Meanwhile, over on the other side of the 2016 equation…
Right now it sure as hell looks like it will be Hillary, but politics being what they are, I refuse to put my bet down either way. Far stranger things have happened, including the ascendancy of Trump. Indeed the Donald’s Teflon-ic rise is bad news for either Dem candidate.
We know the nonsense, the not quite completely nonsense and the very fair critiques of Hillary Clinton. The problem is, if she becomes the candidate, the usual will happen: it will be a, um, constant “mud storm:..” just substitute the crasser version of the phrase for most of what will be tossed up against the wall.
The Clintons have been great at jujitsu-ing these kinds of campaign tactics in their favor… when it’s not coming from their own base. But that was, at best, more than 10 years ago, almost 20 if we’re talking about Bill. I’m not sure how well that will work now. Nope: Trump, and his antics, seem to be the new “Teflon.”
Some Hillary supporters live in the past, thinking that jujitsu will work again. I think they may be in for a rude awakening.
Also in for a rude awakening if he is the candidate; some Bernie supporters think Bernie’s great message will sweep him into office…
Despite how Occupy was ignored, even covered as if they were all the homeless and looking for a hand out. That was after: unmentioned by same said media, the homeless and the mentally ill were directed by authorities to join the protest because “that’s where you can get food…” “get help…”
Despite how they got pepper sprayed for just sitting there while the Bundy Gang was allowed to occupy and make threats while pointing guns at authorities…
Despite how the largest protest ever pre-Iraq was ignored…
Despite how much Bernie’s candidacy was ignored while Trump’s every utterance and movement was covered…
Despite all that, Bernie supporters think none of that reluctance will have any effect and Bernie will be swept into office.
Sigh. And for Hillary… a second sigh.
What we have is a Teflon candidate who the media loves. I know people think his many nasty, cruel and atrocious utterances will take him down. They keep thinking the next one will be the magic bullet. I’m not sure there’s any such thing as some “magic bullet” when it comes to Trump, especially when the media follows him like loyal puppies.
A few weeks ago I was in the gym on a treadmill, then a cross-trainer. Ten minutes each and all four stations, four TVs right in front of me, had Trump on for more than the full 20 minutes. After that Hillary was on one for about 4… at best. Bernie might as well have not been born, coverage-wise. NBC, CNN, MSNBC and FOX. On other dates I’ve seen the same time allotment on CBS and ABC…
So it makes me wonder, with the media so in love with Trump, does Hillary, or Bernie, have a chance in hell? I fear by 2017 I’ll need a blind and earplugs just to block out all the bragging and the blather.
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Inspection is a column that has been written by Ken Carman for over 40 years. Inspection is dedicated to looking at odd angles, under all the rocks, and into the unseen cracks and crevasses, that constitute the issues and philosophical constructs of our day: places few think, or even dare, to venture.
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Ken Carman and Cartenual Productions
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