Posted on 02/22/2008 3:22:06 AM PST by kingattax
WASHINGTON She had everything going for her. The most famous name in politics. A solid lead in the polls. A war chest of at least $133 million.
Yet Hillary Clinton now finds herself struggling for political survival, her once-firm grasp of the Democratic presidential nomination seemingly slipping away.
What happened?
Barack Obama, for one thing, a uniquely gifted speaker with a face that appeals deeply to the Democratic Party. He also had a better-organized campaign.
But Democrats say that Clinton, whose central theme is her readiness to be president, also made blunder after blunder. She chose an inexperienced campaign manager, crafted a message that didn't match the moment, fielded poor organizations in key states and built a budget that ran dry just when she needed money most.
"She got outmaneuvered," said Mark Mellman, a Democratic strategist who isn't aligned with any of this year's candidates. "Her campaign allowed her to be outmaneuvered on several fronts."
"To think that someone named Clinton with $130 million could end up here is amazing," another neutral Democratic strategist said. He spoke only on the condition of anonymity to permit more candor, as did many party insiders quoted here who dare not offend the still-powerful Clintons.
Clinton isn't out of it yet. Aides this week dismissed talk of mismanagement and mistakes and said that she can fight back in Ohio and Texas on March 4 and in Pennsylvania on April 22, and win the nomination at the Democratic National Convention in August.
"People have made the mistake of writing off Senator Clinton before," campaign spokesman Phil Singer said.
Yet it's undeniable that the New York senator has fallen awfully far awfully fast.
One factor is Obama, an Illinois senator.
"You've got to give credit to Barack Obama. He is a once-in-a-generation politician," Mellman said.
(Excerpt) Read more at mcclatchydc.com ...
I think Obama is much closer to the Democrats McCarthy than the Republicans Reagan.
Hillary’s biggest mistake is that she didn’t cause a thrill to run up the leg of anyone in the media.
>> I feel dumb as hell. I dont get the B. Hussein Obama thang.
Don’t give up, man! Don’t be a quitter!
If we try hard enough*, I’m sure we can get it**!
YES WE CAN! YES WE CAN!
*...and here, snort some of this, it’ll help you “feel the magic”.
**...whatever “it” is.
The biggest mistake I see is putting “Clinton” and “blew” in the same sentence, at least where it comes to Hillary. ;-P
Oh pshaw.
Apparently nobody in Demland wants to admit some home truths:
1) The vapid cradle-to-grave feel-goodism espoused by Dems over the years has created a voting bloc unmoved by policy - SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. When all you have left is ignorance you must rely on emotion.
2) Obama knows this and has been doing Up With People for weeks even months. The MSM finally realized that the SS Clinton was unseaworthy and are manning the life rafts and marveling at the lighter-than-air Obama campaign.
3) Had HRC faced another DC policy wonk or even a Dem governor the old play-dirty-and-deny-it might have worked. Obama's Billy Budd routine took the Clintons' favorite song out of the setlist and they were left with something worse than nothing: their preferred tactic was guaranteed to backfire. You can imagine (and enjoy) the panic felt by Mandy 'Medusa' Grunwald and the rest of the Harpy Squad.
4) In the end it was the perfect storm for HRC: an opponent running on nothing but charisma - the one quality that she has the least of. All the money, fawning press and Dem machine muscle couldn't overcome that tragic flaw.
I’d say he’s more like their McGovern, who garnered 17 electoral votes in 1972 against a Republican president overseeing an ‘unpopular’ war. If McCain can run a decent campaign, the non-hippie American public is going to have a hard time putting a newbie in the role of commander in chief over a war hero.
>> “She got outmaneuvered,” said Mark Mellman, a Democratic strategist who isn’t aligned with any of this year’s candidates.
Translation: The FOOLS! They put Mark Penn in charge instead of ME, and I missed the consultant gravy train! WAAAAAH!
In Last nights debate Hillary reminded me why I hate her so much.
Speaking of George W. Bush she said this:
CLINTON: The world will breathe a sigh of relief once he is gone. We all know that.
What a horrible thing to say about the outgoing President. It sounds like she is speaking about a notorious dictator, like Castro, Ahmadininejad, or Kim Jong II, but no, she said that about George W. Bush the man who by tradition will be sitting on the same podium at the inauguration when the next President is sworn in a display of great respect and of a peaceful transition for all the World to see. It is shameful on her part to have chosen those hurtful words.
I was trying to figure out why she ignored so many caucus states where he won with huge majorities? I think they banked everything on Feb 5th and when that didn’t happen, they weren’t prepared for anything else.
Hey, I resemble that remark.
Ah, but you’re a guy, and a right one too! :)
For Christ sake,,,Do Not Faint over that airhead... He has ZERO to offer our great nation. We are not picking American Idol... we are trying to elect and Commander.
i know that, silly
(2) Hillary failed to build on her successful hard-slamming of Obama in the L.A. debate (Rezko, missed votes, inexperience, etc). She went soft, and Obama and Blitzer tag-teamed her to doom.
lol!
Okay!
What popped into my head was the line from Julius Ceasar, as I recall: "Yond Cassius has a lean and hungry look... such men are dangerous."
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! The cat I had as a kid used to kill better looking things than that!
!. She has no shame.
2. She probably respects and admires Castro, Ahmadininejad, and Kim Jong Il.
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