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Originally posted by Adam Smith
I think it’s a little too easy to dismiss conservative criticism of Hillary Rodham Clinton as misogyny. Less hysterical right-wingers have noted that she was involved in major policy decisions on a regular basis without ever being elected or confirmed. And when opposed by elected officials with differing views, Bill Clinton, with typical cheek, complained that these Evil Republicans were attacking his wife. But as Washington Post editorial noted at the time, if she is making policy decisions she is fair game, wife or not. It is true that other first ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosalyn Carter, maybe even Laura Bush) have had prominent roles, but I think this more explicit role, without ever being elected or confirmed, gives rise to some of the criticism. (Must have been real interesting to be in the Clinton White House with three different people who just know that they should be President.)
I think it’s a little too easy to dismiss conservative criticism of Hillary Rodham Clinton as misogyny. Less hysterical right-wingers have noted that she was involved in major policy decisions on a regular basis without ever being elected or confirmed. And when opposed by elected officials with differing views, Bill Clinton, with typical cheek, complained that these Evil Republicans were attacking his wife. But as Washington Post editorial noted at the time, if she is making policy decisions she is fair game, wife or not. It is true that other first ladies (Eleanor Roosevelt, Rosalyn Carter, maybe even Laura Bush) have had prominent roles, but I think this more explicit role, without ever being elected or confirmed, gives rise to some of the criticism. (Must have been real interesting to be in the Clinton White House with three different people who just know that they should be President.)
The fact is, the president's closest advisors [i]aren't[i] elected or confirmed; the Bush White House is actually rather unusual in having two or three (Cheney, Rumsfeld, now Rice) who are. But Hilary was between a rock and a hard place; she was criticized for making policy decisions without having any official capacity to do so but, had Bill actually appointed her to a position similar to Rove's or Blumenthal's (and, unlike Laura, she would be qualified for such a position), there would have been an even bigger GOP sh*tstorm to weather.
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