The Bitch Is Back

She never left, actually. The past few weeks of Hillary-nice has been nothing more than the usual Clinton smoke and mirrors.

Oops, there goes Hillary’s Latino vote?
Another bit of Clinton campaign madness, courtesy of Newsday’s Glenn Thrush (who, coincidentally, had a bit part in the Mandy Grunwald debate debacle the other day). The Mariachi Divas, an all-female pan-Hispanic music ensemble, appeared before a Hillary rally at Cal State Los Angeles. But when their performance was over, they were kicked out with the words: “Thank you! You were awesome!...There's no room. You can listen outside. Thank you!" Read the full account here.

Now I can’t think of any other campaign where this kind of thing would happen. Just as I can’t think of any other campaign in which a senior adviser would spend more time refusing to talk to a British journalist than it would to answer his question (in front of a gaggle of American reporters who would, presumably, have benefited from the sublime wisdom of her answer in any case). So why is the Clinton campaign like this?

Each campaign has its own personality – usually (though not always) a reflection of the candidate. Mitt Romney’s is highly efficient and buttoned-down – everything is like a business transaction. John McCain’s is anarchic and seat-of the-pants. Rudy Giuliani’s was tough and no-nonsense (though the candidate was friendly and chatty once you got to him).

Barack Obama’s campaign is super friendly and relaxed. In Iowa, Obama volunteers were given the instruction: "While canvassing for the campaign, you are acting as a representative of Senator Obama. It's absolutely imperative that at all times we remain respectful, polite and overly nice to the people we encounter."

This ethos feels like a version of the “practice random acts of kindness” philosophy – it leaves you feeling good, makes the world a better place and who knows when it will have some practical value.

Hillary Clinton’s campaign, however, is – with the occasional exception - arrogant, uptight and myopic. And this seems to flow right from the top.

Kicking the Mariachi Divas out into the cold was unkind and just plain stupid. Each one of those girls will have gone home upset and feeling anything but positive about Hillary Clinton.

Replicate that kind of attitude a hundred or a thousand times and you begin to alienate a lot of voters.

Toby Harnden

Via The Telegraph

Heh. This wouldn't have happened if BJ Bill had been there. No way in Hell.

Not with all of that strange runnnin' around lookin' for a good time.


UPDATE: NoisyRoom.net links. Thanks!