The Clinton campaign released an ad today for airing in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas -about to go to the polls for their primaries. It opens with an image of children sleeping safely in bed. The camera pans the room, zooms in and out on the faces of these children. The musical theme starts with snare drums and muted trumpet calls that impart a vague though stirring martial sentiment (reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith's work for the movie, 'Patton') -all the while anxiety builds as a telephone is ringing -and the the sober voice over:
"It's 3:00am and your children are safe and asleep. But there's a phone in the White House, and it's ringing. Something is happening in the world. Your vote will decide who answers that call. Whether it's someone who already knows the world's leaders, knows the military, someone tested and ready to lead in a dangerous world. It's 3am and your children are safe and asleep. Who do you want answering the phone?"
I keep hoping that there's a floor. That the Clinton campaign won't stoop any lower. That there is some hope for a campaign conducted from a place of mutual respect between the rival candidates and some minimal amount of respect for the voters. There have been glimmers -hints of that possibility where the debate or discussion could be about the distinction between two valid candidates and their policy. It was two debates ago when it seemed there might have been an end to the uglier campaigning. Senator Clinton spoke of a sense of feeling "honored" to have campaigned against her opponent. She spoke of her own core convictions and what she saw as her unique qualifications for office, this without denigrating those of Senator Obama. Frankly, it was her strongest moment in the campaign in memory.
It didn't last long. Just days later she was literally hollering "shame on you" at her opponent, feigning new shock and surprise at the opposing campaign for pointing up differences that have been at issue for months.
In the subsequent debate Senator Clinton was asked to justify and explain her shouts of "shame" and her open mockery of Obama's "hoping for the clouds to part." There was something in there about "the music of heavenly choirs." She blushed as the moderators rolled tape. Her answer then was to shrug it off as "all in good fun." She described the ranting invective and mockery directed at her opponent as a great way to unwind.
Still, even that shrugging that night might have given a reasonable person reason to hope. When seated at the same table with Obama, Senator Clinton seemed capable of respect for her opponent. She seemed capable of honoring the the deliberate decision informed voters were being asked to make. She seemed at peace with having made her case.
"Two weeks ago, [White House political director] Karl Rove ... was telling the National Republican Committee 'Here's your game plan, folks, here's how you're gonna win - we're gonna win by getting everybody scared again,'" Clinton said. "This crowd [says] 'All we've got is fear and we are going to keep playing the fear card.'"
Perhaps that's the most disturbing aspect of this latest Clinton campaign maneuver, Senator Hillary Clinton knows better. She's simply not opting for better. She has read what she calls "Karl Rove's playbook" and she's willing to give it a try.
As Senator Clinton's ad comes to a close, the telephone stops ringing. Then the most damning aspect of this episode comes through loud and clear. It's Senator Clinton's own voice admitting "that she approved this message."
http://www.notsilence.blogspot.com
Tom driscoll is an opinion columnist, poet, performiing songwriter (let's just say he writes).
Hillary is desperate. She geared up early for the campaign, got all her ducks in a row, assembled a very good campaign organization, and assumed that she would coast in. She could have won against most any ordinary politician, but what she didn't count on was running against a phenomenon. It's not her campaign that was weak; it's that she is running against someone with charisma she doesn't have.
Hillary desperately wants to be President. She assumes the fact she is trailing means there's something wrong with her campaign that she can fix. But ther isn't. So she's trying things that just make her look desperate and out of control. Her fine mind is too distorted by her desperate ambition to see what she's doing. Voters don't like candidates who sound desperate. Her tactics are hurting her campaign, not helping.
by
Bill Samuel (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 343 comments)
on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 10:51:19 AM
HRC's problem from Day 1 of the campaign was her likeability numbers. A lot of people, Democrats and Republicans, just do not like her. Or trust her. For good reason, I might add. She couldn't overcome that and when a viable candidate who was likeable and who appears that he can be trusted (so far)gets some traction she was done. Remember the likeability part of her campaign? I could not believe a candidate would openly do that. It is like someone screaming from atop the campaign bus that I am not really an AH. Like me. Like me. Pathetic.
If you took the time to read any of the negative books about her you could see that, as a candidate, she had serious problems even if just 10% of the stuff that was written about her is true. Well, as it turns out, a lot of people found out that 90% of what those books said is true.
It is really sad. She is very intelligent and capable but she is more than a couple of bricks short of a full load. And her husband should be institutionalized. He is disgracing the presidency again.
by
Mad Jayhawk (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 414 comments)
on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 11:52:55 AM
According to Jack Smith, there must be a remarkable amount of Idiots on the loose in the USA. I beg to disagree, and believe Tom Driscoll has it RIGHT!!
Bill Samuel states 'Shrillary'appears 'desperate'. I'm in agreement with him 100%. She is changing her handlers and tactics too frequently, and none of these tactics are working for her. Now this idiotic ad about the 3am phone call. Desperate, I'd definitely agree with that. As far as her "experience", she has 'beat a dead horse' BEYOND death with that one. I read someones comment that that more or less begged the questiong that if she were married to a surgeion for 35 years, would that make her a surgeon too? And that is equivalent to what she is trying to pull over on America's voters. I say that she is so "experienced" she is worn out, burned out, and washed out! We surely all know she is not to be trusted, read a few books as 'Mad Jayhawk' suggests. He also hits the nail on the head as far as her 'likability' is concerned. That is also discussed in at least one book I've read. Hillary is anything but a NICE person, make no mistake about it. Therefore, I ask what is the problem with giving the American people a little hope with a new face? Someone who has different ideas on how to handle things. Someone who is willing to be held accountable for his actions. We all know that NO President can accomplish EVERY campaign promise. He has to work with those who are against his ideas as well, that is, unless he says "I have Executive Power, therefore you WILL do as I say" as the Dictator now in office has pulled off with all his corrupt big money friend's backing. And no matter what happens, it won't be any worse that what Dumbo Jr. has done to this country. So far, we've survived Dumbo Sr., and Dumbo Jr., so let's have a chance at some fresh air for a change.
by
gen_dig (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 13 comments)
on Saturday, March 1, 2008 at 3:06:15 PM
5 comments
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The Clinton campaign released an ad today for airing in states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas -about to go to the polls for their primaries. It opens with an image of children sleeping safely in bed. The camera pans the room, zooms in and out on the faces of these children. The musical theme starts with snare drums and muted trumpet calls that impart a vague though stirring martial sentiment (reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith's work for the movie, 'Patton') -all the while anxiety builds as a telephone is ringing -and the the sober voice over:
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