Just How Much Damage Did Bill Clinton Do?
I posted about Bill Clinton's attack on the media and his attempt to blame them in advance for Hillary Clinton having to go negative. I also just posted at what I think is a return volley from the media blasting Bubba as a "campaign prop" and a "Relic." But the damage Bill has done may actually be even worse than that. Joe Gandelman is very angry at Clinton and thinks Hillary may have been badly damaged with those voters she most needs in the general election: the unaffiliated ones.
The fact of the matter is a lot of us Independent voters are tired of the politics of slash and burn where a candidate’s camp feels it must demonize, whip up the voters so they hate someone as the main reason to vote for them — a technique used as by political operatives in both parties under the two Bush administrations and yours. We are truly sick of it and want to toss out those who insist on perpetuating it.
Some independent voters will vote AGAINST candidates that think we’re dumb enough not to recognizing them unleashing the politics of demonization — even if they blame it on the biases and showmanship of Limbaugh trying to build and hold his partisan audience or a press that may not be perfect but helps most candidates who attain the Oval Office get there due to its positive reportage (you would never have arrived in the Oval Office if you hadn’t gotten some good press coverage).
Don’t blame the press.
On the other hand, voters should blame the press if your camp goes negative and it is not fully noted by the press.
On primary day here in California and election day in November a lot of us independent voters, whether we buy into Obamamania or not, are going to vote against candidates who ONCE AGAIN insisted on jumping into the septic tank and have them or their supporters throw the smelly contents out in the political arena.
At this writing, Obama seems to get it.
At this writing, you apparently don’t.
P.S. Going negative does not mean legitimately lambasting Obama on his stands on issues. Americans know going negative when they see it. If your wife wins the nomination, good luck on winning the general election. She will lose the young voters Obama brought into the process — and many of us independents will NOT hold our nose and vote for her. We’ll either stay home or vote for any Republican who isn’t foaming at the mouth or whose name is not Rush Limbaugh — or for Michael Bloomberg.
What set Joe off was the very same article from the Politico that I linked in my first post. I have stressed, over and over, that a candidate with the huge disapproval numbers that Hillary has cannot afford to lose any votes, especially in the middle - which actually does exist in this country. But Bubba's remarks may have just done exactly that. Have done exactly that in at least one case.
Joe dismantles Bill Clinton's claims rather handily, by the way. It's entertaining stuff.
By Maggie, Saturday, 5 January , 2008 @ 4:08 pm
If/When Hillary crashes and burns, and BHO becomes the democrat party candidate for president, he will be like the kid with his finger in the massive hole in the dike for the dems against the “flood-weight” of either of the top running GOP candidates who finally gets the nod …
By syn, Saturday, 5 January , 2008 @ 4:53 pm
It’s what I like about Fred Thompson, he seriously detests the modern political process of ’slash and burn’ more than does Joe.
Unfortunately, at the moment the Misery Index isn’t high enough for people to notice it’s time to get serious.
By NortonPete, Saturday, 5 January , 2008 @ 5:14 pm
I’m looking at a 3 way now with Hillary basically out..
( The press doesn’t want her because it won’t advance the press )
-Obama D
-McCain/Thompson ( also reverse to Thompson/Mccain ) R
-Bloomberg I ( because he sees the chaos )
———————————————–
This could be a tough election for everyone.
By Gaius, Saturday, 5 January , 2008 @ 5:29 pm
I’m wondering about Thompson/McCain myself right now.
By Maggie, Saturday, 5 January , 2008 @ 5:34 pm
Gaius -
Me too … especially after seeing this on another blog:
“Published reports that Fred Thompson soon will withdraw from the Republican presidential contest and endorse Sen. John McCain have been traced in part to Mitt Romney’s campaign, trying to stir up strife between McCain and Thompson.”
Robert Novak
http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/RobertDNovak/2008/01/05/mitts_divided_strategy?page=2