If the primary race was over and Hillary had become the Democratic nominee after Super Tuesday, as many expected would happen, they probably sensed that this baby would be a best-seller.

Even with things still TBD for the Democrats, I’m sure there are many who would love to have a chance to read this little volume to help inform either the vote they have yet to cast or to decide if Hillary really is being treated unfairly by the media, or just to get a better sense of who this woman really is.

But actually, there isn’t a lot that’s particularly revealing about her in Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary. It’s more a volume of essays about how the various authors feel about her and view her in ways (usually) not covered by the main stream media.

I was a little surprised at the critical and sometimes flip tone of some of the authors. Some of the essays ponder who is the real HRC? Is she a dog person or a cat person? Is she better or worse than Lady Macbeth? What did she like to snack on in the White House?

(Can you imagine the outcry if someone had written a similar volume about any of the men candidates?)

While entertaining and well-written, I’d like to look at Hillary in a 31st way.

What would her candidacy have looked like if she hadn’t married Bill?

What if she had married someone else, kept her name and was still Hillary Rodham? If we take the Bill Clinton lens off the glasses through which we scrutinize Hillary, what would an objective look at her candidacy be? I have a feeling it would be much more charitable in terms of her experience, her personality and her judgment.

To be sure, there are plenty of more serious essays in the Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary, but I was saddened that the publisher was more concerned about having people write about Hillary’s hobbies, or lack thereof, than taking a real look at this woman and what has propelled her to this place in life.

No, it wasn’t meant to be a biography, but when we write about women candidates in this way, do we continue to diminish them, as well as ourselves?

“She can be tough, and even a little steely, an attitude that stems, at least in part from wanting to live up to the high expectations her father set for her. “

“Politics and policy animate her — like her husband, [after attending Ivy League law schools] she turned away from a lucrative law career to work in public service.

Another profile about Hillary Clinton, you say? Nope.

Those are all quotes from the recent cover story in Newsweek about Michelle Obama. But they sound vaguely familiar in a Hillary sort of way, don’t they?

As I read the Newsweek story, I couldn’t help wondering why Michelle continues to get such great press and Hillary is sucking gas in the media.

While clearly not a mirror image of each other, I sense that Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton are more alike than they are different. They both even have a certain amount of low-level snarkiness that appears on the campaign trail when they’re tired.

Yet, Michelle gets the benefit of the doubt, and the piling on with Hillary continues.

News reporters seem much more enamored with Michelle than Hillary and that’s had a huge negative impact on Senator Clinton’s campaign and an equally positive effect on Barack Obama’s efforts to move into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Why? I can only think of one reason — fresh blood.

But I have this feeling in my gut that while so many of us are pining for change and fresh faces, we are forgetting that many politicians, regardless of party affiliation, are cut from the same fabric — they almost have to be in terms of the drive, ambition and super ego required to think, “Hey, I think I’m good enough to be leader of the free world” — a self-esteem lesson worthy of Daily Affirmations.

Clearly Michelle and Hillary are not the same, but they’re a lot closer than you think. I’d like to see reporters cut them all a little more slack — just show us what they say, tell us what they believe without your spin, and we’ll be OK making our minds up for ourselves about what kind of women they really are.

Of course, I’m making an exception for Saturday Night Live.

Now, it seems, that Everybody Hates Hillary. Or, at least, it’s good sport to pretend you do.

Anna Wintour doesn’t like her wardrobe.

Bill Kristol doesn’t like the white women who support her (does that mean it’s OK to support Hillary if you’re a woman of color?)

The Washington Post doesn’t like her cleavage.

The MSM don’t like her laugh.

Maureen Dowd doesn’t like her because she’s not angry enough.

Bloggers think she’s too weepy.

Rush Limbaugh ridicules her wrinkles.

Even women writers are finding things to dislike about her.

I want the remaining male candidates running for president to be subjected to the same sexist scrutiny for the duration of the campaign.

I want Tim Gunn to get after John McCain about those sweater vests.

I want Men’s Health to write a scathing article on the fact that Barack Obama needs a little bit more upper body toning.

I want Field and Stream to stage an intervention for Mike Huckabee’s hunting outfit.

And how about someone from the Clinique counter weighing in on Ron Paul’s skin care regimen?

Of course, I wouldn’t mind it one bit if someone from the World Weekly News broke the story about Ralph Nader’s alien love child!

Oh, sure, I’m happy to take them if they’re offered, especially books. I like the opportunity to review books — some I keep and some I giveaway to share the wealth — but I’ve never approached a publisher to provide me with an advance copy of a book until recently.

You may have heard of the new collection of essays that’s coming out called Thirty Ways of Looking at Hillary. A friend of mine even has an essay in it, so I can’t wait to read it.

But I figured that as PunditMom, trying to get a review copy was a legitimate request. And I was told that I would get one.

I think my name got left off a list somewhere.

No, I’m not Peggy Noonan or Michele Norris, but I thought as someone who blogs about politics at more than one place, it was reasonable to ask.

I guess someone thought otherwise because everyone’s reviews are out there and I’m still waiting for the mail carrier to deliver my reading copy.

Harper Collins, if you see this post, I’m still waiting. Maybe the Clinton campaign will start giving them out — it won’t make much money for the publisher, but it could be an interesting way to win some more votes.