High Negativity Ratings

O'Donnell (of the JFK and Ted Kennedy stripe) was on MSNBC yesterday talking about Hillary's high negativity ratings. You realize MSNBC talks about nothing but Hillary's negatives and adds to them every minute while sipping on Obama Kool-aid. Anyway, O'Donnell said that going into the PA primary, her negatives were at 48%. (For those who aren't familiar with politicalspeak, I am talking about people saying they just don't like Hillary and that collective thinking creates a negative rating. By comparison, Obama's negatives are much lower meaning people like him more.) So there were 48% of the number polled who said they did not like/hated Hillary and that is a high number, especially for someone running for political office. And then, O'Donnell said that just before the voting in PA, her negatives rose to 54% and he added he could not understand why she did so well in the actual voting.

I have been thinking about this and pose a possible explanation. The TV news stations (MSNBC, CNN, NBC etc) all make very derogatory, sexist comments about her every day. Here are some of the names she is called or described......looking like everyone's first wife, tough bitchy image, (MSNBC); reminds men of their nagging first wives, only reason she is a candidate for anything is because her husband messed around; men hear, "take out the garbage"; reminds men of their nagging wives, (Fox) Does Hillary shave?; Someone has to take her behind the barn; Scolding mother; White women are a problem, but we all know that....(all male panel at Fox laugh knowingly). The negative comments are not just on newscasts, they are in writing and objects for sale like the Hillary Clinton nutcracker where the nuts are cracked between her legs. (I saw a whole display at the Washington Reagan airport this past weekend.) And how about the bumper stickers and political signs that read....Life's a bitch, don't elect one! or What is Hillary? C.U.N.T. (citizens united not timid) or this one...showing an elephant with "the good" under it, a donkey with "the bad" under it and Hillary with "the ugly" under it....or the hand made sign held up that says, "Iron my shirt!" Rush Limbaugh has described her strength in an unusual way by saying, "Mrs Clinton's testicle lockbox is big enough for the entire democratic hierchy." And that is supposed to be a compliment!!!

Now if you did not know a person or had never met her, and you got your information from tv and the print media, wouldn't you think that if all these people say such terrible things about someone, some of it must be true and you probably would think less of them or have somewhat of a negative reaction to them. These comments are made mostly by men (not all) and they are against a woman, a powerful woman who will not go away, who will not step aside, who will not accommodate them or be controlled by them. This is sexism, pure gut level, unconscious cultural sexism. And it is important to note that sexism is not limited to men against women, women are very sexists against each other, almost instinctively and sometimes unconsciously but that is a whole other blog. Rev. Jerimiah Wright in one of his sermons said, Hillary ain't never been called a nigger....and he is right. But that is about all she hasn't been called.

So, I think I understand the high negative ratings but I will also venture an opinion about why she won in Pa. It is because she is still standing after everything including the kitchen sink has been tossed at her. Even Bill Bennett (Mr. Republican himself) said, "You have to respect her strength and resiliency." Yes you do!!! And the voters see that. Even the male voters. I actually think men are being reminded through her of those women in their lives that stood strong for them and maybe, just maybe, it is time to honor the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, sisters, school teachers and others who stood by you, stood up for you and gave you unconditional support....yes, they were women and I believe that Hillary is the strongest, smartest, and most sensitive woman I know. Yes she can...!!!! I said, you heard it here....BO is going down...!

(Come on you Obamabots, you can comment.)