Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Hillary's True Voice

After her first primary victory, Hillary Clinton exulted, "Thank you so much, New Hampshire. I listened to you, and in the process I found my voice."

Make that plural. Since then, the candidate has given us more vocal gymnastics than the legendary Mel Blanc, who did Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, among others. Her repertoire has been dazzling--and confusing.

There has been the vulnerable Hillary followed by the combative, condescending, sarcastic, victimized, wounded Hillary, not to mention the nasty and negative voices from her discordant campaign chorus.

Now we have the embattled Hillary, apologizing for her Bosnia sniper fire gaffe with something less than graciousness. "So I made a mistake," she said. "That happens. It proves I'm human, which you know, for some people, is a revelation."

Courage, Hemingway said, is grace under pressure.

It must be hard getting up every morning and having to face a growing consensus that she can't win the nomination. But if adversity is the truest test of character, it would be heartening to see Hillary Clinton swallow her disappointment and either soldier on with dignity, if she decides to, or accept the inevitable with grace.

Doing so would be good for the Democratic Party and a rebuke to those who hate her. Her voice is too important to be drowned out in disappointment and negative campaigning.

Win or lose, Hillary Clinton can keep serving her country well.

1 comment:

Liza said...

At this point, I think that what Hillary is doing is making it unlikely that a woman could be elected to the presidency for many years to come. She is obviously not a team player. She is negative, arrogant, and self absorbed, and she does not always tell the truth.

A team player would step down right now for the good of the team. Hillary has vowed to stay in until the last dog is hung, and it is all about her.

Her retirement from politics would be a blessing.