May 09 2008
Farewell To Hillary
Charles Krauthammer analyzes what Hillary Clinton did wrong on her way to losing to Barack Obama.
But going left proved disastrous for Clinton. It abolished all significant policy differences between her and Obama, the National Journal's 2007 most liberal senator. On health care, for example, her attempts to turn a minor difference in the definition of universality into a major assault on Obama fell flat. With no important policy differences separating them, the contest became one of character and personality. Matched against this elegant, intellectually nimble, hugely talented newcomer, she had no chance of winning that contest.
She tried everything. Her charges that he was a man of nothing but words came off as a petulant, envious attack on eloquence. The power to inspire may not be sufficient to qualify for the presidency, but it is hardly a liability.
She tried a silly plagiarism charge, then settled for the experience card. In a change election, this was not a brilliant strategy. It forced her to dwell on the 1990s, playing candidate of the past to Obama's candidate of the future. Her studied attempts to embellish her experience led her into a thicket of confabulated Bosnian sniper fire.
It wasn't until late in the fourth quarter that she found the seam in Obama's defense. In fact, Obama handed her the playbook with Jeremiah Wright, William Ayers, Michelle Obama's comments about never having been proud of America and Obama's own guns-and-God condescension toward small-town whites.
Actually, it wasn't Hillary who found that line of attack and she really didn't exploit it effectively, either. I think Clinton's failure comes down to arrogance and an inability to get good campaign staffers. She chose people for personal loyalty, not for their campaign smarts. She ended up being out-maneuvered by a neophyte.
4 Responses to “Farewell To Hillary”
This goes much deeper than a bad campaign strategy. Hillary seems the type of person who’s character simply does not tolerate feedback or criticism in any form. Witness how she has never (as in not ever) reacted quickly to correct a political misstep. Recently, she let the obvious Bosnia sniper gaffe (aka "lie") linger for days, allowing the damage to fester. Finally, her first reaction was to stand by her story, in effect doubling down and telling us all that we had better believe her. Heck, she even sent Bubba out to shill for her–a mistake in and of itself. Finally, after days and day of MSM stories, blogosphere posts, and YouTube parodies, she grudgingly admitted a ‘misstatement’. This is but one tiny example of her capacity for denial.When you consider all the other ‘Elephants in the Room’ that Hillary has ignored or denied over the years–one of which went by the name of Monica–it’s not too hard to conclude that she only sees what she wants to see.
"Her charges that he was a man of nothing but words came off as a petulant, envious attack on eloquence. "
But that is exactly what he is - nothing but words. He’s all sizzle and no steak, all smoke and no substance. I could go on ad nauseum but I think everyone here will get the point. My worry is will the rest of the voters?
Go back to the Senate Hillary, and do some work for the good people of The State of New York.
Hang tough Hill. When she’s gone,the toughest interview the messiah will do is little Chrissy or Olbermoron. Neither one will be able to stand up in public for the rest of the day.