Chasing Hillary Crazy

Wow. Andy Sullivan is losing his mind. Somebody, quick, get that peanut before it rolls under the couch.

My fear is that if you merely wound her candidacy, you are in danger. The Clinton machine is now poised to pull every partisan lever and deploy every cheap tactic: the gender card, the elderly card, the 527s, the teachers' unions, AFSCME, the Human Rights Campaign, the super-delegates, and the core Democratic base. This is always about the Clintons. If the Democrats have to lose to McCain in November so Hillary Cliton can become the first female nominee for any major party, that's a price the country will just have to pay.

Now they have to either kill or coopt the hope that Obama has unleashed. Just as Bush coopted McCain's New Hampshire message in 2000, so Clinton is coopting Obama's message in 2007. She didn't find her own voice; she took Obama's, removed the eloquence and added a spice of identity politics.

She is the Bush of the Democrats. Which is why Obama must defeat her.

Jesus tits, get a fucking grip, you big giant baby. You're just making all that shit up.

Pro forma: I would prefer a different candidate than HRC. That said, more harm has been done to our democracy by the demented anti-Clintinoids than the Clintons ever did. For openers, these are by and large the same gang of assholes who enabled George W Bush.

Sullivan has no grasp of policy, or of how things actually work or are likely to in the real world. Or he just doesn't care. He has some Exciting Grand Epic Movie playing in his head, and that's what matters.

Though I look forward to Obama getting the nomination and then telling all the unions that they are anti-America, and having them eat that shit up on a plate because of his eloquence. And how he will denounce the "core Democratic base" and then get elected and ride into DC on the back of a magical pony.

What a complete lunatic is our Andy Sullivan. I hope to fuck Obama isn't returning his calls.

Comments

[mike in new zealand]

That movie in Andy's head you mentioned? I think you will find a re-run at www.bareback.com. He loves it when it hurts.

[whetstone]

Crazy Andy as a series of relationships:

Obama = Bush then
Bush now = Clinton then
Clinton now = Bush now

Andy is always on the crest of what idiots perceive as the vanguard. Which is why he's so popular. That, and because he went to Oxford. I wish him and Hitchens would go find some other country to play Orwells and Indians in. Guys, we appreciate it, but a Real Big-Boy Orwell would go to Mexico!

[whet]

Also: Hillary should alienate the "core Democratic base"? Maybe she should hassle people outside a Planned Parenthood clinic by reading to them from a Jonah Goldberg book. That would make things more fair.

[Thud]

OK, I don't want to sound racist or anything like that. But I'm afraid that if Clinton is elected, all these Andy Sullivan-like people will rise up and riot in the streets. I mean, it happened in 2000 in Florida and that was just Gore.

The last thing we want, people, is MoDo throwing Molotovs.

[rea]

the teachers' unions, AFSCME, the Human Rights Campaign are partisan lever[s] or cheap tactic[s]?

What a world that Sullivan lives in!

[rea]

The strongest argument for Hillary has always been the resulting explosions of wingnut heads . . .

[anna]

"I hope to fuck Obama isn't returning his calls."

oh, probably. you saw him with Bill O'..."let me shake your hand!" "you're a good guy!"

Obama's probably scratching Sully's ass *for* him, whilst humming his ridiculously catchy Song Of Hope And Ponies.

[Murphy]

what the heck?? Getting the support of democratic groups behind you during a primary campaign is "pulling partisan levers" and "deploying cheap tricks"?

What is she supposed to do, like, not try to win?

[Captain Goto]

Getting the support of democratic groups behind you during a primary campaign is "pulling partisan levers" and "deploying cheap tricks"?

Well, it is in SullyWorld(tm).

[Murphy]

Yeah, he's crazy -- but he's the crazy tip of an ugly iceberg of sentiment from not so crazy people that's been concealed until a few days ago.

Thanks Molly (and Thers) for exposing it for what it really is.

[Molly Ivors]

The last thing we want, people, is MoDo throwing Molotovs.

I find it hard to believe you could ever get a cocktail out of her hand.

[Pope Ratzo]

I say, let Andy and his buddies run riot. All we have to do is put up a firewall on the Hudson and the rest of us are safe.

I have to say though, the fact that Hillary won and Romney lost is sort of entertaining, in that I can listen to the sound of Hugh Hewitt's head exploding. It actually made me go out and buy an AM radio.

[Murphy]

"I find it hard to believe you could ever get a cocktail out of her hand."

:-D

[Wil Burns]

Obama is NOTHING more than a motivation speaker. I was thinking that myself a couple days ago, that he is basically just a motivational speaker. I was looking at a speech he had made. He didn't say anything, but he sure was eloquent about it.

His charisma will take him only so far, he needs to come up with some coherent policy positions.

[Adam Hominem]

Obama is NOTHING more than a motivation speaker.

Ayup. His actual record as a Senator is not all that progressive.

[Carl from L.A.]

Deploying the Democratic base is a dirty trick? Wow, what an interesting view of politics.

