The Hillary Trap: Looking for Power in all the Wrong Places (Paperback)

~ (Author) "It was her 52nd birthday, and finally Hillary Rodham Clinton seemed to be stepping out of her husband's long shadow..." (more)
Key Phrases: Hillary Clinton, New York, White House (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In what is ostensibly an attempt to portray Hillary Rodham Clinton as a cautionary role model for young women, MSNBC talk-show host and frequent political commentator Ingraham proves more effective at positioning herself for greater influence among Republicans, as evidenced by her discussion of gun control and the New Age movement. Her slim book is neither biography, straight political analysis nor a look at the Clinton scandals. Instead, she studies Clinton as a flawed character. Dependent for her political definition on a husband Ingraham characterizes as a "liar and cheat," Clinton is an emblem of the notion that women can succeed only with the help of a male partner, government programs and special privileges, claims the author. Dubbing this idea the "Hillary Trap," Ingraham shows how, in her view, it applies to many areas of women's livesAwork, family and education. She faults Clinton's actual behavior and imputed attitudes, curiously attributing to Clinton even grander influence than the First Lady has. For example, citing a lack of feminist support for Republican women such as herself, Ingraham admits that Clinton did not actually engage in making derogatory statements but rather helped "create the atmosphere where it's accepted." The author includes glimpses of her own life, with some references to her late mother, and settles some personal scores, one with a Vanity Fair writer who profiled her and another with a Dartmouth professor who sued her for criticizing him. Preaching to the converted, her platform is not likely to appeal to a wide audience but will surely lead to more exposure for its well-connected author. Agent, Writer's Representatives. $100,000 ad/promo; author tour; radio satellite tour.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Many feminists have lauded Hillary Clinton as the first First Lady they can identify with. NBC news analyst and former Supreme Court clerk Ingraham says they've got it all wrong--Hillary is no feminist visionary, but a victim. She thought that devoting herself to her husband's career would be her own best route to success, and that is no path our daughters should emulate. Hillary's story is familiar--degree from Yale Law School in hand, she moved to Washington to work for the Children's Defense Fund, and then worked on the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate hearing, after which she moved to Arkansas to be with Bill. Soon, she became the governor's wife, then first lady, and now she is launching her own bid for Senate. Ingraham not only reviles Hillary's dependence on her husband, she also mocks Hillary's politics, dismissing as ludicrous her ideas about redistributing wealth. In the end, Ingraham sees Hillary's politics as cut from the same cloth as her marriage--both are about dependence, she claims, be it dependence on government or on a man. A polemic that is sure to spark much debate -- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: Encounter Books; Pbk. Ed edition (December 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893554651
• ISBN-13: 978-1893554658
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #829,598 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

79 of 91 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's the results that count, August 22, 2000

By	Paul Sauberer (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hillary Trap: Looking for Power in all the Wrong Places (Hardcover)

Laura Ingraham, television pundit, has written a book that is not a Hillary hit piece, despite what one might think from the title.

Instead, she has crafted a very readable volume which critiques the policies which Hillary Clinton and her liberal allies espouse. These policies are analyzed from the perspective of what they actually bring about, rather than from the stated intentions of the policies.

Ingraham brings a decidedly feminine perspective to her work. She concentrates specifically on what it means to women if Hillary and those who support her were to have their way and implement their desired policies on the nation.

She argues persuasively that these alleged feminist policies do not in fact empower women, but rather encourages them to change one dependency for another- from one dependency on men to another on big government.

Through the use of real life examples, studies, and statistics, Ingraham shows that it is the policies of Republicans and conservatives that offer women (and men for that matter) true empowerment and independence.

An easy read, The Hillary Trap is recommended for anyone who wants to have some factual ammo to engage the emotion based arguments of liberals.

117 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Hillary Trap Rocks the First Lady's World, May 23, 2000

By	James T. Dixson (Connecticut) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Hillary Trap: Looking for Power in all the Wrong Places (Hardcover)

At first I was skeptical about the publication of yet another book about Mrs. Clinton, but The Hillary Trap has something for everyone who is curious about the never-ending allure of the Clintons. Ingraham moves the debate about Hillary beyond scandal rehash to a serious and pithy dissection of Hillary's political agenda--along with her personal/power-hungry decision to stand by The First Cheat. The chapters are organized as a series of political and cultural "traps" Hillary has created for herself--the antigun trap and sisterhood trap were my favorites! On page after page, I found myself saying "yes! I especially enjoyed reading Ingraham's anecdotes about her own life and how her family and political experiences shaped the way she looks at the world (and the one Hillary would have us live in). I found that page after page explodes the myth of Hillary Clinton as self-reliant, independent, feminist icon and reveals her to be the opposite. I never thought of it this way before reading this book, but Hillary belongs in the Smithsonian! The woman clings to an outmoded way of thinking, one where all women are victims in need of govt protection, where individual liberty should give way to the liberal social good. I agree with Ingraham that this, combined with her pathetic and sustained defense of her hound-dog husband, proves Hillary to be not the First Feminist, but the First Hypocrite! The Hillary Trap offers an important warning: Women and Men Beware--Mrs. Clinton's social and political "solutions" for children and families will pull you right down into the same mindless groupthink that has kept her stuck in the intellectual quicksand of the late 1960s. A perfect book for anyone who wants substantive artillery in the ongoing Hillary debate. I bought two copies--one for my son, a college freshman; and one for my sister still believes Hillary is misunderstood!

45 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laura's Great on TV, Radio and Even Better in Print, December 28, 2002

By	"alexflestau" (Manchester, NH) - See all my reviews

I started listening to Laura's radio show right after September 11th and I've become a total "Laura addict." She's funny, smart and unpretentious--what more can we ask from a radio talk show host? So when I discovered that she had written a book--and about the Former First Lady Queen Hillary no less--I went immediately to amazon.com to buy it. Not only does Laura give us all the insights we need to prepare for Hillary's bid for the White House, she peppers the book with her own life stories and vignettes about her family, her college experiences, her work in the cable television world. This is much, much more than another book about Hillary. This is indispensable for anyone who is concerned about our country's future.