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The Clintons attend a 2011 dedication ceremony for a pedestrian bridge in Little Rock, Ark., located adjacent to former President Bill Clinton's presidential library. Brian Chilson/Associated Press hide caption

The Clintons attend a 2011 dedication ceremony for a pedestrian bridge in Little Rock, Ark., located adjacent to former President Bill Clinton's presidential library.

Bill and Hillary Clinton's political careers took off in Arkansas and the state capital, Little Rock, is filled with tributes to the former president, the only native of the Natural State who has made it to the Oval Office.

Now a state lawmaker wants to erase the Clintons' names from the Little Rock airport.

"The state of Arkansas would just like to forget the Clinton era," said state Sen. Jason Rapert, a Republican.

On Wednesday, the state Senate will hold a hearing about a bill Rapert has submitted that forbids the state from naming facilities built with public money after people who are still alive. The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock would be the most prominent facility affected by the proposed law.

Although Bill is 16 years removed from the White House and Hillary's own presidential dreams were smashed in November, Rapert cites a familiar list of reasons why the Clintons' names should be removed from the busiest airport in Arkansas, including allegations of impropriety at the Clinton Foundation, Hillary Clinton's emails as secretary of state and Bill Clinton's impeachment by Congress.

"When people realized there really was fire where there was all that smoke with the Clintons, they really don't want to have anything to do with them at all," said Rapert.

Shift away from Democrats

A controversial figure himself, Rapert has most recently attempted to revive the abolition of same-sex marriage, criminalize abortion and install a monument to the Ten Commandments on the grounds of the state Capitol. He is on the far right in a state that has become increasingly dominated by Republicans in the past decade.

By 2014, the GOP controlled the state Legislature and every constitutional office in Arkansas as white, socially conservative voters migrated away from the Democratic Party. Bill Clinton said in 2015 that he would perhaps lose in Arkansas were he running now.

The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock shortly before its 2004 dedication ceremony. Veronica Bandrowsky/Getty Images hide caption

The William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock shortly before its 2004 dedication ceremony.

Last year, Hillary Clinton didn't bother to contest Arkansas and lost the state by 27 points. After the election, a billboard on a highway leading into Little Rock read: "The Witch is Dead. Establishment Fired. Time to drain the swamp."

Hillary, who was raised in Illinois and educated on the East Coast, had a complicated relationship with her husband's home state. In her autobiography, Living History, she wrote, "I was an oddity because of my dress, my Northern ways, and the use of my maiden name."

Still, as the state's first lady, Hillary started the Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters program, a popular early education program that continues to have bipartisan support today.

Although Bill's presidential library was built in Arkansas, the couple relocated to New York after his presidency so that Hillary could pursue her own political career representing that state in the Senate.

Economic legacy

In 2012, while Hillary was serving as secretary of state in the Obama administration, the Little Rock airport commission voted unanimously to rename it in honor of the Clintons.

"The Clintons did a tremendous amount for this state," said Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, a Democrat. Stodola says that the Clinton presidential library has brought billions of dollars to Arkansas and that Bill Clinton remains an active presence, staying in the apartment atop the library nearly every month.

Little Rock was one of the few parts of the state to back Hillary Clinton's presidential bid last year. Stodola hopes the bill won't proceed in the state Senate, but if it succeeds, the city is prepared to challenge it or reject state funding so that the law doesn't apply to the airport.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, is staying out of the fray. Hutchinson says the decision is up to the airport commission, although he emphasized that Arkansas remains proud of the Clintons.

"Even today, I was at the mansion with some guests from a foreign country and I was, with great pride, pointing out the balcony from which Bill Clinton made one of his announcements for president," he said during a news conference on Tuesday.

When asked whether renaming the airport pushes the boundaries of political decorum too far, Rapert conceded that perhaps the bill, which bans naming airports after a living person, should make an exception for living presidents.

"Therefore, Hillary's name would be removed," he said.

Meanwhile, Rapert has gotten some blowback from Clinton supporters in the state. In response to his bill, a petition on Facebook proposes renaming several municipal sewage tanks after Rapert.

