“What does your husband think?”
Several people have mentioned this to me, so here it is:
I don’t blame her. True, “Mr. Clinton” is a former President, which you can’t say about the spouse of any other Secretary of State, but still. I can’t imagine anyone asking a male Secretary of State what his wife thought about Chinese copper investments in the Congo.
What this actually reminds me of is how salesmen (always men) would come to the door when I was a child and ask my mother, “Is your husband home?” That was normal in those days. Husbands were the Deciders. (Or they were supposed to be; my folks were never like that.)
By the way, I wonder if Hillary’s sharp mood has anything to do with what she’s been dealing with there in the Congo. I know if I’d just spent a day or two listening to mind-bogglingly horrific accounts of gang rape, I would be ready to beat the shit out of the next guy who said boo. I’d be all, fuck with me now, flipper. Bring it the fuck on.
53 Responses to ““What does your husband think?””
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emjaybee says:
Now the story is that the translator got the question wrong. The question was supposed to be what Mr. Obama thinks about the Chinese loan. Either way, I’m with you, she had every right to answer the terse way she did. This is the second time she’s got the short end of the translation stick isn’t it? How often should she have to make sure they are doing their jobs properly?
August 10th, 2009 at 11:10 pm EST -
Alice Paul says:
I don’t believe it was a “mistake’ “What does Mr. Clinton think through the mouth of Mrs. Clinton” Do they think Obama’s name is “Clinton” and that she is married to him? It’s that second part that makes me doubt the “mistake” line.
I’m SO glad she said this. Very. What a question in this day and age. lol..I got a kick out of this one. really.
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janicen says:
“My husband’s not the Secretary of State, I am…”
Good for her. F#ck you a$$hole.
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Patti says:
My sentiments exactly, janicen.
Even if they actually wanted to know what Obama thinks, he’s not the Secretary of State either and he was not there, Hillary was. So bite me.
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Cindy says:
Violet, I agree very much with you about this incident…. but I can tell you right now, the anti-Hillary people are going to use this video against her every time her name is mentioned as a Presidential candidate, and that sickens me to death. But, you know they will.
I thought she looked like a REAL person reacting in an authentic manner. But who cares what women think in this society? Who am I to think Hillary should be our President! But what am I? A woman crying in the night, a woman crying for the light, and with no language but a cry. (apologies to Alfred Lord) -
Adrienne in CA says:
Good for you, Hill!
Re salesmen assuming husbands decide, I always get furious when that happens. Not like it’s long past, either. We recently had windows installed and the guy started down that road. He got wised up quick.
*****A
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Unree says:
“…the anti-Hillary people are going to use this video against her every time her name is mentioned as a Presidential candidate, and that sickens me to death. But, you know they will.”
I honestly don’t think so. First, a lot of time will (probably) elapse before candidates emerge for 2012. Second, what could anyone say against Clinton here? That she sounded a bit abrupt?
Liberal d00zs won’t enjoy the same overt misogyny next time. In 2008 they had the elements of surprise, frat-house escalation of their shenanigans, and a blank-slate African American savior to ward off the woman. Should Obama face a primary in 2012, he won’t be a blank slate any more–not as good for their projection. Unfortunately I don’t see another female candidate as strong and well-prepared as HRC.
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CDS never dies « The Confluence says:
[...] and the media focuses on her reaction to a mistranslated question about trade with China. As Violet Socks said: I know if I’d just spent a day or two listening to mind-bogglingly horrific accounts of [...]
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tinfoil hattie says:
Way to go, Ms. Secretary. I agree with Violet – and I think Secretary Clinton was exceedingly polite under the circumstances.
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tinfoil hattie says:
P.S. I only hope Clinton doesn’t start thinking she has to do damage control and apologize. I’m sick to death of worrying about whether men are offended by what women say and do.
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SYD says:
She was 100% in the right for saying this.
And I agree with tinfoil. If she starts apologizing, I will simply throw up.
