Capitalizing on cleavage

Posted: Friday, July 27, 2007 1:53 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: Democrats

From NBC’s Domenico Montanaro

The Clinton campaign is circulating a fund-raising e-mail, using the flap over the senator’s “cleavage” as the peg. “Now, I've seen some off-topic press coverage,” writes Senior Advisor Ann Lewis, referring to the Washington Post article and ensuing coverage of the topic, “but talking about body parts? That is grossly inappropriate.”

She goes on to call the coverage “insulting” and urges supporters to “Take a stand against this kind of coarseness and pettiness.” She then takes a veiled shot at Edwards, saying, “Hillary's jacket was the subject of some discussion among the candidates -- because it was coral. Debates should be serious business. We are, after all, picking the next commander in chief.”

Now, give us "your support -- in whatever amount, large or small."

EMAIL THIS

Comments

This kind of crap makes it into what should be news way too often. Hillary's camp trying to make an issue out of it is even worse.

Dave, Tn (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:11 PM)

now whats the point..of this thing again. The only reason why this works is becos some fellow american who is brain-damaged things thats enough reason to cough-up $2 not to talk of $2300

Chuck Norm (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:47 PM)

Hillary's cleavage and "Now, give us "your support -- in whatever amount, large or small."" makes it too easy to poke fun at this article's content....I think I'll pass...

The Edge, Macon, GA (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:50 PM)

HILLARY IS SO CYNICAL IT IS DISGUSTING

Gary, Des Moines, IA (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:54 PM)

I'm with The Edge. There's a bad pun in there somewhere....

Olivia (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:55 PM)

Puleez...!

uj (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 2:55 PM)

Oh now that's just tacky. I thought the Edwards/Coulter money raising was tacky too. I can't believe sinking this low for money is the way to go. I just hope Obama doesn't do this type of tacky fundraising.

RAH (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:01 PM)

GIRLS GONE WILD !!!
Presidential candidates gone wild !!

Wow, Hillary, what a GREAT STUNT !!
Hillary, you are SO PRESIDENTIAL !!

Has anybody got change for a nickel ?

Sierra, San Francisco (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:04 PM)

Hillary is a fundamentally unserious choice as a candidate. She is the example par excellence of a celebrity running for president. She did not achieve anything independently of Bill Clinton. And, judging from her rhetoric and behavior in the past, she'll be a lefty version of George W. Bush. Wouldn't that be delightful? Not.
You want change, you got Ron Paul on the right and Barack Obama on the left.

John Droe (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:06 PM)

With her 1,000,000 supporters. I'm surprised she needs to beg for donations. LOL

The MSM made fun of Edwards w/ his request based on Ann (the witch) Coulter this is worse. LOL

Lyn, MD (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:09 PM)

WHY IN GOD'S NAME IS ANY NEWS ORGANIZATION WASTING TIME ON CLEAVAGE AND OUTFIT COLORS. EVEN IF THE CANDIDATES WERE TALKING AMONG THEMSELVES ABOUT IT...WHO CARES? THERE IS ONLY SO MUCH TME AND SPACE TO COVER EACH ELECTION. WE WANT....NO, WE CRAVE THE CHANCES TO HEAR SERIOUS MATTER OFFERED ABOUT WHAT THE CANDIDATES ARE PROPOSING, BACKING, AND DOING. WE DON'T CARE A WHIT ABOUT PETTY ISSUES. THE NEWS AGENCIES HAVE DISCONNECTED US FROM REALITY BY FORCING US TO LISTEN TO SUCH TRIVAL ITEMS.....WE ARE SICK OF IT!!!!!

TOM, FAIRVIEW, OKLAHOMA (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:13 PM)

Well, this is a good campaign slogan for the world to see. Why change course now? God forbid she should have a slogan about our soldiers or the mess in the Bush Administration. I guess dignity and "above the fray" mentality is dead and buried in the political world for good, just ooph!!! gone with the wind - like everything else in this country.

Massachusetts, Where Rebels Fought For Liberty and Dignity For All (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:16 PM)

Hey, half of the GOP'ers in Congress have cleavage. And those are just the Men! Maybe Politicians shuld all have to get rid of those pricey suits and $300 Pink Ties, and go naked during their appearances in the House, Senate, and Rose Garden. Now that would bring some new interest in Government!

Steve Turner Cedar Falls Iowa (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:19 PM)

Gentlemen is that a bannana or you just happy to see us,when we start comparing body parts who has the biggest .... that would make him the most macho good for president,then itf there were a war they could meet and measure and then we could really be run by the biggest ... on the planet oh yea............

Ken"i ll follow the biggest "O (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:23 PM)

Wow. All I have to say is just wow. So this is how she begs for money??? Unbelievable.

