Why was Bill Clinton at the Golden Globe awards tonight?
Text: The former President introduced his friend Steven Spielberg’s film Lincoln, which was up for best picture. He’s a good friend.
Subtext: Mr. Clinton was stumping for Hillary Clinton in the first 2016 Democratic primary - which takes place in the small but powerful U.S. territory called “Hollywood checkbooks”. In 2008 Mr. Spielberg held out for Hillary well into the primary drama. His power to raise big political money cannot be underestimated. Only the singer called Streisand (another Clintonista) is as valuable to potential 2016 Democratic contenders. Spielberg did not have another charming, cool, ironic, tired celebrity introduce his film- he had an ex President. Not to shabby.
In case you think the subtext was lost on the collected checkbooks in the audience please note: Bill Clinton got a 30 second standing ovation for walking to a podium, and after his moment co-hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler burst on stage in feigned shock with two choice lines:
Poehler: That was Hillary Clinton’s husband!
Fey: Bill Rodham Clinton!
What Ms. Clinton does in 2016 is entirely up to her, of course. But one can’t ignore the obvious. Ms. Clinton’s husband is keeping the Hollywood lawn green. Hollywood likes nothing more than throwing its money at “history”. In 2008 the buzz words were “black” and “President”. In 2016 the buzzwords will be “woman” and “President.”
Your ability to pick up shrouded political maneuvering is uncanny.
If true, and it seems very plausible, this is further proof that the Clintons are no different than any of the other criminals known as “politicians.” No sense of duty, no calling to serve, no honor or principles, just craven, egotistical management of their power base.
I disagree. “Better than the worst of them” is still better.
The lesser of two evils is still evil.
…which I suppose means that you think (and by your own standards, can prove) that Hillary Clinton is evil?
The system is what it is and any candidate who is too principled to raise big bucks is going to get clobbered. I have no patience with wishy-washy politicians who cannot or will not play to win. McCain and Romney are Exhibits A and B. A few weeks ago, I read there is already a wingnut superpac raising money for anti-Hillary propaganda. She isn’t even running yet! So yeah, I hope the Clintons get that Hollywood money and plenty of it. They’re going to need it.
“you think … that Hillary Clinton is evil?”
“Lesser of two evils” has a different, milder connotation. I do believe the system, whereby we must pray for a slightly-less corrupt political machine to prevail over the others, is indeed “evil” evil.
The system is broken, so little if anything can be gained from trying to work it.
His 30 second (not minute, second) ovation was not for walking to the podium.
You’re right. It was for giving obama a hand-job at the convention.
Yup — it was for getting O re-elected. And yeah, I’d say it isa pretty good bet she’s running.
Everyone’s favorite windbag seems to have used some artful phrasing last week:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/01/14/Exclusive-Sullivan-Unceremoniously-Dumped-by-Daily-Beast
Astute o see cation on the subtext JWS.
By the by, what did you think of the Best Pic and Best Dir awards. Big snub to Lincoln, eh? Ditto Best Screenplay – Django WTF!
Christ! Don’t ask me what happened to the first sentence! Combined perils of auto-spellcheck and typing on an iPhone. What I meant: “Astute observation on the subtext….”
Pretending to like any of the fecal matter Tarantino passes off as film-making is the intelligentsia’s way of looking ‘hip.’
KILL BILL 1 was excellent. Could sorely do without pretty much the rest of them.
Can’t really speak to these awards. The fact is they are decided by about 60 people and very secretive. I hear Argo is fantastic. As to Lincoln it is the kind of movie the Academy loves and the GG do not. I”m not that surprised by how things turned out. Re: Django. Haven’t seen it. Won’t see it. Too violent for me I’m almost sure.
JWS–Argo is an excellent movie. It’s just that it’s not a patch on Lincoln.
Tamer–Rofl on Tarantino. Couldn’t agree more.
Pretending to like any of the fecal matter Tarantino passes off as film-making is the intelligentsia’s way of looking ‘hip.’
This… times eleventy.
Okay, yoos guys didn’t like KILL BILL 1? I’m surprised by this. It was a very well done flick.
Oh dear heavens, I hope you’re wrong John. If you’re right I’ll need an underground bunker to hide in from about 2014 on. There’s no way I can stand another misogyny fest. I’m sure Citizens United Not Timid will be out in force, likewise I’m sure the progbot Obama supporters will suddenly find third parties a compelling attraction. (Oh noes, not another Clinton!) Whatever. I’d love to see a woman, especially Hillary, win the presidency, I just don’t see it happening. If it does, she’s even more amazing than I thought. (And I think she’s pretty darn amazing.)
Anonymous (above) is me. I hadn’t logged on to WP.
I really feel like things will be better for Hillary in 2016 if she jumps in. That said, the progs won’t matter nearly as much by then. They will dash off into some corner or shut up. some Dean like character will emerge but he won’t be Obama.
