March 28, 2024

Double standard

Hillary Clinton would be better off if Bill Clinton would recuse himself from her campaign.

Sometimes, he is more of a distraction than an asset. He may be considered an expert at campaigning, but, truthfully, he makes her supporters uneasy about the possibility he will damage her chances to become president.

Recently, he did a really stupid thing when he called on U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch while both were at an airport. Lynch wasn’t very wise either when she allowed him to meet with her, although I can understand it would be hard to tell a former president to get lost.

They both insist there was no discussion about the ongoing investigation of Hillary’s emails, but it doesn’t matter. The appearance of collusion was very damaging. Although it was the FBI, rather than Lynch, who decided not to indict Hillary, the whole episode ensured Hillary’s opponents will forever claim she was let off easy because of the meeting. And, since FBI Director James Comey didn’t give Republicans the decision they wanted, he is now being accused of conspiring to go easy on Hillary, too; this despite their high praise for his credibility and integrity before he made his announcement. Unfortunately, the facts are never going to matter; people will believe what they want to believe anyway.

Be prepared though; if Hillary is elected in November, the claim by her opponents that there was a conspiracy will follow her throughout her presidency. There are a lot of people who insist on conspiracies as the answer to nearly every event that happens in America.

My point, however, is Hillary’s lifetime of hard work and experience is ignored because she’s always viewed through a lens that includes Bill. They are always considered a team no matter how capable she is individually. The media and the opposition always refer to them as “the Clintons,” despite the fact that she is the one running to be president.

She is qualified to run for president, with or without a spouse. She will be judged harshly by many for her own shortcomings, but she should not be considered only as one half of a couple. It’s a double standard that’s been set for her compared to previous first couples. No one judged Ronald Reagan that way although many thought he was overly influenced by Nancy. Richard Nixon’s corrupt presidency never included his wife, Pat, and no one blamed Lady Bird Johnston, Mamie Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt or Jackie Kennedy for their husbands’ affairs.

But the standard for Hillary is different. She’s called an enabler because she has stuck by Bill throughout their marriage. It’s strange how those who preach family values castigate her for remaining true to her vows. No one takes into account her conservative Methodist upbringing that has sustained her through the many times he was unfaithful to her. It was obvious she was shattered by his affair with Monica Lewinsky, in the White House no less, but there is little sympathy for her among her haters.

Many think the Lewinsky affair should have been the final straw and that she should have left Bill after his disgraceful betrayal. Others understand public officials are often forgiven by their spouses for the sake of their families and their constituency. There are currently several public figures, including governors, generals and senators, whose wives are still with them following personal and public humiliation caused by their husbands’ affairs. I’ve always wondered what it would have done to the nation during the crisis caused by his actions, if Hillary had left the president while serving as First Lady.

Hillary Clinton is a candidate with her own strengths and abilities and weaknesses. She has made plenty of mistakes, but there have been few candidates for the presidency who are mistake-free. There are male candidates throughout our history who have had terrible records of lying, excessive drinking, breaking their marriage vows, enriching themselves at the expense of others, cheating on their taxes, etc., etc. And many of them have been elected.

Spouses are hardly ever a part of the conversation, that is, until we have a candidate who is a woman.