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Arkansas Weighs Whether To Remove The Clinton Name From Little Rock's Airport - NPR

One of the most widely circulated post-election rumors about theClintonsis that HillaryClintonwill resume her political career by running for Mayor of New York City against incumbent Bill de Blasio. With an FBIinvestigationintohis campaign fundraising looming large over his bid forre-election, the opportunity could be Clintons saving grace after her embarrassing defeat in November.

De Blasio has taken hits forClintonbefore. During her presidential campaign, de Blasio took the blame for a racist joke the two made during an annual New York City Press Dinner. Well, look, it was Mayor de Blasios skit. He has addressed it, and I will really defer to him because it is something that hes already talked about,Clinton told Cosmopolitan.

Since Clintons election loss, her loyalists have been desperate to revive the Clinton image.Though Clintons presidential campaign ended in defeat months ago, the arrogance her campaign injected into the Democratic Party has yet to subside as her loyalist supporters fail to recognize thelessons that the defeat should have taught them. These Democrats remain blind to the damage Clinton has inflicted on the party and are eager to continue with their unabated praise and admiration. Every tweet Clinton has sent from her account since the election has received coverage from mainstream media outlets. These outlets have also praisedher daughter, ChelseaClinton, for her tweets opposing Trump and have also fueled rumors speculating a futureChelsea Clintoncongressional bid.

In New York City, supporters desperate to resurrect Clintons career have begun postingHillary For Mayor signs. However, if theDemocratic Partywants to optimize their chances of recouping the drastic losses they suffered under the Obama administration, it would be wise to suppress Clintonsfuture political plans. Outside of her cult-like fan base, Clinton remains widely disliked among American voters.

Even some moderate Republicans who have defected to theDemocratic Partydue toTrumpare repelled by Clintonism and the Clintons reputation of corruption and scandal. Hillary Clinton is the only politician who seems to be routinely discussed by fans in terms of what she deserves vs. what the country does, Business Insider Senior Editor Josh Barrotweeted. What the country needs is for the Democrats to get past the Clintons and their toxic brand. So, the best thing for Hillary to do is nothing.

Voxs Matthew Yglesias, who advocated for Clinton throughout her campaign, has called for Democrats to stop elevating the Clintons as spokespersons for the resistance against Trump. Chelsea Clintons Twitter account is Bad For The Democrats, he tweeted. The initial launch of Hillary Clinton into big-time politics made sense because Bill Clinton was super-popular. Leverage a popular brand! But the Clinton brand is currently not popular at all. Time to let it go!

Given the pervading sense of entitlement from Hillary Clinton and her avid followers, they are unlikely to let dreams of a Clinton resurrection go, and the Democratic Partywhose favorability has been trending downwardsince the electionwill continue to suffer.

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Clinton Arrogance Persists as 'Hillary for Mayor' Signs Show Up Around NYC - Observer

After losing the presidential election in 2012, Mitt Romney disappeared. The only evidence he still existed came from random sightingsat a movie, a gas station, Disneyland, Costco, McDonalds, etc. Romney posted a Thanksgiving photo on Facebook and visited the White House on November 29, 2012 at President Barack Obamas request. He then completely dropped off the face of the earth between December 9, 2012 and February 27, 2013.

It wasnt until about this time in 2013 that he spoke publicly in an interview with Fox News, after which he disappeared again until people beganasking for his opinion on the 2016 presidential candidates.

Losers of past presidential elections have alsoleft the spotlight immediately following campaign losses.Sen. John McCain and Sen. John Kerry returned to their jobs in the Senate. Vice President Al Gore emerged only to criticize President George W. Bush, deny running for president in 2004, and re-appear for hawk disaster scenarios.

The same cannot be said for Hillary Clinton. The day after the election, Clintonwas photographed with a supporter. She gave her first post-election address justeight days after losing.

I know many of you are deeply disappointed about the results of the election, Clinton said. I am, toomore than I can ever express. She added, There have been a few times this past week when all I wanted to do was just to curl up with a good book or our dogs and never leave the house again.

Clinton has also been tweeting regularly. Well, someones been tweeting from her account, because some are signed -Hillary or -H to signify theyre actually from the former candidate. Each time Clinton, or someone, tweets from her account, articles are written. The account tweeted on Inauguration Day and in support of the Womens March (though none were signed from Clinton herself).

