The Campaign To Humanize Hillary

Washingtonpost.com: Clinton's Charm Offensive Reflects Gulf Between Experience, Likeability

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Chris Cillizza for the washingtonpost.com political blog The Fix.

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Following last week's Democratic debate in Iowa, The Fix had the unique opportunity to sit in on focus groups conducted by The Washington Post.

During the Democratic session, led by The Post's Dan Balz and David Broder, the group of 11 undecided voters was asked for their impressions about the debate and their general thoughts about the field of candidates.

As always when a group of Democrats are gathered, the conversation was dominated by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and revealed the problems and potential Clinton has in Iowa and beyond.

Asked to say whatever first came to mind when Clinton's name was mentioned, the group offered a fascinating panoply of descriptions. "Can't be trusted," said one. "I just got a glimpse that she's got an evil side to her," said another. A third offered a backhanded compliment of sorts: "Very good at saying what she thinks we want to hear."

Others were more positive in their remarks -- if not effusive. "Work ethic," said one; "I think she's really focused," said another.

The comments signal a larger theme when it comes to voters' views in Iowa and nationally about Clinton. She is widely respected but not widely liked. Time and again in last week's focus group, the voters said they had few doubts about Clinton's ability to do the job of president; they also expressed a frustration with the essential unknowability of Clinton as a person.

That paradox is born out in scads of polling data: Democrats believe in huge margins that Clinton is the candidate best able to win back the White House in 2008. The surveys simultaneously show the New York senator scoring far less well on more personality driven questions.

In The Post's most recent Iowa poll, in which Clinton trailed Barack Obama (30 percent to 26 percent), 39 percent of the sample said that Clinton had the best chance of getting elected president, compared with 25 percent who chose Obama and 22 percent who backed John Edwards. Asked which candidate had the "best experience" to be president, Clinton led with 38 percent, followed by Edwards at 16 percent and Obama at 11 percent.

But when voters were asked which candidate "best understands the problems of people like you," the results were reversed; Obama led with 30 percent, while Edwards was second with 25 percent and Clinton took third at 20 percent. Similarly, when asked which candidate is the "most honest and trustworthy," Obama led with 31 percent, followed by Edwards at 20 percent and Clinton at just 15 percent.

Jason Marcel, a focus group participant from Des Moines, summed up the Clinton paradox nicely. "I don't know if it's just her speaking style or what it does to certain people, but she's kind of polarizing," he said. "I mean, I admire her work ethic. I think, you know ... she would work very hard."

Given the current head ("I think she would do a good job") versus heart ("I just don't like her") split in Iowa, it's not at all surprising that the Clinton campaign seems to be bent on closing the campaign with a message focused on "Hillary the person" rather than "Hillary the politician."

It started with two ads that began running in Iowa last week featuring Clinton's mother, Dorothy, and the former first daughter, Chelsea.

In the first, footage is shown of the three generations of Clinton women -- taken from a recent campaign stop. The candidate says: "As I travel around I see so many families who share the same values I was brought up with. ...I'm proud to live by those values. But what I am most proud of is knowing who I've passed them onto."

The second ad features Dorothy Rodham extolling her daughter's lack of envy and her empathy. "She has empathy for other people's unfortunate circumstances. I've always admired that because it isn't always true of people," Rodham adds. "I think she ought to be elected even if she weren't my daughter."

The images in both ads are all soft corners and heart-warming. Nary a word of policy is mentioned in either.

Even as those ads were hitting the air, former president Bill Clinton sent out a fundraising e-mail touting his wife as "the best combination of heart and mind, of leadership ability and feel for the problems of other people I've ever known." She can be both head AND heart, according to her husband.

That e-mail was followed today with the unveiling of thehillaryiknow.com, which, according to a release from the campaign, "features video testimonials from regular Americans, longtime friends, and well-known leaders whose lives have all been changed by Hillary." Several people whose video testimonials appear on the site were traveling with Clinton Monday in Iowa for a series of what were widely described as emotional events.

