David Brooks, professional humble guy, is worried about Hillary Clinton's unpopulars. After all, as Brooks points out, she was likable enough when she was Secretary of State. She was the most admired woman in the world! How could it be that her negatives have shot up to Donald Trump levels? That guy wouldn't be welcome at any of David Brooks's friends' Bloody Mary Sundays!
First, let us allow David Brooks to show us some fugly numbers!
In the New York Times/CBS News poll, 60 percent of respondents said Clinton does not share their values. Sixty-four percent said she is not honest or trustworthy. Clinton has plummeted so completely down to Trump’s level that she is now statistically tied with him in some of the presidential horse race polls.
There are two paradoxes to her unpopularity. First, she was popular not long ago. As secretary of state she had a 66 percent approval rating. Even as recently as March 2015 her approval rating was at 50 and her disapproval rating was at 39.
It’s only since she launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to impress the American people that she has made herself so strongly disliked.
That IS a paradox! You know, having followed this campaign a little bit, I would suggest that her sinking popularity could have something to do with her primary opponent, Bernie Sanders, insinuating in every speech and at every rally that she is a dishonest, greedy, war-loving (that part is probably true!) front for the One Percent who wants nothing more than to give all the Chips, Brads and Tads of Wall Street an extra-spitty beej.
But that is just my opinion! What's David Brooks's? That Hillary Clinton should get some hobbies. Nobody likes a workaholic!
hillary clinton makes a bomb in her basement
I would begin my explanation with this question: Can you tell me what Hillary Clinton does for fun? We know what Obama does for fun — golf, basketball, etc. We know, unfortunately, what Trump does for fun.
Hunts the most dangerous game?
Clinton’s career appears, from the outside, to be all consuming. Her husband is her co-politician. Her daughter works at the Clinton Foundation. Her friendships appear to have been formed at networking gatherings reserved for the extremely successful.
People who work closely with her adore her and say she is warm and caring. But it’s hard from the outside to think of any non-career or pre-career aspect to her life. Except for a few grandma references, she presents herself as a résumé and policy brief.
I don't know, she seemed to have fun that time she was playing the dominoes with the old Dominican guys in Harlem.
Hillary Clinton got really excited when she won dominoes today in East Harlem. Video: pic.twitter.com/kHJYAcW6Za
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) April 15, 2016
Also, I feel like she likes to drink?
And listen to Fleetwood Mac?
Like those wouldn't be a step up for the rest of us, as we spend our "me time" "watching Bar Rescue," "farting" and "scratching our nads."
There’s a larger lesson here, especially for people who have found a career and vocation that feels fulfilling. Even a socially good vocation can swallow you up and make you lose a sense of your own voice. Maybe it’s doubly important that people with fulfilling vocations develop, and be seen to develop, sanctuaries outside them: in play, solitude, family, faith, hobbies and leisure.
Shut the fuck up David Brooks, you'll pry our "House Hunters International" from our cold drunk hands.
[ NYT ]
On one hand: he'll never stop talking about Crossfit
On the other hand, he'll never stop talking about Crossfit.
Heh. I was watching Bill speak a few years ago... 2012, maybe? I can't remember what he was talking about now, but it must have been a really good speech, because all of a sudden I totally understood why he had no problems picking up young interns. He gives good speech. I'm a sucker for a good talker.