Is Hillary Clinton Baiting Barack Obama?
2 comments October 30th, 2007
Hillary Clinton’s political machine, with obvious input from Bill Clinton, seems to be following an old football stratagem, the so-called “Hail Mary Pass.” With the nomination all but assured even if Hillary were to lose in Iowa, she recognizes what everyone else does; if Barack Obama loses in Iowa, the ballgame is over. Even Senator Obama’s campaign advisors are in recognition of that stark reality, reflecting the pressure they are applying on their candidate to aggressively attack Hillary Clinton. The problem with that approach is that they are falling into the proverbial Clintonian trap.
Ever since Barack Obama entered the presidential race as the primary Democratic opponent to Clinton rule, the Clinton political machine has had two over-riding objectives: Reconstruct Hillary’s image while deconstructing Barack Obama’s aura as the apostle of the “politics of hope.” Since the summer, Hillary has been doing everything possible to entice Obama into attacking her, including casting aspersions on his competence and portraying him as hopelessly inept on foreign policy. Hillary Clinton has effectively portrayed Senator Obama, to a large proportion of the electorate, as naive and inexperienced on foreign affairs, while distracting voters from her own grave intellectual deficiencies. This has translated into a Clinton lead
over Obama of 30 points, making a mockery of Obama’s fundraising success.
If Barack Obama falls for the trap and begins to aggressively attack Hillary Clinton in a manner that can be deemed personal, this will be the answer to Hillary’s prayers. They will waste no time in using Barack’s barbs as ammunition on the campaign trail, and as a lance aimed right at Obama’s viability in Iowa.
