by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
When Hillary was sidelined by pneumonia a few days ago, it wasn't campaign appearances and stump speeches that she had to step away from - it was some heavy duty fundraising in southern California - an activity so important to her campaign that Bill was rushed out to the coast to take over. But while the Clintons were begging for cash, once the lifeblood of political campaigns, Donald Trump and his children were saying outrageous things and generating far more printer's ink and air time than a boxcar-load of Hillary's money could buy - and they were getting that coverage free.
Trump, the consummate manure-spreader, slings his stuff everywhere, entertaining and inspiring the low-information, well-armed, Jesus-loving, rebel flag-waving boneheads who, along with America's greediest millionaires and billionaires, make up his base. Meanwhile Hillary spends big hoping her well-reasoned and highly-polished message will resonate with ordinary, sensible Americans.
Hillary was out-of-sync with America in 2008 when Barack Obama swooped in from the left and took the nomination away from her. She was out-of-sync with party progressives again in 2016 when a Democratic Socialist mounted a surprisingly strong campaign and forced her from her comfortable, centrist perch. And now, as the general election approaches, she is out-of-sync once more - fighting a modern war with obsolete tactics.
Hillary Clinton is running a campaign crafted for the 1990's, a time before the emergence of reality television, a time when campaigns promoted sensible ideas, and a time when journalism was far less ignoble than it is today. She is well informed, articulate, and able to generate responsible solutions to the problems that impact Americans at every level of society. But the times have changed, and a well-rehearsed policy wonk doesn't fit the fickle needs of a volatile nation. Hillary is old school, but she recognizes her anachronicity and is trying desperately to grab onto a movement that she doesn't really comprehend - or like.
Trump, on the other hand, is loud, and crude, and not weighed down by a conscience or facts, but he plays well to the masses - and every word he utters feeds a ravenous press corps. He is campaigning much like he runs his businesses - on the cheap. He may ultimately be voted off the island, but if that happens he already has an established conspiracy theory assembled and waiting in the wings: the election was rigged by "Crooked Hillary." It will be as good as birtherism and should keep him in the news and selling taco bowls to suckers for several more years.
Hillary sees making money as a way to capture votes, while Trump sees capturing votes as a way to make money. Both views are flawed, and both are just a tad deplorable.
Citizen Journalist
When Hillary was sidelined by pneumonia a few days ago, it wasn't campaign appearances and stump speeches that she had to step away from - it was some heavy duty fundraising in southern California - an activity so important to her campaign that Bill was rushed out to the coast to take over. But while the Clintons were begging for cash, once the lifeblood of political campaigns, Donald Trump and his children were saying outrageous things and generating far more printer's ink and air time than a boxcar-load of Hillary's money could buy - and they were getting that coverage free.
Trump, the consummate manure-spreader, slings his stuff everywhere, entertaining and inspiring the low-information, well-armed, Jesus-loving, rebel flag-waving boneheads who, along with America's greediest millionaires and billionaires, make up his base. Meanwhile Hillary spends big hoping her well-reasoned and highly-polished message will resonate with ordinary, sensible Americans.
Hillary was out-of-sync with America in 2008 when Barack Obama swooped in from the left and took the nomination away from her. She was out-of-sync with party progressives again in 2016 when a Democratic Socialist mounted a surprisingly strong campaign and forced her from her comfortable, centrist perch. And now, as the general election approaches, she is out-of-sync once more - fighting a modern war with obsolete tactics.
Hillary Clinton is running a campaign crafted for the 1990's, a time before the emergence of reality television, a time when campaigns promoted sensible ideas, and a time when journalism was far less ignoble than it is today. She is well informed, articulate, and able to generate responsible solutions to the problems that impact Americans at every level of society. But the times have changed, and a well-rehearsed policy wonk doesn't fit the fickle needs of a volatile nation. Hillary is old school, but she recognizes her anachronicity and is trying desperately to grab onto a movement that she doesn't really comprehend - or like.
Trump, on the other hand, is loud, and crude, and not weighed down by a conscience or facts, but he plays well to the masses - and every word he utters feeds a ravenous press corps. He is campaigning much like he runs his businesses - on the cheap. He may ultimately be voted off the island, but if that happens he already has an established conspiracy theory assembled and waiting in the wings: the election was rigged by "Crooked Hillary." It will be as good as birtherism and should keep him in the news and selling taco bowls to suckers for several more years.
Hillary sees making money as a way to capture votes, while Trump sees capturing votes as a way to make money. Both views are flawed, and both are just a tad deplorable.
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