Just Words?

The primary season of 2008 will perhaps be best remembered for  ‘just words’ and ‘change we can xerox’.

For Hillary supporters it has been a long struggle in self-expression.  In elections past the editorial edicts and the cartoonist’s snarks might have gone unchallenged, but this season Hillary’s supporters struck back early and often with a variety of  visuals, iconic bits of imagery and  great graphic shorthand.  Week after week the primary season produced graphics for and by bloggers. Voices that  were denied and downplayed by the MSM found expression visually in blogs.

 Here is a sampling of graphics , with a semblance of evolutionary sequence. At the top of the page, the mother of all images, our undying vision: Our Lady on Air Force One.  

Instead of scrolling down, you can go to this page and view the graphics as a slideshow!

Did you use any of these? Which one resonated most with you and why?  Were any left out of here?  Your comments are welcome.

 An early adoptee was this lovely b&w pic of HRC used in a number of diaries, graced in later months with an edgy slogan. This was back when being a Democrat meant something else. Call it the early ‘days of innocence’ and of faith in the party.

      From the creative genius of Hillary Clinton Army came this bright spot, it could be seen wherever  a little gasoline donation could take it.  Like that nursery rhyme, everywhere that Hillary went, the Hillcar was sure to go..

                Rest assured, we are not an advertisement. But this pic has been around the internet in various forms and it’s eloquent. I liked the clever overlay of zero and Venus symbol.

     When the MSM went crazy with Hillary derangement, we all remember how electrifying that skit on SNL was. Well, someone quickly capitalized on Tina Fey’s great line, yea baby. America is great or what!

    Heidi Li Feldman  posted this photo of elemental beauty and strength, and it soon found it’s way into the hearts of Hillary’s supporters. The raised hand, the rain drops, and the sheer determination spoke volumes. The image conveyed strength, it dazzled and stirred the blog writers. The caption on Feldman’s page, ‘Got Moxie’ boosted this pic into an emblematic place in a hundred different Hill blogs. It established itself as a principal symbol of what it came to believe in Hillary. One commenter at Taylor Marsh suggested using Blondie’s Tide is High as a campaign anthem. It certainly presaged a flood of Hillary’s victories, including landslide ones in WV, KY, PR.   For millions of blog viewers, this then was the image that sang the High Cantata, not just words indeed!

 Taylor Marsh got everybody agog with this graphic up on her site for weeks as the controversy raged about the seating of Michigan and Florida delegates. Throughout Spring 2008,  angry, aggrieved Hill fans wore this as the badge of infamy. To DNC’s everlasting discomfort, discussions surrounding this isssue evoked a host of responses, including memories of McGovern, 1972, Gore v Bush, 2000 SCOTUS decision etc. Few flag depictiions moved so many as this one….

And quickly led to a number of other images to be created.

 By June 2008, it was obvious the DNC had all along known the fix to be in. Even the pretense of trying to act principled was given up. It was apparent to ardent Hillary supporters, the base Democrats, that they were really expected to ‘stay home’.  Politics not just as usual, but most primeval and extreme form of considerations took priority.  McCain buttons were already becoming popular among Hill-crats.  The Green Mountain Forum  featured this Appeasement University. Quite witty.

     By the time Harriet Christian was caught on tape by Jane Hamsher of FiredogLake, it was already too late. Opinions had crystallised. The raspy, anguished gravel-tone of Harriet simply spoke aloud what had been graphically tattoed across the blogosphere for months now. Those who voted for HIllary  were becoming increasingly protective, praetorian and proud. In the face of left blogs and MSM that was dismissive of her,  and a culture that seemed to permit it all, Hill fans were forced to becoming partisan.

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