August 15, 2015

"Hillary Clinton Pokes Fun at Email Scandal During Wing Ding Dinner in Iowa."

That headline bothers me for 5 reasons.

1. It seems to celebrate Hillary's wit, as if it's quite a triumph to take a serious problem and just treat it as a joke.

2. I think you can only "poke fun at" a person. You can't poke a scandal. Poking is something you do to rouse or rile an entity capable of reacting. A person. (Animals are capable of reacting to a poke, but not the metaphorical poke called "fun." I know the animals are laughing at us, but they are not laughing at our jokes.)

3. Who could be poked fun at over the email scandal? Hillary herself? She didn't do that, of course. Her target was Republicans. It's all "politics," and "here’s what I won’t do: I won’t get down in the mud with" the Republicans. "I won’t play politics with national security." So there is something that can be called poking. She's poking Republicans. But she's not poking fun at them. Those remarks don't seem to be trying to be humorous. They're just predictable, transparent blame-shifting and a refusal to respond to the scandal with any substance.

4. Wing Ding Dinner. Don't like that. Not at first sight. It sounds like it's trying to project the concept of fun, but you know it's not fun.

5. Wing Ding. I had to look it up. It's one word, yes? Yes. The (unlinkable) OED says: "U.S. slang. A fit or spasm, esp. as simulated by a drug addict... Also in weakened sense, a furious outburst."
1933   Amer. Speech 8 ii. 28/1   When an addict who..cannot obtain dope..becomes desperate, he may throw a wing-ding (feign a highly realistic fit in public) in the hope that the doctor..will administer narcotics to quiet him; professional wing-dingers are addicts who make a practice of obtaining their narcotics in this manner.
Okay, finally I like something. Well, that Iowa event was a political fundraiser, so it's fair to say that the addicts were putting on a show to get their narcotic.

(The second meaning of "wingding" is "A wild party; a celebration or social gathering." I'm just adding that so you won't think you have to explain it to me.)

62 comments:

rhhardin said...

Ancient Punch cartoon, one pig to another looking at a sack

Alphonse: Don't go in there, Marice! It's a poke!

Maurice: But Alphonse, there's garbage in there!

David said...

Wingdings are also food, a form of chicken wings, that taste awful in their (usually) packaged form and are not good for you either. Also a set of cutesy fonts by Microsoft. In some circles wing ding is slang for someone who is politically way out there. All of these seem to fit.

Phil 314 said...

I think there's something missing from the news story.

"“You may have seen that I recently launched a Snapchat account,” she said at the Iowa Democratic Party’s Wing Ding Dinner. “I love it. I love it. Those messages disappear all by themselves.”

Nervous laughter was heard from the crowd."

madAsHell said...

I have never associated wing-ding with a junkie, but here it seems apropos.

More questions for your list....

1. Who in their right f**king mind is throwing money at Hillary?? This wing-ding has to be some kind of Potemkin village. Music from the Titanic wafting over the waves. Swimming in denial.

2. Why isn't this woman in jail??

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

"That headline bothers me ..."

Well, you have to consider the source - ABC News.

Michael K said...

There is an old story about herding cattle. The roundup begins out on the prairie and the riders keep herding the cattle toward the pens. The cattle don't realize that there is a purpose to the herding. They are simply following the path of least resistance. Gradually, fences appear on each side and it seems easier to just run along in the direction indicated by the fences. Eventually, the fences form a narrower path and then, at last, the path becomes a chute with a railroad car or a pen waiting at the end.

It seemed to be so innocent at first. Just fun running along. Hillary is just starting to sense the fences that lead to the car at the end.

David said...

1. Who in their right f**king mind is throwing money at Hillary??

People who think she might win and don't want to be left off the gravy train if she does.

Qwinn said...

In the same manner that you can't poke fun at an inanimate object, neither can you investigate an inanimate object for corruption. And yet, that's what every media outlet out there keeps repeating: Hillary isn't under investigation, her email server is.

I like how Jonah Goldberg put it (paraphrased): We can only hope Hillary's server is eventually afforded its due process rights so it can assert in its own defense: "I vas just following orders!"

Lucien said...

Didn't Bob Gates's memoir make a point out of the fact that Hillary did play politics with national security regarding her vote(s) on Iraq?

Kevin said...

That server is in a lot of trouble!

The server had better be preparing for a long stretch in server prison!

How dare the server compromise national security like that?

Charlie said...

She will never be President. No one likes her.

Humperdink said...

Hillary can poke fun at things or people or whatever she wants. Why? She's a Clinton. A natural sense of impunity surrounds them. And of course a staff willing to fall any sword, anytime.

