Hillary Loathe Fest Drives Obama Surge

If Hillary Clinton said that pedophiles should be barred from hanging out in front of elementary schools you can bet that some in the bash Hillary crowd would scream at her for violating the civil rights of molesters. This is not crass hyperbole. The pound Clinton obsession has gotten that silly. Any, and I mean any and every little nasty snippet of gossip, innuendo and rumor about Clinton is instant fodder for the legion of talking head commentators, analysts, pundits, professional Clinton loathers, and many progressives. They take rapturous delight in dredging up, mangling, twisting, and distorting every past and present statement, speech, and item in Clinton's voting record to tar her as a walking political disaster.

Here are her alleged sins. Like hubby Bill, she is a business friendly politician that has taken some dubious, even contradictory positions on everything from the Iraq war to health care reform, wheels and deals with fat cat lobbyists and union top cats, and is a mainline charter member of the centrist Democratic leadership. On a personal note the knock is she is stiff, programmed, standoffish, and didn't dump philandering Bill.

But her two greatest sins are that she's a woman playing the White House game which traditionally has been a game for the big boys, and she plays the game better than most men. The other one is that she can win. Both explain the visceral hatred for her from right to left on the political scale.

It also explains why Barack Obama has surged. No one has benefited more from the anybody-but-Clinton loathe fest than Obama. If she wasn't in the race and his opponents for the Democratic presidential nomination were three staid, centrist white male Democrats, Obama's color and background would make him a curiosity item, but in the end he'd be the just another name in the pack.

But the Bash Hillary mania is so deep and pernicious that it has done the unthinkable for Obama.

It has given him a momentary free pass from the media and much of the public from any of the standard negative racial stereotypes of young and not-so-young African-American males. It has shielded him from the knee jerk double standard nit pick, dirt dig, and doubting whispers about the competence and intelligence of prominent blacks. The Fox Network which has never been accused of biting its collective lip on any politician with the M (moderate) , or L (liberal) words in front of their Democrat tag to progressive publications which routinely slay politicians for their corporate pandering and shilling have applied the hands-off, kid glove treatment to Obama's record and policy faux paus's.

Obama quickly sniffed the stiff loathe Hillary political breeze and has picked at and niggled over every Clinton word and alleged political misdeed in the Democratic debates and on the campaign trail. He shrewdly turned the chase for the Democratic presidential nomination and the White House from a referendum on Bush's gross failures to a referendum on Clinton. When Clinton tried to hit back she was accused of being divisive, polarizing and duplicitous. When a campaign aide rashly and wrongly played dirty political pool and dragged out Obama's alleged use of drugs as a kid, Clinton was forced to do a mea culpa for his bumble and seek absolution from Obama. It meant nothing. She was pilloried in the press anyway. This over the top dose of media cheerleading and gloating wrapped Obama even tighter in the cloak of nobility, a man above the fray.

When Bill dared say that she is a change maker too that was sneered at as a cheap effort to snatch at Obama's self-designated label as the authentic agent of change. Even the most cursory glance at his voting record as an Illinois state legislator and his wafer thin voting record in the Senate shows the exact same penchant for corporate and lobbyist deal making, and reliance on big donor campaign handouts that Clinton is pounded for.

There's a method to the Hillary loathe fest. The tip off came when former Bush political massager Karl Rove dawned his best wolf in sheep's clothing garb and pretended to give sage advice to Obama on how to beat Clinton. He did it for a reason. The GOP strategists see Obama as the softest of soft targets for whoever emerges from the GOP presidential pack. They think that in a head to head contest, Obama will bomb badly in the South and the Red State belt from Texas to Montana. That's a potential loss of nearly 200 electoral votes for the Democrats before the first vote is even cast. And with a beaten, battered and spent Clinton out of the picture, the GOP's big mud slinging mean machine will quickly chisel away Obama's Teflon coat and the subtle race-tinged Obama beat down would kick in with a vengeance.

But first there's Hillary. She has to go and Obama is the chosen one to see that she does.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press)
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Comments

[papasalas]

"Hillary Loathe Fest Drives Obama Surge" -Really? -Cause I thought the whole thing was much simpler than that: For many months, Hillary enjoyed a huge lead everywhere thanks to her name recognition and the love many democrats still have for Bill Clinton. As the election time approaches, people start paying attention and find out about other candidates like Obama, who they knew very little about untill that moment and some decide to support him instead. As a result, the numbers get more even. I really think the conclutions of your blog entry are totally made up.

