SEX AS A WEAPON
Medea, Medusa, Cleopatra, Hedda Gabler, Margaret Thatcher, Camille Paglia—women from literature, history, and popular culture who know how to play hardball with men, who know how to attack, and, in some instances, who know how to win. In Thursday night’s first debate of Democratic presidential contenders, Hillary Clinton boldly showed that she can be one of these women.
Like her or hate her—I myself was none too pleased with the misleading “If I knew then what I know now” line of crap, Senator Clinton presented herself confidently, decisively, and with a sense of command. Sorry progressives and fellow bloggers on the left: our favorites, Obama and Edwards, didn’t do too well.
Obama stuttered and flopped his way through and Edwards truly seemed dazed and confused; that last response on morality was one momentary lapse too long; Edwards’ narrative of poor, Huckleberry me was re-used, 2004 rhetoric that should be gone.
Yes, Brian Williams channeled Maureen Dowd’s cattiness with the $400 haircut topic; the real “yes” moment went to Joe Biden for being laconic.
As Bill Richardson talked like Joe Biden better than Joe Biden, Kucinich and Gravel terrorized the rest with candor while being “frightened.”
Clinton and Dodd possessed the statesmanship, calm and reason to manage the storm. In this Ship of Fools of Chimpy, Cheney, Captain Lieberman, and “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” McCainy, we desperately need a sane Commander-in-Chief to right some wrongs.
As we move closer to 2008, the American mainstream media does what it likes best: fake news on the debate, Alec Baldwin, and the rest. Meanwhile, Chris Matthews, Tucker Carlson, and several men drool: “what do we do now if America does NOT think she’s a shrew?” “We’ll use her sex as weapon to pick apart her clothes, to point out she’s too shrill, and to remind us of Rick Lazio.”
Funny, outside the U.S. they called the debate for Hillary. Thankfully, they are not as hung up on sex and gender and think Americans are far too silly.
5 comments:
If anyone googled Hillary Clinton and Medusa, this would have to be the top response.
I actually think Thatcher is the exact model for Clinton here...though Cleopatra would be much more enjoyable for the American people.
Yes. My point exactly. Symbolically, the Medusa figure (in Greek mythology) terrifies and if men fixate on her, kills. Interestingly, Medusa is usually depicted as a warrior, fully armed and ready to defend her palace.
In short, this fear is, I believe, part of America's collective unconsciousness with respect to Hillary: many of us--men and women-- "fear" her because of her gender and thereby discount her ability to lead; I personally discount her triangulations, not her ability, not her intelligence. And we all know: fear-mongering has been public policy these last few years.
In France right now, there's a very viable presidential female candidate, Segolene Royal, who has a long history in French politics and in socialist circles. I wonder if we were to google her and Medusa, how many hits would we get. I'm willing to bet far less than the Hillary/Medusa combination. In sum, Amerrica has a huge problem with gender, women, and sex.
As I told one my favorite bloggers, the great Connecticut Man 1, during the Clintion administration there were something like 1052 subpoenas issued, mostly around Bill's dealings with Monica and financial partners. During this now overtly corrupt, scandal-riddent, morally bankrupt Bush administration, 5 subpoenas have been issued, 4 just this week. Interesting, no?
PS--Hey, IC: Check out the link to Medusa. Read about how she's been...misunderstood.
Wow. She's just like Kindel.
Ha.
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