OPINION
4A
T HE
D AILY A STORIAN
Founded in 1873
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
Call off the Clintons’ dogs
By MAUREEN DOWD
New York Times News Service
W
ASHINGTON — I’ll pay
for this column.
The Rottweilers will be
unleashed.
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
Once the Clintons had a War
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
Room. Now they have a Slime
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
Room.
Once they
SAMANTHA MCLAREN, Circulation Manager
had the sly
James Carville,
fondly known
as
“serpent-
head.”
Now
they have the
slippery David
t is good to hear that the Lower Columbia region’s Jewish Brock, accu-
community is making plans for a new congregation after a rately known as
Maureen
a snake.
half-century with no formal gathering.
Dowd
%URFN ¿WV
into
the
Clinton
There have been Jewish
Creation of the Beit Salmon
people here in the communities Congregation here, besides tradition of op-
SRUWXQLVWLF NQLIH¿JKWHUV OLNH 'LFN
of the Columbia estuary and generating a smile at the Morris and Mark Penn.
surrounding beaches for a embedded nod to our region’s
The silver-haired 52-year-old,
who
sports colorful designer suits
long time, though obviously WRWHPLF ¿VK VWDQGV LQ SOHDVDQW
and
once
wore a monocle, brawled
never to the same extent as on FRQWUDVW WR KRUUL¿F HYHQWV
his way into a Times article about
the Eastern Seaboard or even in Paris and Copenhagen in the uneasy marriage between Hil-
Portland. As with everyone else recent weeks that have included lary Clinton’s veteran attack dogs
in the baby boom generation, targeted attacks on Jewish and the group of advisers who are
over from Obamaland.
nowadays some come to live people. This in turn sparked moving
Hillary hasn’t announced a
near the ocean and partake in controversial statements by 2016 campaign yet. She’s busy
retirement living. Others carry Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin polling more than 200 policy ex-
on entrepreneurial activities and Netanyahu urging Jews to make perts on how to show that she
really cares about the poor while
are deeply intertwined in coastal a “mass migration” from Europe courting the banks. Yet her shad-
life: Sol Sharin of Long Beach, to Israel.
ow campaign is already in a dé-
Wash., springs to mind. He
Especially in light of the jà-vu-all-over-again shark fight
was a furniture dealer, exalted Holocaust a scant seven over control of the candidate and
her money. It’s the same old story:
ruler of the Long Beach Elks decades ago, the murders of The killer organization that, even
and a generous contributor to Jews because of their religion with all its ruthless hired guns,
countless good causes.
or ethnicity provokes a visceral can’t quite shoot straight.
Squabbling competing factions
Astoria has had three notable repulsion among all good helped
Hillary squander a quarter-
Jewish mayors: Isaac Bergman, people. Part of this reaction of-a-billion dollars in 2008.
As Nicholas Confessore and
Herman Wise and Harry ought to include enthusiastic
Amy
Chozick chronicled, the nas-
Steinbock. John Goodenberger endorsement
of
Jewish
ty dispute spilled into public and
wrote a cameo of Mayor Wise that people feeling comfortable Brock resigned last week from
appears in Astorians: Eccentric and welcomed wherever they the board of a pro-Clinton super
and Extraordinary.
choose to live. It would be a PAC called Priorities USA Ac-
Local
Jewish
people victory for hatred if too many tion — whose co-chairman is Jim
Messina, Obama’s 2012 campaign
WKHPVHOYHV DUH EHVW TXDOL¿HG feel compelled to relocate to manager — accusing the political
to speak about whether they Israel.
action committee of “an orchestrat-
have encountered prejudice
“If the way we deal with ed political hit job” and “the kind
dirty trick I’ve witnessed in the
or welcoming attitudes here. terror is to run somewhere else, of
right-wing and would not tolerate
Certainly the U.S. has been both we should all run to a deserted then.”
He should know.
a bastion of safety and a home to island,” Denmark’s chief rabbi
The former “right-wing hit
pernicious bias. But it is nice to said in the aftermath of the
man,” and impresario of “dirty
think that the West Coast is more Copenhagen murders.
tricks,” as Brock has said of him-
inclined to judge people on their
The ancient traditions of self, made his living in the ’90s
own merits and not because of Judaism will enrich the cultural sliming Anita Hill as “a little bit
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
Welcome, Beit Salmon
I
ridiculous historical stereotypes.
fabric of the lower Columbia.
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2015
AP Photo/Jason DeCrow
Former Secretary of State Hillary
Rodham Clinton speaks after ac-
cepting the Robert F. Kennedy
Ripple of Hope Award during a
ceremony, Dec. 16 in New York.
Hillary is likely to
raise, and more
important, spend
more than $1 billion
on her campaign.
nutty and a little bit slutty” and
breaking the Troopergate sto-
ry, which accused Arkansas state
troopers of setting up liaisons for
Bill Clinton and spurred Paula
Jones’ 1994 sexual harassment
lawsuit.