[qvisions]

Oh poor Earl, his predictions of Obama's demise have been premature and now he is trying to find an excuse for it.

Even if your theory is correct, all it shows is that Obama is obviously a better political analyst than you are. He took the Hillary hate into account in assessing his chances and you did not.

So stop trying to make it look like Obama got to the front thanks to somebody else, Obama got to the front by showing superior political skills.

[May2002]

Mr. Hutchinson represented the self-limiting Booker T. Washington type of African American mentality. It is rooted in slavery. It is understandable if peopole harbor such a mentality because if people are in slave for so long, it is harder for people to imagine that they actually can and should be the equal of their master. But I admire W. E. B. Du Bois much more. Du Bois demonstrated the true dignity for his race. In his vision as well as deeds, blacks are his own people; not the derivatives of or inferior to any other race. I see Du Bois in Obama--the same innate dignity, intellectual capacity and integrity.

I am Asian American, but I hope African Americans will recognize and appreciate the value having Obama as a role model.

Mr. Hutchinson has consistently showed that he is willing to be the loyal servant of Hillary's political ambition, which is a good quality long long time ago. But now, in this day of age, African Americans should be the equal of any other races. And Obama's candidacy has been so openly supported by so many people, blacks and whites. This alone is a testimony of the progress of time. People such as Mr. Hutchinson belong to the dust of history. Or it should be said--Mr. Hutchinson's attitude belongs to the past and his vision is backwards.

[ESerafina42]

Yes, I've noticed this. Hillary is fair game for anything and everything, but anyone who even whispers even the most justified criticism of Obama is accused of being part of the "Clinton machine" or worse, a racist.

[chamberslee]

Obama will not win in the south; white people on both sides of the aisle will see to that. In addition, blacks are not going to vote blindly.

I do not care that a black man is running for the presidency; I care about the politician's positions. Obama is an enigma. His suspect voting record--142 missed votes in the current Congress--makes it difficult to know what he believes in and what direction he would take the country.

He seems willing to support big business at the expense of average citizens. In two controversial bills, he voted in favor of corporations: 1) voted in favor of making it more difficult for average citizens with legitimate claims to sue corporations and 2) voted against limiting interest rates to 30 percent.

Having charisma is not enough; do the homework and find out what he stands for. It is not smart to take politicians words only. The voting record tells more about him or her than words will.

I am black male, and I have not chosen a candidate, yet. Obama is questionable; Hillary is too conservative; and Edwards is not receiving enough attention on the issues (who cares how much he paid for his haircut). Criticism is necessary. Without it, we will wind up with another George Bush.

[bbln]

Jim R - How about this? Remember that strategy letter Rove wrote to Obama that he's following almost to a tee - well, the Republicans want Obama to be the candidate and here's one example of why:
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2007/12/17/on-live-birth-abortion-the-candidates-differ/

Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama differ markedly in their voting records on the live birth of an aborted infant. As an Illinois state senator, Obama “joined several other Democrats in voting ‘present’ in 2001 and ‘no’ the next year,” reports A.P./CBS News in “Obama Record May Be Gold Mine For Critics — Eight Years As State Senator Were Full Of Controversial Votes, Including Abortion And Gun Control.”

During the same two years, as a U.S. Senator, Hillary Clinton joined the 98-0 vote in the U.S. Senate on a 2001 amendment to the Patients Bill of Rights that protected “infants who are born alive.” In 2002, a House bill that protected infants born alive was passed by unanimous consent in the U.S. Senate — with Sen. Clinton joining the “Yeas” — and was signed into law.

If you think what Karl Rove did to John McCain in South Carolina’s 2000 primary was brutal, just imagine what the GOP will do with Obama’s “present” and “no” votes on “live birth abortion.” ... ..

[SeanGardner]

"Obama will bomb badly in the South and the Red State belt from Texas to Montana."

Actually, right now, Obama, is beating the other Democrats (inclusding Hillary) in both fundrasing and endorsements from Idaho officials and residents: http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/302631.html

So quit the narrative that Obama can't win in the South and the West. He can.

And if you do your homework, you'd know that Obama's biggest crowds are in RED STATES, and "PURPLE" STATES. That kind of track record bodes well for Obama in a general election.

