Leave Hillary Alone!

Bad Fashion Sense and Terrible Hairstyles Don’t Have Anything to do With Running a Country

By SAIRA ANEES

Published: November 15, 2007

So, I know that Hillary Clinton may not be the most perfect person in the world, but I think whenever Americans see Mrs. Clinton, we forget the important question, “Who is perfect?” Absolutely no one is perfect, and I doubt Mrs. Clinton ever claimed to be so perfect herself. So then why is this presidential candidate faced with the most ridiculous criticism?  The topics that surround discussions about Clinton are outrageous and completely unreasonable. Sometimes, when I hear any talk about Clinton, I feel like I am watching a bad movie or a crazy talk show instead of a credible news channel.

Hillary Clinton answers a question at the democratic debate at Drexel University on Oct. 30. (Michael Perez/Inquirer/MCT)

What is it about Hillary Clinton that makes her the usual target for the most outrageous statements?  Some people can argue that it is a clear case of gender bias. Many people are outraged when people use this “excuse” for Hillary, but it makes sense. Obama, Giuliani and basically the entire male line up could never get attacked for things Hillary Clinton is criticized for.

From her suits down to her shoes, Hillary Clinton is scrutinized. When was the last time you heard of a presidential candidate criticized for his attire?  I assume you haven’t because there was never a female presidential candidate before. Making fun of male suits isn’t much fun since they all basically look the same and have usually up to four color possibilities (and I think I’m being generous there).

Clinton’s many hairstyles over the years have had blogs dedicated to them. Her makeup or eyebrows that arch down too much have been pointed to as signs that she’s “evil.” Her laugh is considered evil as well and it is pointed to as a sign that she is up to no good. Some people talk of Clinton’s inability to control her husband and home as a sign that she cannot control a country. I consider this just another way to put women down. We are not talking about Hillary, the homemaker, anymore; we are talking about Mrs. Clinton, the serious presidential candidate. The sooner people realize this, the better off they will be. It’s also asinine to think that controlling a man is the same thing as controlling a country. Those are completely different situations. Everyone makes his or her own decisions and if your mate decides to cheat on you, there is not much you can do to stop that. The Monica Lewinsky situation is certainly something Hillary Clinton cannot be held accountable for. As a matter of fact, perhaps she should be given credit for picking up the pieces and turning her life around for the better. The people that make these comments and comparisons need to experience a bad relationship to see the difference firsthand (an education could possibly help as well).

She has been accused of showing too much cleavage during a speech. News outlets use special effects to add even more “humor” to this (supposedly) humorous observation. What do they do?  They run the clip of Clinton where you can see a little bit of cleavage, but certainly nothing to mention, and then they morph her breasts into super large breasts for humor by exaggeration. This joke was oh, so funny. I do not see how it had anything to do with important matters.

A news station claimed that Clinton was trying to gain popularity with the extra exposure. That assertion is ridiculous and foolish. It is a shame that Clinton has to worry about these nonsensical attacks while the other male candidates have one less thing to worry about!

What bothers me even more is when I see women in the media trying to get attention for five seconds by bashing Hillary. I would think that women would be more intelligent, especially women in the media who know what it is like to be on camera all the time. Why can’t they see what this is all about?

I do not have any problem with people attacking Clinton for political reasons, such as her voting record, avoiding questions or flip-flopping in debates. That’s all fair game, and those are also issues that concern the other candidates, as well. We need to remember to not get so caught up in things that lack relevance and go beyond the political. Anything beyond this line is crossing the line.