Clinton’s victory speech
There are some mysteries in life that I’ll never understand - Big Foot, the Loch Ness monster and Hillary Clinton’s victory. Pundits are talking about Hillary’s Titanic victory. People in the Clinton camp were talking about a shake up. I’m not sure which Hillary Clinton all of a sudden became David and Barack Obama became Goliath. I do know that many people made up their minds at the last minute but that doesn’t seem to explain it.
Now, I’m going to throw this out there because it is my job. My job as a blogger is to ask questions. Were there any voting irregularities? I have scanned the local New Hampshire papers and I have found not a whiff.
No one has a good answer as to why the polls were so wrong. A 13 - 15% point swing is huge. That would be the same as John Edwards winning over both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama in New Hampshire. That’s a huge difference.
I don’t think that Hillary Clinton becoming teary eyed or her performance in the debate made any difference. Anyway, I need more data. The exit polling results don’t really do it for me. I’m looking for some thoughtful analysis because things aren’t fitting together. Obama had huge enthusiastic crowds. Clinton’s crowds were okay according to those who were there.
Here’s Hillary Clinton’s victory speech.
I speak for myself here, but as a politically active woman who grew up dreaming of a woman president (and even imagining it might be me!), I was called to attention by Hillary’s finish in Iowa.
What?! I said to myself, After all women have been through to get this far, we can’t let our dreams die here!
I think many women may have had that same wake-up call. That and Hillary’s recent display of honest emotion are what I think made the last minute difference.
That said, Hillary needs to reach out to younger women in a visible way. I sent her an email this morning urging her to hire all Chelsea’s friends! Those young faces are what she needs!
On NPR interviews this morning will agree with Anne the results seem to back Hillary to give her support. What surprises me is the fact that the news people are calling out who is going to win with only one state voting so far. It is too close to call. They way I see it is the fact that women chose at the last minute to support her just because she is a women. Not necessarily for her to win. They all know it didn’t end with them but wanted the discussions to go on with the 3 candidates.
I want Hillary to succeed because I am female. But you are spot on that she does not resonate with a younger demographic. I think the jokes have made their rounds with ossified folks, including Madeline Albright, immmediately behind her.
She has been an excellent policymaker as Senator. Lady knows her stuff. But…she is not appealing to many femmes. Not a reasoned thing to say, but I speak the truth. And no, choking up/tearing up, whatever, made her more human, but did not sway me, as I have seen strong men do this. C’mon, we are not stupid.
THanks for some thought provoking comments.
I am hoping the people who chose to vote for her is because she is able not because of her gender otherwise. It demeans us all. The men in my office come and ask me “So you are voting for Hillary just because she is a women?” I tell them I am looking at all the people and hope you do also. I want someone who is going to get stuff done not just promise but be able to get it done. Pull the country back together. I think all 3 of the top candidates are good people. I wanted Bill Richardson but he isn’t doing well. It is going to be February before we really know. I won’t let some other states vote sway me. It is going to be an interesting few months.
I think she is the one that can swim with the sharks and get the most done on the left. The polls are crap they go to college campuses and business parks and poll the people they want to poll. I dont have time to poll but i always make time to vote. Maybe the majority of americans think she is the best person for the job. maybe the women want a woman president? maybe edwards and obama are transparent and full of it. also for the tears they are real, she saw the smirk wiped off her face and saw she might loose and had to stop acting like a man for a few minutes. the real her is fine, she needs to not be affraid to be a strong powerful woman. that is what she is. Last she is the smartest of the lot as well.
Bill, I agree with many of the statements you made, but have to take exception with “Maybe the majority of americans think she is the best person for the job.”
Although US will one day not even think twice about a female leader, as a young Republic, we ain’t there yet. Hillary is another matter. I have followed her closely, but I just can’t go with her this time. It is not because she is female.
She has, by what I’ve been able to read, been a good policymaker and has the advantage of being an insider.
Being young and naive to the Beltway (Edwards/Obama) is not without precedent. Surround yourself with good advisors/cabinet and the job can be done. The presidency is not a one-house or one-man show you know.
Strike that….except for the past seven years.
Sorry— in my usual haste, I forgot to address the main point of my previous post:
Although I am not a pollster, I have a wide network of friends, acquaitances, and associates from many disciplines and walks of life.
Only one WASPish female even likes her. The rest range from complete disdain to indifference to “well, I’ll vote for her just to keep a republican out of office”
Anne and M -
I have argued for the last 2 - 3 years that Hillary Clinton is a polarizing figure. Just look at liberals - even we are divided in how to view her. We all like or love her husband but what about her. No one is really talking about how she embraced the war in Iraq. She is talking about all of these decisions that she will make let’s look at the one that she make that has cost 3900 American lives and over 100,000 Iraq lives according to a recent article.
Did Hillary Clinton read the NIE? She has never directly answered the question. She can’t. If she didn’t then she will get bounded by the left and the right. I personally believe that she thought that she didn’t need to read the NIE because of all of the intelligence she heard from being around the White House for 8 years. Also, I believe that she thought she couldn’t vote against the resolution for war. She would have been seen as weak and not strong enough to make live and death decisions. This was a political calculation.
No matter how to look at her vote for the war everyone has to admit that she is a polarizing figure. In my opinion, the country needs someone who will work to build a progressive coalition, one that will last longer than their presidency.
Nearly anyone can vote in the New Hampshire primary by being willing to sign an affidavit saying you live there. How many supporters from Massachusetts and New York stayed over to vote? Another good reason for a voter id.