He's the golden boy now. He's the guy. He's the one that millions of U.S. citizens believe can and will inspire a nation. He makes people feel something they haven't felt in a long time - hopeful. You just can't do that.
Now, you try. We can see it at the rallies especially. You have a fantastic smile. You can clap to a beat. You give the good ol' "thumbs up" sign. You point to people in the crowd and mouth "thank you" as if you just ate dinner at their houses. You wave to the crowds like a former Miss America second place finisher who truly believes the audience knows who she is. But something is wrong.
As I watch you at rallies, in debates, and in diners (remember the tears?), I believe you are running this campaign based on a deep need to be vindicated. You want those politicians who tried to bring your family down with Whitewater and blue dresses to have to answer to you. You want to show Bill that you are a person who is respected by the American people. You want to be remembered as a great President not the wife who stayed with an unfaithful one.
It's selfish Hillary, and people do not respond to selfish. Now I really don't think most people are acutely aware that this redemptive desire drives your campaign. I am not sure you have even allowed yourself to consciously recognize it. However, every undecided voter I talk to says something to the effect of, "I don't know. There's just something I don't like about her." That something is your burning need to set the record straight. You have brains. You have guts. And you are desperate for everyone to know it.
But now you have entered a new domain; now you are bitter. Who does Barack Obama think he is swooping in to steal your moment? This was yours...go back 5 years and check the polls. Everyone said you would win. But you are not winning. And you are pissed. That anger is palpable. In last night's debate, your poorly crafted attempts to stand-up for yourself while also disparaging Barack's positions sounded whiny and mean. If you couldn't inspire a nation when you thought you were the "sure thing," did you think you would inspire a nation by badgering Brian Williams about which questions you are asked and in what order?
Of course Maureen Dowd's editorial in today's New York Times does a much better job than I have in analyzing your campaign's disintegration, so I highly suggest you read it. But if you don't have time (as I suspect you don't because you are busy getting those tax returns ready), just think about this for a moment.
We live in a country where people are as desperate to be seen and heard as you are. They don't want to compete with you for your attention. They know that once you get into that big house, you will take advantage of every opportunity you have to prove yourself to all those who doubted you. People feel like Senator Obama hears them. They believe he wants to work hard to make their lives better. They know he has years of experience doing just that whether it was working as a community activist, a civil rights lawyer or a politician.
But most poignantly, he makes people believe in themselves again because he truly believes in them. And that, dear Hillary, is what hope is all about.
2 comments:
So let me see if I understand you...Hillary is running for president because she's selfish...
Hope and pretty speeches do nothing for me. A multiple of Ads, youtube, concerts, a pro-Obama media and public relations campaign does nothing for me neither. I have a brain and I am an adult. Sorry.
I believe Hillary has many reasons for running for President. However, I think her lack of connection with thousands of voters, though, ties directly to an "I've got something to prove" attitude, one that has become more apparent as the campaign has continued.
If you reread the post, you'll notice I don't disagree with Hillary on her policies. I was intrigued when she finally announced her candidacy, and I really tried hard to connect to her. But I didn't, and I have watched hours of MSNBC, CNN and even (gasp) FOX. I have read many of her speeches in an attempt to figure out why not - what's missing?
In the end it was her attitude, her filter through which she communicates everything. She's too guarded, calculated and choreographed. That makes me nervous. So I must consider why...and in the end I believe it is because she is so desperate to President that she never relaxed enough to be truly vulnerable and honest, because then someone might see something they don't like and not vote for her. Instead, we didn't see much of anything. Where is her heart? Her soul? I imagine they are already envisioning her in the Oval Office. However, they should be very present as she sits in the diner listening to citizens' stories or while shaking hands at rallies. Yet it appears her motivation for every smile and handshake is to get the vote. In contrast, it seems that Senator Obama interacts with people to hear, learn and give voice to Americans. And if that gets him into the big white house, then so be it. If not, he's okay with that too.
Anyway, congratulations on having a brain. I am sorry to hear that hope does nothing for you. Sad, really, but understandable. We've been without it for so long.
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