Danica Patrick Has A Lesson for Hillary Clinton
Danica Patrick made history last month at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan. She became the first woman ever to win an IndyCar race, taking the Indy Japan 300 5.8594 seconds ahead of second place pole-sitter Helio Castroneves. If you're not into auto racing, this may seem like a relatively minor accomplishment, but if you're a racing fan (and particularly a female racing fan), this was an amazing triumph. It was Patrick's 50th IndyCar start since she began driving in the IRL IndyCar series in 2005.
Today in Indianapolis, Danica isn't doing nearly so well. Maybe she won't win this time. She's currently running in 11th place, after losing 10 seconds due to a bad pit stop. Danica's 26 years old. She'll win again.
If Danica loses today, I'm fairly certain a few things won't happen:
1). She won't argue that she should have won because she had the shortest pit time of the day, the nicest-looking car, the most fans, or because she ran the fastest single lap of the race. If she loses, she'll know that it was because she didn't finish first. She won't try to change the rules.
2). Even if some other driver hits her car and causes her to crash, she won't talk trash about them.
3). She won't claim she lost due to sexism.
4). She won't say she lost because she was outspent.
Danica Patrick is a professional driver in a sport completely dominated by men. She knows that you win some and you lose some. And she knows that the sport is much bigger than she is. Hillary Clinton ought to give Danica Patrick a call sometime. I think Danica could teach her a thing or two.
Today in Indianapolis, Danica isn't doing nearly so well. Maybe she won't win this time. She's currently running in 11th place, after losing 10 seconds due to a bad pit stop. Danica's 26 years old. She'll win again.
If Danica loses today, I'm fairly certain a few things won't happen:
1). She won't argue that she should have won because she had the shortest pit time of the day, the nicest-looking car, the most fans, or because she ran the fastest single lap of the race. If she loses, she'll know that it was because she didn't finish first. She won't try to change the rules.
2). Even if some other driver hits her car and causes her to crash, she won't talk trash about them.
3). She won't claim she lost due to sexism.
4). She won't say she lost because she was outspent.
Danica Patrick is a professional driver in a sport completely dominated by men. She knows that you win some and you lose some. And she knows that the sport is much bigger than she is. Hillary Clinton ought to give Danica Patrick a call sometime. I think Danica could teach her a thing or two.
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Nice analogy, bunny-cat.
Something else to ponder:
Woman Fighting for Position = Good for feminism
Sore Loser Fighting On After It's Proven She Can't Win = Bad for feminism
May 25, 2008 3:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
http://sports.yahoo.com/irl/news?slug=ap-irl-indy500-crashes&prov=ap&type=lgns
Hmmm, the plot thickens.
May 25, 2008 5:59 PM | Reply | Permalink
Awesome clip. I love Danica Patrick.
May 26, 2008 3:17 AM | Reply | Permalink
My daughter will be named Danica Blazingame.
May 26, 2008 1:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Breaking:
"Kanaan was seething, but his display of anger was nothing compared to Patrick’s after she was run into by Ryan Briscoe while trying to leave pit lane late in the race.
A furious Patrick then got out of her car and walked purposefully toward Briscoe’s pit for what was shaping up as a confrontation with his crew. She removed her gloves and seemed ready to rumble before track security personnel directed her back to her own pit area."
Update:
Spokesperson for Danica Patrick, Terrible McAwful, said that they blame Barack Obama for having stirred up trouble in pit row.
May 25, 2008 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
When I read about Patrick's crash and her ready to kick some ass in the other pit, I immediately thought of Clinton. Patrick was pissed because the other driver swiped her (IIRC). She didn't immediately start launching into phony sexism/misogyny tirades and that was even after the guy who hit her decided that he didn't need to apologize for it. In all her years of racing and losing she's never once blamed her femaleness for it. Most women who compete don't blame their femaleness on losing. Only Hillary. And Geraldine.
May 25, 2008 9:52 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ha! I was thinking of Hillary during the race as well. And it was great to see Danica walking over towards the other car, because you knew she had words to say about getting knocked, not to cry sexism. Hot heads are pretty common in racing, and she always holds her own. Ok, off to finish watching NASCAR.
May 25, 2008 10:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
May 25, 2008 11:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, dear Lord. I would NEVER, EVER want to see Hillary take a photo like that.
May 26, 2008 2:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
What can I say? She's hot!
May 26, 2008 3:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yes, Hillary should have been creative and wrapped her naked body in an American flag and posed as Miss November in The Calendar Girl. She did say once upon a time, "I'm your girl!"
