Hillary Clinton’s Mixed Message (Updated)
[Guest post by DRJ]
Hillary Clinton has a new Christmas ad out and ABC News reports her campaign also registered anti-Obama blogs. First, the Obama attack blogs:
“ABC News has learned that the campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has registered the names of two Web sites with the express goal of attacking her chief rival, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
It’s the first time this election cycle a presidential campaign has launched a Web site with the express purpose of of launching serious criticisms on a rival.
Votingpresent.com and Votingpresent.org are domains hosted by the same IP address as official Clinton Web sites, such TheHillaryIKnow.com, which was launched with much fanfare this week.
The Clinton campaign intends to use these new Web sites to paint Obama as cowardly. Clinton has attacked Obama for having occasionally voted “present” as an Illinois state legislator when it came to contentious legislation.
***
Clinton’s campaign has also introduced, quietly, a Web site called Attacktimeline.com, which Clinton officials say chronicles the ways Obama and Edwards were criticizing her publicly long before she began returning fire.”
It looks to me like Hillary has skipped a few votes herself, especially several high profile issues like the confirmation of AG Mukasey, 2008 defense appropriations, farm subsidies, and abortion. Nevertheless, perhaps to counter the image of Hillary attacking her competitors, her campaign also released a warm and fuzzy Christmas ad:
Hillary’s Christmas message is made-to-order if you view government as one big Santa Claus providing generous gifts to needy or greedy constituents. The message is clear: I’m the government. Elect me and I’ll give you everything you need at taxpayer expense.
I’m sure Hillary is glad to play Santa when it’s on someone else’s dime and I don’t see her as Mrs. Claus. She’s just not the type to “stay home and bake cookies and have teas.”
H/T Instapundit.
UPDATE 12/22/2007 – Here’s how Jonah Goldberg describes Hillary’s ad:
“But if you take Hillary’s ad remotely as seriously as many are taking Huckabee’s, you’re left with a disturbing glimpse of not just Hillary’s politics but her vision of government. Her programs, which would cost billions and billions of dollars by even the most generous accounting, are simply “gifts” for the American people. No sacrifice, no cost, no strings attached at all — save the price of your vote.
The implication is that the only thing standing between you and Hillary’s trinkets is a president who doesn’t want you to have ’em. This is monarchical thinking; good ruler throws loaves of bread to the peons and asks for nothing but love in return.
The truth, as Clinton knows very well, is that it’s not so easy. To govern is to choose. “Give” the people X and it will come at the expense of Y. Indeed, until recently, Clinton’s whole schtick has been to emphasize that change is hard work, requiring sacrifice and compromise. She’d lecture Iowa audiences that real change comes from fighting for it. Now that she’s on the ropes, it’s all yours for the asking.
It’s a profound commentary on the state of our political culture that Huckabee’s ad is the controversial one. Huckabee promises nothing, Hillary everything.”
— DRJ
I don’t see Hillary as Mrs. Claus.
I see her as Mrs. Claws (on our $$)
rab (c6d33e) — 12/20/2007 @ 1:20 pmConcealed under those piles of boxes are the bodies of approximately 120 million mugged American taxpayers.
Beldar (8e82bf) — 12/20/2007 @ 1:45 pmA couple of things. The domain names don’t necessarily represent an attack position. How do people know those were created to attack Obama?
Two, I think this is part and parcel of the M.O. of Hillary Clinton. She will do anything she has to to win. She will go on a charm offensive at the same time she attacks her opponent mercilessly. She won’t even bat an eye.
Third, you all need to keep in mind that the socialist message that Hillary peddles may not have any sway against sophisticated folks, however the general voting public is not sophisticated. That is why that message is so dangerous. The average person is well, frankly, too stupid to realize that they are being sold a bill of goods, and they will think that Hillary is looking out for them because Hillary promises: free health care, education, retirement, etc.
I wrote a piece about this tactic of hers a couple months back on my blog.
Michael Volpe (c55984) — 12/20/2007 @ 2:29 pmMichael,
ABC described them as websites designed to attack Obama. Since ABC probably knows more about political attack tactics than I do, I went with that characterization.
DRJ (09f144) — 12/20/2007 @ 2:36 pmInteresting. The sites aren’t even up yet. The manner in which they received their info may very well be very interesting. Still, as long as you source them you are covered.
On another note, I have wondered from the beginning about this so called charm offensive. The thing about a charm offensive is you have to be charming. I just can’t believe that Hillary thinks she can be charming. That laugh does her in to begin with.
Michael Volpe (c55984) — 12/20/2007 @ 3:37 pmA bit off topic — OK, a lot off topic.
While reading the above entry I was struck by the reference to a Senator’s party and state. I wondered, what would you get if you pronounced the two references as a single word?
Barbara Boxer, Democrat from California is referred to as a D-Ca, which could be pronounced as Dee Kaw or Dee Kuh. Not that scintilating, but let’s try a couple more.
Sherrod Brown (D – Oh) would be the Homer Simpson Senator (D’oh). My Senator, Patty Murray (D- Wa) would be Dee WAAA or Dee Wah. Senator Tom Coburn (R – Ok) would be Rock. Larry Craig (R – ID) would of course be RID. John McCain (R – Az) would be RAZ.
And Hilary Rodham Clinton (D – NY) would be Dee-NY or just Deny.
Yeah, I’ve got a warped sense of humor, but I do enjoy it. What would your Senator be?
Dave
Dave (a7494c) — 12/20/2007 @ 3:43 pmPretty packages wrapped up to hide the ugly truth. And in ‘gold’ and ‘green’. Subliminal message from Hillary telling us that is the last we will see of our green if she takes the gold or does it mean that the Clintons will be rolling in more gold and green with all those rental fees from the Lincoln bedroom coming in?
There once was an old woman who lived by in a Hsu
retire05 (d04b1c) — 12/20/2007 @ 6:50 pm“All your children are belong to us!”
Universal Pre-K? That’s a new one. And creepy.
Patricia (f56a97) — 12/20/2007 @ 7:07 pmLooks like the perfect Republican ad should she get the nomination. Just quick cut it with “average American” billfold with the government hand removing money for each present put under the tree. And yeah, universal pre-K. What the hell.
buzz (e09efa) — 12/20/2007 @ 7:32 pmMy naaa naaaa gimmeee pretty presents for Christmas.
I want.
So nice my naa naaaa.
red (9e9332) — 12/20/2007 @ 10:11 pmI think that it’s time for you to QUIT and get your 18,000,000 to support and vote for Barack Obama.
M. Morcom (b4d35d) — 6/4/2008 @ 9:15 am