Hillary's Sudden Respect Among Conservatives

[Brainster]

Noemie Emery has an article on the newfound appreciation for Hillary among her former worst enemies:

One observer once said that the main importance of PT-109 in the life of John Kennedy was that it was the only time in his life (until he was murdered) when the power and wealth of his father couldn't help him at all. Hillary in February 2008, after Obama's stunning string of 10 victories, was like JFK in the water--everything she was used to relying on had proved to be useless, except that in her case the people around her kept trying to hold her head under, insisting it was for her, and of course for the party's, own good. In these dire straits, Hillary channeled her inner survivor, and, like John Kennedy, became a Gut Fighter writ large. She fought her way to an island, dragging her crew mates behind her, fed them on coconuts, and sent word for rescue. And then it came. "This one's for you!" she cried out to her base in hard-pressed Ohio as she pulled out the Big One, to their riotous cheers.

It's an interesting artcle. Yes, some of it's tongue-in-cheek, but she does hit the mark here:

If this weren't enough to make right-wing hearts flutter, Hillary has another brand-new advantage: She is hated on all the right fronts. The snots and the snark-mongers now all despise her, along with the trendies, the glitzies; the food, drama, and lifestyle critics, the beautiful people (and those who would join them), the Style sections of all the big papers; the slick magazines; the above-it-all pundits, who have looked down for years on the Republicans and on the poor fools who elect them, and now sneer even harder at her. The New York Times is having hysterics about her. At the New Republic, Jonathan Chait (who inspired the word "Chaitred" for his pioneer work on Bush hatred) has transferred his loathing of the 43rd president intact and still shining to her. "She should now go gentle into the political night," he advised in January. "Go Already!" he repeated in March, when she had failed to act on his suggestion. "No Really, You Should Go," he said in April after she won Pennsylvania, which made her even less likely to take his advice. "Now that loathing seems a lot less irrational," he wrote of the right wing's prior distaste for both the Clintons. "We just really wish they'd go away."

Yes, it would be marvelous to see Chait forced to eat those words, to see the big liberal blogs required to embrace "the monster".

An interesting article and an interesting topic. Why do conservatives suddenly like Hillary? I don't think it's as simple as extending the Democratic battle (although obviously that is the motive for people like Rush Limbaugh). Some of it is (as above) the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Some may simply be picking the lesser of two (perceived) evils.

 

[T.A.M.]

Because she exhibits the same tone, the same tactics, the same "win at all costs" that I believe many Conservatives admire, and many conservative supporters would support.

Just my opinion though.

TAM

 

[David Wong]

Yes, it would be marvelous to see Chait forced to eat those words, to see the big liberal blogs required to embrace "the monster".

It would look exactly the same as Rush Limbaugh looks now, having to embrace McCain, who he bashed as hard or harder than any liberal.

 

[Brainster]

It would look exactly the same as Rush Limbaugh looks now, having to embrace McCain, who he bashed as hard or harder than any liberal.

Yeah, all those guys lost me as a listener last year, since I was a McCain supporter. The only one I still listen to is Medved, who declined to join in the McCain-bashing and eventually endorsed him. And I bashed some of the bigger conservative bloggers for the same reasons. Which is one of the reasons I spend more time on the forums than the blogs these days.

I swore off the worst of them; there's no going back on some of the things that were said. Every pundit has one thing to offer, and that's his/her credibility. A lot of people became overdrawn at the credibility bank as a result of this.

But of course my hard feelings towards some conservatives is tempered by the times we did fight shoulder-to-shoulder in the past. The more obnoxious elements of the left wing blogs and radio get none of that from me, so of course I am happy to see them put in their place, just as I was happy to see the impotency of Limbaugh, Levin, Coulter and Hewitt.

ETA: And is Limbaugh really embracing McCain? Or is he doing his usual bit about the Democrats?

 

[Rob Lister]

It would look exactly the same as Rush Limbaugh looks now, having to embrace McCain, who he bashed as hard or harder than any liberal.

I must have missed where Limbaugh did that: embraced McCain. I have admittedly not listened to him in a week or so. Last I knew he was still 'embracing' Hillary, albeit with tongue firmly (or not so firmly, actually) in cheek.

 

[kallsop]

That might be Obama's greatest accomplishment. Making Hillary look good.

 

[T.A.M.]

That might be Obama's greatest accomplishment. Making Hillary look good.

lol...making Hillary look like a republican, is NOT making her look good...sorry.

TAM

 

[Dr Adequate]

That might be Obama's greatest accomplishment. Making Hillary look good.

It's funny how he made her look good in such a way that people prefer him to her, but I guess ... well, that's just part of Obama's Awesome Powers Of Unification. He can create such awe and respect for Hillary that even right-wing whackjobs pretend to treat her with reverence, and he can still pwn her.

 

[Darth Rotor]

He can create such awe and respect for Hillary that even right-wing whackjobs pretend to treat her with reverence, and he can still pwn her.

Perhaps in her secret erotic dreams. (Uh, which usage of pwn is in operation here? )

DR

 

[TheJim]

Because she exhibits the same tone, the same tactics, the same "win at all costs" that I believe many Conservatives admire, and many conservative supporters would support.

Just my opinion though.

TAM

Also, outside of health care her policies will not be dramatically different than McCain's either if her "co-presidency", statements, and voting record are any indication.

 

[corplinx]

Hillary was a former first lady who carpet bagged to New York for a shoe-in senate seat and got put on all the right committees to try to give her some kind of Presidential credentials.

I think Hillary gets props from people (conservative, liberal, and loony alike) because she went from being a presumptive nominee to being an underdog and fighting back tooth and nail into a neck and neck horse race against a cult of personality as strong as Reagan or Kennedy.

I for one thought Hillary would get bull dozed over by the Obama juggernaut. She stayed in it long enough to pop his messianic balloon some and run against a normal man. The simple answer is, Hillary is performing above and beyond what was really expected since she was considered a paper tiger outside of democrat circles.

 

[Dr Adequate]

Hillary was a former first lady who carpet bagged to New York for a shoe-in senate seat and got put on all the right committees to try to give her some kind of Presidential credentials.

I think Hillary gets props from people (conservative, liberal, and loony alike) because she went from being a presumptive nominee to being an underdog and fighting back tooth and nail into a neck and neck horse race against a cult of personality as strong as Reagan or Kennedy.

I for one thought Hillary would get bull dozed over by the Obama juggernaut. She stayed in it long enough to pop his messianic balloon some and run against a normal man. The simple answer is, Hillary is performing above and beyond what was really expected since she was considered a paper tiger outside of democrat circles.

(R)

 

[President Bush]

That might be Obama's greatest accomplishment. Making Hillary look good.

Yet still not Barack-oli... just old cauliflower.