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HRC's Dean Scream?
Am I the only person out there who thinks HRC may be jumping the shark these days. Last week started with the silly plagiarism charges, she then was surprisingly blown away in Wisconsin, we then saw extremes with both the xerox and the charm/emotion offensives at the debate in Texas, and now the Dean Scream like "shame on you, Barack Obama" press conference in Ohio.
I have many close friends who are fully behind HRC and they are convinced that besides the blow out in Wisconsin, that this is her best week yet. They love the all talk attack and think the plagiarism issue might have some legs, they know xerox failed but was it saved by the amazing (their word) finish to the debate, and today they got to see the fighter they fell in love with the 90's.
The BHO kool-aid drinking conventional wisdom seems to be that she is becoming unraveled, feels defeat looming, and the internals for both campaigns probably show she in now behind in one or both firewalls. The HRC kool-aid drinking conventional wisdom seems to be that she is best with her back against the wall, the real HRC is breaking through when it counts, and New Hampshire 2.0 is in the making.
I think you can tell where I stand...







Comments (15)
I think I can tell, too, but I do appreciate the effort to see both sides of the story!
February 23, 2008 9:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
The nominees are: "shame on you, Barack Obama" and "Hope you can Xerox". (Please add more if I've missed one)
The shame comment is pretty damn good as it both makes her look desperate and reminds us all of our parents, who we don't want to elect president. As good as that comment is I believe the Xerox comment, will at the end of the day, be the more memerable. First, it is hypocritical, I seriously doubt she came up with that gem, but more important it demonstrated just how out of touch her campaign is. The line BOMBED. Not only was it not funny, but to use the world 'hope' in such a caustic way when fundamentally she should be trying to sway Obama supporters just alienates them.
February 23, 2008 10:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Actually it was "CHANGE you can Xerox", not "HOPE you can Xerox". But the most delicious part of the irony came when Hilary managed to plagiarize Bill Clinton, John Edwards, AND "Primary Colors" in her closing statement! You know, the one Mark Penn thinks is so great that it's now running as an ad. Some entrerprising reporter really ought to call up Edwards and ask for a comment.
February 23, 2008 11:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
i don't envy BO on tuesday. General rule: Don't debate crazy people.
February 23, 2008 10:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
BTW, did you know that the original Dean scream was an attempt by him to overcome a bad microphone and background noise, and has been blown up by the MSM hungry for any opening against Dean. Its based in reality about as firmly, as the famous "fact" that Gore has claimed he had created the Internet.
HRC called Obama on using the worst Republican slime - Harry and Louise - to kill the most important political issue of our time - universal health care. Let's not follow the MSM example of the elections past, and let's not chose a slick "uniter" who can organize millions of his followers into voting automatons. Otherwise we're in for a rude awakening. Deliberate reference to "Harry and Louise" should warn us about something sinister.
February 23, 2008 11:00 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for remembering that the "Dean Scream" was more endearing than embarrassing. However, speaking as one of Obama's millions of mesmerized minions, I feel I should inform you, before we absorb you into The Body, that our preferred plural is 'automata', not 'automatons'.
Honestly, I can't see what is so wrong in principle with the idea of organizing millions of voters. Maybe your candidate should try it sometime.
February 24, 2008 1:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Deliberate reference to "Harry and Louise" should warn us about something sinister."
Reminds me of the movie of the same name -- so, guess you're right.
February 23, 2008 11:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
We are automatons? I see as much lock step in HRC's supporters as in Obamas. I see just as many uninformed talking point posts as from Obama supporters. Glass houses and all. HRC has pulled so many sleazy tricks in this campaign, so many Rovian tactics and we are supposed to be upset by a flyer? We should choose her because of one flyer?
A flyer which is in fact accurate. Until she clarifies a lot more her plan looks pretty damn dangerous to anyone not below the poverty line but not yet in the middle class. I speak as one of those people and I don't believe in her blind trust in insurance companies to lower costs when everyones is forced to buy there product.
