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Date: Tue, 16 Feb 1999 15:37:07 -0500
From: National Review DC <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Subject: Think Again, Senator Hillary
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The Goldberg File, Updated 2/16/99 2:30PM
http://www.nationalreview.com/
by Jonah Goldberg, NR Contributing Editor
THINK AGAIN, SENATOR HILLARY
Been wondering when the Left was going to get paid off for it's
blind and principle-free loyalty to Clinton? Well, it's already begun.
Political indemnification begins at home and Hillary has pulled up at
the drive-through window. The current giggle fit in Washington over
Hillary Clinton's potential N.Y. Senate run is almost entirely spin, but
that hasn't stopped the press from lapping it up. What Hillary needs
most right now is to shed her Tammy Wynette image. This Senate talk is
the perfect antidote to her humiliation. But when all is said and done
it would be astounding if Hillary ran. She may have come to Washington
incredibly na�ve about national politics, but it's doubtful she would
leave that way.
First, Hillary would have to establish residence in New York while
still the First Lady. Aside from the personal apprehension she would
feel about leaving Bill alone with all the interns for a prolonged
period of time, does she really want to discard the First Lady status
for the final two years of the Clinton presidency? Maybe, but probably
not. Hillary likes making speeches that receive uncritical praise.
Still, Hillary is encouraging all of this talk so that she can reinforce
her image as a political force in her own right and placate fidgety
feminists who are a little embarrassed by the First Lady's First Victim
status. The press accepts the spin because they have always had a bigger
crush on her than on Bill, and Volvo feminism thrives in network
television. For example, MSNBC's John Hockenberry inaugurated the
"Hillary Watch" last night--a regular feature that will track the First
Lady's activities. It promises to be a breathless press release every
night.
All of this balmy "Hillary's the greatest" talk will continue until
she decides to run. Then she's toast. Nobody runs for Senator in New
York by half measures. Hillary would have to answer questions, real
questions. And they wouldn't just be about Filegate, Travelgate,
Whitewater, etc. For example, Hillary was way out in front of her
husband a while back saying that she's in favor of a Palestinian State.
New York has the most foreign policy-minded electorate in the nation
(with the possible exception of California) and Israel is issue #1 in
what Jesse Jackson called "Hymietown."
I'd like to see her at the 92nd Street Y (the auditorium where
liberals go to congratulate each other) and explain her infatuation with
Arafat. Does she disagree with her husband about Israel? If not, then
did Bill agree with Hillary's statements? If so, did Al? It's an
interesting dynamic. If she puts any sunlight between herself and her
husband she'd also be distancing herself from the putative Democratic
nominee--who is profoundly pro-Israel. Of course, it's not just the
Middle East. It's the minimum wage, Social Security, health care,
everything. If there are real differences between Al and Hillary who
does Bill side with? Presumably both would be running with Bill's full
endorsement. If you don't think the New York media will look to exploit
even the smallest fissures between Gore and the two Clintons you don't
know the New York media--and you really don't know the New York Post.
The Post is the Luca Brazzi of American journalism. (Brazzi was the
one man who couldn't be called off from a mission of vengeance in the
Godfather -- for you people who don't have the good sense to have seen
that film 8,000 times.) The Post may not be looking for vengeance, but
they will ask Hillary "When did you stop beating your husband" questions
until the cows come home. Nobody can stop the New York Post from acting
like Bugs Bunny whispering in the ear of the French Chef saying "If he
pinched my pink tomato nose, I'd hit him over the head with a frying
pan." This is why the New York Post in one of the very best papers in
the country and why it's certainly the most fun.
And then there's her opponent. Hillary would have to fight it out
against Rudy Giuliani, who may be the only man in America tougher and
more mercenary than Hillary Clinton. He knows how to use the New York
media and he's won twice as a Republican in a liberal city which is
five-to-one registered Democrat. The fight would adhere more to the
rules of the Marquis de Sade than the Marquis of Salisbury. Remember
Schumer and D'Amato just made the standards even lower in the last
election. Giuliani has real ideas that have worked. Those ideas
infuriate activist limousine liberals and academic Leftists. That is
Hillary's love-struck base. If she attacks the Giuliani record she'd
appease that base, but antagonize rank and file Democrats who enjoy safe
and clean streets. All Giuliani would have to do is draw with Hillary in
the City and he'd clean her clock upstate. Also, the Liberal Party has
already declared it will endorse Rudy for Senator and no Democratic
candidate has won statewide office since 1944 without the LP
endorsement.
Does Hillary really want to work that hard and deal with all of the
inevitable headaches of an NYC run? I sincerely doubt it. Hillary will
stick it out in Washington until Bill is done. She will campaign for Al
Gore and if things go her way, she eventually will be put in charge of
the World Bank or some other posh globalist bastion from which she'll be
able to fund the Left. But let's pray they don't go her way.
LOOSE THREADS
Now that the impeachment saga is over, I'd like to introduce an
occasional feature: Loose Thread Watch. Since we didn't get the truth
during the Senate Show Trial, every now and then the G-File will
hi-light some small thread which if pulled exposes a greater lie from
the Lewinsky saga.
Christopher Hitchens identified this thread recently in his February
15 Nation column. In Lani Guinier's memoir Lift Every Voice, she
describes how Clinton deserted her during her confirmation battle for
Deputy Attorney General for Civil Rights: "We had tried to get Vernon
Jordan to come. Vernon had told me he could be helpful with [Senator
Alan] Simpson. During a relaxed, one-on-one meeting in his law office on
May 5, Vernon had offered to meet or call Simpson on my behalf should
that become necessary. When Vernon was subsequently asked to follow-up
with Simpson, he reportedly said, 'I don't do that kind of thing.'"
Hitchens left it there. But I went and dug out Jordan's statement to
the Grand Jury about his job search for Monica Lewinsky. Monica
Lewinsky, if you don't remember now that we are in "Move On With the
People's Business America," was a White House intern who had performed
all sorts of gaudy one-way sex acts on the President of the United
States of America. In return the President wouldn't even help her find a
job. That is until she was named in a sexual harassment lawsuit as a
possible witness. Then all of a sudden Vernon Jordan stepped in to help
in a very big way. When the Drudge Report revealed that the President
had an affair with the intern, Jordan stayed in touch with Ms. Lewinsky.
The Office of Independent Counsel thought this generosity was a bit
unusual. Not at all, said Jordan. Here's what he told the Grand Jury:
"I do follow-through, update, see how people are, see if she was
happy...I may have been calling to thank her for the tie. I don't know
why I was calling Monica Lewinsky. I'm certain that I was not calling
Monica Lewinsky to ask her about the Drudge Report."
Jonah Goldberg can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
