The Truth About Hillary by Edward Klein Page B
Authors: Edward Klein
Tags: Literature & Fiction, Sagas, Politics & Social Sciences, Genre Fiction, Political, Biographies & Memoirs, History & Theory, Political Science, Family Saga, Women, Leaders & Notable People, Conservatism & Liberalism, Politics & Government, Specific Topics, Specific Groups, Commentary & Opinion, Ideologies & Doctrines
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and self-destructive. He wore his hair long, which did not go over well in his conservative state. He surrounded himself in the governor’s mansion with bearded young aides, who looked as though they had stepped out of a Pink Floyd concert. And he was deaf to complaints about his northern-born, feminist wife.
People in small towns across Arkansas fumed that Hillary used her maiden name, dressed in “unfeminine” clothes, and was seen reading a book at an Arkansas Razorbacks football game. It all went to prove, said his political enemies, that Bill Clinton could “not even control his wife”—a grave sin in a macho south- ern state. 7
The chickens came home to roost in the fall of 1980 during Bill Clinton’s reelection campaign. Hillary was too busy flying back and forth to Washington, D.C., for board meetings to be of much help in the campaign. But Bill’s Republican opponent, Frank White, made it a point to be seen everywhere on the cam- paign trail in the company of his wife, Gay. A traditional home- maker, Gay sat demurely on the speaker’s platform, staring up at her man adoringly.
The contrast between Gay White and Hillary Rodham was not lost on the voters of Arkansas. And to drive the point home, White made Hillary a campaign issue, portraying her as a “bitch” who refused to take her husband’s name. 8
“I was her worst critic over that,” said Richard Herget, Bill’s campaign manager. “I think that issue cost us the election. And boy, if Hillary and I didn’t tangle on that one. . . .
“I made a speech one time to a Democratic women’s club during the campaign,” he continued. “And the average age of the attendee was in the sixties. And I asked this group of ladies,
96 THE TRUTH ABOUT HILLARY
afterward, before they opened up for questions, I said, ‘Let me ask you a question.’ I said, ‘How do you feel about the issue of Hillary Rodham, you know, not being Hillary Clinton?’ And, oh God, I wish I hadn’t asked it. They unloaded on me. ‘She’s not good enough to take his name,’ and that sort of thing. You’ve got to remember that this is the conservative South. Hillary just wasn’t that in touch back then.” 9
The attacks on Hillary worked. When the ballots were counted, it was revealed that Frank White had upset Bill Clinton with more than 51 percent of the vote.
Bill’s defeat was a tipping point in the Clinton marriage.
“It shook both of them right down to their toes,” said one friend. 10
Bill felt guilty that he had failed Hillary. His greatest fear was that she might leave him, not because he had been unfaith- ful to her, but because he was a loser. Her greatest fear was that their mutual dream of living in the White House might now be unattainable.
“The experience of watching Bill screw up,” said a Clin- ton adviser, “made Hillary realize she should jump into the breach. . . . She had to—he was so shaken, and was not a particu- larly good strategist anyway. There was no way he was going to win again unless she came in.” 11
Hillary made a calculated decision to reorder her priorities. From now on, her career would take second place to Bill’s. Her feminist principles would be scuttled. Even her politics, which were far too liberal for Arkansas, would be toned down. Hillary consciously and deliberately set out to remake herself in the im- age of a conventional political wife.
On February 27, 1982—Chelsea’s second birthday—Bill called a press conference and announced his candidacy for the
All the Gover nor’ s Women 97
upcoming gubernatorial election. Standing by his side was Hil- lary. She looked completely different. Gone were the thick Coke-bottle eyeglasses, replaced by tinted contact lenses that made her eyes look bluer. Gone, too, was the curly Little Or- phan Annie hairdo, replaced by straightened and lightened hair. She wore makeup, a stylish dress, and sheer nylons rather than opaque black stockings.
“She conformed, eyes
People in small towns across Arkansas fumed that Hillary used her maiden name, dressed in “unfeminine” clothes, and was seen reading a book at an Arkansas Razorbacks football game. It all went to prove, said his political enemies, that Bill Clinton could “not even control his wife”—a grave sin in a macho south- ern state. 7
The chickens came home to roost in the fall of 1980 during Bill Clinton’s reelection campaign. Hillary was too busy flying back and forth to Washington, D.C., for board meetings to be of much help in the campaign. But Bill’s Republican opponent, Frank White, made it a point to be seen everywhere on the cam- paign trail in the company of his wife, Gay. A traditional home- maker, Gay sat demurely on the speaker’s platform, staring up at her man adoringly.
The contrast between Gay White and Hillary Rodham was not lost on the voters of Arkansas. And to drive the point home, White made Hillary a campaign issue, portraying her as a “bitch” who refused to take her husband’s name. 8
“I was her worst critic over that,” said Richard Herget, Bill’s campaign manager. “I think that issue cost us the election. And boy, if Hillary and I didn’t tangle on that one. . . .
“I made a speech one time to a Democratic women’s club during the campaign,” he continued. “And the average age of the attendee was in the sixties. And I asked this group of ladies,
96 THE TRUTH ABOUT HILLARY
afterward, before they opened up for questions, I said, ‘Let me ask you a question.’ I said, ‘How do you feel about the issue of Hillary Rodham, you know, not being Hillary Clinton?’ And, oh God, I wish I hadn’t asked it. They unloaded on me. ‘She’s not good enough to take his name,’ and that sort of thing. You’ve got to remember that this is the conservative South. Hillary just wasn’t that in touch back then.” 9
The attacks on Hillary worked. When the ballots were counted, it was revealed that Frank White had upset Bill Clinton with more than 51 percent of the vote.
Bill’s defeat was a tipping point in the Clinton marriage.
“It shook both of them right down to their toes,” said one friend. 10
Bill felt guilty that he had failed Hillary. His greatest fear was that she might leave him, not because he had been unfaith- ful to her, but because he was a loser. Her greatest fear was that their mutual dream of living in the White House might now be unattainable.
“The experience of watching Bill screw up,” said a Clin- ton adviser, “made Hillary realize she should jump into the breach. . . . She had to—he was so shaken, and was not a particu- larly good strategist anyway. There was no way he was going to win again unless she came in.” 11
Hillary made a calculated decision to reorder her priorities. From now on, her career would take second place to Bill’s. Her feminist principles would be scuttled. Even her politics, which were far too liberal for Arkansas, would be toned down. Hillary consciously and deliberately set out to remake herself in the im- age of a conventional political wife.
On February 27, 1982—Chelsea’s second birthday—Bill called a press conference and announced his candidacy for the
All the Gover nor’ s Women 97
upcoming gubernatorial election. Standing by his side was Hil- lary. She looked completely different. Gone were the thick Coke-bottle eyeglasses, replaced by tinted contact lenses that made her eyes look bluer. Gone, too, was the curly Little Or- phan Annie hairdo, replaced by straightened and lightened hair. She wore makeup, a stylish dress, and sheer nylons rather than opaque black stockings.
“She conformed, eyes
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