Even the new ad that Clinton's campaign put up in Iowa Monday morning -- touting the Des Moines Register endorsement -- had a softer side to it. While the words of the endorsement are read by a narrator, Clinton is shown working at a desk in glasses, a look she almost never sports on the campaign trail. ("She has bad eyesight -- just like us!" the ad seems to be declaring.)

Because of Clinton's unique position in American politics (universally known and respected but not well liked by most), she is running what amounts to the reverse of a traditional campaign.

In a traditional campaign, a candidate spends the first part of the race familiarizing voters with his or her biography -- a tactic designed to get voters to identify with them before the nitty-gritty of the race truly begins. As a vote nears, the candidate (and his/her ad campaign) turns the focus to more detailed policy discussions.

Compare that to Clinton's campaign. Due to the fact that most voters already knew her, there was little introduction needed -- despite the campaign's claim that Clinton was the "most famous person no one really knows." The campaign, and Clinton herself, focused on her competency and her experience -- that she alone in the Democratic field was up to the job of being president.

Judging from The Post's Iowa focus groups, as well as piles of polling data, it worked. Voters seemed receptive to the idea that Clinton was capable and responsible; it played to the notion of her that many held from her days as first lady.

That task accomplished, the campaign is now attempting to tackle the much harder task of convincing voters in these last week's that Clinton is actually someone they could love -- or at least like enough to vote for.

Clinton will never be the "heart" candidate in this primary. But judging by tactics employed over the last week, her campaign clearly believes that a pure "head" appeal won't be enough for her to win the nomination. Interestingly, Obama and Edwards have the exact opposite challenge. They have voters' hearts but still face doubts about whether they can win.

With just 16 days before Iowa, can Clinton convince enough voters that she, too, is a real person who understands their problems?

[gunownerdan]

Aristocracy
a government or state ruled by an elite, or privileged upper class.

Oligarchy
a form of government in which all power is vested in a few persons or in a dominant class or clique; government by the few.

Plutocracy
a government or state in which the wealthy class rules.

[infidel_us]

''The Campaign To Humanize Hillary''

If they can pull this off, she deserves to win! You can''t really blame Bill. If I were married to her.....well, I wouldn''t be married to her.

[samthetvcat]

If you plod through Hillary''''s experience and campaign plans, her thing is to cultivate contacts of important people to get $, and try and secure $ when Chelsea is affected.

Hence, her big thing is to cultivate influential politicians and big business:

- wants to make health insurance manadatory, and isn''''t going to compete by implementing a government run insurance plan (pro big insurance)

- energy plan involves paying big oil $18billion tax free to do R&D into alternative energy rather than have alternative fuel upstarts challenge them in the marketplace

- social security play involves not raising the tax cap into the top 6% of income earners (aka the ''''middle class'''')...my brother met Chelsea at a management consultant thingie a while back - she''''s definitely in that bracket

- estate tax breaks on the rich - claims she''''s all about meritocracy but still wants $4mil to be tax free which would guarantee Chelsea an endowment garnering $100k a year at a 5% ROR

[samthetvcat]

She''s also insulated herself from blame for any failures in policy that might come up with regards to the middle East:

- plans to delegate the responsibility of coming up with a withdrawal plan to her Sect. of Defense and Joint Chiefs of Staff

- plans to delegate responsibility for diplomatic reconciliation within Iraq to the UN

- wants to delegate responsibility for the welfare the Iraqi people to the UN

This is much like what she did with the hostage crisis in her own office - instead of asking law enforcement if there was any reason why she shouldn''t just pick up the phone and make the call to the crazy guy to secure the release of her volunteers, she left them with the nut for 5 hours and then shifted blame onto law enforcement claiming they were the experts and she just followed their orders.

[samthetvcat]

PS That''s why people don''t like her - she''s greedy and only looks out for herself. But who knows . . . her thing 6 months ago was to ''look'' presidential and ppl ate it up. Maybe she can do the same with ''looking'' likeable.

[gunownerdan]

Hitlery is just another fascist megalomaniac.