Clinton recorded a video message weeks after the march for the 2017 Makers conference, telling participants the future is female.

Who needs men?

And remember, you are the heroes and history makers, the glass ceiling breakers of the future, Clinton said. As Ive said before, Ill say again, never doubt you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and every opportunity in the world.

Well, so long as youre a woman who holds liberal viewpoints.

Clinton also announced around this time that she would be writing a book of personal essays that included her favorite quotations. Thats just what we needanother bookafter herlast one sold just 2,912 copies in its first week.

On February 24, Clinton released another video, this one aimed at the Democratic Party. Did she suggest that the party reflect on its losses over the past eight years (with the obvious exception of the presidency)? Of course not, because Democrats havent learned anything from the past election. The GOP conducted an autopsy after their 2012 loss (and, depending on how you view the current Republican Party, have either stuck to it or thrown it in the garbage). Democrats have done no such thing, instead doubling down on their failed strategies and blaming everyoneuneducated voters, the Russians, fake news, etc.for their election losses. They have yet to acknowledge that their years of playing identity politics turned off a big chunk of their base, who felt that the party was no longer fighting forthe working class.

Instead, Clinton offered platitudes that serve as nothing more than a reminder as to why she lost in the first place.

We as Democrats must move forward with courage, confidence and optimism and stay focused on the elections we must win this year and next, she said. Let resistance plus persistence equal progress for our party and our country.

Why is Clinton remaining in the public eye? Perhaps Democratic supporters are different than Republican supporters, because after McCain and Romney lost, Republicans didnt want to hear from them (I still roll my eyes when Romney is asked for political advice).

Does she want to be a Queen maker? Could she be? She didnt exactly help her party in November, and Obamas more likely to be influential since he actually won two presidential elections (though its also clear he cant get people to vote for anyone but himself).

Maybe shes just looking for work. The Clinton Global Initiative was conveniently shut down after foreign donations dried up following Clintons loss (but we werent supposed to see any conflicts of interest there). I doubt that she willget as many high-paying speaking gigs as she did when people thought shed be the next president.

Maybe its simpler than that. Maybe she just needs something to do. Forgive me if I dont value the opinion of a twice failed presidential candidate.

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Unlike Losers Before Her, Clinton Is Not Going Gently Into the Night - Observer

A former Hillary Clinton volunteer drew swift condemnation -- including from President Trump's eldest son -- after mocking the widow of a fallen Navy SEAL who was honored by the president during his congressional address Tuesday night.

Dan Grilo, who said in his Twitter profile that he was a former volunteer for both Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama, made the remarks after Trump paid tribute to Carryn Owens. She is the widow of U.S. Navy SEAL William Ryan Owens, who was killed in a counterterrorism raid in Yemen last month.

Our veterans have delivered for this nationand now we must deliver for them, Trump said, eliciting an extended standing ovation from the entire chamber for a visibly emotional Owens.

Ryan died as he lived: a warrior, and a hero battling against terrorism and securing our nation, Trump said.

While widely regarded as the most powerful moment of the night, Grilo was not impressed. Responding to a tweet from L.A. Times reporter Matt Pearce, who noted that Owens was crying and overwhelmed,Grilo tweeted:

Sorry, Owens' wife, youre not helping yourself or your husbands memory by standing there and clapping like an idiot. Trump just used you.

The tweet quickly zipped around social media as commentators on both sides of the aisle were outraged by the swipe.Donald Trump Jr. called the tweet an example of hatred from the other side."

Grilo followed up, apologizing for what we called a poorly worded tweet.

Grilos account soon went private, and was then deleted entirely. But the tweets were saved and archived by other Twitter users.

Grilos LinkedInpage says he works as a principal for the Chicago-based Liberty Advisor Group. But as of Wednesday morning, Grilos profile page on the site had been deleted.

Liberty Advisor Group did not respond to multiple requests for comments on Grilos status from Fox News.

Adam Shaw is a Politics Reporter and occasional Opinion writer for FoxNews.com. He can be reached here or on Twitter: @AdamShawNY.

Continued here:
Former Clinton volunteer in hot water after swipe at widow of fallen SEAL - Fox News

Express.co.uk

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Why some German politicians want Erdogan banned - BBC News