Hillaryious

by digby

I understand that it must be difficult to speak on TV, especially when you are facing Chris Matthews’ bizarre, wild-eyed questions. But this is a really dumb comment coming from the managing editor of TIME magazine about Hillary:

STENGEL: That’s why she has to be so strict about the war, because it’s like Nixon can go to China, the woman has to seem like she’s more militaristic even than the men. And that’s a part of what she’s got.

No, it’s nothing like Nixon can go to China. Nothing at all. Nixon could go to China because he wouldn’t be red-baited by Nixon for doing it. Another example of that cliche is that Bill Clinton, who was perceived as a liberal friend to the African American community, was supposedly able to enact welfare reform because he wouldn’t be called a racist by liberals.

In this election, the military paradigm would fit John McCain, for instance, if he were running to end the war. Only he could carry that message without being called a coward by John McCain. I think everyone knows how this works, don’t you?

Maybe he was just tired. I hope so. Because if he really is confused about the “only Nixon could go to China” trope then the state of the media is even worse than I thought.

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