[neobrian-2009]

THE GOPigs Party is OVER
The USA will be returning to the people in 12 months.Not a minute too soon,..The Crime-Woven Rove manipulation days will be on ''''The History Channel''''.
Prosecutors will narrate the paths of each jester as the Kings` court dissolves into a pool of muddy blood.
As the story unfolds,the people will see how they were "Bush-Whacked" by intentional lies and hysterical hypocrisy.The oil companies will cringe as their CEO`s are indicted.The insurance companies will cry ''''foul'''' when they are ordered to pay the people they owe.
The court system will be full of ''''W-time Criminals'''' awaiting trials on various counts of fraud,treason,theft,and other crimes.
2009 can not come fast enough,unless the King declares ''''A National Emergency'''' and tries to further his kingdom.
Remember,Under No circumstances,Do friends let friends vote republicon,

[jlelijah]

What do you mean by the headline "The Campaign to Humanize Hillary"? Is Hillary Clinton not a human being? To humanize someone is to give them human characteristics. The headline writers at CBS News are *** who play politics at every opportunity, instead of being real journalists. I suggest we all really think about what we read, and that we use dictionaries more often than they apparently do at CBS News.

[fredgrad2000]

Neobrian - friends don''t let friends get all their indoctrination from MoveOn.org, Daily Kos, and Media Matters...Friends also don''t let their idiot friends post to intelligent conversations with looney left spew...

To Tuckerndfw''s point, Hillary is just as unqualified as Barack and Edwards; I can''t believe how UNexperienced the entire "top tier" of the Dem field is...especially when they have two candidates in Biden and Richardson that are VERY experienced; if this general election does come down to experience, the Dems are screwed if their current top tier holds. I disagree Giuliani is one of the least qualified, being mayor of NYC is a larger job than being governor of something like 40 of the US states; and he had to work with an all-Dem city council to do it. I don''t believe he''s the most qualified, but he certainly crushes the Dem top-tier. I''d pay to see a debate between John McCain and Joe Biden (whether they''re nominated or not) next November and play that right after one of the pres debates between (hill/Barack and Huck/Romney); so we can have show with no substance on before a real debate between 2 statesmen with nearly 70 years combined experience.

[fredgrad2000]

"What do you mean by the headline "The Campaign to Humanize Hillary"? Is Hillary Clinton not a human being? To humanize someone is to give them human characteristics. The headline writers at CBS News are *** who play politics at every opportunity, instead of being real journalists. I suggest we all really think about what we read, and that we use dictionaries more often than they apparently do at CBS News."

I think they mean trying to make the Fem-bot with the mechanical cackle who can''t take a position until the latest polling data on an issue is uploaded into her, actually APPEAR to be human...its sometimes hard to tell with the bullet-proof botox and make-up, the robotic downloaded cackle of the wicked witch of the west, and her inability to actually answer a question with something other than a diversionary pre-prepared spin line.

[jedi08]

Who wants a president who''s husband has to constantly stick up for her. That sounds so crazy to me!

Go Obama!!!

[freddy567]

The problem I see with Hillary is her image. The image we see of Hillary is not pretty. With that hoochymama lipstick she looks like you could have her if you throw some money at her. Well, Norman Hsu should know. Other than that there are only a few things wrong with Hillary.
1. She does not make a case why we should elect her. Bubba is the one who goes around talk shows telling what she is good at. If she can defend herself rather than Bubba doing it for her, she would appear to be a bit more personal to people.
2. The whole Clinton gang comes out as a bad dream. Bubba waging fingers at Hillary''s opponents, and him having that angry face when he wags his finger is not helping to soften Hillary''s image.
3. If somebody asks Hillary a question, the HillCamp does a poll right away before feeding the answer to Hillary. Even after that she can not give a straight answer. This is not her image. It is the real Hillary.
4. She has never tried to portray her candidacy as for the American people. She touts only the women base. Do we see a side of Rosie O''Donnell in Hillary? Yes we do.

I doubt there are people on the fence this time who will change their mind about Hillary, because she brings her mom and daughter to speak for her. Her mom, all she said is Hillary is a nice person. This kind of endorsement is good if Hillary is in a courtroom pleading leniance from a judge. Not during election.

Let Clintonia be a thing of the past. We can look forward to a better America with Obama.

