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I hate that I think about Clinton this way...
...but I do. I'm watching Countdown last night, and I see the segemnt where they chide Obama's campaign a little bit about the Politico interview where Axelrod (or "a key staffer") went with the "she'll do anything to win" theme. Bad timing, not a productive meme right now, etc. etc. except I'm not paying attention, because on the B-roll (for those not privy to arcane TV terms...that's the footage they run of the subject of the story while they talk over it, mainly so the show isn't just two talking heads all the time) I see Clinton giving her remarks this morning...and there's a black dude behind her.
I'm sure that was a prominent local official , or the host that introduced her, or there was some reasonable reason that this guy is standing behind her, framed within the shot the whole time. But I couldn't help but think of Clinton, riding to the event, asking her advance people "hey, today's Obama's race speech, right? Do we have a black guy that can stand behind me today?"
Again, I hate that I think that. I liked Clinton, I really did. Thought that a lot of the attacks on her in the 90s were ridiculous. But the last 10 weeks, all the labels..calculating..willing to destroy the party to win...triangulating...they all seem to fit.
After all, you've got one candidate who went big yesterday, took the game to another level. Attempted to singlehandedly raise the level of debate not just among Democrats, but the whole country. And her response (at least my pereception of her response)? Make sure there's some brown skin in my shot today, too.
I'm sure it
Comments (5)
i think there is a million way to look at campaigns, strategies, positions, using the media, developing talking points, etc.
If you are a politician, you need to have a plan or strategy in order to win. Any strategy is a calculation by definition, because you are running against opponents, competing interests and you need to pursuade enough voters to back you up.
Obama's calculation is to take the high road, the inspirational message, register new voters, etc. That's how he is calculating. He's also calculating how to use it to create a contrast with Clinton that benefits him.
Clinton's calculation is to stick with bread-and-butter issues that matter to voters, etc, etc, etc, etc, ad infinitum.
Because they are competing in the media environment, it's extremely difficult to understand what impact each will have on the White House, without being influenced by the talking points.
Talking points are there to drum up emotion, which as we know always blinds reason.
March 19, 2008 11:35 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually, what I'm saying here is that Clinton's "calculation" is to make sure there's a black guy prop available today.
But to your point, saying Obama's "calculation" is taking the high road (while conveniently couching your favored candidate's "calculation" in such a way as to strain credulity) is like the old Bill HIcks bit where he talks about hating advertising and marketing, then supposes anyone in marketing or advertising would think he was "going after the 'anti-marketing' dollar" because there's a lot of money in that.
And make no mistake. Clinton's calculation is now to take Obama down so that she's the somewhat less damaged goods by November, to drag the level of discourse down to where Obama must respond and respond in kind, causing his younger and more idealistic supporters get frustrated or disillusioned and go home.
March 19, 2008 3:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Perhaps she did. Perhaps she wanted to send the message that black, white, brown, we're all in this together. Really such a bad thing?
I suppose you reckon Obama was just coincidentally standing in front of 8 American flags in his speech?
March 19, 2008 12:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
No, I know these things are carefully stage-managed, my beef with this sort of thing is the "me-too" aspect of it...like "hey, look, black people like me, too!"
It reminds me of the scene in O Brother Where Art Thou when the idiot governor's son says "Pappy, maybe we oughta get us summathat ree-form too"
Also, my apologies that the post cut off. Technical difficulties, by which I mean I'm an idiot who can't type.
March 19, 2008 3:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
If it was the only time Hillary had had a black person standing behind her, you might have a point. But I think all campaigns make a point of having as diverse a backdrop as possible.
It is a shame you've bought into all these hate-Hillary vibes that abound here. In my view, I don't really think Obama has run a much "cleaner" campaign at all, but just managed to cultivate the perception that he has. Some people here have bought into it so badly, they'll tell you every time Hillary exhales it's part of a devious plot to exacerbate global warming!
March 19, 2008 7:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
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