He has tried to discredit any-
one who disagreed with his ideo-
logical hits (myself and reporters
I know included). And that’s still
the business he’s in, simply on the
other side as a Hillary zealot. (His
conversion began in 1996 when he
published a biography of Hillary
that was not a total hit job and that
began the thaw.)
Just as Bill Clinton was able
to forgive another architect of the
vast right-wing conspiracy, Rich-
ard Mellon Scaife, once Scaife was
charmed by Hillary in person and
began giving money to the Clinton
foundation, so, too, was Bill won
over by Brock’s book, “Blinded
by the Right: The Conscience of
an Ex-Conservative,” and Brock’s
Media Matters and Correct the Re-
cord websites, which ferociously
push back against any Hillary cov-
erage that isn’t fawning.
With the understood blessing
of the Clintons, Brock runs a $28
million cluster of media monitor-
ing groups and oppo research orga-
nizations that are vehicles to rebut
and at times discredit and threaten
anyone who casts a gimlet eye at
Clinton Inc.
As Confessore and Chozick
wrote, he uses a fundraiser named
0DU\ 3DW %RQQHU ZKRVH ¿UP KDV
collected millions of dollars in com-
missions — a practice many fund-
raising experts consider unethical.
Everyone wants to be at the
trough for this one because Hillary
is likely to raise, and more import-
ant, spend more than $1 billion on
her campaign.
The Clinton crowd is trying to
woo Brock back into the fold be-
cause he’s good at getting mon-
ey and knows how their enemies
think. The Clintons appreciate the
fact that Brock, like Morris, is a
take-no-prisoners type with the
ethical compass of a jackal. Baked
in the tactics of the right, Brock
will never believe that negative
coverage results from legitimate
shortcomings. Instead, it’s all per-
sonal, all false, and all a war.
This is a bad harbinger for
those who had hoped that Hillary
would “kill off the wild dogs,” as
one Obama loyalist put it, and Bill
would leave behind the sketchy
hangers-on in the mold of Ron
Burkle and Jeffrey Epstein.
Hillary’s inability to dispense
with brass-knuckle, fanatical aco-
lytes like Brock shows that she still
has an insecure streak that requires
Borgia-like blind loyalty, and can’t
distinguish between the real vast
right-wing conspiracy and the
voices of legitimate concern.
Money-grubbing is always the
ugly place with the Clintons, who
have devoured $2.1 billion in con-
tributions since 1992 to their polit-
ical campaigns, family foundation
and philanthropies, according to
The Old (Good) New Republic.
David Axelrod, the author of a new
memoir, Believer, wrote that Hillary’s
past gurus, Morris and Penn, were
nonbelievers — mercenary, manipu-
lative and avaricious. He told Politi-
co’s Glenn Thrush that he would have
advised Hillary not to cash in with her
ERRNDQGVL[¿JXUHVSHHFKHV
Axelrod reiterated to me that
Hillary’s designated campaign
chairman, John Podesta, Bill Clin-
ton’s last chief of staff who left his
post as an Obama counselor Friday,
“has the strength and standing to
enforce a kind of campaign disci-
pline that hasn’t existed before.”
But, for now, what Republicans
say about government is true of the
Clintons: They really do believe
that your money belongs to them.
Someday, they should give their
tin cup to the Smithsonian. It’s one
of the wonders of the world.
The ongoing kaffeeklatsch on race
With crisis at the door,
Congress leaves town I
brutal tool of that system.
At another point, Com-
As Comey put it, “One rea-
ey states that cynicism “be-
son we cannot forget our
comes almost irresistible
and maybe even rational
n our collective imaginations, law enforcement legacy is
by some lights.” This is
we tend to conceive of the that the people we serve
and protect cannot forget it,
dangerous and uncondi-
constantly called-for “national either.”
tionally false. “Lazy men-
conversation on race” as having
His second hard truth
tal shortcuts” — in other
ZRUGV UDFLDO SUR¿OLQJ ²
the formality of some grand acknowledged the exis-
isn’t rational in any light. It
tence of unconscious racial
ere is the speech Jeff expected to complete our tasks. conclave of consciousness bias “in our white-majority
violates not only an Amer-
Charles
ican principle but also a
Blow
Merkley or Ron Wyden Why should we have empathy — an American Truth and FXOWXUH´DQGKRZWKDWLQÀX-
human one: that no person
Reconciliation
equivalent,
a
ences policing.
should have delivered on the for our national legislators who
should be punished for the
Third,
he
acknowledged
ÀRRU RI WKH 86 6HQDWH EHIRUH leave town with essential work spiritual spectacle in which sins that people in law enforcement can crimes or sins of another.
are confessed and blame taken GHYHORS ³GLIIHUHQW ÀDYRUV RI F\QL-
His fourth hard truth focused on
its recess last week.
incomplete.
cism” that can be “lazy mental short- how crimes among “many young
“Mr. President: I rise to note
They will tell us that this and burdens lifted.
