The candidate reveals herself
What happened? Hillary Clinton’s futile quest for redemption
What happened? To her abiding astonishment, Hillary Clinton lost an election that was supposed to be a slam dunk. Poll results, not pollsters’ predictions, proved binding.
Hillary Clinton’s retelling of her 2016 experience in her new book, “What Happened,” in which she calls President Donald Trump a “creep” and relates how he was mean to her on a debate stage, comes across as sour grapes and undignified namecalling. Her self-pitying tone and use of crude language is suggestive more of a spiteful teenager’s outburst than a poised adult’s response — and serves to confirm the soundness of the American people’s verdict on Nov. 8.
In past days the media have been replaying audio excerpts from the book in which Ms. Clinton describes her feelings during the campaign debate when the format called for both candidates to be present on a small stage. Her reactions, bordering on the histrionic, are unseemly for anyone aspiring to be the leader and the leading diplomat of our country. Diplomats do not wallow in self-pity and personal grievance.
Diplomats are supposed to be models of cool detachment. Their job is to state cogent arguments for positions they advocate so their counterparts at the negotiating table can be informed and make rational judgments based on facts relevant to decision-making.
The publishers of her book seem to have avoided offering excerpts that might highlight differing policy prescriptions. Instead, they are replaying ad hominem attacks, designed to tarnish the president, while avoiding substantive discussion on the merits of public issues. It’s the oldest diversion, and the lowest level of discourse. If facts are not on your side, default to the smear. It is embarrassing that a former candidate for the presidency of our nation would offer postelection commentary in this vein.
She is not presenting the model of a leader who could command the world stage and take on another smart, aggressive debater. A senior diplomat, with a sense of reserve and healthy self-respect, would not lower himself or herself to ventilating personal feelings in the aftermath of an unwanted outcome. Voters can reasonably expect that those who aspire to be head cook are ready for the heat of the kitchen.
During the campaign, Ms. Clinton’s telling characterization of half of Donald Trump supporters as “deplorables” was another instance of a predisposition to descend to name-calling. It was also a window into her character, as is the latest gratuitous denigration of Mr. Trump in her new book.
Perpetual claims of victimhood are consistent with the radical feminism she has increasingly embraced. Chronic aggrievement isn’t (and wasn’t) a ticket to victory and diminishes the individual proclaiming it — particularly when the “victim” holds positions of great power and has acquired significant wealth. For those who would be exemplars for young women who want to be taken seriously, the pose of the victim has limited instructive value.
It’s hard to decide whether to feel sorry for Ms. Clinton or to be exasperated. Anyone who has run for office knows the sting of defeat, and anyone who has held a senior position in Washington knows that, with high stakes, the game isn’t played gently. The released audio excerpts are designed to harm, not illuminate.