Peterson (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:25 PM)

wait till u read this on Lynn Sweet's blog =
CAMPAIGNING OF THE BUSH-LITE TAG/

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2007/07/sweet_blog_special_clinton_fun.html#more

chuck tonne (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:33 PM)

When it comes to donations, or cleavage I guess...size matters.

Al, KS (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:34 PM)

It's interesting to me that the Democratic frontrunners seem to be making a habit out of exploiting insignificant (a Post fashion column) and scurrilous (Coulter's attacks on Edwards) events to raise quick campaign cash. Maybe they can stay ahead of the curve, but if people realize they're being manipulated (what else can you call raising cash by appealing to people's sense of outrage after you've exaggerated a relatively insignificant event?) the campaigns run the risk of a powerful backlash. I know Obama's out in front cash-wise, but Hillary's double-digits in the polls. Maybe Edwards is another story, but why would the Clinton camp resort to this?

Chris, Boston, MA (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:40 PM)

Thanks Steve. Anyone else just end up in a scary visual place?

Robb, STL (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:40 PM)

Beats making up a fake murder case FOSTER to raise money remember that one folks didnt she shoot him .This is a campaign if your not raising money go home ask JOHN MACAIN if hiiliarys name is making him any money Fred????????

Ken "That girl keeps hitting me Whaaaa"O (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:41 PM)

The Big Dog wasn't Big!

P.Jones (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:46 PM)

There is no "flap over cleavage." Nobody cares about this nonsense except media morons who don't know how to cover real issues or are trying to avoid them.

Houston (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:53 PM)

If a candidate's support drops "in whatever amount, large or small", is there a corresponding drop in there cleavage? If so, how will this effect Rudy when he wears his dress?...... Sorry, I lied in my previous blog I guess, I really couldn't resist at least one little more dig on this article...as I said, it is too easy..

The Edge, Macon, GA (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 3:57 PM)

The author, Robin Givhan, was roundly ridiculed and criticized at the Washington post website. I hope the Hillary campaign called her out by name and put the blame where it belonged. But I have hear other candidates physical attributes also irrelevantly called out by the media such as "square jawed", short, tall, comb-over, "looked like a conservative."

nuanced (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:04 PM)

More support will give her candadicy a lift and separate her from the others.

nuanced (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:08 PM)

All this will Blow over.

M. Lewinsky (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:08 PM)

nuanced, I have to tell you, I laughed at your post. Nicely done.

JJ in NJ (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:34 PM)

She is such an A**

FL (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:42 PM)

I hope Robin Givhan speaks out and fights back. I doubt she will, as that would be too good to be true. But wouldn't it be great to see HC get what she's asking for and have Givhan go on a few talk shows to defend herself and point out the absurd and cynicle nature of HC's attack on her name and integrity? This was a STYLE article!

Really, Hillary's campaign should answer the question of what it is 'appropriate' to discuss. Should she never be mentioned in the STYLE section again? Should any reference to her appearance (as is common for all articles about politicians, even those that are not in the STYLE section) be forbidden by some new set of journalistic standards?

But back to Givhan: I'd love to see her give HC the same type of response that Obama gave her post her recent attack.

She's a manipulative politician and aught to have every one of her disingenuous attacks and attempts to profit off her sex brought right back to her.

I hope this backfires, though it may work in our primary. I think the USA general population will get sick of these righteous feminist games quickly. I don't think I can take 8 years of this whining.

Zak, Washington DC (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 4:43 PM)

Somebody has the hots for Robin Givhan. Here is her picture. Note that if Robin was referring to fashion, the term for the part of the clothing that exposes cleavage is décolletage. She used the word cleavage so she was making a body statement not a clothing statement.

http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspxmid=74396864&epmid=3&partner=Google

hmmm (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 5:34 PM)

And now the real mud slinging starts, but for Washington Paper Hangers this is nothing ""NEW""! What is ""NEW"" The same bull dung !

These Paper Hangers are sickening! Over sixty years we have had a small slection of those who seek the White House, Never a leader sense JFK was killed. The flip flop floundering and """HE SAID"",,,,Isn't this bull getting old like me????

America wants a leader and Statesman,, not a common Washington Paper Hanger!!!!!!!!!!

Rich/AZ (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 5:40 PM)

Let's not make mountains out of mole hills.

bb (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 5:46 PM)

The real Hillary:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyqAR4lJCmw

Ytube (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 6:32 PM)

Hillary's cleavege could not keep Bill home; ever. It is not worth mentioning. It will not win a wet t- shirt contest and it will not be Presidential material.

Hillary is known more for her big butt, her fat calfs, which she hides in those pants, then here chest which she puffs out to be the big c**k in the party.

just go away.

