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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 09:48 AM Apr 2014

Stop the Baby Clinton Madness - A look at the ludicrous search for political fallout.

Jeff Greenfield

Chelsea’s baby will remind voters of Hillary’s age—or it’ll make her more relatable. Or it’ll make her forget politics altogether. A look at the ludicrous search for political fallout.


OK, I get it. The arrival of Baby Clinton-Mezvinsky will be a boon to Hillary Clinton’s presumed candidacy because it will humanize her, softening what remains of her Lady Macbeth image. It will prove so helpful, according to one radio flannel-mouth, that it was likely an act of strategic planning.

No, wait. It will seriously, perhaps fatally, damage her prospects, because the “grandmother” label will remind people that she will be 69 in 2016; grandmothers, as everyone knows, spend their days mall-walking and playing the slots at nearby casinos.

Hold it. Grandchild Clinton may mean that Hillary Clinton won’t run for president at all, preferring to spend her days nurturing, rather than admiring the butter cow at the Iowa State Fair.

Even in this Age of Permanent Gas-baggery, when the signal-to-noise ratio is approaching the win-loss ratio of the 1962 Mets, the mindlessness of the Baby Clinton conversation has made CNN’s search for the Malaysian airplane look like a model of thoughtful analysis. I would cheerfully give a significant three-figure sum to any talking head who, when asked to opine on the earthshaking consequences of Chelsea’s pregnancy, would channel John McEnroe: “You cannot be serious!”

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http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/04/21/stop-the-baby-clinton-madness.html
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VanillaRhapsody

(21,115 posts)
1. Unfortunately....those who think Hillary will appear too old because she will be a Grandmother
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 09:52 AM
Apr 2014

will be deeply disappointed (yet again?) because MOST people become first time grandparents younger than Hillary Clinton (some are even Great Grands by that age!).

So no...simply no...

I also notice that NO ONE says anything about a man being a grandparent is too old to run for office. But when a woman is.....suddenly 69 is TOO OLD. This is just misogynistic and typical of what a female presidential candidate will face! When she is President we will get to hear how she doesn't dress appropriately. Or how her hairstyle is all wrong.....or that she is wearing the wrong designer shoes!

 

LanternWaste

(37,748 posts)
6. I imagine one may celebrate a pregnancy regardless of a dynastic presence.
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 01:55 PM
Apr 2014

I imagine one may celebrate her pregnancy regardless of a dynastic presence... though I do realize the inconvenience the under-educated, the sub-literate and the dogmatic may recognize from simply being happy for someone.

I'd guess though, that celebrating the mythical dynastic pregnancy is almost as idiotic as criticizing one (insert distinction without a difference here).

gordianot

(15,242 posts)
4. If your last name is Clinton expect constant insanity in 2014 election year politics.
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 10:03 AM
Apr 2014

You do not even have to be running for office this year. 2014 may set new records of disgust just imagine what awaits in 2016.

 

JayhawkSD

(3,163 posts)
5. Stop the hyperbole on both sides.
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 11:12 AM
Apr 2014

That a candidate, or potential candidate, is expecting a grandchild is utterly irrelevant to that person's qualifications to hold the nation's highest office. Election discussions tend to be about trivia, but this is setting a new low. Chelsea's reproductive system is none of our business, and the whole Clinton clan are jackasses to make it a public phenomenom. We are equally idiotic to act like the Clintons are our freaking royal family.

Is she qualified to be president? In my opinion no, but that has nothing to do with her daughters womb.

libodem

(19,288 posts)
7. We can expect a lot more of it
Mon Apr 21, 2014, 02:07 PM
Apr 2014

She will not even be able to powder her nose without some horrible gossip. She is putting her family in the limelight of excruciating visibility. There will be no privacy and plenty of unflattering speculation and outright lies. Fasten your seat belts for a drag through the pig pen of politics. It's gonna get ugly.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
8. What's the lesson here? The poor writer of that piece should change the channel, or turn the page
Tue Apr 22, 2014, 11:23 AM
Apr 2014

on his newspaper!!!!

I heard the announcement by Chelsea at the conference a few days ago, I saw a brief moment of HRC looking pleased...and that's.... IT.

I haven't heard any Clinton Baby Fever, I haven't heard any "mindless conversations" about it, it hasn't been beating me over the head at all!

I expect when Chelsea has the child we'll have a bit more news, a few pictures, maybe, and a few expressions of joy. Near as I can tell, this is .... normal. If there's more, and it starts to be a topic that is "over-shared," I'll probably pick up the remote and push a button, or turn the page. So easy!

I think the one going out of his way to "obsess" about this story is Jeff Greenfield! Poor guy--he probably has a bit of writer's block, or something, and this kind of potshot is always easy!

NYC Liberal

(20,136 posts)
9. No kidding. And if there's any place that will take a topic and discuss it, argue over it, and
Tue Apr 22, 2014, 07:12 PM
Apr 2014

beat it to death from every angle possible ad nauseum for weeks -- it's DU.

Not even DU is talking about this.

MADem

(135,425 posts)
10. Ha ha ha....maybe we can make that happen (ducking/covering)~!!!
Tue Apr 22, 2014, 07:18 PM
Apr 2014

We'll start a rumor that Chelsea likes a glass of wine with her meal...even while pregnant (how 'euro!');

She plans on breast feeding...and her favorite restaurant is the OLIVE GARDEN!

She's taken up smoking, but her new pit bull is allergic to the smoke...so she may buy one of those "e cig" things instead!

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