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What is wrong with these people?

August 12, 2009 5:53 pm ET by Jamison Foser

First Andrea Mitchell attributed Hillary Clinton's response to a question in Congo to a "bad hair day," and now Tina Brown joins in with an over-the-top bit of psychobabble that also invokes Clinton's hair as an explanation:

And not only that, but (and I say this in solidarity, not belittlement) the African humidity had wreaked havoc on her hair. It had gone all flat and straight, which puts any woman in a bad humor. (Let's not forget: It was a sympathetic reference to the female-specific chore of keeping perfectly coiffed that made Hillary's eyes fill with tears back in New Hampshire.) Plus, the grueling State Department schedule means these days she can never get to the gym.

Believe it or not, that isn't any crazier than the rest of Brown's fevered imaginings.  

And like Maureen Dowd, Brown expects us to believe that Hillary Clinton's response was caused in part by her annoyance at Bill Clinton celebrating his birthday "at such a fancy, high-priced restaurant as Craftsteak?"  I'll say this again: Yes, Craftsteak is obscenely expensive, but I'm pretty sure the Clintons, worth tens of millions of dollars, can cover a dinner there.

Is there some of Mad-Libs book of pre-fabricated insanely speculative columns about the Clintons these people all picked up at a mid-1990s CPAC convention?  If so, how was I not aware of it earlier?

Anyway, all of this crazytalk about flat hair and expensive steaks is as unnecessary as it is implausible.  I'm not saying Clinton was right to respond the way she did -- but her response was perfectly understandable based on nothing more than the content of the question as it was relayed to her.  There's really no need to invent some fantasy in which she was cranky because her husband sprung for the Kobe beef on his birthday.

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    • Author by bintx (August 12, 2009 6:00 pm ET)
      3 1
      Exactly. SHE is the SOS, not her husband, and, even though the question was garbled by the interpreter, she had every right to be upset.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Cheney2012 (August 13, 2009 8:55 am ET)
        1 5
        Here is how a person with CLASS would handle it:

        "Well I'm not sure what Mr. Clinton thinks, but I think....."

        And then go on to the next question. This is the way a member of the cabinet should act on the international stage.

        Unfortunately, Hillary Clinton has no class. Though probably more than the current occupant of the White House and she therefore would be a much better president.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by jediknight65 (August 13, 2009 9:04 am ET)
            1
          you mean like how your idol used to answer questions with "so"?
          Report Abuse
        • Author by worrierking (August 13, 2009 10:01 am ET)
          1 1
          How about if you look up what your namesake said to Sen. Leahy on the floor of the senate and imagine me saying it to you.

          I have no pretensions to having any class. I'm willing to get down in the dirt with anyone from your side.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by reanna-mator (August 12, 2009 6:10 pm ET)
      6  
      Wow. Even the women commentators have gotten sucked into trivializing a women's upset reaction to being the product of one of a long list of sexist stereotypes.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Vincenzo (August 12, 2009 6:14 pm ET)
      2  
      Has FOX done a expose on her cycle yet? It could've been...ya know, that women thing.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by kydem09 (August 13, 2009 8:57 am ET)
           
        Hmmm... last I checked, it was folks on NBC/MSNBC attributing Mrs. Clinton's response to trivial things, such as a bad hair day. But of course, why waste an opportunity to trash FOX?
        Report Abuse
    • Author by mk3872 (August 12, 2009 6:14 pm ET)
      5  
      Did they treat Condoleeza Rice with the same level of immaturity?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by moredawts5789 (August 12, 2009 10:06 pm ET)
          3
        No because Condoleeza Rice conducted the affairs of State with poise and dignity, unlike this fraud in there now.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by Tbone Slickens (August 13, 2009 8:58 am ET)
           
        I don't think Ms Rice had a "bad hair day" like Ms Clinton...
        Report Abuse
    • Author by fantagor (August 12, 2009 6:19 pm ET)
      2  
      Bad hair makes women crazy, as does their period, out of style footwear and Michael Douglas.

      Randy
      Report Abuse
    • Author by zamfir273114 (August 12, 2009 6:57 pm ET)
      2  
      Bad hair makes me crazy too and I am a heterosexual (maybe metrosexual) man. Besides, the question posed of Mrs. Clinton what her husband thought was rude. Hillary has brains too, not just her hubby.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by thebewilderness (August 12, 2009 7:13 pm ET)
      4  
      Demonstrating once again that media bobbleheads assume that everyone is as vain and self absorbed as they get paid for being.
      Criminy!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by peace4all (August 12, 2009 7:33 pm ET)
      3 1
      Hillery was justified in being upset. when the question was asked she believed that what she heard was the question asked. and, indeed. thats what the interpetor said. it's not like bill's been in a cave. he just played superhero a week ago, so it's quite possible that someone would ask that question. also, given the culture in most of africa with the attitude towards women, the question may seem legitimate there. and hillery got angry, of course she did, on so many levels. and those who don't like it? too GD bad. yes, she is SoS, but she is still human and has all the same emotions that we do. so give her a break.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rafiki (August 12, 2009 7:50 pm ET)
      3 1
      Clinton was right to respond the way she did -- based on the content of the question as it was relayed to her. The fact that she is on the African continent world stage being watched very closely. The miscommunication was cleared up promptly and all is well. She would have done a grave disservice to the women in her audience and throughout the continent if she had responded weakly. Context supposed press people... spend a couple days where cows are a class above women.

