Fox News was created back in the 90’s in large measure to sabotage the Presidency of Bill Clinton. Since then, Fox News has tirelessly labored against the Clintons, throwing the worst kind of invective at them year after year. Regrettably, the relentless right-wing framing has worked all too well.
In the last few weeks, I have observed the following behavior toward Hillary Clinton:
In the discussion of Clinton’s candidacy, the usual right-wing attacks on the Clinton’s have been regurgitated: Whitewater, Monica Lewinski, and the like. The GOP spent millions on using these scandals to define the Clintons, and it seems that many Democrats have accept these right-wing frames.
Supporters of Clinton are routinely flamed and ridiculed on Daily Kos. Anyone who speaks well of Clinton has a good chance of getting savaged. Sometimes such savage comments are hidden, but sometimes they receive recommendations.
Hillary Clinton has been subjected to sexist jokes and demeaning comments. If similar comments were made with reference to Obama, there would be an immense hue and cry (and rightly so). Sexism passes under the radar in a way that racism never would. (In fact, I find it interesting that all the candidates are called by their last names, except for Clinton. Granted, there is another prominent Clinton out there. But why don’t we call him "Bill" to differentiate him, rather than calling the female candidate by her first name?)
As the primary season heats up, we have see numerous recommended hit pieces on Clinton. These hit pieces might as well have been written by Drudge or some Fox operative. It is a sad day when a prominent Democratic website does the GOP’s work for them.
Many opponents of Clinton have declared loud and clear that, if Clinton gets the nomination, they will not vote for the Democratic candidate, instead going with a third party candidate, or even the GOP nominee. I fail to understand why such comments are not immediately hidden on Daily Kos. The whole purpose of this website is to elect Democrats. Why does Daily Kos give a forum to those who publicly commit to working against the election of a Democrat to the White House?
It seems to me that the hatred of Hillary Clinton has reached such a fever pitch on Daily Kos, that many contributors here have lost sight of the larger picture. Would they really want two, possibly three, Supreme Court justices to be picked by John McCain, rather than Hillary Clinton? Do they really think that John McCain will steer this country away from the imperial presidency that Bush has labored to establish? Do they really think that McCain, who has pledged to stay in Iraq for possibly a hundred years, will be more likely to reign in the military, than Clinton?
Will personal hatred for Hillary Clinton blind so many people to the overall good of our country?
I know that Clinton is not perfect. What is more, on a personal level, I have still not decided between Clinton and Obama. But I am tired of the right-wing hit job on her here. I expect better from a Democratic website.