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Before you get all choked up and start writing out checks to
her PACs or to her campaign…think.
What would make you vote for Bill Clinton, again, I
mean Hillary?
Does the sight of Bill, I mean Hillary, make you go bleary
eyed with nostalgia and a hope for any past good ol’ days
when Bill was in the White House?
I mean, why would Hillary running make her an automatic
shoo-in for the White House?
Oh, sure. She will have to raise close to a cool billion to
run an aggressive campaign since money is the mother’s milk
of political campaigns.
Yeah, she will have to air practically non-stop TV
commercials touting how polished and experienced she is and
how she is going to fight for the middle class and any other
constituents that her policy advisors tell her is the new,
“in” thing.
Hillary will sing the expected fight song of trashing
the Republicans and they, in turn, will return the favor and
try to destroy her credibility with stories from Whitewater,
Bosnia, allegations of “missing” or wrongfully diverted
emails regarding her tenure at the State Department, the
embassy debacle in Libya and of course, who can forget
America’s favorite but unofficial, “Second Lady”, Monica
Lewinsky!
It will be a bruiser of a campaign fight with the
Republicans firing up their base with stories that if Bill
Clinton, I mean, if Hillary, gets in the White House, it
will be an extension of the policies of the current
occupant, President Obama.
The Republicans will scorch the airwaves and social
media with tales of the sky is falling if Bill Clinton, I
mean, Hillary, wins the White House.
If you thought the recent two campaigns against
President Obama were bare knuckles throw downs, wait until
you see what is launched when Bill Clinton, I mean Hillary,
takes off with her campaign announcements.
Will Bill Clinton settle for the unique and new role of
First Man if his wife wins the White House? Of course not!
If Hillary wins, Bill will be her alter ego. Bill will
be the go to guy for input on both foreign affairs and
domestic affairs.
Hillary would face a crescendo of prickly questions
about the role that her husband would play in the Oval
Office. Chief of Staff or Attorney General?
Of course she is not obligated to divulge to anyone
their private “pillow talks” by which Bill and Bill, I mean
by which, Bill and Hillary, can get their act together and
effectuate policy so when it appears, it will look as if it
was generated solely by Hillary.
Make no mistake, Bill Clinton, who has served eight
years as president, would get a chance to serve four more
years (and an additional four more if Hillary does well and
decides to run again in 2020).
The media, which loves to churn up controversy because
it draws viewers, will be chafing at the bit to get at
Hillary regarding rumors, if any, that Monica has a
blockbuster story to sell and it is not good about or for
Hillary.
The right wing media wingnuts will be apoplectic
regarding any mud that they can sling at Bill, I mean,
Hillary, regarding the ocean of funds that the Clinton
Foundation has been pulling in from foreign “entities.”
Let’s not be coy here. The Clinton’s are a money magnet.
Their speaking fees are astronomical and legendary and they
have no shame is picking up those fat checks from donors,
both near and far and overseas.
The looming question will be, does Hillary have the
political appetite to rally the troops around the hot button
issues: economic class divisions, strained race relations, a
crumbling infrastructure, a dysfunctional Congress, a
disgruntled middle class that is fed up with the crumbs from
the tables of the clueless and greedy one percenters, a
bloated and biased tax code, immigration reform and climate
control.
The only people who will benefit from this pending
bruising campaign will be the owners of the radio and
television stations who will make fortunes running political
ads from both Democrats and Republicans; and the publishing
companies who will be putting out those print ads and
campaign paraphernalia that will wind up in the landfills or
in storage sheds when the fight is over.
Of course, I have saved the best for last as my
commentary. How will the African-American and Latino
communities respond to Bill’s, I mean’ Hillary’s, run for
the White House?
Will the “black” vote be a homogenized block vote that
will carry the day for Bill, I mean, Hillary, or will there
be cracks in the wall that will allow a charismatic
Republican contender to see some running and winning
daylight?
I trust that the name Clinton has not become a magic
talisman for people of color so that when they see or hear
the name, Clinton… that all is well and the land of milk and
honey is just a few Electoral College votes away.
Any Clinton, regardless of her first name, is not and
will not and cannot be the “savior” of America or single
handedly eliminate the continuing oppression of people of
color. Voter ID anyone?
That is why I hope that when Bill, I mean, when Hillary
announces her candidacy, that black folks will not have
Bar-Bee-Q’s on their front lawns or are caught signing,
“Happy Days Are Here Again!”
Just as Bill Clinton, “smacked down” Sister Souljah
when she got off the plantation and made remarks that were
inappropriate, Hillary may have to have her “Sister Souljah”
moment when she may have to discipline some unruly black
politicos or intellectuals (maybe Cornel West or Michael
Dyson?) when they might say something that impinges upon her
political aspirations.
Of course if Bill, I mean, if Hillary wins the White
House, the perennial question is always what “goodies” will
the black and Latino voters get for their troubles or are
they seen merely as a bridge for Hillary to get to the White
House; and then she gives lip service to the voting blocs
that made the difference with the White House having a woman
in the driver’s seat.
For me, one of the crucial litmus test will be concrete
policies that narrow the income gap between the haves and
the have not’s. Any bleary promises on that issue from
either side will have me sitting at home on election day.
In the meantime, I will not be waiving any rah-rah
pom-poms if Bill, I mean, Hillary, decides to seek the
unique title of, Madam President.
Contact Lafe Tolliver at
Tolliver@Juno.com
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