Chelsea and the Monica question

by Don Wheeler

The incident we've heard so much about really illustrates what happens when someone with a personal investment, but little experience in campaigning is confronted with a difficult situation.

I'm also intrigued that the only video I can find is her response, not the question.

I was impressed with Chelsea Clinton's remarks at the West Side Democratic Club, but as the South Bend Tribune correctly pointed out - they were quite brief. It's also my understanding that she does not take questions from "the media".

I think I'm not alone remembering her - when her father took office - as a perfectly wonderful thirteen year old girl beset on by bullies in the right wing faux media. I'll never forget, for example, the infamous Rush Limbaugh slideshow about our new First Family. A picture of Chelsea was put up with the comment "First Dog".

I'm not a violent man, but I wanted to strangle that coward. I'll never forgive him for that despicable act.

But she's 28 now, and playing in the big leagues.

I credit that she wants to stand up for her mother and I agree the question was not meritorious. But it was posed by a supporter and whether you believe her that no one ever posed this question before (I don't), it is obviously in the minds of many people.

And whether you believe the claim of the questioner that he was offering an opportunity for Ms. Clinton to highlight the strength of her mother, the Candidate, that opportunity was presented nonetheless.

Instead, (and I'll choose my words carefully) Chelsea reacted in condemning and condescending manner. In fact, her approach reflected a personal trait which makes some of us uncomfortable with her mother.

She could have made the same point more gently and spared the questioner the humiliation. But it really looked like the humiliation was the point.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The college student who got a stinging brushback from
Chelsea Clinton when he asked about the Monica Lewinsky scandal said Wednesday
he's a Clinton supporter who was trying to get her to show "what makes Hillary
so strong."

Evan Strange, a Butler University student who works on the school's
newspaper, The Butler Collegian, said he had asked Chelsea Clinton her opinion
"on the criticism of her mother that how she handled the Lewinsky scandal might
be a sign of weakness and she might not be a strong enough candidate to be
president."

It wasn't clear what aspect of the former first lady's actions he was
referring to. Before she was fully aware of President Bill Clinton's
relationship with Lewinsky, Hillary Rodham Clinton said allegations about her
husband and the White House intern were manufactured by a "vast right-wing
conspiracy."