Arkady
President
Hillary Clinton is possibly the most popular woman in history (aside from mythological figures like Mary and Isis). I suppose Victoria Hanover, Elizabeth Tudor, Elizabeth Windsor, Maria Theresa, and a few other monarchs of big empires might also have a claim on the title, but at least in the US, in the era of modern polling, no other woman has been so admired by so many for so long. But what's so extraordinary to me is how popular she is even among Republican politicians. They speak well of her, on and off the record, to an extent that's hard to believe, for those of us who remember the vicious treatment directed her way during the early part of her husband's presidency. Back in the day, they pawed through her law career and investments trying to find something to use against her, and some of the nuttier ones gave air to the "Hillary had Vince Foster murdered" conspiracies.
Some of her increased popularity among Republicans makes sense for purely partisan reasons. The moment Obama emerged as the likely Democratic nominee, in 2008, Republicans had two very strong incentives at least to pretend they like Hillary. First, it allowed them to present themselves as something other than reflexive partisan zealots who'd automatically hate any Democrat ("Oh, I respect Hillary Clinton, but that Obama guy scares me.") Second, it was a useful strategy for trying to peel off Hillary Clinton supporters ("We love her, too... why don't you vote McCain/Palin and show Obama what you think of what he did to 'our girl'?")
However, I heard another explanation for Hillary Clinton's rising popularity among Republican politicians. When she first arrived in the Senate, there was an expectation that she'd throw her weight around before paying her dues. She was instantly the most famous person in that body, as a freshman -- one of the most famous people ever in that body. She could have started right off by grand-standing to the press and demanding key leadership roles and balking at the boring stuff where work actually gets done. Far dimmer stars than her have done exactly that as famous freshmen (think: infamous press wh0re and legendary half-wit Rand Paul). Instead, she took a step back, attended all her committee meetings, researched issues, took her cues from senior leaders, got down into the weeds of actual statutory drafting, and learned the ropes, only emerging as a leader gradually, over the course of several years of dues-paying.
That shouldn't have been a surprise for those who had ever considered her character honestly. She'd been a young woman who had stellar career possibilities and yet had spent much of her adult life taking a back seat to her husband's career -- supporting him loyally even during his worst missteps. But that kind of team-player attitude and well-contained ego sure didn't fit her image among right-wingers, who'd played her up as some sort of domineering harpy and prima donna, in the early Clinton years (a sign of their own misogyny, not the result of any indication of those character traits from her).
Her humility and dedication to being a team player was only underscored after her presidential primary defeat. Despite what was perceived as a snubbing for the VP slot, she became an enthusiastic and competent campaigner for Obama, then accepted the Secretary of State role. In that role, she served well for four years, while remaining a consummate team player. Like no other Secretary of State in history, she had the independent stature to grandstand and go off message if she'd wanted, but if there were any cracks between the White House and the State Department, she carefully kept them hidden and presented as united a front, to the country and the world, as any other White House and State Department had. She also resisted the urge to float any kind of trial balloons about a possible 2012 primary challenge.
That kind of thing was clearly not what one would have expected from the caricature of Hillary Clinton the Republicans had invented in the early 90s. And I think gradually the real thing won them over. They may not like Hillary Clinton, for the same reason they dislike all liberals and Democrats, but most of them respect her.
Some of her increased popularity among Republicans makes sense for purely partisan reasons. The moment Obama emerged as the likely Democratic nominee, in 2008, Republicans had two very strong incentives at least to pretend they like Hillary. First, it allowed them to present themselves as something other than reflexive partisan zealots who'd automatically hate any Democrat ("Oh, I respect Hillary Clinton, but that Obama guy scares me.") Second, it was a useful strategy for trying to peel off Hillary Clinton supporters ("We love her, too... why don't you vote McCain/Palin and show Obama what you think of what he did to 'our girl'?")
However, I heard another explanation for Hillary Clinton's rising popularity among Republican politicians. When she first arrived in the Senate, there was an expectation that she'd throw her weight around before paying her dues. She was instantly the most famous person in that body, as a freshman -- one of the most famous people ever in that body. She could have started right off by grand-standing to the press and demanding key leadership roles and balking at the boring stuff where work actually gets done. Far dimmer stars than her have done exactly that as famous freshmen (think: infamous press wh0re and legendary half-wit Rand Paul). Instead, she took a step back, attended all her committee meetings, researched issues, took her cues from senior leaders, got down into the weeds of actual statutory drafting, and learned the ropes, only emerging as a leader gradually, over the course of several years of dues-paying.
That shouldn't have been a surprise for those who had ever considered her character honestly. She'd been a young woman who had stellar career possibilities and yet had spent much of her adult life taking a back seat to her husband's career -- supporting him loyally even during his worst missteps. But that kind of team-player attitude and well-contained ego sure didn't fit her image among right-wingers, who'd played her up as some sort of domineering harpy and prima donna, in the early Clinton years (a sign of their own misogyny, not the result of any indication of those character traits from her).
Her humility and dedication to being a team player was only underscored after her presidential primary defeat. Despite what was perceived as a snubbing for the VP slot, she became an enthusiastic and competent campaigner for Obama, then accepted the Secretary of State role. In that role, she served well for four years, while remaining a consummate team player. Like no other Secretary of State in history, she had the independent stature to grandstand and go off message if she'd wanted, but if there were any cracks between the White House and the State Department, she carefully kept them hidden and presented as united a front, to the country and the world, as any other White House and State Department had. She also resisted the urge to float any kind of trial balloons about a possible 2012 primary challenge.
That kind of thing was clearly not what one would have expected from the caricature of Hillary Clinton the Republicans had invented in the early 90s. And I think gradually the real thing won them over. They may not like Hillary Clinton, for the same reason they dislike all liberals and Democrats, but most of them respect her.
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