The Comeback Kid: Hillary Clinton Does a McCain

Everyone is trying to scramble to explain Hillary Clinton's turnaround tonight. Negative campaigning. Aggressivness. Elbow grease. NAFTA. Rezko. Saturday Night Live. Lots of stuff.

But the bottom line is that Barack Obama's campaign had some air let out of the balloon this week by a media that began to feel guilty for imbalanced coverage of the two. And Obama's folks lost control of the agenda-setting function that a frontrunner usually has.

After the Wisconsin debate, I thought that Clinton had begun to acquiesce to Obama's surge. Many on her campaign -- at high levels -- thought this was the case as well. And what I thought was taking place after was a "negotiation" for what the role of the Clinton franchise would be.

That is now a dead narrative. Clinton is back and wants to win. Obama still has a magic aura, but it is a bit more tarnished this week than last.

And the bottom line tonight -- despite the fact that Obama won Vermont and that Texas is so close and the caucus process so mismanaged that it's hard not to believe that a recount won't be demanded -- is that Hillary Clinton "did a McCain" tonight -- and she's back in the race. . .big time.

-- Steve Clemons publishes the popular political blog, The Washington Note

Comments

[Mac101]

I can't beleive you people will not observe the obvious. The Republicans did the same to the Democrats that the Democrats and Independents did to the Republicans. It's called massive voting in the other parties primary. That is what enabled McCain to get the Republican nomination. And, it is what will keep the Democrat primary in play till the end. Throw in New Hamphsire, New York. and Ohio voter fraud. Isn't Democracy great. I will not even speculate on the Super Delegate fraud. This is Democracy?

[rbrooks]

Stolen election:
http://www.blackboxvoting.org/
Ohio's new voting machines failed testing and Ohio, stunningly, went to paper ballots a few weeks ago; but in order to keep control of the situation, they re-introduced the justly famous Blackwell system of not posting results at the precincts - only at a central location. Governor Strickland has been one of the most vociferous Clinton allies - it would have been a terrible temptation to truck have a few U-Hauls of marked ballots to throw into the count.
I think the ugly tactics of the past week's Rovian kitchen sink played a role - but don't count out Governor Strickland's board of elections!

[Mormondude]

It's no big secret. Obama's approach to policy is about as robust as Mike Huckabee's was. Obama would rather talk hope and change than explain why his plan is better than his opponent's or why a first term nobody from nowhere is qualified to be President. Huckabee would rather talk about his personal relationship with Jesus and the Southern delicacy of squirrel cooked in a popcorn popper.

[hillarysupporter]

Obama missed his calling. He should have been a preacher. Yes, Obama, you Can!

[hillaryimpersonator]

Steve, touching on all of these things you write about, I invite you and your readers to check out Hillary's latest musical message to Barack with a hook that warns,"Barack, I'm Comin For You"!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-IAW8VFW8c

Thanks, RW

[patrice37]

Back in the race how? The delegate gap remains. She can't close it. All she can do is claw, spit, destroy and assure that the Democratic Party is a total wreck. Steve, you might be excited because Hillary finally won a couple states, but do the arithmetic.

[Dendy]

Obama can't close it either.So whats your point?
25% of democrats are going to vote for McCain if Hillary is not the nominee. Now that’s a very good case to be made for the super delegates.

[trevor01]

It's a process. Obama's supporters want to declare victory and get out, much as they plan to do in Iraq,

[Hattie]

Nanner nanner! I am sitting here quietly glowing with satisfaction at how hard all this must be on the Hillary haters.

[flanardiente]

Wow. A Hillbot says "nanner nanner" to the Obamabots, who respond by calling them "goddam ignorant morons." I feel like I should go find a teacher or at least a playground supervisor.

You know, sooner or later one of these two is going to win, and if the supporters of the one who didn't--and it doesn't make any difference which--sit out the general election, we can say HI! to 100-Year War Johnny McCain and his running mate, Condoleeza.

[YellerDawg]

sour grapes

[GLaB]

When she goes to the convention with the popular vote lead AND the uncounted FLA and MI wins, how can the superdelegates vote against her?

[GoldCanyonGal]

I love it when it's quiet here at the HuffPost..­.to answer the author's question..­.the grownups started to pay attention, that's what happened.

[Malarcus]

"Trying to explain?" What's to explain? Take equal parts Republican Campaign 2000 and 2004 and two cups of Clinton. Sprinkle on some surrogate-sponsored attacks, misleading commercials, scare tactics and a little dab of race-baiting.

"Trying to explain." Hmmmmph, indeed.

[MrBU]

That formula always works, only in America.

[rudyinbama]

It's such a joy to see everyone on MSNBC so unhappy. Of course, now they're telling us, Hillary can't win this no matter how many votes she gets.

[YellerDawg]

more sour grapes

[braveryexists]

So you're saying people are voting for Hillary because they're racist, now? Or just because they're stupid and gullible?

How about just assuming that a whole lot of Democrats really want Clinton to be president and slightly more Democrats really want Obama? Seems like the most straightforward interpretation of the facts to me. I'm getting pretty sick of the mudslinging that says Obama supporters are cultists or Hillary supporters are racists or closeted Republicans. It's those type of attitudes, moreso that any political tactics from the campaigns, that are going to tear the party apart.

As much as people wanted this thing to be over tonight, it wasn't going to happen. It's too close, with too much on the line. Both Clinton and Obama are going to be digging in hard, and neither of them is going to get anywhere near the delegate count needed to clinch. Furthermore, we're going to be hearing a lot more in the coming weeks about what to do about Florida and Michigan's delegates (which impacts more than the nomination, because those are two states that the Democratic Party absolutely cannot afford to slight) and that's going to be a brutal fight on both sides. If you have such a strong distaste for political maneuvering, I suggest you just quit paying attention to the news now.