Gorgeous Borgias
Posted on 06/30/2014 2:58:06 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Blood Feud, Ed Klein’s new book on the Clintons and the Obamas currently rocketing to the top of the Amazon best seller list even before its official publication day, is a lurid, irresponsible work of yellow journalism filled with suppositions, inaccuracies, myriad anonymous sources, made-up dialogue and (often extreme) bias.
In other words, it is essentially like your average front page story in the New York Times.
But unlike the Times, Klein gets it essentially right about his subject — the Clintons and the Obamas despise each other.
And unlike the Times, Blood Feud is a compulsive read. I dare you to put it down. The book reminds you of nothing so much as an episode of Shonda Rhimes’ television series Scandal — and a particularly excessive episode at that. Even at its most seemingly illogical, Klein’s work has the ring of truth. He’s on to something, even if he hasn’t hit the bull’s eye.
The main characters here — Hillary, Michelle, Barack, Bill and, to an extraordinary extent, real “power behind the throne” Valerie Jarrett — read like a group of Borgias set free on today’s Washington, loathing each other and plotting revenge while living a lifestyle even the one percent could barely dream of.
The idea that these people could even utter the words “income inequality” is farcical. At some point they may have had political ideas of some sort — who knows — but that was in a galaxy far, far away and has been lost forever in the latest round of golf, $200,000 speeches to Arab potentates or spur-of-the-moment trips to Maui to woo Oprah at her mansion.
A lot of the book too reads like a companion piece to Hillary’s latest — well, not exactly, since no one appears to be interested in that door stopper –because most of the leaks appear to be from people anxious to differentiate Hillary from Obama. POTUS, as we know, is not exactly popular these days and anyone seeking the presidency would be well advised to separate herself from him as far as possible. This accounts for much of the amusing dish in the book, Hillary even dropping the F-bomb in front of some of her amazed old classmates from Wellesley when referring to Obama’s undeniable executive incompetence.
On a more serious matter, someone has given Klein an account of Benghazi that places the blame squarely on Obama for inventing the shameful video narrative. According to the book, the president directed his then-secretary of State to use the video as an excuse for what they both already knew was terrorism during the famous missing phone call between the two at 10 p.m. the night of the September 11, 2012 attack. If so, that was among the most reprehensible acts ever by a sitting American president (straight out of Scandal, actually) and to be honest, I generally believe it.
Unfortunately, that doesn’t much exonerate Hillary who, after a troubled phone call to an irate Bill, quickly gave up demurring and went along with the execrable coverup, going so far as, only two days later at Tyrone Woods’ funeral, whispering in the ear of the dead hero’s father that they were going to get that guy who made the video.
Borgias, anyone?
Lurid as they may be, Klein’s insider profiles of those who lead us often make you think of serious matters more than many “serious” and dry political books. What we have here is a portrait of narcissism gone berserk. And maybe that’s what most politics is. Who would want to go through the ordeal of running for national office but someone with a serious narcissistic personality disorder? Perhaps the job of us voters (and pundits) is to separate the good narcissists from the bad narcissists.
That’s not an easy task. Barack Obama’s brand of narcissism seemed quite attractive to many early on with all its soaring talk of hope and change. Voters had no idea this man had only scant interest in the nitty-gritty task of governing. And the person they were really electing, as Blood Feud makes abundantly clear, was someone almost none of them had then heard of and most still haven’t — President Jarrett.
Gorgeous Borgias
It is a great advantage to a President and a major source of safety to the country, for him to know that he is not a great man - Calvin Coolidge
Cal could say a lot in just a few words!
Parking lot at the lavish and ornate Calvin Coolidge Memorial and Vistors Center
It helps her to distance herself (and Bill) from Obama, whose star power and mystique is waning rapidly. He is baggage to her that she can't afford.
She doesn't have to voice any statements or remarks or subtleties or cracks about Obama to give the impression of breaking all ties with him......the media and books like this will do it for her.
Leni
Nice quote from Coolidge. This from the article is very pertinent IMHO.
“Who would want to go through the ordeal of running for national office but someone with a serious narcissistic personality disorder? Perhaps the job of us voters (and pundits) is to separate the good narcissists from the bad narcissists.”
Yes, except she has been complicit with most of what he's been pushing, and it will be hard for her to justify many of her actions. Plus, the Obamas are likely to go after her politically.
Coolidge was at home in Boston when Harding had been nominated for President, but the vice presidential nomination was still open.
The phone rang, and Coolidge turned to his wife to utter a single word: “Nominated.”
“You aren’t going to take it are you?” asked Mrs. Coolidge.
“Well—I suppose I’ll have to.” said Coolidge.
We’d be so much better off if politicians weren’t given rock star status (e.g. make them fly commercial coach; tie their salary to attendance and hours worked; no perks; etc.).
That’s true. I think of all the presidents we’ve had, however, Obama is the only one who has come in seeing it from the start as simply another way of being a celebrity: that is, not getting the attention, money and perks for what you do, but just for who you are.
Well, we did have the Hillary comment “We are the President”. When Bill Clinton fielded the question of ‘boxers or briefs’, we’d already started down the path.
I pity the snake.
She doesn't have to justify any of her actions, just sugar coat 'em....and the media will do the rest, protecting her like it does without fail for Obama.
"Plus, the Obamas are likely to go after her politically."
Not a chance. As much as the Obamas are socialists, commies and fascists, their bread is still buttered on the Democrat party side. This means post-presidency big bucks on the creamed chicken circuit (a couple hundred thou$and per speech like Bubba commands).
Always follow the money trail...and the Obamas will stay out of hitting on a Democrat goddess like Hillary. They have money-making options after he leaves the White House..... speeches, potential appointment to cushy, high profile postions, you name it.....
I just can't see Obama and Moochelle ever, ever openly trashing Hitlery in the foreseeable future.
Leni
The only things missing from that tawdry trio is Michelle O. and Valery J. They should bookend the Clintons , standing in the shadows, with daggars raised up high.
“I just can’t see Obama and Moochelle ever, ever openly trashing Hitlery in the foreseeable future.”
Bingo.
This “tell-all” book is a witting or unwitting (makes no difference) help to Hitlery.
*****
I couldn’t agree more but I would strike the word unwitting. Before the ‘16 elections, their dutiful media will white wash and dismiss all the ‘sensational’ details of this book and all that will be left to talk about is that the clintons’ hated the 0’s as much as the right wing does.
LOL! True!
The Clintons were somewhat created by the press and then believed the hype (thus changing from ruthless politicians to idealistic stars). I think Obama actually went into the presidency seeing it from the very start as his shot at celebrityhood.
I really wonder how we're going to be able to undo this, though. It seems to me that all candidates are now being evaluated on the basis of their capacity for celebrityhood - that is, it's all about whether the media (and hence the public) will love them and find their every breath something to be reported on and adored - and I think a lot of the rising generation of candidates may see it that way themselves.
“I really wonder how we’re going to be able to undo this, though.”
How about a popular uprising against the media?
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