Color-coded Hillary Alerts

If anyone has paid acutely painful attention to the political ministrations of Karl Rove over the past two and a half decades, it's me. And if there is anyone qualified to make comparisons between democracy's Darth Vader and Hillary Clinton, I stand at the head of that line, as well. And sadly, the similarities are so brutally obvious as to be disturbing.

First, there is this matter of her husband, a man I admired as president in spite of his teenage behavior. Sen. Barack Obama has run a campaign that has never mentioned race. In fact, ethnicity was not an issue until President William Jefferson Clinton made his comparisons of Obama in South Carolina to Jesse Jackson. We were on the verge of almost transcending such superficial nonsense until Mr. Clinton brought us back to 1968.

And presently, we have the first female vice presidential candidate ringing the bell on the same topic. Geraldine Ferraro is, of course, a part of the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Senator Clinton plays the innocent on most of this by refusing to denounce these pronunciations. When she had the opportunity on 60 Minutes to tell the world that it is nonsense for the fear mongers to suggest Obama is a Muslim, she demurred with a qualified, "as far as I know" he's not. But she does know. Sen. Clinton and Obama have attended numerous Capital Hill prayer breakfasts together. Does she think he was playing the Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, perhaps trying to see what is going on with that whole Christianity thing? Isn't any person believable when they declare their faith until they have been vetted by the Clinton campaign?

She saved her campaign in Texas by acting like George W. Bush drunk on the ideas of Karl Rove. The 3 a.m. call ad that used fear to drive voters in her direction was nothing more than a desperate politician's attempt to tell everyone not even duct tape will save them if they vote for Obama. Created by Roy Spence of Austin, the ad was first deployed in 1984 in the Mondale campaign. (His ad agency also gave us, "You are now free to move around the country," and, "Don't mess with Texas," as memorable slogans.)

As Karl Rove has proven and as Orlando Patterson pointed out in the New York Times, campaigns and their messages are often more about image than substance. Was it an oversight or a design that the children sleeping safely in that 3 a.m. ad were white? Isn't everyone in politics astute enough to know these days that everyone who needs protecting isn't white? When Bush was running for president, Rove never let him be photographed without a rainbow coalition of children. Are we supposed to believe that Hillary's minders didn't see the racism implicit in her phone call ad?

The Clinton campaign doesn't seem to understand that the depth of Obama's appeal comes from his willingness to look forward with optimism instead of over his shoulder in fear. When he says, "We need to talk to our friends, but we also need to talk to our enemies," he is speaking for every mother and father who has a son in Iraq or one who might end up toting a gun for an amorphous cause that few can any longer explain. Who doesn't want to know why we are so despised that people will strap bombs to themselves to blow us up? Oh, I forgot, they hate our freedom. That's one Sen. Clinton hasn't tried yet.

It is also obscene in the extreme for the Clinton campaign to compare Sen. Obama to Ken Starr. Many voters from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunny shores of California want to know how much money the senator and the former president are earning, to whom he is speaking for large sums, and how he paid for his library in Little Rock. Do the Clintons really want to remind us what Ken Starr was looking for? As a friend of mine has suggested, this utter lack of judgment to bring his name back into the public discourse is "breathtaking."

Clinton is unwilling to sully her own hands with these absurd references. Like Rove, she relies on surrogates to go out and fire the gun. After the targets are wounded or dead, Rove had his clients come in and call for gun control and explain how they admired the political victim. Not Senator Clinton. She does nothing to denounce the nastiness. By pretending Obama is not prepared to lead, she proves her own desperation to acquire power and she denigrates the remaining historical reputation of her husband's administration. Historians might look beyond this dust devil she has spun, but the general public won't be able to see through the dirt flying through the air.

We are all tired of this. We all have Bush-Clinton fatigue. We need a hopeful, fresh start. Hillary might have made a fine president. But she has turned into an ugly campaigner.

This is not her time.

Follow James Moore on Twitter: www.twitter.com/moorethink

Comments

[AmericanInsurgent]

Hillary's not a lesbian, as far as I know.

[MrDeadeye2U]

I saw her standing with Janet Reno one fall. They weren't kissing, as far as I know.

