Bring Forth The Relic
The Associated Press evokes a somewhat unflattering image of Bill Clinton by calling him a a campaign prop and a political relic. Reporter Nancy Benac will likely be dropped from Hillary's "Happy Holidays" card list as a result.
WASHINGTON – In a presidential race where the Democratic candidates are competing as agents of change, Hillary Rodham Clinton's most reliable campaign prop is something of a political relic — her husband.
The former president was at her side to help put the best face on her third-place finish Thursday in Iowa, and he was beside her again when dawn broke the next day on the final push to Tuesday's New Hampshire primary.
"I was never more proud of Hillary in all the days we've been together and all the days of this campaign than when she gave that speech in Iowa," the ex-president told New Hampshire voters.
No loyal spouse would say any less.
But with Bill Clinton, it's a far more complicated dynamic than simply that of the supportive husband…..
…..Clinton tries to meld two qualities — change and experience — by offering herself as a president "who won't just call for change, or a president who won't just demand change, but a president who will produce change, just like I've been doing for 35 years."
For all of that, though, "in some ways her campaign is based on nostalgia, which is not very often a good theme to orchestrate in a political campaign," said Rutgers political scientist Ross Baker. "In a sense that's what Bob Dole was doing in 1996 when he ran against Bill Clinton and evoked the Greatest Generation. It was Fleetwood Mac vs. the Andrews Sisters."
Back then, Bill Clinton was the one casting himself as the agent of change; his campaign song had Fleetwood Mac urging voters, "Don't stop thinking about tomorrow."
Now the song is largely passe.
If I were a betting man, I'd say that this is the beginning of the fallout from Bill Clinton's whining yesterday that the media has not been nice enough to the Clintons. This is one reason why it is not a really good idea for politicians to go after the media. Payback can be rapid – and harsh. The whole article is full of some very backhanded compliments of both of the Clintons. That this story was written and vetted by an editor may well mean that Bill's outraged power-whining has backfired spectacularly.
If the media stops treating the Clintons with kid gloves, Hillary is toast. Then maybe both Clintons can be put into the reliquary for good.
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The Anchoress » Blog Archive » Hillary’s temper shows? — January 6, 2008 @ 12:49 am
By feeblemind, January 5, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Agreed.
By curtis, January 5, 2008 @ 3:01 pm
If the house falls and the ruby slippers come off, I think we’ll see some vicious attacks on Herself from the MSM. Right now, they’re afraid of a come back. There will be hell to pay for any media types that jump too soon if Herself makes it to the White House.