[wooha3]

Its too late to humanize Hillary! Her smear tactics have backfired, and bringing on Mom is feeble, and bringing on Bill has worked against her. Who doesnt know that he lied again talking about how he was against the Iraq war when the Clintons have supported Bush all along? As for Hillary''s experience: ''''The same old experience is irrelevant. You can have the right kind of experience or the wrong kind of experience. And mine is rooted in the real lives of real people, and it will bring real results if we have the courage to change.'''' Bill Clinton, 1992.
Senator Barack Obama brings change, integrity, intelligence, judgment, and accomplishment. He is now the only candidate who has taken no money from the corporate special interests in funding his campaign! Edwards claimed that in the beginning, but thats over now. Obama, represents the interests of the American people!

[cfin5]

I said when she decided to run after she said she wasn''t going to for the last time that her own history would defeat her. What comes around goes around. If she thinks a spin campaign to humanize herself will inflict on us voters amnesia en mass of anything we already know (minus locked away documents) about her character and filthy mouthin'',.........ain''t gonna happen! We''ve had enough CFR pirates against the Constitution......Ron Paul, student of the Constitution in 2008! Go USA!!!

[PulSamsara]

Barack Obama for President of the United States of America.

Say no to nepotism.
Say no to triangulated Iraq vote disasters.
Say no to mud-sling machine politics.

It''s time for America to Rise and Shine again.

[agnim]

Ha ha ha ha!

"Humanize Hilary"? LOL

Another episode of the FAKE HILARY with which Americans are so disgusted!

Why does the alert American think that Bill Clinton had to go outside the marriage to get a *** from another fat chick?
His wife sucks. NOT!

"Humanizing Hilary" would be like trying to dress up a sow. That hog will just go right back being at home in the mud the instant you walk away from her.

[likeitis5050]

Put lipstick on a pig and it''s still just a pig. The very fact that they have to come up with ways to humanize the heifer should say it all. She''s a stone.

[lorinkundert]

Pinocchio wanted to be human too, but you just can''t turn something into something it isn''t.

[sbb2211]

If Sen Clinton was believable from the start, there would be no need to ''humanize'' her.

She is at a total disconnect from the American public and how things actually are in this world.

She comments about Obama''s lack of experience, but what are her credentials?

Has she ever been a CEO?

Has she ever been a mayor?

Has she ever been a governor?

Her only purpose was to be the obligatory ''wife'' for Bill''s political career.

Hillary is about as UN-qualified for being the President of the United States of America as you can get and still be a politician.

Liberals are desperately pining for the so-called ''glory days'' of Bill to come again, and will mindlessly sell out this country to elect Hillary for an empty dream.

You cannot humanize that which does not have humanity or humility.

[gunownerdan]

If you like big government, high taxes, and the destruction of our Constitutional rights, then Dr. Ron Paul is not your candidate.
Support Hillary or any other republican.

[mediapreachr]

The only comparison that comes to mind when she speaks is that of a all girls school lady principal.This woman commands respect and men listen to her.Get used to saying Madam President.

[one_american]

Yes, the Clinton campaign is trying to make her more human...kind of like trying to make a warm and fuzzy Godzilla.

[watcher269-2009]

Democrats may be inept, and often spineless, but there is something ethically rotten deep in the core of the Republican party. It is not PC to say this, but it is true, and it dates back at least to Nixon. Watergate, Iran-Contra, the Iraq War, just to cite a few major trophes from a much longer piece of work. All are Republican scandals. Against this we have what on the Democratic side, cash in a freezer, and Bill Clinton lying about a *******. One is an assault on the fundamental structure of our government, the other is just pathetic human frailty.

[kaliveotin]

They keep attacking her, but shes going to kick thier ***. Republicans and right wingers accusing others of
being cold or calculating???? Are you kidding? The right wing in these past six to twelve years have proved to be, dishonest, hypocritical, PERVERTED, and corrupt. Not to mention, fiscally irresponsible, UN- compassionate, and antagonistic to children and the POOR. TO HELL with the republicans. They are the GOVERNMENT OPPOSITION PARTY. Would it make sense to hire the WE HATE CHILDREN company to babysit or run a daycare. Then why do we continue the we government party to run the government. They LOVE government when they can use it to help thier corporate friends get rich at the expense of the middle class and American business or domestic family farms. WAKE UP AMERICA, elect Hillary, shes by far the best we can do in 2008.