[benskull]

Hillary is looking more and more like a republican. She needs to walk. She is stubborn and risking the parties November takeover.

[KansasKowboy]

I will drink to that Mr. Moore.

[spyder03]

Anyone running for President should not endorse the others parties candidate and that is exactly what Hillary has done. She is not likeable, it seems like she thinks the Democratic party owes her and Bill the nomination and they don't like it when they find out she is not as well liked as she thinks. I just wish when its all said and done the Clintons go away and they can take Bush with them. I think her and her surrogates will do or say anything to retain power, i believe we have not seen the worse of what the Clinton's will do to get this nomination, this is just the beginningof the Clinton's tearing the Democratic party apart.

[PioneerKing]

Sen. Clinton and the democratic party establishment must realize that many of the persons whom Sen. Obama has been able to inspire to vote may now be willing to vote for Ralph Nader and, even a few will be willing to vote McCain as a protest.
Moreover, Sen. Clinton’s efforts to paint herself in the same brush strokes as Sen. McCain has made it easier for some folks to conceive of voting for McCain.
Why have McCain light in the form of Sen. Clinton when one could go for the real thing?
RALPH NADER 2008

[jazzman]

I have to believe that the nasty storm Hillary has raised up will play itself out and when the clouds clear well remember the reason that Obama is running for the Presidency; to create a new direction, a new dialogue, a new hope, in which people are brought into the political system and in which civility and respect are restored in Washington. People forget that it wasn't until 1993, when Newt Gingrich controlled the House and began his nasty partisan attacks on Bill Clinton, that such civility was common in the nation. We are not condemned to Rove style politics. When the clouds clear and the tactics of Clinton are laid bare we will all be reminded that this is not the direction in which we wish to continue. When that happens the momentum will swing back towards Barack even more strongly than it is today, and we will sweep away the architects of our current dark shadowed national nightmare and arise as a great nation we can all be proud of once again.

[FranktheDem]

I must disagree with you that this will all blow over. Clinton has, through her dirty campaigning, tried to triangulate by introducing the race card and so many other below the belt issues that a sizable number of voters will be forever lost for both campaigns. Such a shame that so many young people have been energized with a positive feeling of hope, only to be turned off that "politics as usual" has again taken over. She resorted to dirty tactics when she realized that Obama with his positive message was beginning to bring out untold numbers of the young, the disinfranchised African Americans, and even old southern codgers like myself who wanted to believe again that our democracy is really worth saving.

She very well may have insured that a black man cannot become president, nor that a woman could, indeed become a president for many decades to come. How could she have the audacity to say that she and McCain were the only two of this triangle of candidates who would qualify as president? Where is her experience that she decries that is not also present in Obama?

Obama offers hope; Clinton offers triangulation.

God help us all.

[prverde]

HILLARY WON OHIO BY A LARGE MARGIN. IF BHO HAD NOT WON THE MAINLY REDNECK STATES AND LITTLE INSIGNIFICANT STATES, HILLARY ALREADY HAVE BEEN THE NOMINNEE.

SHE WON FLORIDA 'S PRIMARY, DELEGATES WERE NOT COUNTED BUT BHO DOES NOT WANT FLORIDA. TO RE-DO THE VOTING BECAUSE HE KNOWS HE'LL LOOSE AND HE WILL NOT GET THE DEEGATES. DONT FORGET THE PR DELEGATES ARE NOT IN YET. SHE MOST PROBABLY GET THOSE

VOTE H I L L A R Y-------2008 SEND HER BACK HOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE,

[LindaLee99]

Mr. Obama has his hired guns, too.

This site is 99.9999 pro Mr. Obama.

This is politics.

[mcfried]

More educated progressives support Obama. Why are Clinton supporter always suprised by his suport and think it's suspicious ? As a democrat shouldn't you be excited by the number of people paying close attention ?

[fcadmus]

I am not a hired gun. Very few of the 99.9999 pro Mr. Obama are. I am an independent thinker who prefers the character of Barack Obama to Bill and Hillary Clinton. I prefer the judgment of Barack Obama over Bill and Hillary Clinton. I prefer the authenticity of Barack Obama over the calculated and secretive Hillary Clinton. I prefer the positions of Barack Obama compared to Bill and Hillary Clinton. I want the future with Barack Obama more than eight more years of the victimization of the Clintons.

