Chan Lowe: The Wikileaks debacle
I used to think that Hillary Clinton was too strident, too self-centered, too opinionated and too vindictive to be President. Since then, another personage of the female persuasion has grabbed the center stage of politics, and by comparison Hillary seems like an exemplar of cool-headedness under fire.
Considering the plateful the incoming President was handed back in January of 2009, it has become more apparent than ever that simple, cold competency was and is the foremost quality needed in our leader in these tough times. The jury’s still out on Barack Obama in that regard, but Hillary has left no doubt that she possesses it in abundance.
I make light of her in this cartoon, but right now I can’t think of anyone else I’d rather have in the hot seat when there’s so much ’splainin’ to do, as Ricky Ricardo might say. Not only is she handling a touchy situation with the same grace she displayed during the Monica Lewinsky circus, she might yet make a silk purse out of this mess.
Take, for example, the Gulf States’ constant behind-the-scenes badgering that we waste Iran and President I’m-A-Dinnerjacket for them. Now⎯thanks to the Wikileaks cables⎯ it’s out in the open that they, we, and Israel are all on the same side. You know that Arabic cliché, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Peace agreements have been forged on shakier grounds than this, and Hillary definitely has the resourcefulness to uncover opportunities in our newly revealed camaraderie.
May the Force be with you, Madame Secretary.
CHAN LOWE has been the Sun Sentinel’s first and only editorial cartoonist for the past twenty-six years. Before that, he worked as cartoonist and writer for the Oklahoma City Times and the Shawnee (OK) News-Star.
Comments
Mr. Lowe , I could not disagree with you more on your opinion of Mrs. Clinton.She is at the top of the organization chart , as the cables,diplomats and prying into other leaders personal lives ,all belongs to her.She is the secretary of state and should either be fired or be professional enough to resign.Instead ,the gov. goes after a PFC in the military not even a high ranking officer but a PFC.Just another case of someone with no experience in the Obama's white house who is not up to the job.Did you ever think that if it were not for Ross Perot , we would not even remember who Mrs. Clinton was ?Time for a new secretary of state !
Posted by: pallidin | November 30, 2010 5:06 PM
You are generally far to the left of my thinking but a certainly agree with you on this issue. Hillary is showing the strength needed to be successful in a very difficult position. The country would be well served if Obama would put his ego aside and admit he is one term President. The Democrats would have a chance in 2012 with Hillary moving the party to the middle. The Republicans will get their act together and nominate a right center candidate, clearly not Ms. Palin. We could now be only twenty-four months away from escaping government from the extremes.
Posted by: WinJeff | December 1, 2010 8:50 AM
Chan,
Your cartoon got me to thinking, and I'm not being a smart-azz.
Couldn't Uncle Sam be drawn as a black man, now that Obama is President?
After all, he represents The United States.
What do you think?
Posted by: Mister Conservative | December 1, 2010 10:37 AM
Dear Mr. Conservative,
According to your logic, when Sarah Palin is elected president, cartoonists all over America will have to change Uncle Sam to Aunt Samantha, and give him an extra-large hat to accommodate the upswept hairdo.
The president is not the symbol of our nation, any more than Queen Elizabeth II is the symbol of the United Kingdom, or Nicolas Sarkozy the symbol of France. Therefore, Uncle Sam ought to remain the enduring image that he is and has been since James Montgomery Flagg first visualized him.
Chan Lowe
Posted by: Chan Lowe | December 1, 2010 11:35 AM