Woke Up, It Was Chelsea Lying

When I arrived at Penn State to cover Ron Paul's speech, I snagged a copy of the Daily Collegian and noticed this story:

Before joining the campaign trail with her mother in January, Chelsea Clinton said she had no idea how much sexism still existed in the nation.

"Two guys in New Hampshire stood up and shouted 'Iron my shirt,' " Chelsea Clinton said. "They were serious. I was shocked that they were serious. But I was even more shocked to see that no one seemed the think that it was a news story. It wasn't something you saw a news clip of."

Either Chelsea heard about this in a game of Clinton family telephone, and the facts got mangled, or she's just fibbing.

"They were serious."

No, they were local shock jocks doing a stunt for their show. This was revealed within about 4 hours.

"No one seemed the think that it was a news story."

It was a huge news story. Most of my news at the time was coming from chatter at campaign stops and listening to the radio, and I knew about this instantly. This isn't a perfect measure, but google "iron my shirt" and Clinton's name and you'll see 39,000 items, most of them contemporary news accounts.

"It wasn't something you saw a news clip of."

But it was! I saw a news clip of it, for example, the night it happened.

Chelsea's a thuddingly dull speaker, cruelly parachuted in to states where Obama is going to win anyway (Wisconsin, Vermont), so I've scoffed at the speculation that she'd ever enter politics. If she keeps playing the victim card and fudging the truth like this, though…

Comments

[Elemenope]

In other news:

Campaigners lie for their candidates.

Daughters lie for their moms.

Dog bites man.

[Episiarch]

Chelsea's just upset that her mom and dad hog all the spotlights. She should totally go all Lindsay Lohan on them. The only problem with that suggestion is that Chelsea's ugly, but it would still be a riot.

[Oddity]

Get some perspective. This was hardly a "huge" news story unless you are totally immersed in the primaries as you would be if your were, say, a journalist covering the primaries. It was a trivial story and got trivial coverage.

Also, young women who aren't hardened political ops or robotic cable news talking heads get upset when people diss their mom. She'll get used to it.

[Fluffy]

Well, Oddity, it was a huge story in relative terms, compared to - say - the amount of coverage given to the Yoo memo, or the President's recent admission that he ordered cabinet-level personnel to meet to review and approve specific methods of torture to be employed by the US.

[P Brooks]

Chelsea's a thuddingly dull speaker, cruelly parachuted in pimped out to states where Obama is going to win anyway...

[Elemenope]

And Fluffy wins what is in all likelihood going to be a very short thread.

[Reinmoose]

I was noticing the clinton talking points over the weekend and I thought, specifically, back in the early primary season that she (Hillary and her campaign) went out of her way to say that she wasn't a victim. Now they're trying to say that she is. Some people have very short memories.

[joe]

This is the first I heard about the story, and I follow this primary pretty closely.

This isn't lying; spinning, sure. I could even buy exaggerating.

But we're well into fainting-couch-perfumed-hanky territory here if you're calling this lying.

[vaudevillian]

What do you get when you cross a lying lawyer and a crooked politician . . . . A daughter named Chelsea . . . .

[P Brooks]

Maybe Chelsea can do a "Misogyny-Aid" concert with Sir Elton.

[Brian]

They were about as serious as the bullets that Hillary dodged in Yugoslavia.

Not surprising.

[Taktix?]

I was noticing the clinton talking points over the weekend and I thought, specifically, back in the early primary season that she (Hillary and her campaign) went out of her way to say that she wasn't a victim. Now they're trying to say that she is. Some people Americans have very short memories.

There, fixed.

[Taktix?]

But we're well into fainting-couch-perfumed-hanky territory here if you're calling this lying.

No offense, but what the fuck are you talking about?

[New World Dan]

Leave poor Chelsea alone. It's not her fault she was raised by Hillary.

[Warren]

"Two guys in New Hampshire stood up and shouted 'Iron my shirt,' " Chelsea Clinton said. "They were serious. I was shocked that they were serious.