This may be ideal, but it is cuts,” resulting in more pronounced men of color become part of that of-
that we and our House colleagues time to visit with constituents
¿FHU¶V OLIH H[SHULHQFH´ %XW LQ VHHN-
also exceedingly unlikely in this UDFLDOSUR¿OLQJ
are leaving town while pressing is valuable. And so it is. But country, particularly in this political
But as in all discussions, there ing to offer context, he mentioned
were portions of the speech to which “environments lacking role models,
EXVLQHVV UHPDLQV XQ¿QLVKHG the job of legislators gets done environment.
adequate education, and decent em-
I took exception.
We all know that funding for ZLWKLQ WKH FRQ¿QHV RI WKH WZR
There will be no great atoning.
First, Comey seems to falsely ployment.” Here he moves perilously
the Department of Homeland legislative chambers.
Reparations will not be paid. There FRQÀDWH FRQGHPQDWLRQ RI SRRU SR- close to a racial pathology argument,
Security has not been secured
Adding insult to all of this was will no sprawling abso-
licing — sometimes as if there were something inherent in
lution.
predatory policing, in blackness and black culture that pre-
past the end of this month. We House Speaker John Bohner’s
We
are
in
Yet we can still have
particular — with a disposes one to criminality. This, too,
know there is a gap between statement on Sunday that he a productive conversa-
condemnation of all is a “lazy mental shortcut.”
what the House has passed and ZDV ¿QH ZLWK VKXWWLQJ GRZQ tion. Indeed, I would the midst of
What too few people mention
policing. He makes a
straw man argument, when discussing crime is the degree
what the Senate has done. We the Department of Homeland argue that we are in the a national
midst of a national con-
“Law enforcement is to which concentrated poverty, hope-
also all know that only four Security.
versation about race at
not the root cause of lessness and despair are the cham-
conversation
legislative days remain to resolve
How irresponsible.
this very moment. Its
problems in our hard- bermaids of violence and incivility.
this before the Department of
The Washington Post last VLJQL¿FDQFHLVQ¶WGUDZQ about race
est hit neighborhoods.” These factors are developed and
maintained through a complicated
Who said it was?
Homeland Security runs out of )ULGD\ GHVFULEHG WKH ¿[ WKDW from structure but from at this very
interplay of structural biases — his-
the
freedom
of
its
form.
This
is
a
twisting
funds.
Republicans are in by playing
Every
discussion
of motive and purpose torical and current — interpersonal
moment.
“Mr. President: What must a game of intramural chicken, over a backyard fence
of the voices of recent biases, environmental reinforcements
Americans think of us – leaving with the Homeland Security or a cup of coffee is
protesters that under- and personal choices.
Even as I disagree on portions, I
RXU RI¿FHV DW WKH KHDUW RI RXU Department as the hostage — so part of that conversation. It is the very mines and mischaracterizes both.
continuity of its casualness that bol- Minority communities want policing take the larger point, and I applaud
government here in Washington soon after taking control of the sters its profundity.
the same as any other, but they want the endeavor and its purpose. Comey
before the work is done? That House and Senate and pledging
We need to stop calling for the it to be appropriate and proportion- seems to be making a genuine effort
conversation and realize that we are al. They want not to be afraid of the to be part of the conversation and the
is a choice the average working no government shutdowns.
cops as well as the criminals. They solution, and that is more than I can
American does not have.”
Congress’ vacation in the already having it.
Last week the FBI director, James ZDQWRI¿FHUVWRGLVSOD\DQHTXLWDEOH say for some.
In those words Wyden or midst of government turmoil Comey, added his voice to that con- modicum of discernment in treating
One doesn’t have to possess the
Merkley would have laid out emphasizes the gap between versation, particularly as it relates the law-abiding differently from the certitude of gospel to have a posi-
tive impact on this discussion — for
for their colleagues why the our world and that inhabited by to the relationship between law en- lawbreaking.
themselves and others. Just an earnest
forcement
and
communities
of
color.
The
discussion
is
not
about
police
House and Senate have become congressmen and senators. We
There were portions I found particu- RI¿FHUVEHLQJD³URRWFDXVHRISURE- desire for insight and mutual under-
national embarrassments.
know that in terms of pay and larly potent coming from a man in his lems” in a given neighborhood, but standing.
The
basic
disconnect pensions they are a privileged position.
This is more than one can say of
rather that they shouldn’t be a prob-
the
hard of heart, those resistant to
He
gave
a
list
of
“hard
truths,”
the
lem
at
all,
anywhere.
We
are
not
geo-
between the legislative branch class. What’s galling is that our
¿UVWRIZKLFKZDVDQDGPLVVLRQWKDW JUDSKLFDOO\FRQ¿QHG:HFDQPRYHLQ engagement and, therefore, beyond
and the rest of America is work federal lawmakers are becoming the history of law enforcement in and out of high-crime neighborhoods. enlightenment. The stone cannot
schedule. Most of us out here an irresponsible and privileged this country was not only part of the We can’t move in and out of our absorb no matter how much you
drench it.
architecture of oppression but also a own skin.
show up for work, and we are class.
H
Federal lawmakers are an
irresponsible and privileged class
By CHARLES M. BLOW
New York Times News Service