country up- giving it a bit more time for hope.No of course not.Her team is in charge.In the driver seat.And it has not one idea of where to go.Well they do have one.Hit the gas and head over the cliff.She will make some small probes.Then announce she wont run.Her time is past.Joe Biden?????God I hope you jest.There are at least 50 better suited Dems.What am I taking about?Most of the country is better suited.He is either a drunk…suffering from dementia….or nuts.Has anyone listened to him lately?
Hillary Clinton has done nothing of durable worth except parade around on the Clinton name. His presidency is over and she is no longer 1st Lady, as she pretends America owes her. At least we have the ‘Libby Light’ and Wendy Davis and others do something. Old, just move over gracefully.
This article reminds me of someone skipping a rock over water. For an instant it makes contact with the water, then much further on it again touches the surface, then you hear a ker-plunk when the rock sinks to the bottom. Clinton is much a do about nothing! I would prefer Elizabeth Warren who is honest, and never worked on the board of Walmart, or had a husband named Bubba!!
I shudder to think of that weathered old crone running, not that it matters much as anyone who vies for the white house will already be bought and corrupted by the corporatocracy into doing their bidding.
Speaking of bought and paid for……Anybody read Maureen Douds article on the Clintons yesterday?Wew….talk about tearing them a new one.She accused the Clintons of doing the one thing that is death to any lib.Making money at every turn!Clinton inc……
And what about the Honduran coup? And what about State being totally infected with Blackwater? And what about Carlyle Group and Walmart? And . . . as a friend says: If Hilary becomes the first female President of the US, there won’t be another for 100 years.
The thing about Hilary is this….As with her husband Bill, she is, and has been- a dishonest person.Were that all began we dont know.Though the very factual accounts of her brother working with her to silence many many woman who became “dangerous “to Clinton political goals(these were the bevy of woman Bill bedded or assaulted)goes back to their Arkansas days has always been more than troubling.Dick Morris this week(chief Clinton advisor/friend)this week spoke of how he had to constantly thwart Hilary”s horrible political instincts regarding her need for personal gain, when balanced against morality,legality,and political perception.She seemed to be “missing” that chip that intrinsically tells us right from wrong””And her ability to lie bold faced was very disappointing”.Well we see that right up to today.Benghazi…..She needs to be brought before a special investigator with subpoena ,and perjury powers.This as always seems to be the only way to get the Clintons to talk.And this idea that she is so bright reminds me of Obama.Lord she has failed at every job except one….GETTING HER NEXT JOB!!!!!And what of her daughter?Just bought a ten million dollar home in new york with her hubby.Her bio reads like a phone book.Tons of high fallootin jobs,none of which you can fathom what it is she does.Special manager of charitable foundations for the production of better understanding for the board of Ballet and of taxable foundations as a special correspondent. And Vp of development of inter conceptual relations between Aics board and funding properties.What?Huh?What the hell?And her husband(when he is working)is no better.They are like the Kardashians who really get paid for showing up.They just immerse their job titles in jibber jabber .Some day maybe she will get a real job…..LIKE SENATOR(massive sarcasm)40 people working for her and all she need do is……..SHOW UP!!!!!Really folks this American political “roil”family is just sickening.
Paraphrasingly, “She came, she spawned, she died”. :
H. Clinton has worked hard for years promoting two sets of policies that have successfully been phasing out the middle class: NAFTA and workfare replacement labor. I assume she would pick up where B. Clinton left off, finally wiping out the New Deal. Note: What was later called AFDC was actually first written into FDR’s Social Security Act of 1932; Bill Clinton took the first steps toward “reforming” Social Security when he slashed disability benefits, and required disabled/seriously ill parents to “find jobs.” (This turned out quite poorly.) The opposition to H. Clinton, not because she’s a woman but because she’s too far to the right, ensures that she would lose. Just as Bill Clinton gave us 8 yrs of Bush, nominating H. Clinton guarantees another Republican president.