The Democrats want a refund from Hillary Clinton — and they want her to go away, too. Apparently, Clinton is still cashing in off her failed 2016 campaign.
But the joke as it turned out was the one played on Hillary, who had been told all her life by the people around her that her academic precocity was political genius, that she had a particular gift for inspiring people, that she deserved to be president, and that her ascension was all but assured. Fate seemed to concur and gave her three gifts: a feminist movement that lifted her with it; a president-husband who shared his great power; and a black-swan event in the shape of a scandal that recast her in the public eye.
But even these could not overcome her limitations, and she failed twice to achieve her ultimate object—the last time in a way so painful that it almost seemed the universe itself had been taking revenge upon her for her presumption. How did this occur, and what made it happen? Let us look backwards and see.
She jealously guarded her power and resented advice that came even from fellow Democrats with vastly more practical political experience. (Lloyd Bentsen complained about her “holier-than-thou” attitude; Shalala’s tactical objections were dismissed as arising from envy; Alice Rivlin’s suggestions were ignored; Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s proposed compromise elicited scorn.)
After many paralyzing months, her health-care project was pronounced dead in September 1994. Six weeks later came the midterms and one of the greatest electoral bloodlettings ever—a loss by the Democrats of 8 Senate and 54 House seats and of control of both chambers. Hillarycare begat the Republican Revolution.