Hillary "Attacked"; Does Not Become Defensive!
Hillary Clinton filed with the New Hampshire Secretary of State yesterday; she is now officially on the ballot for the presidential primary. Following the brief signing ceremony, she entered a crowded room, where, surrounded by many NH women Senators who support her, and dozens of press folk with their cameras, microphones and notepads, she answered questions. And the questions were almost an echo of the questions from Tim Russert and Brian Williams in the Democratic debate a few nights earlier: hostile, designed to trap a candidate in contradictions.
What newly impressed me about Hilllary was her ability to remain calm and undefensive when the pundits attempted to pin her to a definitive "black or white", "yes or no" about Iran or drivers' licenses for undocumented immigrants. She pointed out repeatedly that these are complex issues that need to be looked at carefully and spelled out after detailed examination. The press folk, shouting over each other much of the time, did much to try to get her to back down or contradict herself. In my view, she responded presidentially, and pointed out that things will get tougher for her in these press conferences "because I am winning". Not because she is a woman, though one, rude (female) ABC reporter shouted from the back of the room, "Are you playing victim, Hilllary?" Wisely, Hillary ignored the questioner, and went on with her recognition that issues of foreign policy (vis-a-vis Iran) and fairness and protection for EVERYONE (drivers' licenses for immigrants) should neither be neglected nor dealt with in a knee-jerk way that Republicans have been reacting.
My new insight into Hillary from this, my fifth "live" siting: She is not defensive! She can take the heat! That's what we need in the WHite House!