Hillary admonishes Gen Y'ers

[Rose Siding]

In a speech to the US Chamber of Commerce last Thursday-

snip>
Clinton touched off the generation war Thursday, saying Gen Y'ers "don't know what work is. They think work is a four-letter word."

She added: "America didn't happen by accident. A lot of people worked really hard. They've got to do their part, too."

Clinton grumbled that today's youths "think they're entitled to go right to the top with $50,000 or $75,000 jobs when they have not done anything to earn their way up."

She made no mention of her daughter, Chelsea, 26, who snagged a six-figure consulting spot in the New York office of London-based McKinsey & Company after receiving her master's degree from Oxford in 2003.

The comments by the Democrats' 2008 White House front-runner is surprising considering how she's rolled out a massive marketing blitz to court them into her camp - and so far it has worked. Polls show 18- to 35-year-olds are her biggest base of support.

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/68471.htm

I don't understand this strategy. Maybe it's supposed to be encouraging, but why say it to a business group? It would make more sense to say it right to a younger crowd.

Maybe it's the editing -isn't the NYPost usually kinder to her? Do they think it will help if she appears Thatcher-esque?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. Her husband put on sunglasses and played sax on Arsenio Hall.

He knew how to connect with all people of all generations. MKJ

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

29. If she did say this-- WTF?

Gen Y'ers aren't lazy, and they obviously know the importance of paying dues. They have $50,000+ college loans though, easy, so they're under pressure to take on high-paying jobs as soon as they can. It's basic survival. I don't know too many Gen Yers with an attitude of entitlement, they expect to be working hard to get their footing. But they do expect basic things fundamental to the American dream-- decent pay in return for hard work and productivity, the capacity to meet the costs of their basic necessities, the ability to reach a financial state when they can start a family. The basics. The Iraq War support was bad enough, but what is up with HRC and the gaffes these days?

[Recursion]

2. Because Gen-Yers don't need to hear that

They know that it takes hard work to get anywhere (for the lucky few who can) because they're being dumped out of college into an economy that doesn't present them any jobs other than Starbucks.

Gen Y didn't need to hear that speech; Gen W did so they can keep justifying to themselves economic policies that screw over the young. "Oh, it's fine, they just aren't working hard enough" rather than "oh, right, we're getting rich by stealing their legacy"

[fishwax]

25. agreed

What fucking century is she living in? The system under which someone slowly and steadily works their way up, rewarded for loyalty and hard work, really doesn't seem to be the dominant mode these days ...

if the story is accurate, I think it's a pretty poor decision on her part ...

[Skinner]

3. This seems extremely unwise on her part.

I don't really see any political upside to this.

[Hissyspit]

9. She is SO losing me.

I mean, WTF? "Hey, everybody, I'm a sell-out Baby Boomer lecturing the latest generation. Vote for me."

[onehandle]

11. Yellow Dog me likes to give her the benefit of the doubt...

...but honestly I don't get her when she says things like this.

Either she's making too many bad decisions or someone close to her is a constant dumbshit.

What the Hell, Hillary?

[papau]

14. Hill's speech should on her website later this week - so far only RW nuts

have reported on it - I'll wait for real reporting and the actual transcript before I believe this piece of RW assertions.

[NYC]

22. It gets the corporations on her side.

The workers don't deserve the salary.

[LostInAnomie]

4. I hate that shit.

Every generation complaines about how the younger generations are worthless, but it is bullshit to make a speech about it. I've taught in public schools and I know that there are lazy kids with a sense of entitlement but there are also a ton of kids that work their asses off.

Sweeping generalizations about a whole generation is no way to score political points.

[Skittles]

26. you got that right

I am of the opinion that no generation ever has it easy; we simply deal with different stuff

[spooky3]

5. I find this story hard to believe esp. given that it's the NY Post.

[Ediacara]

6. Oh that's right Hill.... I'm not working 40h/w

for shit pay, no benefits, yet with a bachelor's degree....

[YOY]

7. If it's true then it puts her further away from the youth vote

This along with her stupid attack on video games...Thanks for focusing on the real issues Hil...

[union_maid]

Hillary, you've got some 'splaining to do

If she didn't say it, she better clarify her statement right away. Combine this with her coziness with Murdoch and I'm going to have a hard time not voting for her opponent in the SENATE primary, even though I know that would be crazy. President - forget it!

[papau]

8. Murdock's Fox Cable News/New York Post twins hate Hillary and spin

many items 180 degrees so as to make her look bad.