[changeisontheway]

Well said. I echo your sentiments.

[lvdragonlady]

Hired guns has nothing to do with what is right and wrong.
hrc is alienating more people then she is pulling to her. She seems to me to just be a very angry old broad. Yes, I can say broad, as I am one also.
We need a change, a female president would be an interesting adventure but hrc is not that person. She does not deserve that position. She has not shown herself to be any better then the current shrub we have in office. Like some of the others here, I am a white female, over 50 with some college but no degree and if the elect were to come down the hrc or the devil...........the devil would get my vote.

Lets just get this over with, how ever it turns out.

[dwt]

Hired?? I can get PAID to post pro-Obama on HuffPost??

Now you tell me. And here I was sending HIM $50 every month for the past four.

We Obamakins must be so stooopid. Like Clintonistas who can't do math.

[englishprof]

The sooner Hillary and her husband withdraw, the better for all of us. They have become a disgrace. Ferraro should be removed as a superdelegate. Anyone who makes a public display of this kind of mindset (or who harbors it inwardly) doesn't belong in the inner circles of the Democratic party.

[sunshinegirl7]

I'm so disappointed in HIllary Clinton. She's someone I really admired-until the past few months. She'd rather scorch the earth and hand the presidency over to McCain, all because Obama had the nerve to run for President when it was "her turn."

[websmith]

The Clintons are just nasty human beings. Do you really want these people in your White House? Haven't they embarrassed you enough?

The other choices offered up by the MSM aren't much better. They all can be controlled with money. That's why they're there.

[frustratedinohio]

I hate to interrupt this Obama -fest, but James you sound like a woman-hater to me. Deep inside your sub-conscience you can't stand the thought of a woman president so you and people like you do everything you can to discredit Hillary. But that's all right in this country. As long as you are not a racist, it's okay to put women down. But in doing so you've missed the whole point of what President Clinton said and of what Ferraro said. But that's okay with you, I'm sure.

[thenance]

I am a woman over 50 and Italian. I think Ferraro's comments were absurd and discusting. How would you label me?

[deb813]

Ditto, the Nance. And perhaps it is just a perception problem but if one of the most loyal and important voting blocks in the Democratic party decides to stay home because of that perception , does Hillary Clinton think she can win the White House? She can't win the blue states.

It's time to pull the plug.

[prverde]

I LABEL YOU DEF AD DUMB. YOU JUST AFRAID OF SAYIN G WHAT IS THE TRUTH. EVERYTHING SHE SAYS IS TRUE 90% IS PROOF IF YOU HAVE BEENFOLLOWING RESULTS OF THE PRIMARYS AND CAUCUS.

A WOMAN WILL BE THE BEXT PRESIDENT OF THIS GREAT LAND.

HURRAY FOR HILLARY......

M, O'BRIAN FROM NEW YORK.
J. MCSHERRY ALSO FROM NEW YORK

[Kordo]

Exactly! Anyone who doesn't want Hillary for Pres is a woman-hater! It's not her toothless "Solutions", or her war vote, or her naked pandering to the ugliest elements in both parties. It's the fact that she has a vagina. That's where all her trouble is coming from, those mean old girl-hating BOYS!
Gosh, I feel so much more enlightened now! It's not issues, it's genitalia!

[Opus007]

frustratedinohio--

So people who don't support Hillary because of her doublespeak, lack of judgement, political maneuvering, and sell out to corporations, special interests and lobbyists are just using these judgements to cover up their sexism?

Right... that's probably it. Poor , poor Hillary. By the way- I have a bridge I'd like to sell you....

[Nancyann]

Hillary is a disgusting, dishonest and disingenuous politician who has no place in public life because she is amoral AND WILL DO ANYTHING TO GET VOTES. I am a New Yorker and she has been A lackluster senator. She is only good at press released, pandering, as.... kissing and photo ops. She has no major legislative initiatives because she was so busy trying to make nice for her perennial quest for power.