She didn't say that, did she? If she's that obtuse, she needs to go back to being seen and not heard. At least she's not as ugly as when her father was campaigning.

[ed]

That apple didn't fall far from the tree.

[Warren]

Taktix? | April 14, 2008, 9:41am | #
But we're well into fainting-couch-perfumed-hanky territory here if you're calling this lying.

No offense, but what the fuck are you talking about?

It's just joespeak. It means, 'how dare you say unpleasant things about Democrats'.

[Jennifer]

Where are my smelling salts? The thought that a shock-jock radio guy might make a stupid sexist joke in the year 2008 has upset my delicate constitution and forced into my sheltered existence the knowledge that some people are assholes. I never knew that before.

Pick up my handkerchief for me now, there's a good boy.

[Guy Montag]

Maybe she missed the story when she forgot . . . [ugh] Brian got there before me!

Did anybody ask her if she went shooting with her grandpa? The one who took Mrs. Clinton hunting?

Finally saw some of the weekend antics in the Dem race. Mr. Obama accused Mrs. Clinton of trying to be "Annie Oakley" in a comment about her newly revealed hunting experiences, this shortly after Mrs. Clinton was taking shots at Mr. Obama about his elitism, then knocking back shots of Crown Royal and glasses of beer at Bronko's restaurant in Crown Point, IN. Apparently, the pale beers and Crown Royal show that you are not an "elitist".

[Britny Spears Guy]

LEEEAVE HILLARY ALLLLLONE!.....Please.

How friggin dare anyone out there make fun of Hillary after all she has been through. She lost her free house, she went through an impeachment. She has one friggin kid. Her husband turned out to be a user, a cheater, and now shes going through a political battle. All you people care about is..... readers and making money off of her. SHE'S A HUMAN! What you don't realize is that Hillary is making you all this money and all you do is write a bunch of crap about her. She hasn't performed on stage in days. Her song is called "give me more" for a reason because all you people want is MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE. LEAVE HER ALONE! You are lucky she even performed for you BASTARDS! LEEEAVE HILLARY ALLLLLONE!.....Please. Paris Hilton talked about professionalism and said if Hillary was a professional she would've pulled it off no matter what. Speaking of professionalism, when is it professional to publically bash someone who is going through a hard time? Leave Hillary Alone Please.... Leave Hillary Clinton alone...right now! I mean it. Anyone that has a problem with her you deal with me, beacuse she is not well right now. leave her alone!

[R C Dean]

This is the first I heard about the story, and I follow this primary pretty closely.

It was awhile ago, but I definitely remember the "iron my shirt" flap. I think it was a pretty typical one-news-cycle wonder.

[Guy Montag]

RCD,

Might want to consider the antics of the author of the words you are quoting before taking it as fact.

[joe]

What's the confusion?

Do you not know what a fainting couch is, or what perfumed hankies were used for?

[ed]

typical one-news-cycle wonder

That's all we're left with. It's all we have!
Please don't take that away from us.

[joe]

I like the way people have so completely given up the effort to refute what I have to say that they are reduced to noting that I am a Democrat as covering fire.

[Fluffy]

I think Joe is taking the title of the post seriously, but I think this is one of those "clever" H&R titles.

Is that a line from a song or something, Weigs?

Please explain before Joe descends upon you with smelling salts.

[joe]

Fluffy,

Weigel repeats the lying charge twice in the body of the post - "fibbing" and "fudging the truth."

[Pro Libertate]

Sounds pretty deceptive to me.

[Reinmoose]

I like the way people have so completely given up the effort to refute what I have to say that they are reduced to noting that I am a Democrat as covering fire.

Truly, you have a dizzying intellect.

[The Libertarian Guy]

If there's such a thing as a "lying gene", Chelsea got them from both her parents. How sad.

