Posted on 05/19/2016 12:16:13 PM PDT by RoosterRedux
Donald Trump kept himself planted firmly in the political spotlight this week with one headline-grabbing move after another — launching a social media defense of his treatment of women, listing possible Supreme Court nominees, rapidly declaring an Egyptian plane crash an act of terrorism.
His likely general election opponent, Hillary Clinton, seemed content to hang in the background.
But Clinton's stay-above-the-fray attitude masks unresolved questions that have gnawed at her campaign since Trump virtually locked up the Republican nomination. How can the wonkish Clinton counteract Trump's finely-tuned ability to command attention? Can she win the White House by letting Trump run on his terms, hoping his unorthodox candidacy wears thin with voters by November?
Or does she need to make a positive case for her own candidacy, something she has struggled to articulate during the Democratic primary?
"She's going to have to do things to keep her side motivated, to keep people excited, keep it aspirational," said Steve Schale, a Florida Democratic strategist who advised President Barack Obama's White House campaigns.
Clinton's unexpectedly tough battle with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders highlights her struggle to make that case thus far.
Sanders' supporters can repeat whole sections of his campaign speech verbatim. Trump's backers chime in on cue when he asks who will pay for his proposed border wall with Mexico.
The former secretary of state, by contrast, throws a policy-filled kitchen sink at voters. She pledges to break down barriers to progress, build on President Barack Obama's priorities and implement lessons learned from her husband's economic stewardship in the 1990s.
And her ability to define the race on her own terms could only get harder in a face-off with Trump, the dominant force in this presidential contest and a master of defining his opponents before they can define themselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at dariennewsonline.com ...
Trump’s gonna beat Hillary like a dirty rug...ping!
Stake. Garlic. Crossroads. Some assembly required. ;)
the wonkish Clinton
The real estate guy from NYC understands political campaigning his first time out.
Hillary has been campaigning for 40 years; hasn’t got a handle on it yet.
But Clinton’s stay-above-the-fray attitude masks unresolved questions that have gnawed at her campaign since Trump virtually locked up the Republican nomination. How can the wonkish Clinton counteract Trump’s finely-tuned ability to command attention? Can she win the White House by letting Trump...
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Didn’t Jeb Bush use the “stay above the fray” tactic? How did that work out for him? The same type of consultants advising Bush are advising Clinton. They are killing her with a thousands cuts. This is wonderful to watch. They are their own best enemies.
Is wonkish DC slander first crooked or ugly?
Hillary’s head is bobbing under the water for the second time, two fingers up...
Her political career is fast coming to an end.
Thanks to Donald Trump!
I have never thought of Hillary Clinton as wonkish.
The writer is incorrect.
Hillary is many things, mostly evil. ...but not wonkish.
It’s going to be interesting to see Trump fill stadiums full of 10’s of thousands of cheering supporters, while Clinton struggles to fill a high school gym with a few hundred.
Never underestimate the optics of huge crowds for one candidate and tiny crowds for the other. In 2008, 0bama was drawing tens of thousands, while McCain could barely get 2,000. Palin drew huge crowds by herself, so anytime McCain wanted a big crowd, he had to team up with her, probably the cause of a lot of the resentment that lingers to this day.
Shush! When your opponent is makIng mistakes, stay out of their way and don’t correct them or give them pointers.
OR do interviews...unless they're totally reviewed by her prior....aka rigged....
I'm sure she asked been asked 100's of times...
Trump is as angry with the corrupt federal government as the voters are. And voters are listening to Trump because he is a polished business leader who is talking uncommon common sense solutions to the nation’s problems.
Wonkish is code foe “can not lead”
When Hillary has the spotlight people are reminded of why they never liked her.
She is toast.
True.
Hillary can be in the spotlight all she wants.
All she has to do is call a press conference. If she did that press conference would dominate the news cycle for that day.
But for whatever reason she doesn’t do events like that.
Can Herself even MAKE any kind of defense or positive statement about her candidacy?
It is like watching a beef cow going to slaughter. You know that hamburger is going to be on somebody’s menu.
Not sure I would want to step into the meat grinder that this general election campaign is going to be for Herself. Everything is going to be on the table.
Herself should withdraw while she still can. The Donald may be gracious in victory, but that is small recompense for the rigors which lie ahead for Herself.
Will Herself still have the option of exile?
Right. They also used to refer to Al Gore as wonkish.
It’s a codeword for a robotic unelectable candidate that nobody can identify with.
If she bothers to show up at all. She's still in a dogfight for he party's nomination, but where are the appearances? She does not have the energy, stamina or health for a campaign.
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