IT WILL NEVER BE HER TIME.........

[GBecker]

For those of you keeping score: I am a 50+ educated white woman who occasionally sips lattes. I'm also a liberal Chicago democrat and proud to say I support Obama. I don't fit the mold of a 50+ woman supporting HRC and am proud of that. It means I don't just vote for someone based on their race or gender. I always have and always will vote for the candidate whose ideals and ideas most closely align with mine and who doesn't insult my intelligence. It's easy to say "it's time for a woman in the WH," but I don't always like the easy way out. I've lived through the Clinton years and am ready for something completely different.

Great post, James!

[shengirl]

Add me to the list, I am a white female, in my 50s. I worked on both Bill's campaigns, even got to meet them all, but I am solidly for Obama now. Hillary disgusts me. She's a disgrace and a traitor to the party. Manipulative, with a breathtaking sense of entitlement. We've had enough of the Bush/ Clinton dynasty. No more!

[prverde]

ADD ME TO THE HILLARY LIST. SORRY,, BUT I AM A MAN THAT SEES THE ACCOMLISHMENT S OF A BRILLIANT WOMAN ...READ ABOUT GET EDUCATED. STOP THE HATRED, IT'S UNGODLY.


MICHAEL FROM MANHATTAN NEW YRK

VOTE FOR HILLARY...SHE IS THE ONE WHO WILL LEAD THIS CUTRY FREE OF TERRORISM OR HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN 911. WE NEW YORKERS HAVE NOT.

[stanjz]

Senator Clinton brightened herself up prior to March4 , with the constant smiles, yellow jackets and comedy shows. At the same time she tried to make Obama darker, so she could create a contrast between the two of them, not based on policy, but on perception.

I wonder when women voters, blue collar workers and hispanics will say enough of the scare tactics?

[blastocyst]

Two out of three of those constituencies are more'n likely too busy scrounging for money for fuel and groceries to give Hillary's apparel any thought whatsoever, let alone be frightened by it. Mr. Blackwell may have something to contribute.

[ltfcrazy]

NEVER! The voters you talk about stanjz, are not paying attention that much. They see what the candidates want them to see on their local news, if that. They are easily manipulated and don't think past right now. If you want long term thinking and planning then you'd have to be smart enough to graduate from college. I'm not saying all blue collar people are dumb, because I'm one of them, but most of the people I work with don't care about anything they can't touch or use right now.
Obama has to find a way to scare them out of voting for the other two candidates and, unfortunately that may turn off the rest of us. He is smart and he'll find a way through it. If not then we are doomed to repeat history until we either get it right or implode.

[janvoght]

my feeling is that we would suffer a great injustice if we don't all realize by now that we as americans deserve a president like barack! neither hillary nor mccain are even mutter in the direction of the future. all the rhetoric is of that looking over our shoulder in fear brand of politics. having appreciated bill's efforts in the 90's, i was able to forgive and forget (much like his wife who wanted to be prez some day) the flaws that accompanied his terms. he had some fresh ideas, and if he wasn't so drunk with the power he had attained, he could have broadened his vision to spill over into the next terms of office, and we could be much farther along on the path than we are. as it is, we have gone so far backwards...what with constitutional mishandelings, torture violations, foreign policy mistakes, economic blunders, and worst of all starting a war for literally nothing, and the unintended consequences of that! Obama has the audacity to unite the strength of the american people to once again fight for what we love about this country...FREEDOM! peace, and the opportunity to prosper and live long happy lives.

obama'08

[electress]

Some of us will not live long prosperous and happy lives, his health care doesn't cover everybody!
Unit us, let's see what he does with the votes from Fla. & Mich.

[KennyFox]

A-freakin-men.

[riverhouse]

Obama has far more elective experience than Hillary Clinton does. I really don't think Mrs. Clinton's experience by proximity counts, otherwise we'd have Barbara Bush as the first woman president. She surely has the supreme wife of experience: wife of war hero, wife of member of Congress, wife of head of political party, wife of director of the CIA, wife of vice president, and wife of president.

[MrDeadeye2U]

Thank you for your post, on point.

[shengirl]

Oh gosh, now you'll be giving them ideas...