May 26, 2008 7:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
The "Mob Rape" of Hillary Clinton's character continues at TPM.
May 25, 2008 11:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I thought it was a "pile-on".
Big diff between "pile-on" and "Mob Rape".
May 25, 2008 11:22 PM | Reply | Permalink
But, a "pile-on" isn't as sexist as a "mob rape".
May 26, 2008 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not to be confused with the Corporate Gang Bang of "hard working white" Americans being hosted by Hillary, Bill and the DNC.
May 26, 2008 1:24 PM | Reply | Permalink
May you never be raped and know how offensive your use of the term "mob rape" really is to all women and to all feminists (including the one you claim to support). May any woman or girl or young child you love not have to personally know the difference between a violent physical assault and a cheap verbal analogy, because clearly, you don't.
You have my pity, not my sympathy.
May 26, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Second this.
May 26, 2008 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great fantasy, but Hillary would take that custom-painted "Hillary" car that she appeared with in Indianapolis and ask Danica to drive it and then talk about how Obama and his supporters were behind her loss.
It's a bit telling when NASCAR has a lesson for Hillary Clinton.
May 25, 2008 11:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
Well....we know you don't like racing. It isn't Nascar that Danica drives in. But I get what you said. Just don't agree at all.
May 25, 2008 11:42 PM | Reply | Permalink
Indy's not NASCAR.
May 26, 2008 1:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
You got me. I admit I'm not a NASCAR or much of a sports fan really, but I've watched it. What I think now with the Hillary campaign, especially considering the whole RFK thing, it NFL. It makes me think of when a team is getting beat so badly that you kind of feel sorry for them, especially as they fumble the ball, throw interceptions or the quarterback gets tackled, and finally the other team scores again making even worse.
In football games like this I start feeling really sorry for the losing team, but when the losing team starts fighting or being nasty, I kind of think they deserve it. That's about the extent of my sports analogies.
May 26, 2008 2:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, the right side of your screen is the same as mine. Want to count the posts eviscerating her? Quite a few. what would you call it?
May 25, 2008 11:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hey, she sucks, you know? What can we do?
May 26, 2008 2:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
Something other than "mob rape".
Just lost my respect.
May 26, 2008 2:02 PM | Reply | Permalink
Just?
May 26, 2008 3:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
200 miles and hour is a real leveler - isn't it?
May 26, 2008 12:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
After she won the 300 in Japan, she sat in her car with her helmet on for a really long time. She was crying, and she didn't want the guys to see it because she knew they'd rib her about it. And on all the talk shows the next day, all she wanted to do was explain away the tears. Everyone loved her for it, but she was really embarrassed. She just wants to be one of the guys when she's around the track. One of the hottest photos I've ever seen:
http://www.womenssportsnet.com/Portals/57ad7180-c5e7-49f5-b282-c6475cdb7ee7/images/AP/DanicaPatrick/Danica_Patrick_2.gif
Hey, any woman who's interested in compression rings is totally boss in my book. :)
May 26, 2008 2:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
And I thought the bracelet looked kinda funny...
May 26, 2008 3:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
The only parallel between patrick and clinton is that they are both "pioneering women". That makes this a weak/narrow comparison. I hate to suggest that asshole is right, ever, but this is pretty much the same as comparing obama to jesse jackson. In fact, it's much wider stretch.
I just watched Patrick's accident and subsequent march to the other driver's pit. I'm watching it thinking "yeah! show em" but then realized that if it was a man, I would be thinking "oh man, c'mon. shit happens. aggressive idiot". I wish I understood this stuff.
May 26, 2008 12:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
She wasn't going to kick his ass. She was going to tell him what a stupid fuck he was. Because he was a stupid fuck. You're supposed to "blend" out of the paddock. He just hit her. Stupid fuck.
It was a shitty race today. Too many rookies on the track and too many mistakes made. And Danica Patrick had a REALLY lousy day, running 7th and then finishing 22nd because some dumbass doesn't know how to drive. But she kept it in the family and took it to him--not to the press. She's got a sense of honor.
May 26, 2008 2:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
I would imagine you could learn a lot from Hillary, but are too stupid to realize it.
May 26, 2008 2:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I've learned a lot from Hillary. She's my negative example.