SYD
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Swannie says:
What a beautiful response Hillary gave. Having only read the “reports of this incident” until now I expected ..well something else.. this was a natural and appropriate response to a question like that. If she were not being judged by an impossible standard ,this answer to a silly question would not have even been worth attention.
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thistle says:
I also agree with how Hillary handled this question. It needed to be said. Thank You Hillary.
I will say this also, that other countries notice that the we do not respect women in this country. They can see the misogyny in the news.
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Aspen says:
The first few reports I saw of this coming from the US news did not state there was a translation error in the question. They all focused on the “emotional” content of Sec. Clinton’s answer and not the inappropriateness of the question. It reminds me of men who call women “defensive” and so on for responding some way other than nodding obsequiously at men’s wisdom. Instead of staying focused on the content of the discussion, men often like create diversion about the emotional, supposedly “irrational” state of the woman.
Sorry about all the scare quotes, but I do hear this kind of thing a lot. -
janicen says:
I wonder where the translator came from? Is this a State Department employee, or someone from the Republic of Congo? It sure seems like someone, either the translator or the questioner set this up. How bad a translator does one have to be to confuse “Clinton” with “Obama” or “husband” with “president”?
It seems Hillary has annoyed someone in the Congo by pointing out that military leaders raping five year old girls is wrong.
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Alison says:
Ha! I think this is great. I’m glad to see a politician get pissed over sexism. It’s the only way. We can’t always act above it all…. This will make people talk about the issue even if they don’t want to admit the issue is real.
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Monchichipox says:
I love it. She got pissed and didn’t care who saw it. However I was hoping when Violet posted a video about Hillary it would be this one. You’ll love her even more at about 25 seconds into the video.
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RKMK says:
I know if I’d just spent a day or two listening to mind-bogglingly horrific accounts of gang rape, I would be ready to beat the shit out of the next guy who said boo. I’d be all, fuck with me now, flipper. Bring it the fuck on.
For fucking serious.
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sister of ye says:
Second, what could anyone say against Clinton here?
Well, in my local paper, reactions were “everyone who’s ever worked with her knows she’s a bitch” and “what right does she have to object to the question, because she’s only where she is because of her husband.”
As for this not being brought up in 2012 because it would be too long ago, there is alas no expiration date on Clinton smears. [I'm still trying to figure out why Hillary had to kill Vince Foster after their affair if she's a lesbian.] Hell, last year Dems still brought up her being a Young Republican in high school!
If I were in Hillary’s place I’d be tempted to go all mad bitch in fact, since I was being smeared with it anyway. [This is why I'd never make a politician.] If she ever wants to, I have a couple of really sharp swords I’d be happy to lend her. Where and how she uses them would be up to her.
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Gidget Commando says:
By the way, I wonder if Hillary’s sharp mood has anything to do with what she’s been dealing with there in the Congo. I know if I’d just spent a day or two listening to mind-bogglingly horrific accounts of gang rape, I would be ready to beat the shit out of the next guy who said boo. I’d be all, fuck with me now, flipper. Bring it the fuck on.
I honestly don’t know how she doesn’t. I’d be with you on that.
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Swannie says:
I don’t care if she was grumpy because her elbow was sore ( she has been favoring it lately have you noticed?) Women can express themselves how ever they choose and that includes well outside of the archaic bullshit lady like behavior crap .
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Kali says:
Second, what could anyone say against Clinton here?
Non-misogynists will see this as an honest and self-respecting response to an insulting question. The misogynists, on the other hand, are already spinning this as “she lashed out because she is upset about Bill Clinton stealing her thunder last week”. I’m not kidding. On the morning news those were the words they used – “she lashed out” and “some people are suggesting this has to do with Bill Clinton stealing her thunder last week”. Yeah, we know who those “some people” are. Way to go with the cowardly, sneaky insinuations, a$$holes!
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janicen says:
Classic double standard going on. Rahm Emanuel starts yelling and everyone admires what a fierce tactician he is, Hillary didn’t even raise her voice but responds to an insult without blushing demurely and hiding behind her fan and everyone is speculating as to what is happening in her personal life (elbow pain, mad at Bill) to cause this unladylike behavior.
