I have a confession to make: I miss the good olā Hillary Clinton.
In her winter years, Hillary has lost a bit of edge that made her, if not likable or a purveyor of sound policy, at least useful to Republicans. The lies are less brazen, the evasive language is less obvious, and Ā ā perhaps most importantly ā the number of Democrats sheās been throwing under buses has markedly decreased.
Gone are the days when, as secretary of State, Clinton tossed then-national security advisor Susan Rice to the Sunday-show wolves after the Benghazi attack to lie and claim it was all the result of an obscure YouTube video that insulted Muslims. Itās been the better part of a decade since Clinton helped ensure then-Democratic National Committee chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took the fall for the DNC email leak. And ā can you believe it? ā itās been six years since Clinton blamed Barack Obama for her 2016 loss in her memoir āWhat Happened,ā saying he should have done more to emphasize the (almost entirely chimerical) role Russian interference played in the election.
But guess what? For one day only, the old Hillary was back ā and she was busy tossing President Joe Biden under every Greyhound leaving the Port Authority bus terminal.
Granted, it wasnāt top Hillary form, considering she gave Biden a few backhanded compliments ā but, during her appearance at the Financial Times Weekend Festival in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, she told the crowd āpeople have every right to considerā the presidentās advanced age.
Clintonās remarks came after the moderator, Financial Times editor Edward Luce, asked about Bidenās stair-stumble at the G7 Summit in Japan.
āNow,Ā there was that heart stopping moment where he almost fell over coming down the stairs a day or two ago,ā Luce said of the incident. āHe didnāt use the railings. Jill wasnāt there with him. Every time that happens, your heart is in your mouth because these things could be consequential. Is that a concern?ā
A good Democrat would have said: Of course not! Joe is a spry 80. Or 90. Whatever he is. He barely looks a day over 60! And, mark his word as a Biden, he can complete the task before him.
This, however, is Hillary Clinton, so thatās definitely not what she said.
āWell, I mean, itās a concern for anyone. And weāve had presidents whoāve fallen before who are a lot younger, and people didnāt go into heart palpitations,ā Clinton said.
āBut his age is an issue. And people have every right to consider it.ā
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āBut he has this great saying, and I think heās right,ā Clinton continued.
āDonāt judge him by running against the Almighty, but against the alternative. And I am of the camp that I think heās determined to run. He has a good record that three years ago people would not have predicted would have gotten done.ā
She went on to note that Biden didnāt āget the credit yet that he deserves for what is happening out in the country in terms of jobs and growth and planning for the future with CHIPS and other stuff.ā
āSo, I obviously hope he stays very focused and able to compete in the election because I think he ⦠can be re-elected, and thatās what we should all hope for.ā
But, you know, if he really is too old, thereās a young-ish 75-year-old former first lady and secretary of State more than happy to fill the role. Just sayinā, everyone!
Granted, I donāt think that Hillary is going to make another run for office, considering sheās about as likable as athleteās foot and losing to Donald Trump has kept many Democrats at armās length: They respect Hillary, but who wants to be seen with the woman who was doing victory laps just before she got trounced?
And leave it to Clinton to provide another backhanded compliment in picking the weakest argument for voting for Biden there is: His opponent isnāt God. Yes, but his opponent, no matter who it is, isnāt responsible for the following: runaway inflation, the Afghanistan withdrawal, weakness in Ukraine and Taiwan, letting a Chinese spy balloon overfly much of the continental United States, trying to popularize the phrase āultra-MAGA,ā skyrocketing deficits, an attempted vaccine mandate, an ongoing attempt to forgive hundreds of billions in student debt at the expense of those who paid it off or didnāt take it in the first place, and other miscellaneous faux pas that voters are going to remember ā in addition to the presidentās senescence.
Not only that, but highlighting Bidenās age plays into the (not entirely implausible ā and, in fact, very probable) notion that heās not the one running things at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This, after all, does not seem like a man ready to serve another four years in the White House:
But, of course, a good Democrat would take one for the team and tell you not to believe your lying eyes and ears. However, the only team Hillary Clinton belongs to is her own. To quote William Clay, Hillary has always had no permanent friends, only permanent interests ā and even she can see the obvious.
Mind you, sheās right for once. Voters should have heeded Bidenās age in 2020 and should consider it a giant red flag in 2024. Beyond that, though, itās good to see olā Hills back in tip-top under-bus-throwing form again, if perhaps just for a day.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
