2016 Postmortem

cali

(114,904 posts) Mon Feb 22, 2016, 11:05 AM Feb 2016

The Atlantic: Hillary's Challenge With Trust

Two recent interviews—one before her Nevada triumph and one after—showed Hillary Clinton standing at a crossroad. One path goes to South Carolina and a string of Democratic contests that favor her coalition of older voters, African Americans, college graduates, and union households.

The other goes to her greatest vulnerability—not only in the race against Bernie Sanders, but also during the general-election campaign and in the Oval Office, should she get that far: the issue of trust.

<snip>

But to misled the public knowingly is a lie, a breach of trust, and something that a former first lady, senator, and secretary of state should be able to rule out. Clinton can’t—at least not honestly. From the firings of White House travel office employees in 1993 to the 2015 email scandal that still haunts this campaign, Clinton has a history of deflections, deception, and untruths.

Her supporters will explain that she has been the victim of outrageous attacks from extremist Republicans, and there’s some truth to that. Vince Foster killed himself; he wasn’t killed. Whitewater was a screwy land deal, not a scandal. But the sleazy acts of a vast right-wing conspiracy don’t give Clinton a free pass.

Even admirers of Clinton worry about her credibility deficit. In Nevada, as in Iowa and New Hampshire, Democratic voters who cared most about backing a candidate who's honest and trustworthy or one who cares about people like them overwhelmingly supported Sanders, according to exit polls. Those looking for experience or electability overwhelmingly backed Clinton.
But to misled the public knowingly is a lie, a breach of trust, and something that a former first lady, senator, and secretary of state should be able to rule out. Clinton can’t—at least not honestly. From the firings of White House travel office employees in 1993 to the 2015 email scandal that still haunts this campaign, Clinton has a history of deflections, deception, and untruths.

<snip>

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/02/hillarys-challenge-with-trust/470289/

6 replies

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The Atlantic: Hillary's Challenge With Trust (Original Post) cali Feb 2016 OP

this is what we have come to in American politics lapfog_1 Feb 2016 #1

"the sleazy acts of a vast right-wing conspiracy don’t give Clinton a free pass" Babel_17 Feb 2016 #2

The answer to the question for me me is "She's in it for herself." Punkingal Feb 2016 #3

The problem for the party is that you're very far from being alone in that belief Babel_17 Feb 2016 #4

Its too late baby, you know its too late. RiverLover Feb 2016 #5

HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!! WillyT Feb 2016 #6

lapfog_1

(29,205 posts)

1. this is what we have come to in American politics

Reply to cali (Original post)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 11:24 AM

Feb 2016

"Her challenge is to convince them that even if she’s mendacious, she’s their liar—she’s on their side—and the other side lies almost as much."

Babel_17

(5,400 posts)

2. "the sleazy acts of a vast right-wing conspiracy don’t give Clinton a free pass"

Reply to cali (Original post)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 08:58 PM

Feb 2016

Jake Tapper: I know that you have blamed the whole trust issue with independent voters on decades of unfair attacks by Republicans, smears against you by Republicans. But how do you fix it going forward? If you do become the nominee, you’re going to need independent voters?

Hillary Clinton: Absolutely, and I’m going to do what I’ve always done: I’m going to keep reaching out to voters. I understand that voters have questions. I’m going to do my very best to answer those questions. I think there’s an underlying question that maybe is really in the back of people’s minds and that is: “Is she in it for us or is she in it for herself?” I think that’s a question people are trying to sort through.

I think the party leadership needs to get in the lifeboats and leave that sinking ship.

Punkingal

(9,522 posts)

3. The answer to the question for me me is "She's in it for herself."

Reply to Babel_17 (Reply #2)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 09:04 PM

Feb 2016

I figured that out long ago.

Babel_17

(5,400 posts)

4. The problem for the party is that you're very far from being alone in that belief

Reply to Punkingal (Reply #3)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 09:14 PM

Feb 2016

Pretty soon our top people will be called upon by the press to explain our path forward. How will we win the swing states, and how will we win down ticket.

Senator Sanders will have to fight to make his message understood, but it's a winnable fight.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)

5. Its too late baby, you know its too late.

Reply to cali (Original post)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 09:29 PM

Feb 2016

Once the sacred bound is broken, over & over & over, its too late.

A liar doesn't change her/his stripes. Especially when she has to pander for citizens' votes while taking corporate interest money to do things which counter everything said to win votes.

WillyT

(72,631 posts)

6. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

Reply to cali (Original post)

Mon Feb 22, 2016, 10:05 PM

Feb 2016

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