Pierce: The Two Layers of the Hillary Clinton Story

[mcar]

These two things can both be true and, in fact, probably are. The New York Times has been positively deranged in its coverage of the Clintons ever since 1992, and this latest scooplet about Hillary Rodham Clinton’s 2008 campaign is an actual story, but unworthy of the hype with which it has been pushed. As to the reason for that, please see Thing 1 above.

The headline says that HRC “shielded” Strider but it seems to me that the real argument is that he was punished inadequately by the campaign. They docked his pay and he went to counseling. Then he went to David Brock’s place, sleazed around there again, and got fired. I have seen more effective shields in my day.

The biggest lesson I take away from this is that all Democratic candidates should keep a considerable distance from anyone who founds anything called The American Values Network because a great many of those people are what Al McGuire, of sainted memory, called, “two-bit Elmer Gantrys. Sooner or later, they will do something to embarrass the candidate and the campaign. Also, candidates certainly shouldn’t feel the need to hire a “faith adviser,” whatever the hell that is.

However, the cat doesn’t come screeching out of the burlap in this story until very late in the piece.

Mrs. Clinton’s candidacy has been cited as an inspiration for the #MeToo movement, but she has not played a visible role in it. After several Hollywood actresses told The Times and The New Yorker that Harvey Weinstein, a longtime friend and donor to the Clintons, had harassed or assaulted them, Mrs. Clinton spoke out against his behavior, saying in a statement that she was “shocked and appalled by the revelations.” Weeks later the actress Lena Dunham, one of Mrs. Clinton’s most visible celebrity supporters in her 2016 presidential bid, told the Times that she warned two Clinton campaign aides against associating with Mr. Weinstein. “I just want you to know that Harvey’s a rapist and this is going to come out at some point,” Ms. Dunham said she told the campaign.

Actually, the HRC campaign itself hasn’t been cited as an inspiration. What has been cited is the ridiculous treatment of that campaign by, among other institutions, The New York Times. But, somehow, it became important to the two authors of this piece to imply that HRC has been AWOL from the #MeToo movement, probably because of Harvey Weinstein. Otherwise, this paragraph doesn’t make any sense. But it’s the Times and it’s the Clintons, so that should be no surprise.

http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a15896261/hillary-clinton-sexual-harassment-2008/

[NurseJackie]

1. Excellent. Thank you.

[BobTheSubgenius]

2. Pierce has been very busy of late.

I have read a handful of articles from him that I consider well researched and thought-out, and he seems to have had his facts in order first.

Or, perhaps it's just that he is in a time of and has an inclination to some pretty sensational material he can draw upon.

[George II]

3. The NY Times headline is wrong, she didn't "shield" him. And as was just reported on CNN...

....by someone who spoke to the 2008 victim, she was satisfied with the way the issue was handled.

[mcar]

4. I was hoping she'd speak out

Thanks, George. This was nothing but a hit piece.

[PatSeg]

7. And at a time,

when it is no shortage of real stories to report on. What a pointless waste of time and energy.

[yardwork]

8. Not pointless for Maggie H who wants to suck up to Trump.

[Hortensis]

22. Or just to herself and her group. Their eager victims

out here, who soaked up their diluted Fox poison, aren't the only ones who need to reassure themselves of their own virtue and wisdom, despite helping elect Trump. Regretful, but what choice DID they have? Hillary?! Nuf said.

SAD.

[yardwork]

24. That's a beautiful photo of Hillary.

[Cha]

16. The NYT was Maliciously Wrong.. Manufacturing

and Manipulating "news".

[mcar]

5. NYT suspended Thrush 4 weeks in 2017,

but slams HRC for suspending the guy for 5 weeks in 2008!

Link to tweet

The Clinton campaign suspended Mr. Strider for 5 weeks and forced him to undergo counseling. The New York Times suspended Mr. Thrush for about 4 weeks and forced him to undergo counseling.

[Cha]

17. Wow.. more and more is coming out about

this hatchet job from haberman and thrush at he nyt.

Mahalo, mcar!

[uponit7771]

33. +1

[Phoenix61]

6. I don't understnad why this is even a story

It's almost 10 years old and Clinton isn't running for office. It makes the Times look petty and childish.

[yardwork]

9. It's as if the Times desperately wishes it were a worse story.

Meanwhile, Thrush is still on the NYT staff. Gotta love the hypocrisy.

[Cha]

18. Maggie Haberman and Glenn Thrush Take the Next Step with Trump

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/09/haberman-thrush-random-house-book-trump

I've read haberman and thrush are writing a book about trump. Guess it doesn't hurt to pound Hillary with false accusations to gain access to the pervert.

