Everyone is talking about whether Hillary Rodham Clinton's self-destruction in that debate last week over the issue of driver's licenses for illegal aliens was fatal.
It was pretty bad.
When politicians like Hillary deviate from their well-rehearsed scripts, it can get ugly.
As a matter of fact, many people are still trying to figure out what Hillary believes on this issue.
Let me answer that.
The reason people were so shocked at Hillary's waffling was because she made the mistake of revealing her true convictions – then realized her mistake.
Hillary knows she can't win if Americans – even Democrats – truly understand where she wants to take the country.
You're darned right she thinks illegal aliens should get driver's licenses.
But won't that lead to voting, too?
Of course. And that's one of the reasons Hillary and other Democratic politicians – like New York Gov. Elliot Spitzer – can't wait to sneak it through in the dark of night.
That's hardly the only radical position held by Hillary – positions that will change the very character of our country, not just the political direction.
So, what must Hillary do to win the presidency? She must lie convincingly. She must fool the people. She must persuade them she is something she is not. She must pull the wool over their eyes.
When people lie for a living, as Hillary does, it can be very difficult, very stressful. Imagine if you told so many lies you couldn't keep track of them all. I can't imagine what it must be like living like that. I write a minimum of 1,000 published words every day, but I never have to worry about contradicting myself because I just tell people the truth. I just tell them exactly what I think.
Hillary doesn't have the freedom to do that.
It was only a matter of time before she got busted – just like her husband did.
It's not like this is the first time Hillary has been caught saying something that contradicted a previous statement or position. It's just that it is unusual for it to happen in the span of two minutes on national TV in a debate with her Democratic challengers.
Despite claims of being battle-tested, Hillary has actually been treated with kid gloves throughout her public life. The news media have been very friendly to her. In fact, during her White House years, she was able to harness the press to do her bidding.
That's probably why she looked like a deer caught in the headlights last week when Tim Russert asked the "tough" question: Do you, the senator from New York, support the decision by the governor of New York to grant driver's license to illegal aliens?
Why is this even a tough question?
It's a tough question for Hillary because for the overwhelming number of Americans it's not. For them, it's a no-brainer. The answer is a resounding "no."
But, if you are Hillary Clinton, and deep down in your gut you would like nothing better than to enlist millions of new constituents as illegal voters, it's hard to say "no" to handing out driver's licenses to them. It's equally hard to say "yes," knowing most legal voters would think you'd lost your mind by proposing such an idea.
So, she waffled and spun. She denied saying what everyone heard her say with our own ears. Then she did what she's best at doing – blamed Bush.
Lying for a living is not easy.
She's pretty good at it. But maybe not quite as good as her husband.
Will she survive?
Of course she will. Her competition is just not that formidable. Who's going to take this nomination away from her? Barack Obama? John Edwards? Joe Biden? Come on!
But I can hardly wait to see the TV commercials in the general election – to watch the daggers in her eyes when Russert asks that "gotcha" question. That was a priceless moment in American political history.
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