Former Clinton Aides: Weak Performance From Palin Could Sway Any Undecided Hillary Supporters

When speaking on the record, former Clinton campaign officials are loathe to admit that any significant number of former Hillary Clinton backers have failed to transfer their support to Barack Obama. Party unity is the party line. But when discussing the state of the race on background, a more complex picture often emerges.

On Thursday, two former Clinton campaign aides told the Huffington Post that Sarah Palin's recent gaffes, combined with the economic free-fall, have made an impact on the Hillary undecideds. "She has got herself in such a bad position, with the Katie Couric interview, no matter what she does she's not gonna help herself," one said. The same former aide also declined to agree that the recent coverage of Palin has been sexist in any respect, or that Biden needs to worry about being seen that way, either.

"The American people still want someone with substance. ... The public's smart, they get this stuff. It's not about the press. When you can't name a newspaper or Supreme Court decision, goodness gracious. [Criticizing that] is not about sexism anymore. That's a little bit scary."

A second aide communicated a similar view in a separate interview. "I think tonight is gong to be critical," the former staffer said. "Hillary women who are considering voting for McCain may get very, very nervous if Palin doesn't not do well."

Comments

[PumaAnn]

My own take on PUMAS for MAC is that it has nothing to do with Pal at all. They switched parties due to the antics of the DNC and the absolutely appalling sexism of the Democratic Party leadership. Nothing has changed in that regard.

They remain disaffected Democrats. One poll showed as high as 28% of former Hill supporters are now voting for Mac. Even 20% is a loss to O.

Too bad. He broke a few eggs to win. But that doesn't mean he made an omelet.

[partyofone]

These efforts to make the Clintons relevant in this election are comical. Obama will defeat McCain the way he defeated HIllary: by taking the lonely high road in politics, being true to himself, and seeking to unite rather than divide the nation.

The Clintons helped invent wedge politics and completely embrassed the the Bush-Rove dishonest, divisive brand of politics as partisan warfare. AND THEY LOST.

By being bitter and coy and not championing Obama, and doing everything possible to undermine him, the Clintons are now history.

Self-serving and calculating they will both try now to surf the Obama wave, but it passed them by. Obama does not need the Clintons, and neither does our nation.

[barkanomics]

Hello?! It's not women who like Palin, it's men. She doesn't have anything more to do with feminism than a lap dancer......Yes, she's a woman, but this isn't about feminism.

[furryone]

well, I don't know (or really care anymore) about the Hillbots, but the women in Ohio in CNN's focus group loved BIDEN...Goobercuda looked like she was running for mayor of Wasilla, not VPOTUS...once you get past all the cornpone and winking, what's left? a bunch of talking points crammed into her facile cranium

[mistlesuede]

Goobercuda! OMG thanks for a good laugh this morning! Doggone it, you betcha', wink wink........

[dajay]

Oh, well if the women in Ohio in the CNN focus group liked Biden, than the whole female population of that state must be supporting the ticket.

[sammy50]

Well, that did'nt happen.

[Just Joe]

sAMMY50 is a repug.

And I can tell you, my 2 sisters, wife and mother-in-law were all Hillary fans. Palin is not going to attract many Hillary voters. If anything she is the anti-Hillary. Hillary was very competent and intellectually very sharp. Palin comes across as intellectually incurious with a strangely simplistic world view.
In this case, Not good enough for government work.

And as to something Palin herself said -- I disagree with her assessment, I think she has gotten the so-called Washington Politicians tactic of saying one thing and doing another down very very well.

[dajay]

My whole family were HIllary supporters and none of us are voting for either Obama or McCain.

[blueskybigstar]

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Are you a puma or a cougar?'

"I'm a puma and a cougar."

[loax]

Is Palin incapable of answering a direct question? Her grab for more power for the VP scares the hell out of me. McCain having his finger on the redbutton is bad enough, but to have this power hungry woman in that position should send people running to Obama!

[takenote]

OOOPs! She did it again.! Getting away with not answering questions she does not have a prepared answer to.
Journalists, please take after the Couric model--don't allow her to Gotcha! the more vulnerable fraction of our population. What must be going on in her mind is: "Avoid the question by winking, getting folksy/feisty and soon enough I have distracted some listeners, they have not even noticed I am not answering the question. Gotcha America! Some of you even thought I won. Really, really gotcha America!"
To Gov Palin and Sen McCain--It's not gotcha journalism. It is SP gotcha-ing the vulnerable fraction of the population

[JHCowboy]

Palin did alright tonight but she looked a little coached in some areas and the little winks and cutsie kinds of statements were a little much. She did better than expected and that's good. The problem with Palin isn't her abilities to debate (something that newscasters like herself have experience with) but her command of the issues. She gave the wrong name for the general in Afghanistan calling him General McClellan the name of the famous Civil War general from U.S. History. She was not very good with specifics and when she did not answer questions directly she often went back to the topic of energy. There were some questions she did not answer either and was pretty bragadocious when she was supposed to answer a question about her weaknesses ("achilles heel) in leadership. Joe Biden gave a superb and direct answer to that question.

Hillary Clinton, however, has an immense understanding of history, government and the U.S. Constitution, etc. She would win a debate with Palin hands down. No questions asked. I am grateful for Hillary even though I did get pretty intense and over-emotional during the primaries last Spring. Hillary has won my support and my admiration. I really think she is awesome! She will be a great and tremendous leader in Barack's cabinet if she accepts the job. I hope and pray that he puts her in a position over the healthcare system. I know that she would make it flourish tremendously!

[taddles]

"Hillary women who are considering voting for McCain may get very, very nervous if Palin doesn't not do well."

Please, Hillary supporters who are voting for McCain after his dismal performance over the past weeks and Palins absurd talking points debate should just hand in their 19th amendment card. Wasn't one of the main arguments against the 19th that women are too emotional and illogical to vote? Nothing like proving the 19th century naysayers right is there.

[SPiHC]

Not to mention, for those who spent the last few months in a cave.

Sarah Palin isn't Hillary Clinton.

Learn the difference, vote smart.

www.SarahPalinISNTHillaryClinton.com

[dajay]

And Barack Obama isn't Hillary Clinton either.

Learn the difference. Perhaps that might be why some HIllary supporters won't vote for him.

Imagine that. It's called freedom of speech. Remember that?

[ccmd]

BIDEN WON HANDS DOWN!!!

OBAMA/BIDEN '08

YES WE CAN!!!!!

[wildishka]

She deserves applause from all those who think lying with a smile, flashing teeth, blinking eyes constitute a win.

Anyone who saw how she delivered, shoveled few paragraphs and attacked Joe Biden, or how she couldn't understand Dick Cheney's stand on Executive Branch, will agree with many of us that she clearly can not be a good choice for any office.

She definitely is a fierceful politician based upon her lying capacity. May be we dont want that any more!

[MsIKnowBetter]

Pass the pepto this woman is giving me a serious case of gas. one more scripted out of her mouth and my teeth will certainly fall out, my chin is already on the floor

[redsongia]

I know, she's standing there reading from cards. Sometimes she doesn't even find the corresponding card to the question, but she reads it off anyway.

Then she has the nerve to say, "gosh, I love talking directly to you folks!"

[ChewyToy22]

If they need a weak performance from Palin to vote for Obama, on what basis were they going to vote for McCain in the first place.

That is just dumb.

[barackobama4prez]

absolutely.