But that's what is peculiar about Hillary. She is always much more likable, popular when she is away from the limelight. As soon as she takes the center stage, everyone is reminded of one basic fact about Hillary: she has ZERO political talent. On paper she is a formidable candidate. On the campaign trail, she is a gaffe machine, always has been and, in all likelihood, always will be.
It is really amazing to see liberal political pundits scratching their heads and wondering how Hillary - whom they regard as the smartest woman in the world - could claim that she and Bill were "dead broke" when they left the White House. Or how she could get into a testy exchange with an NPR reporter. Yes, NPR which is considered a natural constituency for Democrats. This morning Ruth Marcus on the MSNBC program "The Daily Rundown" blamed the gaffes on Hillary's "rustiness" from being away from the campaign trail for so many years.
Perhaps Ms. Marcus has forgotten Hillary's national debut when Bill ran for president in 1992. When she made a snide comment about "staying home and baking cookies" and, thus, insulting the very soccer moms that were key to Bill Clinton's victory. What about her claim that a "right wing conspiracy" was behind the Monica Lewinsky affair? The smartest woman in the world never doubted the word of her philandering husband and ended up looking foolish.
During her own presidential campaign, Hillary kept her gaffe streak intact with claims that she had to dodge sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia. Unfortunately for her, the media had been on the trip and footage quickly surfaced showing a smiling Hillary receiving flowers from local children. What about when she said that she was staying in the race because anything could happen including - indirectly implying - Barack Obama being assassinated?
She began her term as Secretary of State with the widely reported "reset” button gaffe. Apparently, the State Department did not have Google translate available and instead of the button saying "reset" it actually said "overcharge". That was only the beginning. While speaking in Brussels, Mrs. Clinton asserted that American democracy had been around longer than European democracy to the dismay of the Greeks. She then referred to EU Foreign Chief Javier Solana but the incorrect title and gave EU External Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner a sex change by calling her Benito.
During a Middle East visit, an Arab leader reported that she shook hands with everyone she met on her way to a meeting, including the doorman. Some remarked she was probably still in campaign mode. In Mexico, Hillary viewed the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe - which miraculously appeared according to the traditional account – and asked Msgr. Diego Monroy “Who painted it?”; he replied “God”. Upon leaving the Basilica, Mrs. Clinton was reported saying to locals gathered outside to greet her "you have a marvelous virgin!"
