Arianna Huffington: Hillary Clinton's Defeat: A Historic Triumph

from HuffPost:




Arianna Huffington
Hillary Clinton's Defeat: A Historic Triumph
Posted May 19, 2008 | 11:24 AM (EST)



A front page story in today's New York Times wonders whether Hillary Clinton's flagging run for the presidency is "a historic if incomplete triumph or a depressing reminder of why few pursue high office in the first place."

Let me quickly weigh in with an unequivocal vote for "historic if incomplete triumph." And the only thing I find depressing is that the answer is even in doubt.

I have regularly criticized Clinton over the course of her campaign (and long before it, starting with her vote to authorize the war), but there is no question that she has forever altered the way women running for president will be viewed from here on out. In the words of the Times, Clinton has established "a new marker for what a woman can accomplish in a campaign -- raising over $170 million, frequently winning more favorable reviews on debate performances than her male rivals, rallying older women, and persuading white male voters who were never expected to support her."

She has also forever demolished the question mark hovering over the issue many (wrongly, in my opinion) have felt would be a woman candidate's biggest weakness: the ability to be seen as a plausible commander-in-chief.

It is to her great credit that very shortly into the '08 race, when you saw Clinton on television, you didn't think, "Oh, there's the woman running for president." That is no small feat for a woman trying to break into a male-dominated arena. So the next time a woman -- or two or three -- runs for president, it won't be seen as a novelty act. Because Hillary certainly wasn't. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/hillary-clintons-defeat-a_b_102418.html

Besides you, who cares what you think about anything?

banky will make it all better;

:sarcasm:

:evilgrin:

Must be Obama logic!

I thought this was a good column.

No, she likely won't make it to the Ultimate "Brass" Ring (Oval Office). But there are still many reasons why her campaign, and her candidacy are historic, monumental, earth-shaking, paradigm-shifting. Hey, somebody had to knock the first holes in the wall. She's left a giant crack in that last glass ceiling, making it all the easier for another woman, or, what the hell, maybe even herself again, to run, and break through it completely.

It had previously been unthinkable, regarded as just not viable. Now? No longer so.

Hillary HAS changed the landscape. Maybe she hasn't been able to get to the Promised Land, but she's led the way toward it. She's provided the template for other little girls to look ahead and understand that, from this day forward, it is ENTIRELY thinkable and plausible that a woman would run for president and be absolutely viable, credible, and maybe even a winner at the end. Before Hillary, it was not really within the realm of possibility. After Hillary (and BECAUSE OF Hillary), that old thinking just doesn't apply anymore. She blazed the trail. She's a pioneer. No, maybe she's not "The Winner." I happen to think it's NOT beyond imagining that she might run again in eight years (assuming a two-term Obama presidency). She'd be 68. According to all actuarial tables and computations, women still live longer and if they take care of themselves (which many of them do), are able to last longer in a stronger and more vigorous way, than many men. A 68-year-old woman is not necessarily as old and shriveled as a 68-year-old man.

I wouldn't rule it out. I wouldn't rule HER out, either. And I'm glad she set the standard. She's Moses. She may reincarnate as a Joshua, or perhaps another woman will fill that role. But she broke the mold and the conventional wisdom, and the stale old thinking. And if it's another woman who finally breaks that last glass ceiling, she'll have Hillary to thank. As will we all.

Now you're trying to patronize her after trasshing her day in and day out. Shame on you.

No, then WTF else do you blame it on? That's your only excuse these days.

We haven't forget, and a half-hearted eulogy won't change a thing..

God you people are pathetic.

:beer:

HRC won't be the nominee, but she did blaze the trail. The next strong female candidate won't have to deal with the curiosity factor about being a strong female candidate. Perhaps this is like what happened in the workplace overall.

:-)'s

Its a good article. Hillary HAS changed the landscape, and will be remembered as such. Yes, she had truly lousy strategists, but she has pretty much busted the glass ceiling for getting a major party nomination.

Its a good article. That it comes from someone who hates Hillary gives it more credence, not less.

Which is no easy task. Whatever you may feel about her as a candidate, she has blazed a new trail for others to follow. Whatever you may feel about her as a feminist, she has opened a new door for women. I respect that.

This was a point I tried to make right after the WV primary. Hillary Clinton is an historic figure who will be remembered as the woman that shattered the glass ceiling of American politics. She truly is a trailblazer.

time to deflect the early crap that would be thrown by the Repugs and kept McCain out there getting only "light press coverage." Now that the Media knows Hillary wont be the nominee look how fast the RW GOP and McCain have turned on Obama. We, Dems didn't need since February to be attacked and mincemeated by the GOP Machine!

All that Tom Davis stuff about Repugs being "Dog Food" is only a ruse to cover that they are going to throw more than Hillary Campaign could throw at Obama. Some think Hillary threw the kitchen sink at Obama but the Repugs and GOP Mighty Vocal Echo Chamber will thrown the House, the Car and MIGHT of the WALL ST. SKYSCRAPERS at OBAMA...along with the NeoCon Machine!

The less time Obama has to spend being hit with the frontal assault deflected by Hillary on his flank the better.

But...that's too complicated for some to understand...and there are others whose job is to make sure we here on DU ...DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. :-(

Now it's a totally different atmosphere. I think it's great. I'm sure many on DU still look back with amazement that female physicans were once an oddity.

Sometimes the catalyst that effects a great change is consumed in the process, but that does not diminish its contribution.

I remember when there were too few.

That has more meaning beyond the obvious political one. Thanks.

Thanks for the compliment. :D

If they keep dividing their base into the "Outraged that Hillary lost" factions and the "Angry and resentful Appalachians against the TV people who have jobs" factions.