Gone Gone Gone, Done Me Wrong

I have met Hillary Rodham Clinton. It was in 1996 during her book tour for "It Takes a Village". I must admit that I didn't read the book. Actually, that makes it more valuable now because it's a pristine copy, only cracked open by the First Lady to sign it and a couple of times since then by me, to look at it, and recently to photograph the signature for eBay. Yes, it will be sold on eBay.You know how Bill Clinton is known for pointing with his thumb, and now Hillary is known for pointing with her index finger? I was wearing my "Clinton/Gore" button, and she pointed at it in that manner, and said, "thank you for wearing that," and I responded with something typical of a fangirl, I'm sure. That was the extent of our 10 second meeting.

When I think back to that, it makes me sad. I loved the Clintons. I am sad because they have now ruined my positive perception of them during this nasty campaign. They could both have gone on to other pursuits involving public service or continued in politics, retaining their dignity and class. The legacy would have been a positive body of work (but not without some rough patches and controversy, but many of those only increased my respect for the way they dealt with the difficulties). Now, in my mind, they are both power-mad, desperate, willing to openly lie, cheat, wallowing in the slime with the worst of the worst, schmoozing and sleazing up to Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, not denouncing Ann Coulter's support, and The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy of Richard Mellon Scaife -- effectively becoming no better in my mind and on no higher ground than any of those. It's Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly kneecapping the only chance this country has of escaping from the muck of permanent right wing rule -- whether by helping the Republicans win, or purposefully hurting their own party. They hit the ceiling at being compared to her? This situation is even worse. I think it's a shame.

Randi Rhodes was suspended from Air America for referring to Hillary and Ferraro as "whores" during a public appearance. OK, I think Ferraro is better described as a racist and out of touch with reality than a whore, but the non-sexual definition of "whore" in Merriam-Webster is "a venal or unscrupulous person". I looked up "venal" too:

1. capable of being bought or obtained for money or other valuable consideration : purchasable; especially : open to corrupt influence and especially bribery : mercenary venal legislator
2. originating in, characterized by, or associated with corrupt bribery

If you are steaming with rage at Randi's tirade, think about the meaning of the word. Tacky to say it? Probably. Would she have been suspended for saying the same thing about a right-winger? Unsure. Is the word a fair one to use in this case? Given some of the meanings of it, possibly so. Shameful and sad.

Tags: Clinton - Ferraro