the rix mix

Hillary Clinton is a Scorpio. Scorpios are the supreme mask wearers of the zodiac. Which is not to say the "mask" is inauthentic or a false face. It's usually a real face, just how scorps go about in public, holding back a private part of themselves. What begins as a natural need for protection from one's own strong emotions becomes an armor habitually worn, & the habit, if not softened, makes affection difficult to express or accept. It doesn't indicate a lack of compassion & empathy, or an incapacity for vulnerable displays of emotion. You can believe that Hillary cries. I have no doubt she has a temper that is terrible to behold, & that she worked mightily to bring it under control while she was an adolescent. I bet her mom recalls some astonishing tantrums. So does Bill. Scorps have problems, big problems, handling even perceived disloyalty. But they can be perversely loyal to some people who betray them.

There's simply no point in expecting more "warmth" from Hillary or complaining about her coolness. She has plenty of heat, set at simmer most of the time. Bill craves novelty, thinks it's "hot" (in the same sense Paris Hilton does). but he knew better than to marry it.

I can even see how the other candidates affect her scorpionness. She doesn't single out Barack just because Barack is the closest competitor. Barack has her "number" so to speak & he dials it in part because he enjoys doing it. Barack has retractable claws. He's a cat on Oprah's sofa, he's no pet - he's a panther. John Edwards might as well be on another planet, not much connection there no matter what they say to & about each other. John could dismantle Hillary if they went lawyer-against-lawyer, an opportunity not provided by campaign debates. Still. Hillary would consider putting John on the ticket if he hadn't already had his chance.

Hillary & Bill. Bill & Hillary. There's nothing wrong with "power" couples. I've been in three relationships I would describe that way. & like Hillary, I didn't mind playing second banana as long as I was secure in my own "power."

But that leads to a big question about Hillary: Is she really a top banana? Will the "public" personna, the mask, become too uncomfortable a fit for the role & responsibilities she's seeking? I've been leaning toward Edwards all though this campaign, but I wonder if it's because he's really the "safe" candidate, the most sensible & earnest, the least likely to screw it up. Dennis Kucinich the Unelectable is the most honest, I appreciate that he appreciates the uses of a tongue stud & doesn't care if we know it. America will never elect anyone named Dennis. Chris Dodd is taking an early & deserved farewell lap around the stadium. Hillary will get things done, mostly with the kind of pre-compromised legislation that attracts John McCain or Susan Collins as co-sponsors. Perhaps that's the best we can hope for in a president now. Barack is the big gamble; he really wants to be different. Barack's tried to claim it's generational thing. Not true. It is so remarkable that an African-American man & a woman perceived as the establishment choice are the front-runners, & either one could win the general election. What better proof the Democratic Party is better than the repugs?

Hillary's temper concerns me. She makes a big deal out of bearing up under years of vicious attacks from the right. But I disliked that stoicism after awhile. I think Hillary is capable of blowing her cork at an inopportune time during the general campaign, & the reason it could happen is that she holds too much emotion in check all the time. There's also more than a little "revenge is a dish best served cold" attitude in her camapaign. But the necessary element of surprise is quickly disappearing; when God told Pat Robertson that only Giuliani was taking Hillary seriously enough, God was correct. Now the polls are scaring the bejezuz outta all the repugs. If I had my druthers, I'd druther Edwards or Obama. Druthers won't matter much when Giuliani, Romney, or Huckabee is the other name on the ballot.

Labels: THE election