This looks like same old/same old from the usual liars that call themselves media in this country and are not just acting like they are controlled by the RW GOP (for example: NYT and Wash Post, Cnn, CBS, ABC) but are actually controlled by the RW GOP (for example: NBC/GE media, Murdock media, "Christian" right media. 95% of radio).

[marmar]

10. Hillary is listening to a lot of bad political advice...

She's got to. She's married to one of the best campaigners who's ever existed, and this is the best she can do?

[Maccagirl]

15. Well, she and hubby don't spend much time together

Sorry for being so snarky. Whatever they have-it isn't a marriage. Do I care a wit-not really.

[sandnsea]

17. He's hanging out with Poppy Bush

Maybe it's starting to wear off on both of them. Next thing she'll be saying she doesn't want to fill her beautiful mind with the problems of America's workers.

[marmar]

18. True...

I'm definitely a lot less enamored of the post-presidency Bill Clinton.

[ZombieNixon]

12. Yeah, thanks, Hillary.

Like I don't already know I'm a bum with no future. :eyes: It's hard enough to find a job on fucking CAMPUS when I have WORK STUDY let alone out in the real world. Believe me, we know that hard work is what it takes to succeed...trouble is...in the Bush toilet economy it takes hard work (read: jumping through metaphorical rings of fire) to find...well...work.

If this is her version of positive reinforcement, she's losing me fast. :eyes:

[Democrats_win]

13. It was a typo. She meant CEOs. Right? They don't earn what they make.

[sandnsea]

16. Hardest working generation in years

The 18-25 year olds are the most decent, hardest working bunch of kids I've ever seen. Maybe Hillary ought to take a look at what it costs to live; housing, food, power, student loans, clothes, car payment, gas, car and health insurance. Knock 25% taxes off the top and you need at least $30,000 to fully support yourself. Put yourself in any major city and it goes up from there. $50,000 is barely breaking into worry-free living, not lifestyles of the rich and famous like she seems to think it is. Out of touch.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. 18-25 year olds don't vote

Which is, in my opinion, a large part of the reason that we're not treated as full adults by society.

[TheWraith]

21. Uh, that's not quite true.

30% of 18-25 year olds vote. That's a far cry from none of them. Only about half the general population votes in the average presidential election--does that mean half of the general population aren't adults?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

32. The way they're treated by society...

is a large part of a reason they don't vote.

If I were young and had to pick between Hillary and some Republican I wouldn't vote either.

[TheWraith]

20. Since when has the NY Post been kind to Hillary?

The Post is a Murdoch rag that's done little but attack her since before she got into office.

[Downtown Hound]

23. Um Hillary

A LOT of 18-25 year olds I know are working two or even three jobs while going to school and raising kids. So please do me a favor and keep your self-righteous judgments to yourself.

[AJH032]

24. oh good its our daily Hillary is evil because of [insert reason here] post

I thought we were gonna go a day without our fix.
Whew!

[Rose Siding]

27. She's apologized. link-

That's good. It's better now, seeing her point expanded -she made it poorly, imo.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/15/clinton.apologize.ap/index.html

Sen. Clinton apologizes to Chelsea for work comment
...
"I said, 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to convey the impression that you don't work hard,"' Clinton said Sunday in a commencement address at Long Island University. "I just want to set the bar high, because we are in a competition for the future."

Clinton spoke to more than 2,000 graduates days after she criticized young people at a gathering of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington. There she said young people have a sense of entitlement after growing up in a "culture that has a premium on instant gratification."

The senator said that her daughter, Chelsea, phoned to complain after learning about the comments. The 26-year-old was hired in 2003 by McKinsey & Co. as a consultant, reportedly for a six-figure salary. She received a master's degree from Oxford University after graduating from Stanford University in 2001.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/15/clinton.apologize.ap/index.html

[noonwitch]

28. It is not wrong for elders to tell youngers to get a job

It's also nothing new. Every time I see my 20 year old slacker cousin, I slap him (lightly and jokingly) upside the head and tell him to get a job or go back to school.

It's my responsibility to him to do so until he gets a good job or an education that leads to a good job. I've tried to help my aunt and uncle with him over the years, but they don't have the heart to take my advice and give him the choice of either paying them rent or moving out. If he moves out, he'll have to get a job to pay his rent, anyways.

[mrgorth]

30. This is more marketing

herself to moderates and red staters.

[Radical Activist]

31. And she was speaking to the Chamber of Commerce. Perfect.

I wonder how her planned fundraiser with Rupert Murdoch is coming along?
She's looking more like Barry Goldwater all the time.