Bill O'Reilly
The Hillary chronicles
http://www.NewsAndOpinion.com |
Well, I've finally figured out the sphinx that is Hillary
Clinton. It took me years, but I think I've solved the mystery based upon
the best available evidence: her own words. The final clue in my piecing
together this fascinating puzzle was the senator's mention of a meeting with
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. That's when it all crystallized for me.
First the setup. There is no way on earth that a woman as intelligent as Hillary Clinton could not have understood the weakness and the true character of her husband, even if he did look like a Viking at one time. Bill Clinton is not a subtle man. He loves adulation, and he loves women. You don't need a Ph.D. to add it up.
And the figures appeared with regularity, beginning with Mr. Clinton's 1992 admission on "60 Minutes" that he had "brought pain to the marriage." I guess you could interpret the statement as Roger Clinton being invited to the wedding, but that would be a stretch.
Anyway, over the years, various women showed up with mercenary tales of bad behavior by Bill. There were tape recordings, depositions and, finally, presidential admissions of fooling around. Barney Fife could have figured this one out. Mr. Clinton liked the ladies, and his ability to resist temptation was, well, in the Jim Bakker category.
So for Hillary Clinton to claim she was shocked and awed by her husband's admission in the Lewinsky affair is disingenuous and makes her look silly. If she didn't have suspicions in this matter, do we really want her protecting us from Al Qaeda?
The truth, as I see it, is that Hillary Clinton did not want to know about her husband's hobbies. She has made an accommodation that she has every right to make. Don't tell me that Jackie Kennedy was clueless about JFK's antics. And even though Hillary claims the two talked about clothing, I'll bet you a peach pants suit there were other subjects broached in that conversation as well.
Look at it this way. Both Hillary and Jackie led charmed lives in the White House. They traveled the globe on private jets, met fascinating people and received the affection of the world. Both ladies acquired fame, prestige and power, which Hillary, in particular, relishes. It was a wonderful life, why disturb it with a close examination of your husband's conduct?
Millions of Americans have made this same trade-off, and that is completely their business. But if you do enter into that bargain, don't play the victim when it blows up. I believe Hillary when she says, using the most unemotional cliche possible, that she wanted to "wring his neck." Sure, she did. Because her husband had embarrassed her in front of the world. That was not part of the bargain.
The problem with Hillary Clinton is that she is putting forth a facade -- she will not define herself as a real person. Thus, her enemies can continue to hammer her, while her supporters paint her as a feminine icon, fighting the good fight.
Both groups are wrong.
Senator Clinton is simply a woman who wants power. That's it. And she is willing to make accommodations to secure that power. This is not unheard of in the world of politics.
I'll back up my analysis by citing a question from Barbara Walters, who asked Mrs. Clinton: What if your husband does it again? Hillary didn't even pause: "That's between us," she answered. No emotion, no hesitation, no doubt.
Hillary Clinton is now the most powerful woman in America. She has a chance to become president. She has two multi-million dollar homes, a swanky office on Capitol Hill, a Praetorian Guard of Secret Service agents, a daughter who loves her and a fan base of millions.
Monica Lewinsky? Come on.
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JWR contributor Bill O'Reilly is host of the
Fox News show, "The O'Reilly Factor," and author
of the new book, "The No-Spin Zone: Confrontations with the Powerful and Famous in America" Comments by clicking here.
06/09/03: Cronkite comes out of the closet
06/02/03: Teed off
05/27/03: The lynching of Bill Bennett
05/19/03: Get back home, Madonna
05/12/03: Prom night -- all white
05/05/03: Let's misbehave
04/28/03: No pain, no gain?
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04/14/03: The spoils of war
04/07/03: When the truth is a casualty
03/31/03: Yes, you're entitled to your uninformed opinion
03/24/03: That's the way it isn't, Walter
03/17/03: This loyal Catholic believes that, humanistically, the Pope is one of the many Saddam enablers
03/10/03: The new Nazis
03/03/03: Hey, it's personal
02/24/03: A peace of the action
02/18/03: Cash for what?
02/10/03: Runaway train
02/03/03: Dissenting dishonest dissent
01/27/03: The Clooney Factor
01/21/03: Poverty-inducing entertainment
01/13/03: To protect and serve
12/30/02: Global double Crossing
12/30/02: The villains of 2002
12/23/02: Finding offense where none is intended is a form of selfishness
12/16/02: The Houston lesson
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11/18/02: Sanity has left the building
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10/28/02: This ain't no game
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10/14/02: The root of all evil
10/07/02: When children murder
09/30/02: THE TRUTH BE TOLD
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09/17/02: Singing a different tune
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09/03/02: Let's misbehave
08/26/02: Money makes the world go 'round
08/19/02: Long live the King
08/12/02: A friendly reminder
08/05/02: Heaven only knows
07/29/02: Blood money
07/22/02: Suffer the children
07/15/02: Reaching critical mass
07/08/02: Believe it or not
07/01/02: Charity begins at home
06/24/02: Spinning a tale and the case for "Stupid White Men"
06/17/02: Blank those Europeans!
06/10/02: What does Bono want from us?
06/03/02: On fighting evil
05/28/02: A Tale of Two Churches
05/20/02: Crimes against humanity
05/13/02: Silence of the lambs
05/06/02: Hide the children
04/29/02: 'Paul, Paul, Paul!'
04/22/02: Barbarians in the Church
04/15/02: Pray for peace, polish the weapons
03/11/02: Do no harm? Time to spank "Dr. Phil"
03/04/02: Promoting the general welfare
02/25/02: Who's responsible?
02/19/02: Lay it on them
02/11/02: Buy dope, fund terror
02/04/02: Back room deals
01/28/02: From boom to bust
01/21/02: The Fairness Doctrine
01/14/02: Hey, Paula, take it to the bank and hush up
01/07/02: And justice for none
12/31/01: All that's left
12/24/01: Santa is appalled
12/17/01: Fight the power
12/10/01: The black challenge
12/03/01: How things have changed
11/26/01: Waiting in the Bushes
11/19/01: The sign of the Cross
11/09/01: Hollyweird strikes back
11/06/01: The fear factor
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10/22/01: See no evil
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09/24/01: We are all soldiers, and we have a job to do
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09/04/01: End of summer blues
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08/20/01: The rap on rap
08/13/01: The truth hurts
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07/30/01: The big picture on Condit-Levy
07/24/01: Silence of the Shams
07/16/01: Condit, Kennedy and cable news
07/09/01: Heather needs a childhood: The unnecessary loss of innocence
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06/18/01: Work or die
06/11/01: Soundbite nation
06/04/01: Paying through the nose
05/29/01: Graduation Day 2001
05/21/01: Accepting the unacceptable
05/14/01: The Clinton legacy
05/07/01: Kerrey's ordeal
04/27/01: Is the party over?
04/20/01: Racism in public education
04/16/01: The fleecing of America
04/10/01: People who need perspective
04/03/01: Dubya's bottom line --- and ours
03/27/01: Don't tell, don't ask
03/20/01: Greenspan with envy
03/13/01: Clinton and Jackson
03/07/01: All that's left in America
02/27/01: The Letterman experience
02/20/01: Bread and circuses
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01/24/01: I have been investigating Jackson's finances for the past two years
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