The Clinton body count:
http://www.freewebs.com/jeffhead/liberty/liberty/bdycount.txt

Skeptical Voter said...

Hey lady. Hillary is your dog in the fight. You're waking up to the fact that she's a pretty "doggy" candidate?

Michael K said...

I need to read Gates memoir.

Wince said...

Lucky for Hillary that she's both deluded with an exaggerated sense of entitlement.

Otherwise, she'd be encumbered by all that scandalous baggage.

You go girl!

Hagar said...

I still say it is the money dealings that are going to get her.

Carter Wood said...

In the font world, wingdings are just ur-emojis

David Begley said...

I was there; see link below.

The food was horrible. We had a choice of pulled pork sandwiches or pathetic looking wings. I took the pork as it was the least worse option.

I didn't take the crowd's laughter as nervous, but it was "Ha Ha" the Clintons commit another crime and get away with it. I took it as a taunt of the FBI as in, "I out smarted you dopes. The server is clean. I will never be indicted over anything. I am the Queen."

She may be correct.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/08/live-from-clear-lake-dems-on-parade.php

J2 said...

Pitch a wang dang doodle all night long

avwh said...

They're all linked. She needed the private server b/c of the money dealings.

(Easier to communicate the price of the bribe if you know you control the records and can wipe clean that electronic trail when you're done.)

If she was paying attentiton to her supposed job as SoS, she might have avoided running classified info through her server. But, she was so busy raising hundreds of millions of dollars for the old Hill&Bill retirement fund instead of being a "public servant" that those mere details slipped by her.

And it's all gonna come crashing down unless Obama saves her by calling off the FBI & DoJ dogs.

Big Mike said...

What Charlie said.

David Begley said...

And, of course, all of these allegations against the Clintons are political. The have never been charged with anything and Bill beat the impeachment rap. That's how they diminish the seriousness of the charges. It's those mean rotten Republicans. Put aside the fact that they have made millions selling official favors and Putin read her email daily.

They are immune and above the law. They are royalty.

The joke is on us if Hillary wins.

Brando said...

Such a corrupt, disgusting reptile. No apology, no acknowledgement of doing anything wrong, just constant attack because this is all these people know. And to this day not a single believable explanation for the private server, so we have to assume this was all just to do Foundation business on the side and peddle influence.

The only question is when will the Democrats find their limit with her? At what point is this too much?

Ann Althouse said...

Where did the idea that I'm pro-Hillary come from?

Michael K said...

"At what point is this too much?"

I'm not sure there is one. Look at these comments from an article on Hillary by Michael Mukasey, former USAG.

More red meat for the lunatic GOP base. Hillary Clinton has done nothing criminal, or there would be a criminal investigation. I don't find Mukasey very credible, he sees nothing criminal about water boarding or torture.

And

michael radowitzmichael radowitz 4 hours ago
Sorry, I forgot…
What are we trying to find out from Hillary’s emails?
Are we still trying to investigate the killing of 4 American embassy workers at Benghazi?
And how is the investigation of the 60 some-odd American embassy workers around the world who were killed under GW Bush’s watch going? Not to mention the investigation of 18 some-odd embassy attacks under his watch as well, compared to, what, ONE embassy attack during Hillary’s watch? What’s that? There are no such investigations going on, and there never were? Got it.


Bush did it too. No problem !

Bob Ellison said...

"You're likable enough, Hillary, no doubt about it" Obama said.

No.

Marc in Eugene said...

AA, There was an 'ah ha!', seconded by at least one other commenter, in one of the preceding threads because the way you phrased this or that was perceived to be an unintentional self-revelation about your intention to vote for HRC next year.

khesanh0802 said...

@Phil 3:14 I was about to add same quote. I'll bet there was nervous laughter. That's not a joke that's a confession.
How's that going to look on the evening news?!? Demonstrates, once again, that the lady has a tin ear.

traditionalguy said...

It could be that poor old Hillary subconsciously remembered Bill's catchy tune, "Ding, dong the Witch is dead. The witch is dead. The witch is dead," when she saw this Wing Ding sign.

We need to help also ran Hillary with her self esteem. Sanders is old, so why not offer Hillary the VP in a Sanders Administration. That would give her hope.



Douglas B. Levene said...

I have voted in every presidential election since I turned 21 (the old voting age) but I don't know what I will do if it's Trump v. Clinton. Couldn't possibly vote for either one.

Chris N said...

Listen, can you sell a bottle of bathroom cleaner to a demographically targeted woman while she's ironing?

No? Then throw in some pop-psychology, a handsome-Dan morning show host, a miracle dog that walks on two legs and some 'serious' reporting from time to time.

dbp said...

