Why does the right wing continue to hate Clinton?

[neuvocat]

Its a question asked over and over again on this board, but I think that the one man who has summed it all up answered it with a time-tested truth. Michael Moore (in this month's Playboy magazine-look it up on your own because I can't post the link here) brought up the point that Clinton was the guy in high school who could steal a man's girlfriend if he wanted to. He's tall, charming, charismatic, athletic, intelligent, and likeable, all of which help to make someone very, very popular. On top of all that he's shown himself to be a very considerate human being! You just can't beat someone with that combination of traits!!!

There's just nothing wrong with the guy and there isn't a single reason a woman wouldn't wonder what it would be like to sleep with the guy (unless they're into other women, but even then they might wonder.).

Clinton has, as one could expect I guess, done everything to fulfill expectations of success. He's proven that he could do anything he wants if he sets his mind to it. He's already made fortunes and still quite young enough to do so again.

But what really, really pisses off the right wing (a stronghold made predominantly of fat, ugly white men) is that Clinton even used their hatred of him to his advantage. You have to laugh because if it weren't for Newt Gingrich and his ilk, Clinton wouldn't have had such a landslide re-election.

[Archae]

1. Quite simple, really.

Bill Clinton has committed the ULTIMATE BLASPHEMY against conservatives and the GOP.

He kicked their ass three times.

Two elections against their "best," and the impeachment farce.

Hillary kicked the ass of the "best" the GOP sent against her in her senate race, so she gets the hate treatment also.

[Sparkly]

2. I think it's all that you mentioned, and something political too

I do think basic jealousy is a big part of it, but I also think David Brock's description of it in Blinded by the Right was the best. He describes a larger cultural context where the 1950's met the 1960's, basically. They can't stand the social changes from the 60s and 70s and see Clinton as the personification of all of it.

[Momgonepostal]

3. They hated Carter, too

Carter is a completely different kind of person and he was the butt of jokes for years. I think it's mainly a case of finding reasons to hate people whose policies you don't agree with. If John Kerry is elected, the RW will gritch about him, too.

[69KV]

16. here's another theory

Carter and Clinton are both southerners, and both from rural backgrounds.

The Repugs want to create a hostile social climate where all rural people, and all southerners, identify with the Repugs. They've done this by co-opting NASCAR culture, gun culture, country music, Southern Baptists, and such. It's phony but they've pulled it off.

They've had a southern strategy going back to the Nixon years.

Carter and Clinton are both the ultimate blasphemy to the Repugs. As rural southerners they are reference points for other rural southerners. The Repugs don't want any Democrats to be reference points for rural southerners. So they went overboard targeting Carter and Clinton for their hate. Ridicule is a potent form of attack.

As somebody from a rural southern background, that's my theory. I've watched too many rural and small towns turn from moderately Democratic to oppressively Republican in a matter of 15 years. And the Repugs *really* don't like anyone who is an exception to their myth.

[cosmokramer]

4. Because he is wicked smart, an outstanding politician...

...and wiped the floor with the GOP in two elections.

How dare anyone that smart, and that good, not belong to THEIR party...

[Robert Oak]

5. cause Clinton sucked up to big business more than them

They're jealous

[clydefrand]

6. I've liked Clinton from the moment

I heard him speak. Not too many people in this country can grow up poor and become President of this country. I admire his intelligence above all else. And everything else looks pretty damn good to me too. ;-) Why is it that repugs hate sex so much? Not engaging in it? Can't engage in it? What the devil is their problem with it? Do I agree that he should have had his flings? No, but for heavens sake that doesn't make him Satan incarnate as the repugs would have you believe. They need to get lives and carry on the business of the country. Have sex every once in a while and maybe they would feel a hell of a lot better.

[olddem43]

7. you're right, - Wonder if they would do the same

with JFK (the first JFK) if he were here now? He had it all too, and then some. Better looking, better looking wife and family, more money. Probably the most class of any president ever. Similar problem with women. Repugs are definitely meaner now. In the old days they were content with just being isolationists, and obstructing any social progress. I think part of their hatred for Clinton stems from the fact that he was able to shake down fat-cats for campaign contributions even better than they could and they considered the fat-cats to be their rightful domain.

[wyldwolf]

8. Gotta say it: The same reason the left wing continues to hate Clinton

He won and was/is adored by the country and the world and he isn't one of theirs. He was not constrained by any strict ideology.

[Jabbery]

9. Politically, he is God, and they are Satan

It is the eternal struggle. Good (us) versus evil (them). I hate that it is that way, but they made it that way, not us. We fight for good, the Republicans fight for evil. It is that simple, no matter what the nabobs say.

[monchie]

10. At its root, I don't think the hate is personal...

...it's political.

There's a throwaway line spoken by Roy Cohn in "Angels in America" that's the key to the anger and hate. Circa mid to late 80s, Cohn is bragging about the Republicans' future prospects, claiming that they have a lock on the White House for the forseeable future. That, I believe, is how Republicans, from the Age of Ronnie onward to today, have seen themselves...they are the future, the New Order, and no one can stop them. Nor should anyone try to stop them.

But Clinton did--so, therefore, Clinton is illegitimate and must be destroyed. They revved up the Mighty Wurlitzer, blanketing the airwaves with their 24/7 hates in order to keep their base foaming at the mouth with bitter, irrational hatred toward President Clinton, toward Hillary, toward anyone who opposes the Republican juggernaut.

What they've wanted for the past several decades is unchecked, unbalanced power...and now, they've just about reached their goal. They've almost completely destroyed institutional checks on their power, and 30 years of the right wing's "working the refs" has castrated the press. Exposing their sleazy gutter tactics and pathological dishonesty will not earn you a Pulitzer; more likely, if you dare to be too interested in the Republicans' thuggery, you'll end up out of a job and a career.

[DaveSZ]

11. I don't know why they hate him

He signed into law many of Raygun's ideas - NAFTA, welfare reform, dereguation of the media, etc.

[Southsideirish]

12. Let's face it - they get off on hatred - Its what drives their whole

loony movement. For some reason they always loathed him with a white hot intensity - I guess you would have to be as crazy as them to understand why but it has been going on for years and probably will do so for the rest of our lifetimes.

[agincourt]

13. It's not very complicated actually

the conservatives wanted to set up a neo-fascist corporate theocratic state and Clinton wouldn't go along with all of it. He was attacked for his principles rather than for the lack of them. They had to wait until 2000 with what they could of had in 1994.

[indie_voter]

14. He played their game better than they did

Meaning he was able to energize the base yet still maintain support from the independents. He was smart, charismatic and competent (something the republicans have yet to field ).

He also knew his failings and mocked the moralists indirectly.

I wish he could run again, he would win.

[no name no slogan]

15. Because he co-opted a big part of their program

Clinton grabbed their economic program and made it "kinder" and "gentler". He also got the credit for their half-baked ideas. They despise him because he was successful, while the Rethugs' Contract On America was a big flop.

[dryan]

17. Question for the ages

[cmutt]

18. my list

I think the reasons, in order are:

1. He kicked the Bush aristocracy out of office. Doesn't the American people know the presidency belongs to the Bushies? How DARE we vote Bush out of office! I think they were embarassed, humiliated, and they took the defeat personally.

2. Clinton was successful. The man had a midas touch. He was brilliant, educated, compassionate - and he got results.

3. Clinton was from Arkansas. He didn't have a pedigree. He was viewed as a 'bubba'. This contributed to #1 (above).