From: pswanson@phoenix.Princeton.EDU (Paul Swanson)
Subject: Re: Clinton's flip-flop on Haitians!
Originator: news@nimaster
Organization: Princeton University
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1993 01:47:40 GMT

In article <90495@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM> mwilson@ncratl.AtlantaGA.NCR.COM (Mark Wilson) writes:
>In <randall.727494120@seashore> randall@informix.com (Randall Rhea) writes:
>
>|This and other Hillary-bashing are simply crude personal attacks.
>|I have always been against such bashing of the President's family,
>|whether it be Amy Carter, Nancy Reagan, Ron Reagan, Barbara Bush, or 
>|now Hillary.  Attacking a President through his wife or children
>|is just slimy.
>
>I tried to make an issue of Hillary's politics prior to the election.
>I was told, quite rudely at times, that since Hillary wasn't on the ballot
>her views were irrelevant.  Now Bill says that she is one of his principle
>advisors.  I believe that the views of anyone who advises the president is
>as relevant as the views of the president himself.  Now this is not slickness
>on the part of Clinton, it is more slickness on the part of his supporters.
>I guess it rubs off.
>
>BTW, one reason I favor moving the inauguration up to a week or so after the
>election is that it would force the candidates to name their cabinets before
>the election, so that the electorate can examine them as well.

Well, I must agree with Mark to the extent that the issue of Hillary's
views hasn't been adequately addressed.  On the other hand, I disagree
that there is anything to worry (or wonder) about.  You see, the
question isn't how Hillary's views will effect Bill but will she
suddenly have more influence or different views now that he is
president.  

People complain that they didn't vote for Hillary, but that is not
exactly true.  To the extent that Hillary's viewpoint was reflected in
Bill's a vote for Bill was a vote for Hillary too.  So the question then
is how will Hillary's effect on Bill change now that he is president.
First question, does Bill have more or fewer sources of advice now that he is
president?  Well he has more so the importance of Hillary's advice must
be diminished or at the very least is hasn't increased.

The second point to wonder about is now that Bill is president will
Hillary's advice change or, as some conservatives anticipate, will the
'real' Hillary come forward.  My first thought is to dismiss this charge
out of hand as being silly.  It smacks of some communist conspiracy
theory.  "Watch out for Hillary.  She's one of those clever liberals.
She'll lull you into letting your guard down and then BANG the whole
country gets nationalized."  Perhaps a better way to dismiss this charge
is to look at Bill's record as governor.  Surely, Hillary's influence
then was as great (unlikely) or greater (most probably) than it will be now.
Bill wasn't exactly a raving liberal then (at least after his first
term).

So to sum up, don't ask how Bill's actions will be influenced by Hillary
because we have his whole public life as well as the campaign to see
what a raving liberal Hillary turned Bill into.  The real unknown is
what would Bill be like without Hillary's advice.

Paul.
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