Even if the server had criminal intent, it has been wiped clean. How would it be just to punish it now?

richard mcenroe said...

dbp To discourage other criminal servers, of course.

Bobber Fleck said...

Don't you lawyer types have an adage that says something like:

When the law is against you, argue the facts. When the facts are against
you, argue the law. When both are against you, call the other side names.


It appears Hillary has neither the facts nor the law and has reverted to mud slinging. My sense is that she knows she is done and is just playing out her hand hoping for a miracle.

Achilles said...

Hillary is done. Obama is just waiting for the right time to stick a fork in her.

The Godfather said...

Hillary! would never play politics with Benghazi, for example by blaming the attack on "a vile internet video we had nothing to do with" during the Obama reelection campaign. Would she?

Anonymous said...

You make sure Hillary is done, you won't need a fork --- you will need pitchforks, dozens of them.

Hagar said...

Hold your nose and vote for Trump however much you hate it, Douglas.
It is not just about the person of the President, but about the tens of thousands of Lois Lerners networking within the Government. Civil service rules may prevent us from flushing them out of the system, but at least we can make the existing ones keep their heads down and perhaps stem the influx of more of them.

Anonymous said...

I see Hillary at this point as a tin-pot dictator. She will go before a court, get convicted, and still be smiling. All the while completely and utterly delusional as to what is happening around her. In her mind, she will be thinking, "They can't touch me!" and her chin will be up in the air. I've even seen pictures lately, the sort I only thought they did for Obama, where the background has her head framed in gold making it look like she is a queen wearing her crown.

When she goes down for what she has done, she will be smiling the whole time, and completely in denial that it's happening. I think her mind will crack.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Trump, on Roger Stone:

"Ever since I fired him, he’s been on TV saying nice things about me. I should have fired him sooner.”

That's what pragmatism looks like.

Humperdink said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
T. A. Hansen said...

I always begin with high expectations and end feeling like Vladimir or Estragon.

iowan2 said...

Hagar said...
Hold your nose and vote for Trump however much you hate it, Douglas.
It is not just about the person of the President, but about the tens of thousands of Lois Lerners networking within the Government. Civil service rules may prevent us from flushing them out of the system, but at least we can make the existing ones keep their heads down and perhaps stem the influx of more of them.

This.
The Media has shrewdly shifted to blaming Hillary.....when they get cornered and absolutely must respond. What the media understands is that sacrificing Hillary to maintain power is OK. What cannot happen is for all the voters to realize that the Government is Left wing democrat party. See, Loius Lerner. Or the EPA's orange river, or the Dept of Education, common core. Or ATF, see fast and furious. While all of these cant be isolated to an individual, They represent Democrat failure of governance.

Every Republican candidate should refuse to address an individual name, and instead run against the true corruption that has been institutionalized in the federal agencies.

This is not about Clinton's wife, and emails. This is about the State Dept failure to manage its duties, responsibilities, and laws. Every Republican should excoriate those 'civil servants' who believe they are untouchable.

Don't campaign against Clinton's wife, or Washington DC. But more specifically against the top lieutenants by name, in every agency in DC.

Lewis Wetzel said...

I hate the excuse "it's all politics." Of course it is all politics. Hillary is a politician. It's her frikkin' job to do politics. It's the job of Obama and all the Republicans to do politics. It is literally what they get paid for. There is no part of the job of SoS that is not politics, or we'd hire it out out to a temp firm. The idea that whatever really happened in Benghazi, good or bad for Hillary, isn't politics is wrong. The idea that you can separate this thing called national security from this thing called politics is wrong.

Lewis Wetzel said...

For the life of me I cannot understand why anyone would believe that anything Trump says now would give them a bearing on what he would if the country was foolish enough to elect him. It isn't as though Trump's 2015 positions are are heartfelt and immutable. You know the guy who schmoozes people until they sign on the bottom line? The guy who tells them that their signature on an agreement is all that is standing between them and incalculable wealth, with no downsides? That's what he is doing now. He's promising he will fuck the other guy on your behalf when what he will do is fuck both of you on his behalf.

Debbie Andrews said...

Loved the Talking Heads reference!

Paul said...

Hillary's new campaign slogan:

Elect me! I can't be blackmailed, everybody already knows I'm a lying crook!

cubanbob said...

Achilles said...

Hillary is done. Obama is just waiting for the right time to stick a fork in her.
8/15/15, 3:38 PM "

Not sure about that. Obama is not that dumb in his self-interest. She was his SoS and he received emails from her from those very same servers and his FBI, DoJ and CIA and other security agencies did nothing to stop her. Obama and his people are just as much up to their neck as she is. They need a Democrat President to stay out of jail.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"Clinton’s best argument for the nomination is her own inevitability. If she is seen as a potential loser with the general electorate, Democrats could easily be forgiven for backing a candidate they like and trust more."

