Politics can be a perplexing business. Most of us enter politics out of a sincere desire to improve the country. Those who stay in politics too long end up becoming worse than what they set out to change.
Political observers think they know the real Hillary Clinton. She is portrayed as tough, strong, mean spirited, demanding, and lacking a sensitive, human side.
After working with her in the Senate, and after 20 or so debates, I would agree with that assessment.
I was talking with Tim Russert the other day and he said, “I want to get to know the real Barack Obama.” I smiled, put my hand on his shoulder, and said, “What you see is what you get.” Everyone around us laughed. Tim didn’t fully understand, but he dutifully took down some notes and nothing came of it.
He took my answer to mean that what everyone knows about me is what there is to see, that what you see is really me. What I meant when I answered Tim’s question is that ‘all you see of me today is all you’re ever going to see of me.’ Tim loves to use his notes and pour on the heated questions during an interview, but he doesn’t pick up too quickly on the subtleties of an answer.
That will come in handy the next time I’m on Meet the Press.
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