Hillary in the "Sensible Center," Not Much of a Gambler
Patrick Healy's "Political Memo" on Sen. Hillary Clinton, "Campaigning as Trailblazer, By Proxy and Association," pushed the idea of Hillary Clinton as moderate in both personality and politics.
"Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is not much of a gambler, in politics or life: She refers to herself as part of the 'sensible center' in the Senate, and only occasionally has she laid money on the table (blackjack is her game)."
Really now? Has Healy forgotten how Hillary Clinton scooped up nearly $100,000 in profits trading cattle futures during Bill Clinton's first year as governor of Arkansas, which sounds like a bit of a gamble - unless, of course, the "game" was rigged.
As usual, the Times avoided calling Hillary Clinton a liberal, and let the candidate vaguely place herself in the "sensible center" without challenge, even though her actual voting record is well to the left of center (she earned a 9 out of a possible 100 rating from the American Conservative Union).
Healy engaged in some silly symbolism, comparing Hillary to Rags to Riches, the filly who won the Belmont Stakes this weekend, before helpfully positioning Hillary as a possible history-maker: "Representing the interests of blacks, women, Hispanics and blue-collar workers is not a trailblazing idea. But her advisers said that if Mrs. Clinton was going to be a history-making candidate, she could not be seen as selfishly making history for herself, but rather for the interests of people who had not always been winners in the annals of history."