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Richard Aubrey says:
Strange mistranslation.
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AM says:
Monchichipox says:
“I love it. She got pissed and didn’t care who saw it.”
Yeah. Hillary unbuttoned. That breaks through the envelope encasing women. I observed during the 1950s, 60s, and 70s that a woman who did what Hillary did (lean back and let ‘em have it, openly expressing anger in body language and voice), was very likely to be told she was acting like a dyke. In those times it was a spirit killer. We’re a monkey see monkey do species, us human animals, and so we may start seeing serious women politicians occasionally doing likewise.
“She got pissed and didn’t care who saw it.” Yeah.
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Toonces says:
Hillary always has her eye on the big picture. She lets this asshole publicly put her in her place (which was the point of the question) in that situation, with women of the Congo watching… well, the implications of that aren’t good, especially for morale. She puts this asshole in his place publicly instead, even if it means sacrificing her own public image (for a minute, at least)? She wins for those women and she gives the middle finger to the patriarchy while they’re watching, and she knows it.
And that is why I LOVE this woman.
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Redhead says:
I’m sure she’s totally frustrated by her marginalization at the hands of the O-Bots,and it didn’t matter that the question was translated incorrectly-that just made it more personal.The real message was delivered-what do the men think?
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angie says:
Well listen to what happened to me today. An irate man just came into my office looking for me (I happened to be out at lunch) & upon learning I wasn’t in, demanded my cell number. When the receptionist told him she couldn’t give out personal info. he demanded to know my husband’s name. For what? Was he going to tell on me?
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Alwaysthinking says:
I keep the BBC as my home page because I feel it has less bias and, of course, better world news coverage. The first thing that popped up this morning, however, was a biased headline about how to “upset” Hillary Clinton. At first, I refused to open the article because I consider the word “upset” in that context to be sexist. I later read a separate article about her continuing and courageous efforts in Africa, and it came with the same video, so I watched.
I liked it so much I played it twice.
We’ve all been through this kind of thing even when the men around us know absolutely nothing about something we know well. And it doesn’t matter whether we love them or not, it’s time we all stood up against “wifely” and all other kinds of patronizing belittlement.
Hurray for Hillary! (And I really don’t believe the interpreter got the insulting question wrong either!).
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Monchichipox says:
I’m beginning to think that Obama’s friends in the media are playing this up big time to take the health care fiasco spotlight off of him and play up Hillary the bitch again. Bastards.
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Swannie says:
Angie # 24 yes yes he was going to tell on you to your husband that you were horrible to be unavailable when HE was ready …
and then he was going to home and watch MADMEN reruns in his boxers while drinking and smoking and imagining women with push up bras serving him ….
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angie says:
Swannie — thanks for the confirmation, that’s what I thought he wanted. Too bad for him I got rid of my husband years ago. :-)
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yttik says:
“…he demanded to know my husband’s name. For what? Was he going to tell on me?”
LOL! You’re not alone, this has actually happened to me several times.
Recently somebody from the local Dems called. No kidding, apparently they didn’t like what I had to say so they asked if my husband was home. Or maybe they were planning to report me for my bad attitude? Regardless, it made me laugh.
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masslib says:
What is wrong with her response? Why all the hand wringing? She didn’t slap him or call him a bastard or something. She can’t run for President now because of this? That’s absurd.
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Toonces says:
Well, the local news covered this horribly, of course. Clinton misheard, lost her cool, they clipped it to make it look like she reacted sooner, blah blah blah.
I’m wondering when “fair and balanced” news coverage means feminist opinions get to be heard.
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hilary g says:
one word: badass.
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BabeinLA says:
Frankly, listening to those charming Congo atrocities would make me a nutcase, since reading about just one makes me shut down. And yes, I get calls asking to speak to the man of the house (in August, 2009), the husband, the spouse. Which sends me into snotty mode: “You’ll have to deal with me, I am co-owner of this place, what do you want, don’t call again”…etc., unless I just say never call again.