She has also come right out and said she would probably have to garnish wages or impose large fines to make sure everyone gets it (I watched this debate).
This isn't social security which is run by the government, this is in essence a retail product that we will be forced to purchase. This is the insurance industries biggest wet dream.
Look at auto insurance, has it gotten cheaper because everyone has to have it?
Now if she can come out and explain exactly why I will be able to afford her health care plan and exactly what she plans on doing to the insurance industry if they decide that gouging is the way to go here I would probably change my mind and say his flyer was wrong. Until then I agree with the flyer.
February 24, 2008 2:00 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm pretty sure the "Yes we WILL" bit can more aptly be compared to "I have a scream".
February 24, 2008 3:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
I am one of those people, not poor enough for subsidies. I'm self-employed, and being forced to buy expensive health insurance (as has happened in Massachusetts) will be impossible for me. We have good months and bad months in our business, and it will kill us. WIthout making it affordable first, I, and millions more like me, will be doomed. It's a critical issue. I don't understand why people can't see what a windfall this is for the health insurancy industry. Sure, premiums theoretically go down with more people in the insurance pool. But it sure hasn't happened in Massachusetts. California came to the same conclusion, and a similar plan went down in flames.
February 24, 2008 8:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
I agree and beat you to it. Said the same thing over at Daily Kos a few minutes before you did over here. I can't imagine that meltdown helping her with any undecided voters. And saying he didn't have a right to criticize her health care proposal? That's one world-class sense of entitlement. I think the moment was unintentionally revealing and that she showed her true colors.
February 24, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Personally, I think she came off more as Lynne Cheney in her false-outrage at Edwards mentioning the fact that she has a lesbian daughter.
February 24, 2008 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink
All I know is, I was dozing to Weekend Edition as I do on Sunday mornings, letting the gentle infotainment and wry quips ease me into the day, and I ...
WAKE! UP! UNPLEASANTLY!
...the instant I hear that "Same on you..." from Clinton.
I believe that someday we will, and we should, and we need, a woman president. But she was sounding like the unpleasant stereotype of the angry teacher. Is that sexist of me to think that, to react that way? I'd think the same if a male candidate yelled the same way. How about a reasonable but firm tone, huh?
Someone's gonna call me a misogynist for my male, gut-level feelings I felt this morning. Ah! Teacher's mad at class! But it's just not a positive tone.
February 24, 2008 6:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Excellent comparison. Hillary is down for the count and is looking increasingly pathetic. I actually like her and sort of hate seeing her come across as a teenage girl who's acting out to get the attention of the boyfriend that her best friend stole from her. It really is a Dean Scream of sorts, but it's more like Dean following up a scream with another and another and another.
SNL's Tina Fey made a fool of herself trying to make Hillary's case for her last night during her hosting gig. Attacking all of the Obama supporters and calling them naive is, well-naive. His base is growing and diversifying, but for the most part, it started off with the college educated of the Democratic party who were backing Senator Obama.
Despite Hillary calling for Obama to stop attacking her so she can have the attacks all to herself and the continuation of her so numbly following the disastrous Mark Penn plan, she's sinking in quick sand.
Neither Barack Obama nor his supporters were naive enough to believe George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in their march to war in Iraq like Hillary Clinton. We were all here and knew that the vote she made meant we were going to war. Everybody knew; she knew. Only the courageous who were willing to stand up for what is right like Barack Obama and Al Gore spoke up.
Hillary the triangulator was wrong. She is wrong for the presidency of the U.S.
February 24, 2008 6:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
This was unfunny, tone deaf, and politically stupid. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse was laughing along in the background but even he had to realize that she was alienating not only primary voters but potential general election voters as well.
Vote For Cynicism!
No We Can't!
Great messaging there Mr. Penn, well worth $4.8 million. The only reason she was in Rhode Island in the first place is because she was in the neighborhood trying to raise some scratch for a campaign whose budgetary restraint has been reminiscent of Brewster's Millions.
February 24, 2008 7:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
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