Clinton Pure Pandering

To Pander

To cater to the lower tastes and desires of others or exploit their weaknesses:
Or you may see it as this. A person who caters to or profits from the weaknesses or vices of others.

Hey folks,

No matter where you look up the definition, pandering is basically exploitation of weakness or stupidity. This is how some Libs actually see you. But I want to amend this definition today. The Definition of Pandering is now this.

Hillary Clinton pulled into a gas station in a borrowed pickup truck on Wednesday hoping to drive home the political message that she feels the pain of the working class at the pump.

Seriously folks. She borrowed a pickup, I would love to see what it looked like, and drove into a gas station to show she feels the pain of the regular folks, YOU, in dealing with high gas price. {Sigh} Did you buy it? Did she succeed? When do you think was the last time SHE actually bought or pumped gas? Idiot.

I love this story from Reuters - Clinton aims message at working class in Indiana By Ellen Wulfhorst

The Democratic presidential candidate is making as much political theater as she can -- including using a commuter as a prop -- to press her appeal to blue-collar voters anxious about soaring gas prices as she campaigns in Indiana this week.

Before a crucial nominating contest in the state next week, Clinton used the common political tactic of getting close to voter concerns by joining their lives.

She did not join their lives. Remember John Kerry? "Can I get me a hunting licence here?"

On Wednesday she joined Jason Wilfing, a sheet-metal worker, for part of his daily 45-minute commute. They rode in a large pickup, borrowed from his boss because his own truck was too small to accommodate Secret Service agents, and, accompanied by nine security vehicles, drove to a gas station.

{Laughing} Yeah, I always travel around with nine security vehicles. I bet Jason Wilfing is use to this. Hey, she joined his life. For PART of his 45 minute commute. This doesn't say how big a part. {Smile}

Clinton paid $64 for Wilfing to fill up half the truck's gas tank -- watchdog group Consumer Reports estimates such a truck gets 10 miles to the gallon -- and told reporters how voters like Wilfing badly need a respite from high fuel costs.

She is proposing a "gas tax holiday," in which the federal tax on gasoline would be lifted temporarily for consumers weighed down by skyrocketing costs at the gas pump.

"If you're like a lot of people I meet who commute 60, 75 miles, who like living in the country but their job is pretty far away, this is going to help," she said.

Uh, Mrs. Clinton? Just a little side note here. McCain already proposed this? I know, maybe you missed it because you were driving around in pickup trucks, but, uh, you are not the first one.

'RESPONSIVE CHORD'

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain also has proposed suspending the 18.4-cents-per-gallon federal tax rate during the peak summer driving months.

But Clinton's Democratic rival, Barack Obama, has criticized the plan as pure politics and said the only way to lower the price of gas is to use less oil.

Bigger idiot. We ARE using less oil, and the price keeps going UP. It is no longer about supply and demand. It's about some making A LOT of money on the backs of others.

Many economists agree with Obama, saying that since refineries cannot increase their supply of gasoline in the space of a few summer months, lower prices will just boost demand and the benefits will flow to oil companies, not consumers.

All idiots. Folks, IF the Price is lower, it benefits YOU. Refineries CAN increase and decrease oil production in quick time. They DO this all the time. But to say that lower prices just benefit big oil and not those that pay to put it into their car is a completely idiotic statement. If I was paying $2.00 a gallon, I could not care less how much the oil companies are making. Neither would anyone else. Really.

Still, political strategist Jeffrey Plaut said Clinton was "hitting a responsive chord."

"Working people in Indiana are getting angry every time they fill up their tanks," he said. "Targeting gas prices is good politics."

BUT will she actually DO something?

The focus on working-class voters comes on the heels of accusations by the Clinton campaign that Obama was elitist after his comments that some Americans cling to religion and guns out of economic frustration.

Clinton has "found her groove with white, blue-collar workers," said political analyst Larry Sabato at the University of Virginia.

"The white, blue-collar guy says, 'Good for her, that would help, at least somebody is trying to do something,"' Sabato said.

WHAT?

Jonathan Alter, a Newsweek columnist, called the gas tax holiday a "crass ploy for votes" that would offer only small relief to consumers and encourage gasoline consumption.

Never mind the long-term consequences, said Douglas Muzzio, professor of public affairs at City University of New York.

"She's talking to the voters that she needs next Tuesday," he said. "The larger context doesn't matter right now."

EXACTLY! Pure and unadulterated pandering. You know that the sad thing is, some people will actually buy into it. They will actually believe that she can relate. Forget the fact that Bill and Hill have been running all over the pace bragging about how rich they are. Forget the fact that they just released their tax info. Forget the fact that it most likely has been YEARS since Hillary pumped gas. She can relate to you. She cares. She understands. OK.
Peter

Sources:
Reuters - Clinton aims message at working class in Indiana