[Other Matt]

I like the way people have so completely given up the effort to refute what I have to say that they are reduced to noting that I am a Democrat as covering fire.

Actually, this is the only computer I don't have you screened out on joe. Therefore, I don't see your moronic partisanship typically. It's quite refreshing. Perhaps others have just decided it's time to stop feeding the troll.

[joe]

Yeah, I know. It makes up for my lack of a jump shot.

[joe]

If that was it, Other Matt, they wouldn't respond at all.

[Jennifer]

Do you not know what a fainting couch is, or what perfumed hankies were used for?

Obviously: the fainting couch is what supported my delicate frame shortly after my recent discovery that shock jocks tell sexist jokes, and the perfumed hankie is used to entice men to carry said delicate frame about in their strong and mighty arms. Except for when the hankie is perfumed with chloroform, in which case it was used to rob me of my virginity the first three or four times I lost it. Men are such dogs.

[Episiarch]

Yeah, I know. It makes up for my lack of a jump shot.

But can you dunk? That is the real question.

[joe]

Jennifer,

I was replying to Taktix, as he was the one who was baffled.

Ep,

Oh, yeah. I use donuts to soak up coffee with the best of 'em.

[Other Matt]

If that was it, Other Matt, they wouldn't respond at all.

That's true, tollbaiting seems rampant of late

[Guy Montag]

Perhaps a feinting couch would be more appropriate for Miss Clinton?

[P Brooks]

Just wait- Chelsea will be calling Obama an elitist, next.

[joe]

Perhaps a feinting couch would be more appropriate for Miss Clinton?

Well, if you want to get through the snipers, you have to bob and weave.

[Warren]

joe,
How about a couple hundred words differentiating "spinning and exaggerating" from "fibbing and fudging".

[Guy Montag]

P Brooks,

Just wait- Chelsea will be calling Obama an elitist, next.

Perhaps she will express surprise that Mr. Obama reacted to the elitist charge, the same way Mr. Clinton did when he said you have to be tough and just take it when people talk about you in a political race.

Oh, and throw in some more of the boys are picking on the girls stuff.

OT: Why do those "day by day" cartoons keep becoming reality after they are published?

[Colin]

And after Jeb Bush serves his two terms, guess who'll be running?

[Creech]

When Chelsea came through the Phila. area to do campus appearances, the media fawned all over her and students gave her standing ovations. Of course, she said nothing of substance, but what else is new on the campaign trail? I'm interested in seeing how Penn Staters responded to the 72 year old Ron Paul.

[joe]

How about 60?

The former refer to describing something that actually happened, and the latter - at least, lying and fibbing - refer to making up something that didn't.

The sniper story: a lie.

Saying "no one" thought it was a story, when it did get a little attention: spinning.

Everyone in politics describes things in a way that puts them in the most favorable light.

[Warren]

Saying "no one" thought it was a story, when it did get a little attention: spinning.

Really, cause it sounds more like 'fudging' to me.

[joe]

OK, I'll grant you "fudging."

[Episiarch]

How about "prevaricating"?

[joe\'s id]

BOW BEFORE ME! KNEEL BEFORE ME! I KNOW ALL! I AM ALL! I AM THE TRUTH! I AM THE LIGHT! I AM THE WAY! BOW AND SCRAPE AND PUKE IN TERROR FOR I AM YOUR ALL-KNOWING MASTER!

[joe]

That works.

[Randolph Carter]

2 things - as far as whether or not anyone cared about the "iron my shirt" story, uh, no one cared because in reality very few to no people care at all about politics. Most can't remember who the President is, let alone the field of primary contenders. Remember the DMX interview.

As far as Chelsea's looks, I think she's kind of hot. Flame away.

[joe]

Heh, I was responding to Episiarch.

But that works, too.

[Episiarch]

As far as Chelsea's looks, I think she's kind of hot. Flame away.

Are you currently drunk? This would explain a lot.

[Elemenope]

I seem to have grossly underestimated just how much of a fuck people could possibly give for this story.

