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HRC MUST BE PISSED... ...at the childhood friend, John Peavoy, who handed over a cache of letters she wrote him in college to a New York Times reporter. An English professor at Scripps College in California, Peavoy says he's not sure whether he'll vote for Clinton (with whom he hasn't spoken in decades) or Barack Obama.
Though written in the late sixties, the letters are free of sex, drugs, and rock n' roll, except for their author's disapproval of a friend who does acid. Hillary relates typical adolescent mood swings in overwrought prose, but also discusses her alienation from her conservative Illinois upbringing and her transfer of political allegiances from the Republican to the Democratic Party. She calls a Republican convention “a farce that would have done Oscar Wilde credit” and discusses antiwar views.
All in all, these letters aren't particularly revelatory. They prove only that Hillary has been bookish, ambitious, and maybe a little bit condescending her entire life.
--Dana Goldstein
COMMENTS (15)
so why support her?
Posted by: Barack Obama | July 30, 2007 10:36 AM
1. There's nothing terrible about the letters, and some stuff to like. I think K-Lo said that the story made her feel more amicable towards HRC.
2. There's no way that HRC didn't know ahead of time about the story and access to the letters. I assume that the campaign effectively authorized it.
Posted by: SomeCallMeTim | July 30, 2007 10:43 AM
Although the ownership of the physical letters belongs to the recipient, the content belongs to the writer. Publishing this material is a violation of intellectual property law, and if enough money is involved, is a felony.
The above is to show, of course, that the law is stupid.
Posted by: Robert the Red | July 30, 2007 11:29 AM
"these letters aren't particularly revelatory. They prove only that Hillary has been bookish, ambitious, and maybe a little bit condescending her entire life."
Well, releasing them also proves that Professor Peavoy is a piece of shit.
Posted by: Farinata X | July 30, 2007 11:51 AM
Hillary isn't my first choice although I'll hold my note and vote for her if necessary. However, I thought the letters revealed a thoughtful and sincere person concerned with the important issues of the day. I found them slightly encouraging.
I also hope no one has any letters I wrote in college. I doubt I would come off that well.
Posted by: emerald | July 30, 2007 12:14 PM
They prove only that Hillary has been bookish, ambitious, and maybe a little bit condescending her entire life.
In a country that has taken Hermione Granger to heart, this is a problem?
Posted by: Davis X. Machina | July 30, 2007 12:48 PM
Is there even any doubt that Potter would have been done for years ago if not for Hermione? ;)
Posted by: JoeCHI | July 30, 2007 1:06 PM
Re: Robert the Red:
While publishing the entire set of letters verbatim for commercial use would probably be a violation of copyright for which one could sue, excerpting contents for newsworthiness is pretty much a textbook example of fair use.
Posted by: dbt | July 30, 2007 1:15 PM
"childhood" friend? She was in college.
Posted by: Simon | July 30, 2007 1:59 PM
The content of these letters is simply more jackoff fodder for dweebs like myself who've had a crush on Hillary ever since she entered the national limelight--a crush that goes far beyond the physical of course.
Posted by: Pencilneck | July 30, 2007 2:52 PM
They prove only that Hillary has been bookish, ambitious, and maybe a little bit condescending her entire life.
In other words, they are utterly unsurprising?
Posted by: NBarnes | July 31, 2007 6:11 AM
"They prove only that Hillary has been bookish, ambitious, and maybe a little bit condescending her entire life."
They do nothing of the kind. Which side are you on?
Posted by: david | July 31, 2007 11:58 AM
The entire article is a revolting piece of trash. It is just dripping with the reporter's invective. His characterizations are simply comical. If I had a national platform like a progressive magazine, I'd be screaming it from the rooftops. What the hell use are you?
Posted by: david | July 31, 2007 12:21 PM
Meow, meow, Dana.
Posted by: plural | July 31, 2007 12:37 PM
Totally disagree. I loved the letters. I found her charming and extremely intelligent if also bookish, ambitious,and a little condescending. Beyond that, the letters speak to a deep intellectual curiousty that lead the young President of the College Republicans to shake her father's political ideology and leave his party, hardly a Bush-lite intellect. I loved the letters.
Posted by: Melanie | July 31, 2007 7:55 PM