[samthetvcat]

Why is it that all of us who don''t like Clinton are talking about Clinton (and her negatives), while (with a couple of exceptions) all of Clinton''s supporters are talking about us and insulting us (and not highlighting Clinton''s positives).

If even her supporters aren''t warmed into singing her praises with anything more than her oft-repeated catch phrases ''experienced'', ''electable'', ''strong'', ''best'', isn''t that perhaps a sign of how she''s really viewed? :o

[samthetvcat]

Ahhh . . . the "cackle cackle cackle" post never gets old LOL :D

Billary''s going to bring about change as soon as GB 1.0 changes the world with Bubba . . .

[vet_sk]

My wife says she has courage. If she had courage she would act with a level of civility. Instead she voted for the Iraq War (when she knew, she must [I knew]) the public data was bogus. Then she voted against Iran giving Bush an open ticket to bomb until real people with courage, high level buroucrats said they would release the NIE if the Whitehouse did not.

That''s real courage. Hillary just goes with the flow - think the Whitehouse is hers for the taking.

There are good people out there both women and men who would be good in that job, but Hillary is not one of them.

This latest "humanization of Hillary" is a sad attempt of more manipulation of the American public by her.

[johnny343sc]

UHHH...

Hitler-y Klintoon is the Antichrist- shave her head and you''ll see ''666'' on the back of it. Why is the nation even considering her for president???

Obama bin Laden ain''t far behind. Obama- The Manchurian Candidate is a joke anyway- no principles, no experience. People just want a black man to run- regardless of if he is qualified to run or not.

If Colin Powell was allowed by his family to run for the Republican nomination for president, he''d win because he is proven and tested as a true American success story- Wartime General, Secretary of State, Joint Chiefs, etc. I wish he would run. He''d rise above what his race is and show Obama a thing-or-two.

Heck- Condi Rice would do well as Vice President, or maybe (big maybe) president.

You know it''s true...

;)

[gunownerdan]

"Yes, the Clinton campaign is trying to make her more human...kind of like trying to make a warm and fuzzy Godzilla."
Posted by One_American

More like Cvntzilla. Hitlery is a monster with an affliction of megalomania. She''s more of a warmongering neocon than many republicans are!

[xlib]

Hey, sam the tv cat, why don''t YOU tell us about hills postives? For the life of me, I can''t think of a one unless you lean so far to the left that you want her socialists policies. As for experienced, in WHAT?? She''s a junior senator from NY who has done absoluetly nothing but run for president since she stong armed Daniel Patrick Moynihan for his endorsement for his senate seat. She is experienced in nothing but taking money, making money and being a socialist.

[mbcsmith]

Gulf between experience and likeability? SHE HAS NEITHER. Hilldog has never run anything much less a country. Her polls show 44% would not vote for her under ANY circumstance. The LIB front runner? Good for republicans.

[mudrose-2009]

Well she believes in secular humanism. How much further do you want to humanize her? Please, go humanize a communist. It''s equivalent.

[rowdytexan2]

Strange, very strange...

You all want to take Hillary down, and support Bush and the republican neocon cronies???

She has more guts than all of you put together. That''s a huge plus.

[fairandbal]

No Corporate Media bias in the MSM? Give me a break!!!!
The headlines in politics this morning are ALL favorable for the GOP, and then this is the ONLY article about a Dem and it''s a dig to Hillary.
We need more media choices in this country, the current ones want GOP to be in power!!!

[gunownerdan]

Hitlery is more of a WARMONGERING NEOCON than many republicans are!
Why can''t people see this?

[gunownerdan]

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program.
He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members
It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

Hook, line, and SINK HER.

[mudrose-2009]

Posted by ttinsly

You''re a far left wingnut. Ask me how I know. Your language is right out of George Soros and Lakoff''s playbook. You are so indoctrinated you wouldn''t know the truth from a lie if it slapped you on the face. Take your little fascist lingo and stick it somewhere where the sun don''t shine. Ugh. Like Pavlov''s little doggies.