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Gayle says:
Slam ‘em, Hills!
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Anne says:
Agree with those who said strange mistranslation. When i told 2 people at work what was said, they both said something sounded not right about it being a mistranslation.
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RKMK says:
Agree with those who said strange mistranslation. When I told 2 people at work what was said, they both said something sounded not right about it being a mistranslation.
My theory? He referred to speaking for “The President”, which the interpreter meant to mean “President Clinton” instead of “President Obama.”
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RKMK says:
(That is, the student was asking for her to characterize Obama’s position, which is an understandable request for someone in her position in his Administration. Her reaction is still valid, as the translation refers to Bill. The fault lies with neither Clinton nor the student in this scenario. If anyone, it was the interpreter, but as I do not speak Congolese, perhaps the language has limited specificity and things get lost or miscued in translation?)
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Toonces says:
The weird part is the “through the mouth of Mrs. Clinton” thing, to me. Either the translation is even more off (why “through the mouth”, why not “what are _____________’s thoughts”), or the guy was taking a jab. The translator even pauses and sort of chuckles at the “through the mouth” point as if what the guy is saying is strange. Maybe the translator got both things wrong. Hopefully someone who does know Congolese will weight in at some point.
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RKMK says:
See, I think the translation is awkward. “Through the mouth of Mrs Clinton” could very well be “Could you tell us what President Obama’s position is, in your own words?” Translation is so tricksy.
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Swannie says:
So..if the translation theory holds up… the guy was referring to Obam as “MR HILARY” ??
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Briar says:
According to our British media, she shouldn’t have been so terse. It’s unfeminine. “Bill would have handled it better,” opines The Daily Telegraph (also known as the Torygraph, for reasons that must be obvious). Different sex, different rules…
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cellocat says:
Seeing the tape made me smile. It is so freeing to see other women set their boundaries so clearly and without fear of repercussions. Go Hillary!
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Kiuku says:
She acted appropriately whether the translation was wrong or not, which it does not appear to be. She takes a brief moment, and so does the translator to get it right. She looks at the translator like, did he just say that? Then she responds. I don’t think she lost it at all. If she had responded any other way, the so called feminine way she would have gotten even more slack.
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monchichipox says:
LOL I just love it. If I had a camera filming me 24/7 the videos you could post. It’s really just nice to see an honest, unscripted, human emotion.
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tinfoil hattie says:
Yeah. There aren’t any cameras on that jackass Rahm Emmanuel when he’s spewing expletives at “liberals,” are there?
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Toonces says:
There are a lot of people very upset that the US Secretary of State unhinged her jaw and swallowed a student whole in front of an audience when she visited the Congo. /sarcasm
Thought experiment:
President Obama is asked what former President Bill Clinton’s opinion on something is (not related to his recent trip to S. Korea, but something that is in the current President’s realm of responsibility) and President Obama says “Bill’s not the President. I am. If you want my opinion I’ll give it to you but I’m not going to channel former President Bill Clinton.” He even says it with a sharp tone.
What angle does the media take with this “outburst”?
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Patti says:
Excellent, Toonces. Why, Bill Clinton would be blamed, of course!
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Nina M. says:
She. Rocks.
I thinks it plausible that the translator messed up…
I think its plausible that the questioner had a moment of brain freeze and said “Clinton” when he meant “Obama” (that’s exactly the kind of mortifying “deer in the headlights” screw-up I would make)….
and I think its plausible that the questioner meant what he said and the translator got it right.
It really doesn’t matter – what matters is what Mrs. Clinton heard. And her response to what she heard was kick ass.
She set a great example, which is exactly why she made certain people so nervous. When the sexists start in with their whining, you know you’re doing something right.
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Toonces says:
Over at Echidne’s there are commenters saying that it came out (today?) that the translation was correct. Anyone know anything? I can’t find anything new on it.
