Listen Up America: Hillary Isn't Really Listening

Jan. 30, 2007 — -- Does anyone really think Hillary Clinton is a particularly good "listener?"

No one plays the political game harder or better than Clinton. If the book "Primary Colors" is an accurate, behind-the-scenes look at the political rise of Billary, make no mistake about it: The woman is large and in charge when it comes to figuring out ways to get elected. After all, how many scorned women would continually stand behind their adulterous men?

It seems pretty obvious that the woman who has presidential aspirations would -- and did.

When Hillary decided that her road to return to the White House included becoming a U.S. senator from New York (despite having no more connections to the Empire State than the average tourist who loves to shop and go to the theatre there), she embarked upon a senatorial "listening tour," just like she's doing now. Poor Hillary had to get her pumps muddy as she pretended to listen to pig farmers in upstate New York and their various concerns while hopping around the state, eyes bulging, head nodding, hanging on to their every word.

New Yorkers ate it up.

She was smart enough to know that she already had the limousine liberals from Manhattan in her hip pocket. She needed to win over the rural crowd. What better way to do it than to take her entourage directly to the people?

It's been said that Bill Clinton is a master of making the person he meets feel like they're the most important individual in the room. Well, I've met Hillary in person and can confirm that she has the same knack. I suspect that if the former president is really that good at making the other person feel so important, he learned it from the woman who wants to be a future president.

Like many American marriages, mine is a politically mixed one. I'd like to report that Denise, the love of my life, is a rock-ribbed conservative Republican like her husband. Sadly, that is not the case. So when my former agent, George Hiltzik, told me his son Matthew was working for Hillary's New York senate campaign and could arrange for my wife and me to meet Clinton in person, I had a painful decision to make. Does my contempt for Hillary outweigh my love for my wife, knowing how happy it would make her to meet one of her political idols?

Mike Gallagher is a national syndicated talk radio host and a contributing editor for Townhall.com. His Web site is http://www.mikeonline.com