May 26, 2008 2:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, believe me, I've learned a LOT from Herc. And my loss of respect for the woman dates back to 2000. Starting with that former Illinois resident moving to NY so she could win a seat in the Senate from that state. It might have been nice if she'd actually been interested in representing my home state, but she wasn't. Instead, she had her eyes on the prize and saw NY as merely a stepping-stone on her road to the White House.
Bet she wishes now that she'd run for Illinois-state Senator instead.
May 26, 2008 2:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
Patrick's response to the press after the crash was pretty great. She started to say something--she wanted to say something--but she said, "I think it's pretty obvious what happened." She'll kick his ass in private.
By the way, for those of you who aren't familiar: all of the cars run on 100% ethanol. This is where the technology is tested and improved.
May 26, 2008 2:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is it ethanol now? Many race cars run on methanol (methyl alcohol, wood alcohol), which is the simplest alcohol. It's toxic even in small quantities (unlike ethanol) and isn't nearly as flammable as gasoline.
May 26, 2008 4:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
They used to use methanol. Starting in 2007 all cars in the IRL were required to switch over to 100% ethanol. Honda has seen the writing on the wall, and they're really leading the charge on all new fuel technologies. They've got a fuel cell car due out in 2009, and a California-certified diesel out at about the same time.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/irl/2005-03-02-irl-ethanol_x.htm
May 26, 2008 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
From what I read, methanol and ethanol aren't that different (very similar chemical compounds, after all), the biggest problem with methanol is that it is a bit corrosive. So a car running on methanol needs to have methanol-proof engine and fuel system.
I'm far from an expert but I believe that industrial production of methanol and ethanol is pretty similar, too.
Diesels are very interesting as well, as they have considerably better fuel efficiency. Very popular in Europe. The problem with diesels is soot - now attacked by particle filters - but other than that, diesel exhaust gases are less toxic than gasoline exhausts (less nitrous oxide nasties). I like driving turbodiesels.
May 26, 2008 10:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
And the "gang rape" by HR, et al continues.
May 26, 2008 10:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
STOP. Just stop with the rape references. Stop right now!
Rape is a real issue. Real trauma. Real victims.
Do NOT trivialize it by using it as a metaphor for a political race.
This is one of the reasons why Hillary Clinton is bad for feminism. Because it's all about her, and it doesn't matter what damage the words do as long as they benefit her.
Well, fuck that noise. Hillary Clinton voluntarily stepped into the most bruising political environment in the world. And she has received no worse than many other candidates have over the years.
It hasn't been pretty. But to compare it to rape is appalling and insensitive and, ultimately, deeply anti-feminist.
So stop right now.
May 26, 2008 1:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Phoebe Fay, Louisville1975 has a new mantra about 'gang rape', which he has posted unfailingly all day.
Maybe Louisville1975 has his own dark hidden fantasy and it erupted like a boil which he can no longer hide. He could care less how that affects others......sort of like Hillary's 'assassination' blurting.
May 26, 2008 1:16 PM | Reply | Permalink
I just find it deeply disturbing how those supporting the supposedly feminist candidate can fall into seriously anti-feminist language. It happens a lot with certain trolls.
May 26, 2008 1:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
You have to scratch your head and wonder why Lousiville keeps making that comment.
All it does is make readers wonder "What's Louisville's story?" Doesn't illuminate anything about the issue--rather, it makes me say "Ewwww". Tried to respect L'ville's comments, but after today, nope.
May 26, 2008 3:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Low sulfur diesel has really cut down on the soot as well. Honda will soon be phasing out their hybrids in favor of diesel-powered cars that get better performance and higher mileage. Their 2.2 i-CTDi engine can sustain 130 mph for over 24 hours and average over 92 mpg in mixed highway and city driving. And the filter not only captures the soot, but burns it. Pretty cool.
May 26, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Supposed to be a reply to codegen86, but we all know how this board works (or doesn't) sometimes.
http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/05/danica-patrick-has-a-lesson-fo.php#comment-2847287
May 26, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, I got it, no worries :)
I'm actually much more familiar with European diesels, especially German and Italian/French (Fiat and PSA share much technology). The Japanese were lagging behind for a long time (BMW had turbo diesels in the 1980s) but caught up since the late 1990s.
In some European countries, more than 50% of new cars have diesel engines.
May 26, 2008 2:23 PM | Reply | Permalink
Forgot to mention - there are now diesel race cars too, and at least one of them is apparently so good that it needs to be handicapped: http://www.leftlanenews.com/audis-diesel-race-car-too-fast-for-its-own-good.html
May 26, 2008 2:24 PM | Reply | Permalink