[mbcsmith]

She has more guts than all of you put together. That''''s a huge plus.




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Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 09:11 AM : Dec 19, 2007

She must keep it all in that in that big fat azz of hers.

[mudrose-2009]

She must keep it all in that in that big fat azz of hers.
Posted by mbcsmith

That where she keeps all her Vast Right Wing Conspiracies, too.

[publiusiii]

If I only had a heart
I could be so Presidential , and stop acting so mental,
And yet I''m torn apart.
Just because I''m presumin'' that I could be kind-a-human,
If I only had heart.
I''d be gentle as a Mama and be nice to Obama
and not be such a ***.
I''d be friends with the sparrows ...
and the boys who shoot Vince Foster the arrows
If I only had a heart.
Picture me - a balcony. Above a voice sings low,
Wherefore art thou, Monica Hillary? I hear a beat....
How sweet.
I%u2019d be sitting in the White House, and Bill could be the First Spouse,
And really play the part.
I could stay young and chipper
If Bill would only close his zipper,
If I only had a heart.

[infidel_us]

''The Campaign To Humanize Hillary''

Good luck! Myrtha and Reid should just announce right now that this campaign is LOST! :)

[jedi08]

If this race ends up being Hillary vs Rudy, it be the same person basically running against one another. Their views are both central Liberal. That campaign would get real nasty real fast.

Hopefully we will get something like OBama vs Hucklebee or McCain

[publiusiii]

Actually, if Rudy goes back to dressing in drag, he can wear a blonde wig and black pants suit and no one will be able to tell them apart!

[mudrose-2009]

She''s not human yet? What happened to all that evolution stuff? Seems some part of the species hasn''t evolved - that would be the SPs. So much for science.

[speakinup]

The Campaign To Humanize Hillary

WEll, I guess if you don''t have a dream, how can one come true ?

I''m always reminded of the BORG on those science fiction shows when I see her. I guess in Jean-Luke could be dis-assimilated, well, there''s a CHANCE.

But why do we want a horse''s azz to run for president anyway ?

[bobmarisol]

Does anybody actually like Hillary? I am certainly no Hillary fan, but I am surprised that even Democrats dont like her. Over 50% of Americans say they would NEVER consider voting for her!! No way she can get elected with numbers like that.

[speakinup]

Bob - there are unsubstantiated rumors that Bill does.

I can''t believe the Dems have brought her this far. As you say, she doesn''t have a chance, and now it looks like obama is going to be their front-runner. I think he is even more unelectable.

[gunownerdan]

We don''t need any more Bushes and Clintons in the white house.
America is not a 2-family monarchy.

[trueprogress]

Why not give her a chance ? She has experience, she has been tested, and she is the most likely to be strong on domestic and foreign affairs. That she is sometimes on both sides of an issue, as her husband was, is no fault , in fact it is something that Her husband has used to bring people together. Who are we to crticise ?
I am a professor , in women''s studies, and also active in social issues.Her goal is to be a uniter, not a divider.

[samthetvcat]

pt 2

The example I gave of Hillary in ''airplane-crisis'' mode was with the hostage situation in her office. To secure her own power, she remained in Washington until the hostage-taker was in police custody. She also did not call the hostage-taker which would have secured the release of the hostages. Staying away secured her physical safety, while not making a call prevented her from opening herself up to the risk of being partially responsible for an outcome that might be adverse to her image. For her supporters, they probably appreciate the forethought of her making her commitment to her run for Presidency first. What she like doesn''t seem to factor in is how scared and helpless the hostages must have felt and how panic-stricken their families must have been, or how the longer they were exposed to that situation the worse their Stockholm syndrome might become. How is that experience going to impact their lives from now on? Their ability to focus in everyday life, their ability to relax, their trust in others...I think some of us think these things matter just as much as maintaining one''s power and that they''re not mutually exclusive.

The talent pool runs deep this election, so I don''t feel the need to settle on somebody who''s only able to secure her own power. I think a person with guts AND a heart would have made the call knowing she''d be helpful in resolving the issue hours earlier than if she wasn''t involved. Hillary''s got the guts - her heart''s kind of lacking...