[yardwork]

25. That's exactly what they're doing. Sucking up to Trump.

[mcar]

10. How many companies, campaigns, etc

could be accused of not handling harassment claims well 10 years ago? Even now, like the NYT handled Thrush.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

12. Not handling a sexual harassment claim properly is one thing.

Having the Principal step in to negate a firing reccomondation by the investigating authorities is another.

It's going to be news in this climate wether you like it or not.

Why this person wasn't kicked to the curb after the second offense is a mystery.

[George II]

13. The 2008 Clinton campaign wasn't far from unwinding and essentially disbanding.

What second offense are you referring to?

[yardwork]

26. You're exaggerating what is known.

First, your taking every word of the Haberman article as gospel, even though it's a lousy piece of journalism filled with vague accusations. They don't even bother to talk with Hillary or her campaign people - but then, this happened in 2008. (And why is this front page news now?)

Then, you're adding exaggerations to the unconfirmed and vague innuendo in the article.

You're doing your best to amplify the distraction, though. You are doing that.

[pnwmom]

27. How do you know that the various actions weren't reported at the same time?

That's how I understood it -- not that he continued to misbehave after he had his pay docked.

[Hortensis]

28. These bizarre attacks on a WORLD LEADER in women's rights?

Their outrageous inappropriateness illuminates those pushing them, Hassin.

You know, accusing Hillary of kicking kittens would be less foolish tactic. She's been too busy at the forefront of a world movement to improve the wellbeing of women and children to become famous for protecting animals.

We are here to advance the cause of women and to advance the cause of democracy and to make it absolutely clear that the two are inseparable. There cannot be true democracy unless women's voices are heard. There cannot be true democracy unless women are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their own lives. There cannot be true democracy unless all citizens are able to participate fully in the lives of their country.

Hillary's keynote Address at the Vital Voices Conference in Vienna, Austria (11 July 1997)

Thanks for the opportunity to remind ourselves of her 50 decades of battle for women's rights.

[kcr]

29. What second offense?

Almost nothing in your post is factually correct.

[loyalsister]

14. Because the depth of institutional protection

is finally coming to light. The people who have exhibited any level of tolerance are part of the problem. It is the advanced implied agreement and easy forgiveness that has perpetuated an institutional protection of sexual predators.
Al Franken and US citizens paid the price for the permission that has been granted for far too long.

[smirkymonkey]

15. Because the Hillary haters are hungry for more and they need to keep throwing

them the red meat. It's pathetic, but it seems to work in order to get people's mind off of Trump's transgressions.

[Skittles]

19. the DUers who do this sicken me

[Skittles]

20. will Trump call it FAKE NEWS?

[jalan48]

11. The Clinton's seem to have made some enemies over the course of their political career.

This sounds like someone who is looking for an opportunity to go after her. I don't understand why she had a "faith adviser" to start with though.

[moriah]

21. She's always been a devout Methodist.

She joined prayer groups of various types throughout her time in Washington, both before and after being elected to office herself.

It would be nice to reclaim the stranglehold the GOP has on the claim to be the ones "doing what Jesus would do" -- when the Jesus I see in the Bible seems to be for health care and feeding the hungry, at least...

[jalan48]

23. +1

[Demit]

30. A "faith adviser" does outreach to religious groups for political campaigns.

I was curious too so I looked it up. This is from a recent article in Slate:

"Strider was arguably the most prominent member of a very small group of people who make a living as “faith consultants” to Democrats—advisors who make introductions between candidates and religious influencers, and help candidates craft language and policies to appeal to them. It’s a tiny community in large part because contemporary Democratic campaigns do so little outreach to religious groups. Congressional campaigns rarely have faith outreach staffers, and Democratic presidential campaigns hire them much later in the campaign cycle than Republicans do. It’s a job that basically exists for six months out of every four years. In the off-season, many of them run consulting firms that connect corporate and nonprofit clients with “values-based” communities. Strider’s credibility came in part from his Mississippi upbringing; he is a one-time Southern Baptist missionary...

After Clinton lost the primary in 2008, Strider went on to lead Correct the Record, a super PAC founded by ex-conservative-turned-Clinton-ally David Brock to drum up early support for Clinton’s 2016 campaign. But he disappeared by the time the campaign got into full swing. The Times reports that he was fired for “workplace issues” after a few months on the job."

https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/01/what-is-a-faith-consultant-burns-striders-complicated-role-in-the-clinton-campaign.html

[jalan48]

31. Thanks for the info. I always thought the religious groups were more conservative in nature.

[uponit7771]

32. K&R, "The New York Times has been positively deranged in its coverage of the Clintons"