In that case, I hope you’re right, John!
gxm17,
the msm won’t go after clinton based on gender in 16, but age. interestingly biden will be older so it will be a hard tack to get away with. and prog purpose is centered on obama adulation if he’s not in the picture they shall fade into snark from away pretty quickly. back to the 20% they are. AND right now is the high point of prog politics. they won’t be at tis pinnacle forever or even that much longer
Tamerlane- LOVE all your comments above, and couldn’t agree more.
“Okay, yoos guys didn’t like KILL BILL 1? I’m surprised by this. It was a very well done flick.”
1) I never saw KILL BILL, because it was made by Lightbulbhead;
2) The Academy Awards suck ass; their selections suck ass; their stupid, boring show sucks ass;
3) Jennifer Lawrence should have won for WINTER’S BONE;
4) Jennifer Lawrence should have been nominated for HUNGER GAMES;
5) Jennifer Lawrence is a goddess;
6) HUNGER GAMES should win best adaptation, but the suck ass oscars didn’t even nominate it;
7) MOONRISE KINGDOM should win best screenplay;
8) Movies from France with titles like AMOUR, and SHALL WE KISS? shouldn’t even make it through customs;
9) AMALIE was kinda funny, though;
10) Adele should win best song;
11) Adele is a goddess;
12) Maria Tomei is actually an outstanding actress, even though she didn’t actually win for MY COUSIN VINNIE. She was great in IN THE BEDROOM and THE WRESTLER, even though they both sucked ass;
13) BABE actually won best picture. And deserved it.
Yes on Babe, Yes on My Cousin Vinnie (one of my all time favorite movies), Yes on Posi-Traction and mid 60′s GM cars and consequently Yes on Marisa Tomei (although her oblahblah support was a disapointment), Yes on Adele. Don’t know from Jennifer Lawrence, but take your word on it. The only Tarantino movies that I sort of liked were Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. The former for its humor,although that wore off early on; the latter for the soundtrack and love story.
As to the Hillary speculation; Hope springs eternal in Bill’s breast, reality is another matter. I can say this because I think I’m the only one here close in age to Hillary: She has had a serious health scare, and while we will never know the whole story, a rigorous campaign at 69, actually starting at 66 or seven, should not be in her future. She is currently in bad shape, diet and exercise don’t work so well at her age, especially if they’ve been ignored for years..If she can find a consistent routine that can restore her to some modicum of better health, that would be a great think she has accomplishment for her, and would extend her life, but it is unlikely to be enough for the type of campaign she would want to run.
The other part of the picture is Hillary herself, she is too hands on and is always going to be the hardest worker in the room. She could never be a do nothing President.
I was lucky, I was called upon to rebuild my health in my early forties, I was able to get into a lifestyle that is still do-able, but with each passing year, I face the fact that it gets harder. Mother Nature stops for no one.. Not being an ageist here, just a realist, with some passing medical experience..not as a doctor or nurse, but even we numbers crunchers pick up a thing or two along the way.
And I know, I too had a grandfather who lived to be 98 or 9, no one’s sure, but he just kept doing what he had been doing for the previous 96 years, same diet, same walks, same fishing trips.Same whiskey, sipped neat, every night before dinner. He also had no acquaintance with what we would call stress, he just called it Life…
I hope Hillary tells Bill to sit down and shut up….it’s enough already.
I agree – not about your age – but about the rest. I, too am in the Hillary age bracket, except I passed Hillary in age years ago. I know that at 68, doing what I did at 58 or 60 comes with warnings – if I had a different job, I might be able to listen to those warnings. And if I were in better position, I’d retire now, but can’t. So I have to push myself to do now what I did then.
And you’re right about stress and Life, Mom died last year at 98. She had much stress but called it “doing what it takes in life”. She did not consider it anything else.
Maybe we should start tweeting Bill to ease up and back off.
sorry for mess up in first paragraph, I think the intent is clear anyway.
Leslie, completely agree. Love Bill, but I can’t help feeling he is projecting his love of living in the WH on to Hillary’s back.
I dimly remember when George Wallace,[ may he rot in hell], pushed his wife into politics, even though he knew she had cancer..Bill is not ever going to stoop that low, or is he?
Conner, I remember that, too. Wallace would have dragged her corpse around (he practically did) to stay in power. Wasn’t her name Cornellia? Yes, I could google but I like to challenge my aging brain.
Isn’t Hillary Clinton four or five years younger than Biden?
I have to believe that she’s reached a stage of life where she’ll do what she wants to do.
If she wants another run-no matter how brutal-I’m all in.
Sue, To your last sentence;; me too. As long as it’s Her decision.
Me three.
Sweet Sue,
Wallace’s first wife was named Lurleen. The second one was Cornelia. I’m in for Hillary,too although it sickens me every time I see the both of them saving Barry’s skinny ass.
Thanks, fogcity22, I knew there was a Cornelia in the mix.
Didn’t Angelina Jolie play her in a Wallace biopic starring Gary Sinise?
Sweet Sue,
Yes and she really looked like the real Cornelia. I had a history teacher in high school saying that Lurleen knew as much about running Alabama as she did.