The principle reason for Barack Obama's Democratic victory over Hillary Clinton was that he sensed the moment in time, he sensed the people's unrest with the establishment and he preached a populist message of inclusive empowerment while Hillary never left the gated community of the entitled establishment: Allen L Roland
Let's make this simple ~ the American people are the ultimate deciders and they want their country back. Barack Obama rode that wave to the Democratic Presidential nomination. Hillary Clinton never truly understood this deep thirst and longing and was out campaigned, out organized and out maneuvered by Obama's people oriented movement .
Chuck Raasch, Gannett News Service, summarizes the seven reasons Clinton failed with reason Seven being that Obama, the candidate became the message but I would add that Obama, the candidate, became more than the message ~ Obama became the movement itself.
Following is a Gannett News Service political analysis:
WASHINGTON ~ Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton spent a year as her party’s prohibitive front-runner, then five months mostly reeling from forces she and her advisers could not, or did not, see coming.
In one of her many debates with Barack Obama, a wistful Clinton framed the historic nature of her campaign this way:
“I am thrilled to be running to be the first woman president, which I think would be a sea change in our country and around the world.” Almost as an afterthought, she added, “Either of us will make history.”
Clinton had not yet conceded, but Obama claimed a place in history Tuesday as the first black nominee of a major political party. By winning the needed 2,118 delegates, he won the mantle of change, outspending and outmaneuvering her.
Here are seven reasons Clinton failed:
1. A yearning for change: Clinton underestimated Democrats’ yearning for something beyond politics as usual and their disdain for the Iraq war and George W. Bush. Clinton’s 2002 vote to authorize the war became a symbol of status quo, allowing Obama, who had opposed the war, to become the agent of change on an issue that had inflamed the left.
When the nomination fight boiled down to Clinton versus Obama, the 35 years of experience Clinton constantly talked about became a liability as Obama became an exciting and plausible alternative.
“She made an initial strategic blunder by focusing on experience in a Democratic primary,” said Dick Morris, who once advised former President Bill Clinton and has become a harsh critic of Sen. Clinton. “They don’t want experience. They want change and newness. That’s why they’re Democrats.”
2. Hot and cold persona: Clinton could never seem to settle on a political style or persona. In her defense, she may have been hurt by gender bias. While Obama drew praise for his ability to invoke passion in his audiences, emotion was radioactive for Clinton. She was criticized as either too hot or too cold, rarely a transcendent figure, and not authentic. When she became teary-eyed before the New Hampshire primary, defenders saw it as a rare glimpse into her soul while detractors saw it as calculated.
She also hurt herself with false claims of ducking sniper fire during a trip to Bosnia when she was first lady. A Gallup Poll in March found half of Americans doubted her honesty and trustworthiness, twice the percentage that had the same doubts about Obama or presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.
3. Race trumped gender: When Democratic voters assessed the breakthrough aspects of having a black man or white woman head their ticket, race ultimately won out over gender. The excitement over Obama’s candidacy and the prospect of the first black nominee of a major political party brought young voters into a process they had ignored in the past. Black women, especially, were torn, but overwhelmingly settled on Obama after he won predominantly white Iowa.
Although Clinton still regularly won among women, the movement of black women and younger women to Obama cut into her strongest base, said Debbie Walsh, director of the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.
4. Tactical errors: While Clinton focused on winning the big states, Obama racked up a delegate lead by winning most of the smaller states’ primaries and caucuses. Clinton put a lot of her eggs in the Super Tuesday basket and her campaign seemed unprepared fiscally and strategically for the fight to go on past Feb. 5, when more than 20 states voted. But no clear victor emerged that day and there were more states than that left to vote. Clinton had to lend her campaign money, and her campaign manager stepped down amid reports of infighting among her strategists.
Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net
I still can't see the winner but in my estimation and being from the heart of America and a State that overwhelmingly picked Clinton I figure that we have the Electoral Votes that Obama will need to win and if Ohio, Pennsylvanian, West Virginia. Kentucky and Michigan don't get the pampering that we deserve then we're going to see the Third Bush Term.
by
drasile (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 77 comments)
on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 1:19:22 PM
The winner was the American people who finally have a chance to take back their country from the gated community of the Establishment ~ which includes the Bushs and Clintons.
Allen L Roland
by
Allen L Roland (877 articles, 7 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 346 comments)
on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 at 2:46:15 PM
If everyone had let race and gender be the determining factor in who they voted for in the primaries and caucuses, clearly Clinton would have won simply because there are more women than there are afro-Americans. It clearly is more complicated than that.
For myself, the thought of this country electing either a woman or a non-caucasian has long been something that would sway my vote, though it has never been the only factor. For example, I cannot think of anything that would ever get me to vote for Condalisa Rice. Nonetheless both race and gender could have been significant issues for me.
I suspect I am not alone in having felt that gender balanced race in this particular situation and the fact that it was a woman running against an Afro-American allowed me to only consider other factors. Race and gender became non-issues for me and I suspect for many others.
by
PrMaine (10 articles, 8 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 329 comments)
on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 8:26:31 AM
Race and gender became non-issues for me and I suspect for many others.
Absolutely true, and that includes myself ~ Obama is a much needed movement towards real change ~ Hillary was the establishment and status quo ~ Obama won because he heard and responded to the real message from the people ~ which was let's have a real change of direction now !
Allen L Roland
by
Allen L Roland (877 articles, 7 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 346 comments)
on Thursday, June 5, 2008 at 10:44:16 AM
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