Posted on 06/26/2005 8:54:44 AM PDT by CHARLITE
Who is really happy about Edward Klein's new book "The Truth About Hillary"?
If you believe the big media, it's the "right wing" and websites like NewsMax.com.
But we hear the book may also be well received among some Democrats, a high-ranking party insider in Washington tells NewsMax.
Could these ranking Democrats include Teddy Kennedy, John Kerry, Al Gore and Howard Dean?
As NewsMax's Insider Report has revealed before, these four liberal Democrats - the so-called "Gang of Four" -- detest Hillary Clinton and have pledged to stop her no matter what from getting the Democratic nomination.
Each member of the Gang has his own motive. Kennedy is disgusted by the Clintons' moderate politics and he has already endorsed Kerry for 2008. Kerry has his own presidential ambitions. Gore blames his 2000 loss on Hillary, who he says siphoned off key resources to her Senate race. And Dean blames the Clintons for his 2004 campaign woes.
Some insiders are noting that Klein's book is an interesting anomaly: He is not a conservative author bashing Hillary. Indeed, Klein has very liberal media credentials - having served in editor jobs at the New York Times Magazine, Newsweek and Vanity Fair.
Yet, he is bashing Hillary. And many arguments Klein uses against Hillary are from a decidedly liberal point of view.
Even conservative Washington Times editor Tony Blankley noted the effect of Klein's liberal critique.
"Principled liberals, I suspect, will be deeply disconcerted by what they will find out about her mind in this book," Blankley wrote.
The book also, at times, seems protective of Kennedy and Kerry. (Klein has written extensively on the Kennedys.)
Blankley writes about a passage in the book recounting a meeting between Sen. Clinton and a group of liberal women campaigning for a childcare bill:
"When they asked her why she was not supporting it, Sen. Clinton explained: ‘It's not going to fly. I'm not going to spend my political capital on something that is doomed before it starts.'
"The women responded: ‘If it was Ted Kennedy, he'd stand on what he believes.'
"Hillary bristled at the invidious comparison," Blankley writes, and "strode out of the room in a huff.
"The women understood quite well: She will do anything to get to the White House, including dropping child care."
And that lack of principle is not only vexing to conservatives but to liberals like Kerry and Kennedy.
In another section, Klein details how Hillary stabbed John Kerry in the back, promising publicly to go all out to support his 2004 campaign, but then doing as little as possible.
Clearly, when a major attack book like this comes out, we have to ask, like the Romans, cui bono?
Clearly, conservatives and Hillary critics will enjoy the book - but it won't change their firm opinion of her.
But what about moderate to liberal women voters - who pick up those tabloids every time Hillary's on the cover?
Klein has spent his career appealing to such readers. His books on JFK Jr. and Jackie Onassis were runaway best sellers.
And how could the Gang of Four benefit from such a salacious book coming out on Hillary?
Easy. The party insiders know that for them to win in 2008 it's absolutely critical for the Democrats to nominate a candidate who is not considered "too liberal" or "too polarizing." Hillary's camp knows this as well, and that's why she is so worried about the book.
If the Klein book is any indication, the civil war among the Democrats in the run-up to 2008 may be nasty.
We remember the rumors that Democrats were behind the Miami Herald's 1988 story about Gary Hart's affairs, and in 1992 it was Democrats who pushed the Gennifer Flowers story about the Clintons.
From that episode the Clintons learned their worst enemies are often on their side of the aisle.
As NewsMax's Insider Report has revealed before, these four liberal Democrats - the so-called "Gang of Four" -- detest Hillary Clinton and have pledged to stop her no matter what from getting the Democratic nomination.
From NewsMax's lips to God's ears...
I just ate lunch!
Sometimes the enemy of our enemy is our enemy too-just like the enemy that our enemy is the enemy of is also our enemy.
Or was that enema????
Teddy would only fit into that VW if it had a sun roof, then he could wear it like a turtle wears it's shell.
I'm suspicious.
Kerry in 2008? Would the Democrats really give one who lost the nomination on such an important election? Kennedy thinks Hillary is too moderate?
Haven't we seen this tactic before?
Leading Democrats claim to oppose one of their own, often on claims that he or she is too conservative. It draws attention to all of them and away from Republicans. The media focuses on the "in fighting." Then, Lo and Behold! they all work out their difference and lend unified, dedicated support. The base is then galvanized and...now where was that Republican all the while who was so easy to ignore?
Sounds like a con job to me and they're already working for her.
You beat me to it...but you did a much better job of presenting this "Insider Report" than I could have.
Thanks!
With those four against her maybe she should be cut some slack.(Naaaah!)
Divide the GOP, then conquer it. Kinda like Perot.
"Hillary bristled at the invidious comparison," Blankley writes, and "strode out of the room in a huff.
Really? She can move fast enough to actually reach a "stride" draggin' that caboose? ;)
I don't care WHO does her in. I just want her GONE, GONE, GONE!
I thought you were illustrating the 7 deadly sins for a while.
Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger,greed and sloth
and that's just in Ted Kennedy.
Anything that Fatboy Kennedy stands on is going to be squashed flat and deader than Mary Jo.
Sounds like a con job to me and they're already working for her.
Kerry isn't working for her. It's about power and ego, and it would be foolish for these guys to get on board too soon. In the end they almost certainly will get behind Hillary -- who else do the Democrats have? -- but they don't want to give away their bargaining power too soon.
You're right about the basic dynamic: attacks on Hillary for not being liberal enough help her in the long run with the general electorate, and these people will be behind Hillary when she gets the nomination. But there's not a conspiracy.
Maybe you can explain it economically. Political influence is like cattle futures. Sell them too soon and you don't make a profit. Hold on to them too long and you can lose your shirt.
And sometimes there really are bad feelings involved. Bob Kerrey and Jerry Brown really didn't like Bill Clinton in 1992. Maybe hated isn't too strong a word. Kerrey and Brown didn't want or didn't get anything from Clinton after the election -- feelings were that bad.
In 1976 a lot of Northern Democrats were ABC (Anyone but Carter) up until he was nominated. And Kennedy certainly wasn't doing Carter's bidding in 1980. Democrats do get together in the end, but some fight like anything until then.
The book though, doesn't seem to be a head-on attack on Hillary. It's like a vaccination. She gets hit with charges that she can dismiss and she becomes stronger. She can say, as her husband did in 1992, "That's old news, I want to talk about what's important now." It may even help to create some sympathy for her.
"Principled liberals"
Insert raucous Lucille Ball laughter here.
Isn't that phrase right up there with 'lively corpse' and 'sober senior Senator' (Massachusetts only)?
That's Uncle Teddy...it's the real deal.
"Ted you should not go through life fat, stupid and drunk."
Joseph Kennedy Ted Kennedy's father.
I guess these idiots are useful for something after all!
Dean has good eason to blame the Clintons for his 2004 woes. They recruited Wesley Clark and created his whole campaign organization from nothing just to run against Dean.
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