By the way, if Hillary really wants to emulate Bush versus McCain in 2000, I would like to suggest that she start a rumor that Obama has fathered a black child. Now, that's good politics.

[bbbustard]

Come on Thers, you have to respect a man who built his entire career on his being gay and then accuses Clinton of playing the "gender card"

[Jay Andrew Allen]

His charisma will take him only so far, he needs to come up with some coherent policy positions.

He has a Web site full of them, in case you didn't notice. He also frequently brings them up in stump speeches.

But yes, Sullivan's Hillary-bashing is way overboard - as is the bashing of her by many people in the Democratic party. She's still our Senator from NY. I can only sympathize with those folks who voted for Clinton in NH in order to tell the punditocracy it could go fuck itself.

[Northern Observer]

Andrew Sullivan is an immature and irresponsible nitwit. He is the reason that America is going downhill

[jstrick]

I think they all are motivational speakers in some sense, they have to be. Unfortunately you don't really sway the masses of voters with specific policy arguments you kind of motivate them behind what you believe in. Now I think that John Edwards message of fighting for middle class values and work and health care are far more inspirational than someone simply talking and hope and change but that's my choice. I think everyone has laid out their policy positions on their websites and talk about them more in debates than elsewhere but I may be wrong as far as the debates seeing how crappy the moderators were/are.

[Mr.Murder]

Channeling Bareback Obama.

[David Ehrenstein]

Brain lesions.

[El Cid]

I may not be a Hillary supporter, but portraying her as Terminator 4 who only becomes more dangerous when damaged but not destroyed -- maybe even splitting into transforming clones -- is a bit more like 1990's militia nut anti-Hillary lunacy than it is some intelligent anger at an actual political grouping.

[low-tech cyclist]

Did Sully really call her "Hillary Cliton"??

Yes, he did.

It was probably just a Freudian slip, but doesn't that just say it all?

[low-tech cyclist]

Oh, and what El Cid said.

[Randy Andy]

A gay Catholic who mostly writes about being a gay Catholic accuses other people of identity politics. That's rich. If Francisco Franco was out of the closet, Andy would cream himself.

[bajsa]

Thank you for this. I am so fucking tired of Andy's bullshit. He is full of hate and he wonders why bigots (ie republicans) hate gays. Well, they feel exactly the way he does about Hillary. I am also not supporting Hillary for the nomination but a part of me would love to see her as President so haters like Andy will drink themselves to death.

[Frances]

I'm no Sully fan. But Hillary Clinton was a Bush enabler herself on the most important issue of our time. And she has no regrets for it at all. Won't apologize for her cowardice and calculation. And she turns around and votes for Kyl/Lieberman. She is not to be trusted.

[buggy ding dong]

Murphy

That's exactly what I think. The question that has been rattling around in my head is just what the hell Obama will do week 1?

[Thers]

But Hillary Clinton was a Bush enabler herself on the most important issue of our time.

Yes, which is a big part of why she's not my choice.

But that's not the reason AS is attacking her here.

The point is, the "Hitlery is a socialist!" crap pushed the country into a place where Bush was seen as a "grownup" -- not least by AS!

That, of course, was a disaster.

[mcd]

i think what sullivan is talking about is comparable to what richard daley and george meaney at least threatened to do to george mcgovern -- throw their influence to nixon if they weren't properly represented at the convention. it's history, read about it.

[Stephen]

FWIW,

I omit the 'n' in Clinton about 50% of the time, and studiously correct it every single time.

I guess my fingers are sexist & hateful, but my internal editor isn't.

(Never commented here before. After 30+ years in the GOP, I just changed parties to vote for the Obamessiah in the NY primary. Really.)

[tim quick]

Sully is a hater, alright, but - as you say - what distinguishes him is his clincal levels of self-delusion. Here's a guy who supports the Iraq war and calls people opposed to it third-columnists and border line traitors, then switches positions and says, "Who me? Well, I might have overstated a little bit, but. . ." I wouldn't read 'em on a bet.

[Ripley]

The problem with people like Andrew Sullivan is that they're people like Andrew Sullivan.

I get the feeling that these 'people of some regard' sit around on Sunday mornings and literally say, "I wonder what the poor people are doing today." I suppose self-awareness can be a harsh Mistress.

[Bubba]

Alrighty, here's the low down, and I can't believe MoDo hasn't uncovered this yet. Years ago, Sully was chillin at a gay bar when him and his buds got into a brawl with a bad ass group of lesbos. This came at a rare time in our marriage when Hill was upset with me over some silly thing, and she had decided to take out her anger by becoming gay for a few weeks. This led to some rather fantastic results in our relationship, but that's another comment and another day. Anyway, bottom line ... Hillary beat the living crap out of Sully, and then introduced him to the joys of having a pool stick shoved into your innards so hard it'll make you want to be waterboarded. This is why Sully hates Hillary. It also explains why he abhors torture, as well as those rumors about Hills being homo. God Bless y'all!

[lambert strether]

Bareback Andy is running a well-known play from the Republican playbook.

Q: How can Democrats win?

A: By becoming Republicans!

