This diary is not intended to be a Hillary love-fest. I have no particular affection for her; like many people, I was groomed from childhood to loathe her. While I have given to Obama, Edwards, and even Richardson (many months ago), I have not given Sen. Clinton a dime and do not intend to unless she is the nominee.
However, I am so freaking tired of the Hillary Hate that is so rampant among the VRWC and that is just as vitriolic among what appears to be the overwhelming majority of the progressive movement. I am sick of the "Republicans want Hillary" meme from the right, the left, and the media.
I'm sick to death of candidate diaries and have enjoyed a day with relatively few of them, no need to rec this. Just hear me out. I just think Sen. Clinton should know that if she prevails, we will work tirelessly to elect her President. I know I will.
Hate from the Right
I have never quite understood the right's hatred of Clinton. It has inspired countless books, including this disgusting piece of crap by the deceased spouse of our would-be Attorney General. I think the hatred is mostly envy, fear, and sexism that the for-profit "health" industry exploited to create widespread loathing of Mrs. Clinton during her husband's administration.
In the saga of Norman Hsu, the present obsession of the NY Times, we are told that some of Hillary's big contributions came from "unlikely" sources:
The news comes on top of several new accounts of questionable campaign contributions in the wake of disclosures about Mr. Hsu. The Wall Street Journal also published an article today looking at another case of bundling donations (in and of itself not an illegal practice) for Mrs. Clinton:
When Hillary Rodham Clinton held an intimate fund-raising event at her Washington home in late March, Pamela Layton donated $4,600, the maximum allowed by law, to Mrs. Clinton’s presidential campaign.
But the 37-year-old Ms. Layton says she and her husband were reimbursed by her husband’s boss for the donations. “It wasn’t personal money. It was all corporate money,” Mrs. Layton said outside her home here. “I don’t even like Hillary. I’m a Republican.”
Keep on giving, Republicans. Y'all clearly have no one you want to support, anyway.
Hate from the Left
Here is a woman who, in addition to being hated by half the country by 1998, suddenly became hated by another third for choosing to stay with her husband after an affair, a choice tens of millions of women have made, and a choice that is none of our business. I cannot even catalog the disrespect and loathing for Sen. Clinton that persists right here on Daily Kos. How many of us at this point in 2003 were thrilled about Dean and ambivalent about Kerry? What did we do after Kerry emerged? We got together, opened our wallets, and fought the good fight. Very few of us threw up our hands and went into GBCW mode.
Hillary Rodham Clinton would be our most liberal president in over a half century. Just like John Kerry would have been. Perfect? No. But capable, honest, and true to herself.
Love from the Media Now - Hate from the Media Later
I think everyone knows what is going on in the MSM now. They need Sen. Clinton because they need this election to be close. I do NOT believe she is the most "electable" Dem, but I am in the minority. I think they are dry humping her right now because an Edwards-Obama ticket would absolutely crush the GOP and the poor MSM would have nothing to talk about except OJ, Britney, and missing white girls.
So now, we hear about Sen. Clinton, the tenacious campaigner. The moment she wins the nomination, it will be Sen. Clinton, the self-promoting, unprincipled shrill bitch and it will just get worse from the convention until the election. They will tear her apart. You can write it down.
My Commitment
Sen. Clinton, I disagreed with you on the war and there are definitely things about you I don't like. I probably won't vote for you in the primary. But I don't hate you. I hold you in high regard as a person and as a public servant. If you win the nomination, I will work hard to get you elected.
I hope everyone here will join me in that commitment.
The rest of you can enjoy the Guiliani Administration. Or whoever.