by Adam Bulger
It’s time for Hillary Clinton to bone up on her classic ’70s cinema. Attempting to pander to a Philadelphia crowd, she compared herself to Philly’s most famous fictional son, the Italian Stallion, Rocky Balboa.
“Let me tell you something, when it comes to finishing a fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up. And neither do the American people,” Clinton said in excerpts of prepared remarks to be given Tuesday to a meeting of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
It’s a hack reference, and it’s a little distressing that she included it in her “prepared remarks” — she needs crib notes for pop culture references? But what’s worse is that it’s an inaccurate one. In her attempt to appear more human by invoking the name of the scrappy underdog fighter, she revealed that there’s a good chance she’s never actually seen the movie. Mrs. Clinton evidently doesn’t realize that in the movie Rocky, the titular character lost the fight – to a black dude!
The victory he celebrates at the end of the movie is about how he “went the distance” in the fight and because he recently won the love and respect of his new girlfriend Adrian. It’s only in the shittier sequels that Rocky actually wins fights. So unless Clinton’s ready to go home and be happy that she tried her best and has gained Bill’s love and respect, she can only liken herself to Rocky II through Rocky V.
Adam Bulger is a reporter for the Hartford Advocate. A recent interview of his with comedian David Cross will appear in the May issue of The Believer. He also conducted one of the last interviews with Hunter Thompson.
Categories: Politics/Law/Government
Progressive Culture | Scholars & Rogues 
Adam, nice catch. Thanks for the contribution to S&R. We appreciate it.
And how’s the Connecticut River Valley, my ol’ stomping ground?
The CRV is cold and gray, but its citizens are optimistic that some day spring will come. And thank you, sir. Appearing here is my distinct pleasure.
If memory serves me, didn’t Rocky lose?
Jeff
Ha. Good catch. The “Clinton’s ready to go home and be happy that she tried her best and has gained Bill’s love and respect” line I think will nicely encapsulate Hillary’s future concession speech.
Just more BS from Hillary. She’s an endless stream of it. It just saddens me that so many Dems are still on her side. What are they thinking? I think it’s a real dream of wanting things to go back to how they were in the 90s. But that’s Republican thinking. There is no going back, there’s only moving forward, and Obama is the future.
What the heck? I hate Clinton(s) as much as the next guy and I don’t even live in the US, but if your quote is correct she doesn’t actually say that Rocky WON the fight. Her point seems to be that neither of them will give up when facing overwhelming opposition. In that sense the parallel seems fitting. Losing is not a character flaw, since everyone loses sometimes and it often is beyond their control. Giving up would be a flaw. Unless you take “finish a fight” to mean winning? I just take it as meaning that you see it through, whatever the outcome. Don’t make shit up, let the woman be foolish all by herself.
I think Hilldog is talking about the last Rocky movie.
She might want to compare herself to the old guy who has way to much muscle for his age.