(Or, in Obama's case, by becoming Daschle/Lieberman Democrats circa 2002.)

The only people who could possibly be fooled by this nonsense have:

1. Never seen the play run before, or

2. Haven't been paying attention.

In other words, low information voters.

* * *

I'm gonna name my pony Unity!!

Uncle Andy's gonna come over and 'splain to me whether my pony is bi-partisan or just curious!!!!!

I'm s-o-o-o-o-o happy!!!!!

I love ponies!!!!

http://www.correntewire.com/bareback_andy_mindfucks_the_low_information_voter

[Mary]

Sullivan really has gone over the edge. I used to enjoy his blog....never go anymore.

He reads as if Karl Rove is supplying him all the anti-Clinton material, or as if his blog is supplying the Roves with even more.

At some point, we'll have to unite behind whoever is our nominee.

I'm not sure Sullivan will be welcome anymore.
And that's not about the "Clinton machine;" that's about Democratic ground troops.

Why the fuck are you people piling on Obama because of who he's supported by?

What progressive policies did the Clinton's actually achieve? The Family and Medical Leave Act? Give me a break.

THEY ARE CORPORATE FUCKING LAWYERS YOU IDIOTS.

Whose worse Andrew Sullivan or Mark Penn? Penn is actually paid by her to run her fucking campaign. Burston-Martseller is the fucking worst. I can't even believe this shit what passes for the left. Whoohooo let's pave the way for
eight more years of corporate lawyers. Do you even fucking remember "welfare reform"? I can't believe the people defending Hillary just because she's picked on by the press. Who cares? She sucks even if they pick on her for the wrong reasons.
Defending the most hawkish Democratic
candidate because Andrew Sullivan likes her opponent. That's high school for you.

[jbk]

I wish Sullivan and Hitchens (another Clinton hater/Bush supporter) would go back to Old Blighty and leave us the fuck alone. Why do a couple of pompous English twits think they have the right to tell America who to elect president. (Although Hitch, with his drunken, bleary-eyed TV appearances, is sometimes amusing - in a laughing at his alcoholic stupor, not with him way).

[Davey]

OK, I don't want to sound racist or anything like that. But I'm afraid that if Clinton is elected, all these Andy Sullivan-like people will rise up and riot in the streets.

The British? But then who will we get to act in our TV dramas?

[The Guilty Carnivore]

Despite the GBV-themed title of this post, I think I actually kinda agree with Sully here.

[actor212]

Bill Clinton, in both elections, ran "Rapid Response" campaigns.

What does that tell you, Andy? It tells you that he (and by extension, Hillary) were dedicated to honoring the elective process, and playing fairly, while promoting every opportunity to get elected.

Fairly. If she was going to pull that kind of stunt, don't you think she'd have found someone other than Mark Penn to talk up the Obama/cocaine connection? Someone who WASN'T her fucking press secretary in NEW HAMPSHIRE?!??!!

My god, how deep does Hitlarymania run in this country????

[shaker o salt]

Reading the ridiculous things Sully's been writing the past few days has made MY head explode. Sheesh. I get the distinct impression he and John Cole secretly hate women, not just Hillary.

And they both claim they left the GOP because of their tactics (among other reasons). The very same tactics they are now using against Hillary, because they "can't stand her."

When are these self-important blow-hards going to realize they aren't all that relevent?

[Nomennovum]

Who could argue with your eloquent words? Who would want to? Why, after all, even try to reason with the madman preaching on the corner? Would that not make me as mad as he? You know what I mean?

Didn’t think so.

[fillphil]

Sullivan is the "Prince of Darkness" for the Right Wing. He's part of their effort to see that Obama gets the nomination. The Right Wing, being the racist organization they are, see Obama as the one candidate that would fire up their base. The Clinton Political Machine is a nightmare for the Right Wing. The Clinton Machine knows how to kick their ass and are ready and prepared to do it again. The Right Wing knows that a "drug using black man name Hussein' is their last hope to avoid total obliteration.

[julia]

the super-delegates, and the core Democratic base

Damn, that's cheap. I bet Obama and Edwards are going to bravely run against both of those things in the primaries.

[Molly Ivors]

I bet Obama and Edwards are going to bravely run against both of those things in the primaries.

Obama is, but not Edwards.

[D Hicks]

Hi,
I am NoT a USA man, but I would not vote for Obama for one reason. He has the audacity to kill Hill. on the Kyl/Lieberman vote when this new man did not think it was important to turn up and oppose it. In any country this is a Hypocrite. Too busy being elected for a different office, can not spend the time on an important bill. A Disgrace.

[AJ Suri]

Bill Clinton all but called OBAMA "boy" in the last days of the New Hampshire primary.I don't give a shit about what Andy Sullivan thinks but he's right that the Clintons will do anything to anyone to achieve power.If Hillary is the nominee I will sit out this election unless I have to vote agaist Rudy.

[Word Up!]

"For openers, these are by and large the same gang of assholes who enabled George W Bush."

Are you referring to the Clintonoids or the Clintons. Because I think both are true.