Sure sure I been drinking, yet this resonates a whole bunch no loosies.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/08/14/first-in-fox-news-first-poll-shows-hillary-way-under-water-in-swing-states/

Congrats Chris Stirewalt.

John henry said...

I agree that with anyone else what is going on with Hilary would be enough to sink them.

Not Hilary though. I do not see any circumstances other than another Cerebral Venal Thrombosis (or, as the American Heart Association calls it a "Stroke")or the like that will cause her to quite.

She has wanted this so bad for so many years that she would rather die than give up.

Besides, while she is a candidate and potential president, she can still get people to pay the Foundation.

Once she is out of politics, what possible reason could anyone have for giving? Neither of the Clintons will be able to help them for giving or hurt them for not giving. It would be money down the toilet. Ditto the qualter million dollar speaking fees.

She is toast but will. not. quit.

Absent serious health issue.

John Henry

kcom said...

"You make sure Hillary is done, you won't need a fork --- you will need pitchforks, dozens of them."

The Wizard of Oz proved all you really need is a single bucket of water.

kcom said...

She is the Queen of the Tin Ear, or possibly the Tin Voice. I heard an excerpt of her speech today and it was painful. At one point you could tell she was going for rousing, but fell well short. She just can't do it. Whatever other gifts she (arguably) might have, public speaking is not one of them. Nothing flows in a Hillary speech. It stumbles from one fake inflection to the next.

Guildofcannonballs said...

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2015/08/trump-on-illegal-immigrant-families-were-going-to-keep-them-together-but-they-have-to-go/

Now, you won't understand, even though I gave you the links, repeatedly, to do so, I shall again take up the mantle of sobriety (!) and let you know what is really what:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyGz2VwboRA

UNMESSUP YOURSELF PLEASE KINDA I HOPE LIKE MAYBE OR SOMETHINGWISE.

AllenS said...

Do you people realize that Obama and Bill Clinton golfed together Saturday at Martha’s Vineyard?

There's no doubt that BJ was trying to get Obama to call off the investigations.

Who among you thinks that Hillary just got a get out of jail card?

Bobber Fleck said...

kcom said:

At one point you could tell she was going for rousing, but fell well short. She just can't do it. Whatever other gifts she (arguably) might have, public speaking is not one of them. Nothing flows in a Hillary speech. It stumbles from one fake inflection to the next.

Giving an inspired speech is difficult when you have no principles that inspire you.

Joe Schmoe said...

Hillary, you're no Jon Stewart. Leave the snark to the professionals.

Lewis Wetzel said...


AllenS said:"Who among you thinks that Hillary just got a get out of jail card?"
Not me. Bill can't do anything for Obama and I am sure that their relationship is transactional.

furious_a said...

There could be video of Hillary ranging the mortars on the Benghazi consulate annex and she would still start the General with 43% of the vote.

Sam L. said...

Prof, it's that Wing Ding thing! Left-wing Ding-dongs.

Brando said...

"Who among you thinks that Hillary just got a get out of jail card?"

I'm sure Billy "She Was Asking for It" Clinton tried to lean on Obama, but I doubt it'll have much effect. Obama dislikes the Clintons, and more importantly does not trust them.

But the determining factor here is the strength of the case against Hillary--if there is solid evidence of a crime having been committed (and from my gloss there is, but I'd leave that to people better acquainted with this sort of law to weigh in) then Obama sort of has to allow prosecution--to cover for her sticks his own neck out, and for what? Obama gains nothing here, and at best will look corrupt (particularly if something leaks from lower level DOJ, which it likely would) and at worst he could implicate himself. Nothing could look worse for a president than to cover up for his party's nominee, and it'd likely backfire in the election anyway. Letting her go under the bus means the Dems pick another nominee.

Brando said...

"I have voted in every presidential election since I turned 21 (the old voting age) but I don't know what I will do if it's Trump v. Clinton. Couldn't possibly vote for either one."

There's always third party or write-in. Much as I'm opposed to Trump, I think I would vote for him if those were the two major parties' nominees, partly because the Clintons are dangerous, and partly because if those are the choices this country gives itself then we deserve Trump.

LarryK said...

Once, at the Madison airport, something on my person set off an alarm, and when I walked through I was greeted by a female TSA agent with a device in her hand. She asked "do you mind if you're wanded by a female?" and my reply was "I INSIST on being wanded by a female." She gave me a very disappointed look but wanded away.

I guess the lesson is that trans-sex wanding is OK, but if it comes to the full pat-down, a female patter-downer is required to do the honors on another female.