Thursday, September 28, 2017

Hillary Rodham Clinton - What Happened (Book Review)

Above all else, Hillary Clinton is a trooper who has the world a better place since she was the First Lady of Arkansas.  Her illustrious career made her one of the most qualified people to ever run for President.  She was the first female nominee of one of the two major parties.  It's a shame and a lose for the country and for the world that she was not elected.

On that last score, Hillary makes it clear with evidence that James Comey's sudden announcement on October 28 that he was reopening the Clinton email pseudo scandal cost her the election.  Polls showed this to be the case.  We should never forgive or excuse Comey.  Russian interference in the election to help Trump is unarguable.  It remains to be seen what comes of this.  How this country elected the most unqualified person in American history remains to be explained thoroughly.  There will be differing opinions; it's just a shame it happened.

This is a marvelous memoir combining autobiography, political analysis, and expert opinion on where the country should be going forward.  Hillary will continue to speak up and speak out, and this will benefit us all.

"This is the story of what happened.
It's the story of what I saw, felt, and thought during two of the most intense years I have ever experienced.
It's also the story of what happened to our country, why we are so divided, and what we can do about it."  P. XI

Hillary received 65,844,610 votes.  That's more than anyone candidate in history.  P. XIV

Her account of attending Trump's inauguration is heart- rending.  She could have not attended but she put country over partisanship.  If Trump is still around long enough to lose in 2020, I predict that he will not attend the inauguration of his successor.  P. 3

Glad to see she references historian Timothy Snyder and George Orwell.  P. 9

Yoga helped her get through the difficult days after the loss.  P. 27

Either you like Hillary, or you hate her guts.  It pretty much boils down to this.

"i tried to lose myself in books.  Our house is packed with them, and we keep adding more.  Our shelves are weighed down with volumes about history and biography, especially biographies of Presidents, but in those first few months, they held no interest for me whatsoever."  P. 29

in those months after losing the race she watched TV shows that Bill had been saving.  P. 31

Didn't want to be like Miss Havisham, wondering around the house wondering why might have been.  P. 32

Learning humility.  P, 34

"I ran for President because I thought I'd be good at the job."  P. 39

Says she should have stayed away from Wall Street speeches.  P. 46

Admits her mistakes in this book, unlike Trump, who NEVER admits a mistake.  P. 47

If you add together his time on Twitter, TV, and the golf course, what's left?  P. 50

Methodists are told to do all the good you can.  P. 54

There is only the trying.  P. 56

Sometimes a burrito bowl is just a burrito bowl.  P. 60

Would have won if not for the intervention of the FBI director in the last days.  P. 75

"After waking up, I check my email and read my morning devotional from Rev. Bill Shillady, which is usually waiting in my inbox.  I spend a few minutes in contemplation, organizing my thoughts and setting my priorities for the day."  P. 85

Bill is a night-owl; Hillary is an early bird.  P. 86

Hillary is a hot sauce fan!  P. 92

On the road with Hillary.  P. 94

Bill collects "things."  P. 97

President Obama raised more money than anyone in history from Wall Street she reminds Bernie Sanders.  P. 97

Following the Cubs!  P. 100

Her amazing/thorough debate prep.  P. 103

She cannot understand why she's been called divisive.  "I'm really asking.  I'm at a loss."  P. 120

"Hear me out."  P. 121

Taken aback by the flood of hatred that grew worse as the election grew close.  P. 126

A champion of small, pragmatic changes rather than sweeping changes that have no chance of being enacted.  P. 136

The consequential act of her life was marrying Bill.  She said no the first two times.  P. 159

Bill loves to organize their bookshelves!  P. 160

Always searching for the right balance between idealism and realism.  P. 196

Over the years Hillary paid her dues for the Democratic Party.  P. 201

"Ad FDR supposedly told a group of civil rights leaders, 'Okay, you've convinced me.  Now make me do it,' "  P. 202

Finding a proper balance between pragmatism and principle isn't easy.  P. 206

Timely: Trump trying to dismantle CHIP.  P. 207

It always come back to children.  P. 208

The decline of serious journalism is declining and has been declining for years.  Details matter.  They matter greatly.  Hillary is a self-described policy wonk.   P. 223

Hillary says she is a progressive, but not a socialist.  P. 231.

Compromise is necessary to get anything done.  P. 231

Trump had no legitimate policies.  P. 232

What she would have done had she been elected.  P. 233

Economics was more important than emails.  P. 236

Frederick Douglass was at Seneca Falls in 1848.  P. 246

Hillary is fundamentally honest.  P. 321

"It'll be like Christmas in the Kremlin."  P. 337

The War on Truth goes on.  P. 365

She was shell-shocked on election night.  It is obvious that she did expect to win and did not expect to lose.  P. 385

Reading Tillich.  P. 430

"Do I feel any empathy for Trump?"  Fred Hudson does not.  P. 442

After the election: What do we do now?  We keep going.

There is only the trying.

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