Alan in Phx (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 7:30 PM)

Rush made a big deal out of CNN showing her rear end at the youtube debate 4 or 5 times that night LOL. Now we have Edwards with his hair and his wife running for president, Hillary and her chest, Biden and his boozers, this is just getting better and netter for my guys.

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 7:58 PM)

ha ha :)

I say no biggie. If her chest can give her a bit of advantage, it's only leveling out the playing field :)

I say Clinton should use her cleavage, if it can help her win. Vote on it on: http://youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=244

Make your voice heard.

Frankie, Dallas, Texas (Sent Friday, July 27, 2007 8:24 PM)

If you haven't looked yet, come take a look see..hillaryclinton.com

Chiquita (Sent Saturday, July 28, 2007 10:50 AM)

You are right bb, it is not like the Grand Tetons.

mountaineer (Sent Saturday, July 28, 2007 2:05 PM)

Obama as president...That is scary This man has no experience-did you not hear his answers??? Truly SCARY
Maybe in 8 years he can do it and it is still a Maybe...
Can you imagine him in Cuba or Middle East on his first year..SCARY SCARY SCARY-Please don't do this to your families and children of America-We will be a laughing stock.

Nora (Sent Saturday, July 28, 2007 6:36 PM)

Obama-no experience will only dig more into the ground.
Lets be very careful!

John California (Sent Saturday, July 28, 2007 6:39 PM)

OBAMA IS SO INEXPERIENCE IT IS DISGUSTING I CAN JUST SEE THE OTHER COUNTRIES SAYING YA! WHAT IDIOTS TO VOTE THIS
VERY NICE MAN IN.

NORA California (Sent Saturday, July 28, 2007 6:43 PM)

Nora- In case you haven't noticed: we already are laughing stocks in the world. Please tell me what kind of experience does Hillary have? Zero.

I would rather support a candidate who is willing to use good judgment than one who solely relies on polls. Go Obama '08.

Ashe SF, CA (Sent Sunday, July 29, 2007 12:40 AM)

How ridiculous!! I guess if Hillary can't wear a coral suit to debate, she should wear a blue shirt, unbuttoned collar and levi jeans like Bush did. That sure proved he could be a good president didn't it? Who cares what they wear? I listen to the message and I think her message is a good one! I guess if you can't find something else to criticize her for, pick on her outfit. I guess next they will pick on poor Chelsea again. Pathetic!!

Mari Colorado (Sent Sunday, July 29, 2007 11:03 AM)

I believe that Americans are not ready to elect Senator Obama as our next president for various reasons. Senetor Hillary Clinton is the only favourite
candidate to become our new president.!!!

Akber A. Kassam, New-York City, New York. (Sent Sunday, July 29, 2007 7:54 PM)

No news is good news(As the old saying goes). Unless you are running for PRESIDENT. Who is to speculate whether this was to gain attention, or just her prefered attire. If you watch any telly at all you would have caught the latest on the price of presidential candidates haircuts, make-up consultants, and I think maybe even wardrobe consultants. How much should our president elect be able to decide on their own. I would prefer to have someone who can make their own decisions and answere for them, without the assistance of an assistant.

Mike, Russellville,Ark (Sent Sunday, July 29, 2007 10:46 PM)

Rich in AZ, who is your favorite candidate? We havent heard yet. And this cleveage thing is just another republican stunt to make fun of her femaleness. Repubs disrespect woman, remember?(Jerry) The good little woman belongs in the bedroom or kitchen. Thats who started all this crap. Both Clinton or Obama would make fine presidents.

Susan, Miami (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 8:51 AM)

Nora- HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaa!
You think the idea of Obama as President is scary????
What about the inarticulate thug that is President now!?
You think that Obama would make us a laughing stock??? What do you think we are now!?

Forgive me if you were being sarcastic and I missed the tongue in cheek. If so I apologize.
If, however, you were being serious the irony is so thick as to cause one to swallow their tongue in a fit of convulsive laughter if the situation weren't so serious for our country and but for the unnecessary death toll incurred for the ego of a pathetic failure of a President.

Gary Schear, Bozeman Montana (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 5:39 PM)

Poor Hillary, so victimized by her own gross inappropriatness!

J. Smith, Portland, OR (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 8:10 PM)

There are lots of Americans who aren't ready to elect Hillary as their next president. She has never lived in a foreign country, learned the language or culture of that people, nor experienced their struggles.

Hillary's an excellent policy wonk; she should do for the state of New York what Sen. Ted Kennedy's done for Massachusettes - - become a Senator for life and devote her political career to the people of her state.

J. Smith, Portland, OR (Sent Monday, July 30, 2007 8:30 PM)

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