[mary holzer]

You people make me sick. You deserve to have Obama as your president and you will come to regret it just as the evangelicals did with their savior George W. Bush.

[Shawn Macomber]

How did Chelsea know these guys WERE SERIOUS? Did they actually have a shirt that needed to be ironed? And, as far as working it for votes goes, isn't ironing a shirt preferable to, say, kissing someone's germ-ridden baby?

[Randolph Carter]

Dude, come on - she's by no means ugly. Look!

[Episiarch]

Randolph, that picture is supposed to change my mind?

(psst, just fess up to being drunk and no one will blame you)

[joe]

People still think she's ugly because she was in that awkward middle-school phase when she was first covered in the press.

Nobody is teh hot at 12.

[MK2]

Weigel is just trying to divert attention away from Ron Paul's lies about his racist newsletters. Don't bother, Dave. Ron Paul is so insignificant that nobody even cares about his vicious racism. He's the King of the political non-story ( except in your moronic posts, of course).

[J sub D]

This isn't lying; spinning, sure. I could even buy exaggerating.

It depends what the definition of the word is wasn't is. Apple, distance, tree etc.

Yes, I'm being uncharitable to politicians, their relatives, and all other government functionaries today.

[John-David]

Amy Carter thinks Chelsea is funny looking.

[joe]

That's it: MK2 is Edward.

[MK2]

Weigel has scoffed at Chelsea's getting into politics--this from a guy who's obviously got a hard-on for the oh so Charismatic Ron Paul. Jesus, this must be intentional self-satire.

[MK2]

Wow, Joe gets the Sherlock prize!

[Episiarch]

That's it: MK2 is Edward.

I agree. His first appearances weren't so obvious, but he is sounding just like Edward now.

[J sub D]

MK2 -
One trick to last a lifetime,
but that's all a pony needs.

[Guy Montag]

I think Chelsea is sort of cute too. Only on third Starbucks for the day.

[SugarFree]

joe,

This is the first I heard about the story, and I follow this primary pretty closely.

That's strange. It was the very first comment in a thread you participated in quite a bit, defending Hilary over "WeepyGate." In fact, it was brought up in connection with Hilary using audience plants to shore up feminist cred by highlighting sexism. The same reason Chelsea is bring it up now.

It's also odd that something "no one talked about" gets 34,000 hits on google: "Iron my shirt" clinton

I think it's entirely possible you didn't read that first comment, or honestly forgot about it, but for Chelsea to say "no one talked about it" and then to bring it up as sexist media bias against her mother is bullshit verging on an out-right lie.

[alan]

Chelsea is totally doable. I see she wears her hair straightened, but I bet the carpet is still a hirsute fetishes dream come true. Grrrowl!

Now get in the kitchen and make me some babies!

[alan]

The double edged double razor, my infernal enemy since circa 1988.

[Episiarch]

but I bet the carpet is still a hirsute fetishes dream come true. Grrrowl!

Fantastic.

[alan]

The double edged double razor, my infernal enemy since circa 1988.

The double edged dosposable razor, my infernal enemy since circa 1988.

[Guy Montag]

SugarFree,

"Iron my shirt" is mentioned in several comments in that thread too. Then again, we were given the lesson in that one of just because peopel seem calculating they aren't always calculating.

[Guy Montag]

people too.

[SugarFree]

alan,

If you are having a hard time finding hairy women, I'd like to know where you're been looking. Maybe we can swap.

[Kolohe]

Until I saw sugar free's link I wasn't sure if the 'iron my shirt' thing was more of an internet meme than a news story, started IIRC when those women protested Augusta National 3-4 years ago. I wasn't sure if my memory of the coverage of this was more influenced by Fark than Fox.

But geez, thinking they were serious takes a pretty sheltered upbringing, even by the standards of an upper middle class prep school girl.

and fwiw, she ain't that bad looking nowadays.

