Posted on 10/28/2007 2:19:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
Given the circumstances, no other three-word combination would have sufficed: “How Dare You?”
That was part of the response from former President Bill Clinton, when confronted by hecklers at a Hillary 2008 fundraising event in Minneapolis.
The story went like this: after making a late start with what turned out to be his approximately fifty-minute speech, Clinton was rudely interrupted by several hecklers in the audience who began shouting at him, and over him, and claiming that the terrorist attacks of 2001 were a “fraud.“
Even if you haven’t seen the video, it’s not difficult to imagine how this could have played-out. Our former President could have easily ignored the hecklers, or could have easily remained silent for a second or two, and allowed them to be cleared away by security officials - - and then could have continued right along with his remarks.
But instead, President Clinton chose to confront the hecklers head-on.
In the face of the “fraud” claim, Clinton confronted them directly. “A fraud?” No it wasn’t a fraud!” he shot back, as the crowd began to cheer him on. “I’ll be glad to talk to you” Clinton stated, trying to bring closure to the interruption, “if you shut up and let me talk.”
As he then attempted to continue with his address, another heckler shouted at President Clinton, claiming that the terrorist attacks had been an “inside job.”
“An inside job?” Clinton retorted, with indignation in his voice. “How dare you. How dare you! It was NOT an inside job!”
After these brief few moments, the hecklers were indeed escorted from the facility, and President Clinton continued with his speech. But by choosing to confront the malcontents, rather than ignoring them, Clinton accomplished something noteworthy.
In a matter of a few seconds, former President Clinton used a spontaneous moment with rude people in his midst to communicate to a fearful, skeptical American people. What was the message he conveyed? That the worst suspicions about our country and government are not to be tolerated, and certainly not to be believed.
To the skeptic who suggested that the terrorist attacks of 2001 were somehow phony, Clinton made it clear that there was nothing phony at all about “Nine-Eleven.”
To the selfish individual who thought nothing of interrupting an American President for his own personal agenda, Clinton said “shut up and let me talk.”
And to the person so cynical about America as to assert that our nation’s government perpetrated the terrorist attacks on its own people, Clinton’s message was quite clear indeed: don’t you dare say such things about our country. Implicitly, he was conveying to America that as a nation, we are better than the insinuations were suggesting, and we are worthy of greater respect.
Some observers are too cynical about Bill Clinton the man, to be able to appreciate the power of his apparently spontaneous words. But imagine how different things might be, if others of our political leaders were more willing to utilize the “how dare you” rhetoric.
Things would be quite different, for example, if our current President were willing to be so confrontational with those who willingly violate our nation’s border laws.
And imagine how different things might be if Hillary Rodham Clinton were willing to confront her fellow Democrats in Congress, when they insinuate that our military service men and women are torturers, terrorists, and failures.
Bill Clinton’s presidency was far from flawless, and no doubt he still suffers with his own credibility gap today. But he also understands the power of words, and how to use them, far better than most politicians.
Let’s hope that our next President knows how and when to communicate more effectively - - and is willing to say “how dare you” from time to time.
“Why do idiots ask stupid questions?”
Because they’re stuck on stupid?
He said something easy.
They dare to because nobody is stopping them. How did one of them get so close to Condeleeza Rice inside the Capitol last week?
-PJ
And why was Bill Clinton out of the country that day? No. I’m not going with the conspiracy theories. Just thought we should throw that one in, also.
They weren't in freefall.
For one thing, the collapse caused a plume of debris that fell faster than the towers themselves. Also, for something to be in freefall for the same amount of time it took the towers to collapse, it would have had to fall from a height of about three times taller than the towers actually were.
We know that some outside the country hate us enough to do a 9-11. (And then some.) We're discovering there are those among us who hate America just as vehemently. Democrats of late seem to possess this, as they despise those attributes essential to our success and would impose anti-American programs at will, if given the 'power'.
Bill was perhaps incensed by the suggestion that a physical 'bringing-down' was necessary when he and Hillary know that it can be easily accomplished without explosives or blasting caps. This country is ripe for knee-capping, and these two are primed to do it. "How Dare" some heckler suggest they're a cheap imitation. They're the real deal.
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