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The Daily Dish - 2006-2011 archives for The Daily Dish, featuring Andrew Sullivan

The Shamelessness Of The Clintons

By The Daily Dish
May 7 2008, 7:57 AM ET

A reader reminds me of some basic truths:

My good friend, you're missing the point.  You keep waiting, expecting, and predicting that Hillary Clinton is going to give up, throw in the towel, make a concession speech and go back to the Senate.  Every time things get worse you make that prediction, and she keeps going.  And that is what Bill Clinton really brought to American politics: the total lack of shame, decency, and a sense of the appropriate. 
 
How many times was Bill Clinton pinned to the wall over countless misdeeds, and each time--when any normal human being would turn red, mumble an apology, and slink away--he held his chin up high and went forward.  Being grilled on 60 Minutes over his countless affairs?  Being sued for sexual harrassment?  Being caught in a lie in front of the whole world?  Nope, no big deal, business as usual, let's move forward.


Honestly, can you think of ANYTHING that would have caused Bill Clinton to just hang his head in shame and to retire from public life?  And if you thought he was bad, there is poll result, delegate count, fundraising statistics, whatever that would cause Hillary Clinton to quit.  When this is all over, when Obama or McCain or whomever is elected president, Hillary Clinton will still be standing in front of an almost empty room with a sagging Clinton 2008 banner behind her, still talking in a hoarse but measured voice about legal options and taking her case all the way to the Supreme Court.

I don't think I can honestly be accused of missing the sociopathic tendencies of the Clintons. But it's always worth remembering from time to time.

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