I need to be Top Dog

A friend (not the debate partner) responded to my post that gave a reason why Hillary Clinton is disliked. He wrote:

I’d like you to review the reasons Hillary is disliked. It’s too simplistic to say “Hillary is polarizing because she advocates eradicating it.”

That "it" being bigotry.

Yes, that is simplistic. But I don't think it is far off the mark.

My friend continued:

She has been hated by some since her term as First Lady.

Note: 60% say “Clinton does not share my values”.
64% say “She is not honest or trustworthy”

To a large extent, these are the consistent charges levelled against her for years by Republicans.
The dishonesty doesn’t need to be proven, just repeated until people start thinking “Where there’s smoke there’s fire” Changes from Whitewater to Benghazi might clear her, but the taint remains.

These explanations for their dislike of Hillary don’t address her stand on issues (or what she advocates). Of course, I think some is a cover for Anti-Woman, just like there is a cover for Racists disliking Obama. More interesting to me is “Why has it gotten worse?” Trump has been relentless with “Crooked Hillary”. That actually has traction with many, ludicrous as it may be.

I think my friend has covered a good deal of the reasons. And I think a good portion of the view of Hillary is "Anti-Woman" as my friend put it. I've been reading a lot of Melissa McEwen of Shakesville (as I've mentioned in this blog many times of late). She traces a great deal of the negative view of Hillary to misogyny (not that I can pull up a specific post of hers).

Over the last couple years I've come to understand the depth of the drive behind misogyny and racism (which have the same root). It is all based on a desperate need to declare oneself to be better than others. This need is so strong that people kill to maintain their status on top (or to try to gain status). So, yeah, I can believe that is a great part of the reasons why Hillary is disliked. She may have had a high approval rating as Secretary of State, but she wasn't much of a threat to male egos there – with Hillary following Madeleine Albright and Condoleezza Rice teenagers began to think Sec'y of State was a woman's job. Now she is running for Top Dog. A lot of male egos can't handle that.

Another big reason for the high disapproval rating is the GOP belief that they are supposed to be in control. I see two components of that. One part leads back to the desperate need to be on top, a place white males are having a hard time hanging onto as the demographics of the country changes. The other part is the GOP corporate backers need to prevent Hillary from winning. But even the need for control by corporate leaders is part of this need to be on top and prevent others from challenging their top status.

My friend provided a link to a New York Times article speculating on why Hillary is disliked. I thought it was lame, so won't link to it. The central idea is that Hillary is disliked because she is a workaholic, always on the job. We are never told how she relaxes.

Back to where we started: Hillary is polarizing because she advocates eradicating bigotry. Yeah, it may be simplistic, but it's about right.



A few days ago I wrote about the new Trump-Pence logo and how many saw gay innuendo. That logo is now gone from the campaign website. Gone within 24 hours.



In that link about the GOP belief they are supposed to be in control, I had written "Keep the fear high -- the masses need the GOP to keep them safe." From what I understand this is what this evening's topic at the Republican Convention is all about – not that I'd would watch it.