When hyperliberal Sen. Pat Leahy criticizes Bill Clinton for “glib, cheap shots” at Barack Obama, Hillary is in real trouble. Clinton’s Troubles aren’t caused only by backfire at Bill’s blunt use of racial prejudice against Obama in South Carolina. The Troubles are much more basic. Bill’s charm isn’t transferable to the lady who is known to some as Bill’s lovely wife, Bruno.Hillary’s poll numbers may be a bit above Obama’s nationally -- yesterday, RealClearPolitics had her ahead by about 8 points -- but those polls are not yet indicative of nation-wide strength. And there’s one factor the polls don’t measure.
Last October, gushy Katty Kay of BBC and Chris Matthews had this exchange about Obama:
Matthews: “This guy can stand before a crowd and make them feel magic.”No one ever said that about Hillary. Add to that what Caroline Kennedy twittered about Obama in yesterday’s New York Times:
Kay: "And along comes somebody like Obama, who has all sorts of charisma, he is ridiculously good looking!"
I have spent the past five years working in the New York City public schools and have three teenage children of my own. There is a generation coming of age that is hopeful, hard-working, innovative and imaginative. But too many of them are also hopeless, defeated and disengaged. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children to believe in themselves and in their power to shape their future. Senator Obama is inspiring my children, my parentsÂ’ grandchildren, with that sense of possibilityÂ…I have never had a president who inspired me the way people tell me that my father inspired them. But for the first time, I believe I have found the man who could be that president -- not just for me, but for a new generation of Americans.No one will again confuse Katty or Caroline for serious people. But why are so many Democrats of both genders going goo-goo eyed for Barack? Easy: Bruno doesnÂ’t run well against Barack.
SaturdayÂ’s blowout win by Obama in the DemocratsÂ’ South Carolina primary (55%-27%) cannot be disregarded by the Clintons, because itÂ’s the first time this year that any candidate got more than 50% of the vote. According to Fox News exit polls Obama beat Clinton among women voters (53%-30%) and especially among black women (79%-19%) though she won among white women (44%-34%). It was as if Obama swooped down up at the right moment to rescue the voters, scooping up South Carolina in his arms, firing his webbing at a nearby wall and swinging out of range while the octopus-like villain was clicking its claws futilely in the air.
The Democratic primary race is Spiderman versus Roseanne. A lot of galsÂ’ (and some wimpy guysÂ’) favorite self-doubting superhero against the pain-in-the-butt wife that is every manÂ’s nightmare. Call it what it is: a stylish rookie against the most charisma-free presidential candidate America has seen since Bob Dole.
| My advice to O'Bama: Keep her laughing and you'll win in a landslide. |