[joe]

I see I didn't say anything about it. I must have just ignored the comment, because I hadn't heard about the episode.

[joe]

I get it, the story didn't get much play because it hit at the same time as the Hillary-crying-in-New-Hampshire story.

[jimmy smith]

That Chelsea is a babe !!

(reaches for social security check and glasses)

[alan]

The ladies respond to trends, there was a time every one was doing either the landing strip or the Hitler 'stache and I don't like either. Sure a touch up on the sides is fine, esp. during swim suit season, but in essense, I love an untamed woman. The kinkier the hair the hotter I find them, and Chelsea has naturally frizzy hair.

Incidentally, it was around the time of that Bosnia trip that I recall she
was starting to become cute.

[Guy Montag]

Incidentally, it was around the time of that Bosnia trip that I recall she
was starting to become cute.

Chicks defending America with rifles are always cute, but she is cute even when she is not fendiong off a full Soviet-style Persuit.

[madmikefisk]

Hey, she may have a point about playing the victim card in future elections... after all, being trotted out as a back-bencher for your mom, who happens to be one of the most disastrous campaigners in history? Being schlepped from event to event for the Clintons is greater victimization than almost any politician (short of McCain in Vietnam) has ever had to endure...

[P Brooks]

The double edged double razor, my infernal enemy since circa 1988.

SWEET! I hope the ads all feature TWINSSSSS!

[joe]

Nobody wants to see C.C. Sabbathia shaving his thang.

Nobody.

[J sub D]

Dude, come on - she's by no means ugly. Look!

Well, she has a large mouth. That can be a plus after the bars close.

[Guy Montag]

Funny Democrat News of the Day

It was reported this AM on both CNBC and FNN, perhaps others, that Senator Kerry and President of Green, Albert Gore, Jr. are going to try to talk Mrs. Clinton into giving up her presidential nomination campaign.

At least they are not trying to help former President James Earl Carter suck up to pay a friendly visit to Hamas.

[Michael]

There's nothing cuter than a chick who's ironing my shirt.

[the innominate one]

joe | April 14, 2008, 11:16am | #
People still think she's ugly because she was in that awkward middle-school phase when she was first covered in the press.

Nobody is teh hot at 12.

not true, joe. a few are.

[Guy Montag]

There's nothing cuter than a chick who's ironing my shirt.

What about a chick with a gun ironing your shirt? A really cool black gun, with a pistol grip, bayonet lug, flashlight, red dot sight, extra mag., full auto select, you know, the basics?

[CC]

Chelsea's boyfriend's dad is a convict. I guess that's the best she could do.

[Phil O\'Sifer]

The ugly fruit never falls far from the tree.

[Warren]

There's nothing cuter than a barefoot and pregnant chick who's ironing my shirt in the kitchen.

[Guy Montag]

Warren,

But what about the gun?

[Dwayne Mayor]

What the hell are you blind fools going on about? Chelsea is a dog-faced, hideous hag and even worse, the degenerate progeny of the Hildebeast herself. Unless you were eying her $100 million dollar dowry, you couldn't possibly have found her looks approaching anywhere this side of utterly grotesque.

[Cord]

How was she fudging the truths? This was not a big news story at all. You can google it and get a lot of articles on it but the mainstream didn't care about it. I'm sure if someone had said "Iron my shoes," to Obama that would have made bigger headlines.
Regardless if it is a stunt it definitely was a serious effort to be obnoxious at a meeting where voters were talking about real issues.

[PEDOBEAR]

Nobody is teh hot at 12.

PEDOBEAR DISAGREES!

[Ben Masel]

Irony my shirt.

[JB]

OMG! You mean "real issues"! Like how much the government wants to bend us over even more next year and we should like it? Take your "real issues" and shove them.

[MK2]

A bunch of dimwit assholes who got excited about the candidacy of a tiresome old fuck like Ron Paul making fun of any Clinton--very funny.