[pros54]

Earl,
This is a second article of yours talking about the Clinton bashers and having no reason. In the last article at least three commenters including my humble self gave you objective reasons why we will not support ARC. I will least two main reasons again which are his ardent coalition in pushing our nation to an unjustified war that has put us in the position of overseeing a holocaust in Iraq. The second is her again pushing for another unnecessary war that will bring similar results in Iran if we let it happen. I am not against her because she is a woman. She talks about experience but I will talk about to learn. She does not have that ability judging by her on the vote for the Iraq war and the Kyle/Liberman vote. Stop pouting Hillary talking points we had enough of that with the outgoing Whitehouse and republicans.

[GuiltyByStander]

Hutchinson suggests a useful exercise.

Close your eyes and imagine that Obama is a 60-year-old white Senator. Now, why would you vote for him?

There is nothing among Obama's policies so new or noble that you would spot it in an empty parking lot.

Race and youth _are_ symbolically important, but only for about a month and a half. After that -- say early March 2009 -- we'd see what Obama is made of.

I'm a Joe Biden supporter and I find this cat-fight between Clinton and Obama a little ridiculous. Neither one of them has a weapon big enough to end the fight because neither one of them has a done squat in national politics.

Read the resumes and choose a candidate who has more than media backing and a multi-million dollar campaign fund. Choose one with experience and ideas.

[JimR]

Your "attack Barack" routine is getting extremely tired.

[noorzhassan]

Barack Obama is not going to make it past the primary let alone the general. Have you all forgotten who's he going up against. I'm sorry folks, but the Clintons are a formidable political force. He will not out politic the Clintons. Earl is right, Karl Rove want Obama in the general because he will be the easiest to knock off. It won't be so easy with Hillary. None of the Repuke candidates could hold Hillary's purse. Sometimes, reality is a hard pill to swallow. Obama will absolutely not win in the South or the red Western states. It will be a blowout with the Republicans being handed the keys to the White House even before the first vote is cast. Just look at the Harold Ford Jr./Bob Corker race to get an idea where this all is going to wind up if Obama miraculously does win the primary.

[Ferhat]

Earl,

Your argument that Hillary has a better chance than Obama of winning the 200 electoral votes in the 'Red' states is poorly thought through. It is amongst conservatives where Hillary is the most polarizing and stands the least chance of success.

To win the 'Purple' states, the democratic nominee will have to win over independents and progressive Republicans. These swing voters are and will be intensely scrutinizing both the substance and style of Hillary's campaign.

Substantively, her experience trends from poor to indistinguishable.

She failed the most important test of her Senate career, Iraq, and continues to compound the error by refusing to credulously defend her vote and by continuing to pass contentious foreign policy legislation (Iran).

Her economic and health care positions do not substantially differentiate her from her competitors who also have progressive and rational agendas.

The 'experience' which she claims as first lady is unconvincing. Her tenure as First Lady, which certainly includes a long list of good deeds, is notable mainly for her failure to pass health care reform and the numerous scandals over which she seemed to preside. Hillary is no more responsible for the successes of the Bill Clinton administration than Laura Bush is responsible for the failures of GW Bush administration.

Stylisticly, there are the personal issues which the press loves to accentuate, and as it turns out, matters a great deal to voters. Interpersonal skills, charisma, that certain X-factor - these are skills a leader either has or does not - and it is becoming obvious to voters that she is a candidate that does not seem to have ‘It.’

She is incredibly bright, skilled, organized, talented - but what does she ultimately stand for?

The voters who are getting to know Hillary, are not getting the answer to that ever so crucial question and that's why the voters in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina are starting to turn their backs on her.

If Hillary cannot resoundingly convince those in her own party about her ability to be president, what makes you think she'll convince swing voters of the same?

[MRb1000]

EARL you are still living in the 60's. Please lets move forward and not back. I know you love Hillary, but she is not the one by far. We have other choices. She is not it. She had her chance and she blew it.

[chamberslee]

I am a black male who grew up in a small town in Georgia. I have traveled much of the U.S. and lived on both the East and West coast, which has afforded me the opportunity to observe racial attitudes in red and blue states. I am a liberal in the truest sense. Nevertheless, I do not believe a black person has a real chance to win the presidential election.

As further proof, white democrats on this blog have made racial comments about Obama that I thought were reserved only for republican zealots. This revelation suggests party affiliations disappear when race is involved, not a good sign for Obama.

I have not chosen a candidate, yet, but I do believe Obama is the weakest link. The republicans would have a field day playing to racial stereotypes and racist beliefs.

Many white democrats will not vote for a black man--regardless of what they say publicly. Rove is aware of this fact, and he is hoping Obama is the presidential nominee. Race still matters in America.

[Nommo]

Don't worry y'all. When the curtain closes on EOH, he'll be flippin' that lever for Obama.