So-Called Sexist Protesters Seem A Little Too Convenient For Hillary
By Dave Gibson (01/08/08)
Last night two men stood up during Hillary Clinton's speech in Salem, NH holding signs and chanting the demand: "Iron my shirt." Of course, a reference to a time when women were relegated only to cooking and cleaning. It was Hillary's reaction to the seemingly outdated heckling which made me believe that this was a staged event, designed to evoke sympathy from female voters while playing the role of martyr and long-suffering wife.
Hillary responded to the hecklers by declaring to the audience: "Ah, the remnants of sexism--alive and well."
Strangely, she then asked: "Can we turn the lights on? It's awfully dark here for everybody." The police came in as if on cue and removed the young protesters before a jeering crowd.
Why did she suddenly want the lights on?
The incident provided Hillary a convenient segue to talk about supposedly still-looming sexism. Hillary went on: "As I think has been abundantly demonstrated, I am also running to break through the highest and hardest glass ceiling."
Give me a break!
I watched the incident on Youtube and saw that both heckling men were very young and one was a Michael Moore look-alike. As I listened to their message of "Iron my shirt," it became clear to me that these two did not seem to be angry, nor did they have a shred of conviction in their voices. They seemed to be acting and badly at that. They also looked a little too relaxed and were even chuckling as they were led away by police officers.
Let us consider the line itself...The comment "Iron my shirt!" would have undoubtedly been a cutting insult to a female candidate running for office during the 1970's. However in 2008, it simply sounds absurd and perhaps even confusing to those in their 20's. Only someone over the age of 50 would consider using such a tired line (Perhaps, a 50-year old Democrat campaign consultant).
So why would Hillary's campaign stage such an incident?...Simple. Her numbers are plummeting and support for Obama is growing larger everyday. A CNN/WMUR-TV poll has Obama with 39 percent to Hillary's 29 percent amongst likely Democratic New Hampshire voters. A Monday night Gallop/USA Today poll has Obama with a 13-point lead heading into the primary. Obama's big win in Iowa last week hurt Hillary, but her third place finish behind Edwards was devastating to her campaign.
The Obama machine also looks to bury Hillary in South Carolina at the end of the month, as Obama already has a double-digit lead over her. In short, people are obviously losing interest in Hillary and are becoming more and more excited about Obama. She is becoming desperate and a staged incident is certainly not out of the question for her, as we have seen her do in the past.
In November, a student at Grinnel College named Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff was told CNN that she was instructed by a Clinton staffer to ask her a question about climate change during an forum in Iowa. She also reported that she saw several others being briefed on what questions to ask Hillary before the event. The Clinton campaign did eventually admit to planting Gallo-Chasanoff but denied planting any others at the event.
My guess is that this "Iron my shirt" incident was a last ditch effort to remind women voters that she too is a woman and they must unite against all men and the best way to do that is to vote for Hillary!...Again, that may have worked in 1978, but not in 2008 with dozens of women in Congress, even more sitting on state and federal benches, several having served as Governors, and now with women serving and dying in combat. The glass ceiling was shattered long ago.
This seems to one more in a long line of dishonest acts on the part of the Clinton political machine. Unfortunately for Hillary, this one was a little too obvious and did not land with enough voters to beat Obama.
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