Is Hillary “Out-Out”?
October 28, 2009
by Amy Siskind
|Just like Whoopi’s: It wasn’t “rape-rape”.
And Rep Alan Grayson: She’s not a “whore-whore”.
I’m starting to get the feeling that Hillary Clinton isn’t “out-out“.
Yesterday, RealClearPolitics had this to say about the most recent belittlement of Hillary:
Hillary Clinton did not need another man stealing her thunder. Last week, John Kerry earned headlines for convincing Afghan President Hamid Karzai to agree to a run-off election. The Senate’s top man on foreign affairs looked more like the secretary of state. And naturally, political observers wondered where was the secretary of state?
Kerry took pains to convey that he did not upstage Clinton on the world stage. Rather, he said, she facilitated the shuttle diplomacy. But White House press secretary Robert Gibbs did not help matters. “Secretary Kerry,” Gibbs gaffed to reporters.
And of course, we couldn’t help but notice that Hillary is only #18 on GQ’s list of the most powerful in DC. Or the fact that The Sunday New York Times, page 1, mentioned that 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been transformed into a frat house.
A couple of weeks ago, Tina Brown wrote a piece over at The Daily Beast titled Hillary and the ‘Woman Thing’. In Tina’s op-ed, she writes:
It’s as if she has learned how to circumnavigate that tiresome phallic competition and acknowledged what’s different—and valuable—about her own female nature.
A sort of rising above the whole fraternity ordeal and finding herself at peace.
Tina’s piece in a way reminded me of part of an op-ed that I wrote about Hillary for The Daily Beast in July titled Sit Down and Shut Up. The piece mostly focused on how Obama was keeping Hillary away from the public eye, but just as Tina writes about Hillary “circumnavigate the tiresome phallic competition”, here’s what I wrote about Palin:
But Sarah Palin, perhaps unwittingly, found a way to short circuit this whole diminution and demolition process. She decided that she didn’t want to be in the fraternity after all. She would rather charter her own sorority and set up her own rules.
Now there’s little doubt in my mind that Sarah Palin will be back. And there’s also little doubt in my mind that Palin will come after all those have wronged her along the way. Likely with much success.
And I’m also starting to wonder, as I watch as a very interested observer from the sideline, if Hillary won’t at some point reach that same tipping point. If Hillary isn’t now just grinning but behind the scenes counting up the offenses launched against her – some subtle, others not so subtle. And I wonder if Hillary isn’t contemplating as time goes on that in fact, revenge is a dish best served cold.
So as President Obama continues to fumble along and decline in popularity – and seems to alienate one part of his base and then another – from the LGBT community, to the far left, and now to women – where will we be in a year or two?
After the endless 2009 mea culpa’s from those who chastised our devotion to Hillary, calling us “Clinton Dead-enders,” and now realize, um, sorry – we were right, what’s next? How many more articles do we need to read about disillusioned Democrats yearning for Hillary.
Well maybe it’s just a dream, but as time marches on, I continue to wonder. And with support groups in place now like The New Agenda – even with NOW under new leadership – would we be silent for another misogyny-fest? Not hardly. We would be all over the blogosphere and airwaves crushing the sexist and stopping them in their tracks – just as we are doing now.
So we’ll keep watching. And dreaming.

If we’re not out – then Hillary’s not out. If Ted Kennedy could challenge Jimmy Carter for renomination, there’s precedent for taking a critical look at any reelection bid. So, no, I don’t think she’s out at all; she’s just busy actually working at her job.
Thank you Amy for the reminder. I’m one of those “Clinton-Dead-Enders” and continue to watch her progress with interest. And your pointing out that Palin is taking her own road is interesting.
Has anyone written anything about Marcy Kaptur, the democrat from Ohio? I saw her in the Michael Moore Capitalism movie and then in an interview with Bill Moyers. She is one very tough and outspoken politician. I’m keeping an eye on her as well.
Amy, I’m with you wondering, watching and dreaming too. I think that now with all the coalitions and blogs and pacs that are in support of Hillary and Sarah, I think 2012 will be the time we finally get a woman. And the thought of two women like Hillary and Sarah competing for Presidency is something I am waiting in anticipation for.
I think this is a very optimistic outlook and I hope that is the case, however, I remember we all thought the sexism was so evident and called out during Hillary’s bid, that no one would tolerate it a second time around against Palin, but the sexism was just as vicious that time around, and even so-called Feminists joined in..
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