      @reanna-mator: Word.

      @Jamison Foser: Important call-out. What is wrong with Andrea Mitchell, Maureen Dowd, and Tina Brown? Not setting a very good example. Are they aware the topic of discussion was the mass brutal rape of women and children in the Congo? They are discussing her hair and such? They have shamed and trivialized the SOS, the USA citizens & press, and the women on the continent of Africa.

      Asante sana Jamison Foser

      Report Abuse
      • Author by Brabantio (August 13, 2009 7:54 am ET)
        2 1
        She would have done a grave disservice to the women in her audience and throughout the continent if she had responded weakly.
        That's a good point. I've been looking at it from the perspective of her personally, but it certainly would have sent the wrong message to give that question any deference.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by MickD (August 12, 2009 8:34 pm ET)
      3 1
      Must we analyze this to death. GWB was the most petulant baby in his last two years of press conferences but NOTHING was ever called out for him.

      Grow up media, or at least point this out on the other side (men, repubs) when it happens.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by mk3872 (August 12, 2009 10:35 pm ET)
        1 1
        The media is what the media is these days.

        IMHO, it is the left-wing that needs to fight back against this media hypocrisy the same way that the right wing bullies the press.

        That's how you handle this.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by bip84124092 (August 12, 2009 9:08 pm ET)
        1
      I actually thought a little more of Andrea Mitchell. Not as a reporter but as a person. She does tend to get caught up in the Clinton/Obama bashing on Morning Joe. Hillary Clinton is known and respected all over the world and will be in history books. Tina Brown and Maureen Dowd are just jealous old bitches who'll be forgotten in time. What they wouldn't give to spend a night with Bill Clinton.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by seeryer (August 12, 2009 9:56 pm ET)
      1 2
      These whores are envious of Hillary. Andrea married a horrid looking antique and now she is a horrid looking outcome of an awful affair on Sesame Street between Kermit and Big Bird. Tina Brown destroyed her boss' marriage 30 years ago and now she runs a website barely visited. Oh yeah, she is an American citizen now though. And Maureen Dowd, the last time she got laid Michael Douglas' son was just a weed head. Maureen Dowd or Catherine Zeta Jones. That must have been real tough for Mike D.

      Report Abuse
    • Author by yes,really (August 12, 2009 11:28 pm ET)
         
      The Clintons are worth over a hundred million dollars, sure they can afford to throw an expensive party, but when was the last time you picked up your birthday dinner check?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by paul8616 (August 13, 2009 12:34 am ET)
      1  
      This noise attack is designed to stop debate. That's all it's for. It has nothing to do with anything other than to make you stop and wonder WTF?

      So wonder no more. Don't ask 'what is wrong with these people?' Nothing is wrong with them. They simply want to stop rational discussion. That's all it is.

      Keep your eye on the prize, Jamison. Ignore the stupid people.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by goesto11 (August 13, 2009 6:52 am ET)
      2 1
      What's wrong is that they're hypocrites.

      If a male reporter had blamed Hillary Clinton's remarks on a "bad hair day," or said a male politician was on edge because his wife was out spending money at a jewelry store, how do you think these women would have reacted?
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Easy to refute wingnuts (August 13, 2009 8:15 am ET)
        1
      Let's suppose Andrea Mitchell is at a speaking engagement, and afterward, during the Q&A, someone in the audience asks her what her husband, Alan Greenspan, thinks about the exact topic of her speech.

      How do you think she'd react?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by Cheney2012 (August 13, 2009 8:57 am ET)
        1 2
        Let's just suppose that your hypotethical is irrelevant, which it is, since Andrea Mitchell is not the Secretary of State. We should excpet a little more class from a cabinet member.

        Here is how a person with CLASS would handle it:

        "Well I'm not sure what Mr. Clinton thinks, but I think....."

        And then go on to the next question. This is the way a member of the cabinet should act on the international stage.

        Unfortunately, Hillary Clinton has no class. Though probably more than the current occupant of the White House and she therefore would be a much better president.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by jediknight65 (August 13, 2009 9:07 am ET)
          1  
          i say again......like how your idol dick used to answer legit questions with "so"......thats real classy.

          oh and how he is now suddenly talking about his frustrations with bush...because he stopped listening to him? even though no one else but him is doing so. and even though he ripped other people from past administrations about giving insider accounts?

          how classy is that eh?
          Report Abuse
    • Author by kydem09 (August 13, 2009 8:59 am ET)
      1  
      For once, I agree with an MMFA post. I found it offensive that female "journalists" would focus on such trivial things as a bad hair day to explain the Secretary of State's response to the question. I understand why she was upset and I don't blame her.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by kfraz43 (August 13, 2009 10:17 am ET)
      1  
      Trivial. Move on, everyone... including MMFA.
      Report Abuse

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