"Inevitable Hillary?"
As Hillary Clinton's staffers struggle to halt Barack Obama's stride toward the party's nom, they have wagged fingers at the press for unfairly targeting the New York senator, for being tougher on her than her rival.
But a look back at press coverage of Clinton from as recently as November indicates – even if anecdotally – that she was widely portrayed by the media as the front-runner, the inevitable nominee. It was only when Obama’s fundraising machine kicked into the highest of gears, when Oprah hit the trail, and, most importantly, when voters started to tune in – and head to the polls – that the landscape changed dramatically.
Check out these headlines:
The Seattle Times, Nov. 16: “Clinton throws counterpunch; Democratic debate – Front-runner ready when Edwards, Obama go on attack”
Baltimore Sun, Oct. 21: “Clinton’s Steady March; Going Into Iowa, She’s The One To Beat – If Anyone Can”
“Can anybody stop Hillary Clinton? The former first lady appears to be pulling away from her rivals in the Democratic contest. Many analysts seem to have all but conceded the nomination to her.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 18: “Hillary Clinton In The Catbird’s Seat”
“The latest round of financial filings and polls suggests that Hillary Clinton’s bid to position herself as the all-but-inevitable Democratic presidential nominee is working.”
Chicago Tribune, Oct. 12: “Obama takes aim as Clinton pulls away; Campaigns trade words on Iran vote”
Christian Science Monitor, Oct. 11: “Inevitable Hillary?”
“Clinton is not Dean. Her national campaign machine is massive, her pockets are deeper, and so is her experience on the national scene. Her national appeal among Democrats looks genuinely broad among reliable primary voters: women, seniors, and blue-collar workers.”
Chicago Sun-Times, July 27: “Hillary Thrives On The Campaign Trail”
“The big story line out of the Democratic campaign thus far has got to be how Hillary Clinton keeps improving, maturing and getting more effective as a candidate.”
Meanwhile, do not forget this terrific Clinton line, offered up in response to heightened attacks from her rivals during the Nov. 15 debate in Las Vegas: “People are not attacking me because I’m a woman. They’re attacking me because I’m ahead.”
Her words, not ours.
Meanwhile, USA Today/Gallup tracking polls show that Clinton held a 30-point lead nationally over Obama just three months ago. She peaked at 50% in the survey conducted between Oct. 12 and 14; Obama won just 21%. Even in mid December she was still up, 45% to 27%. Solid leads by anyone’s measure.
And yet, as Clinton and Obama face-off tonight in Cleveland tonight for their last debate before the critical March 4 contests in OH and TX, all eyes are on the former first lady, who is no longer ahead but struggling instead to keep her campaign alive. The latest USA Today/Gallup tracking poll – taken after Obama won 10 straight primary contests – shows her down 12 points.
It’s easy to blame reporters. And certainly should Clinton not find a way to scrap back into the fight, theses will be written, books, too, about the failure of her once-dominant campaign -- and the role of the press, and for that matter gender politics, in her collapse. But it’s wise to remember that from name recognition to cash, Clinton entered this race with every advantage. And for a long time, per the press, she was inevitable.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
It’s easy to blame reporters.
You say that as though reporters deserve none of the blame. Who turned the primaries into a two-person race when there were nine candidates running for the nomination? Who started thinning the field the day after the Iowa caucuses?
The media in many ways has not been kind to Hillary Clinton and its obsession with her has, oddly enough, helped to keep her campaign going.
Ask yourself this: If the situation were reversed and Obama was behind by a similar margin, would you be providing the same breathless commentary above? Would you be checking your watch and wondering, cheez, why the hell hasn't he dropped out by now and just end this?
Somehow I don't think so.
It’s easy to blame reporters.
You say that as though reporters deserve none of the blame. Who turned the primaries into a two-person race when there were nine candidates running for the nomination? Who started thinning the field the day after the Iowa caucuses?
The media in many ways has not been kind to Hillary Clinton and its obsession with her has, oddly enough, helped to keep her campaign going.
Ask yourself this: If the situation were reversed and Obama was behind by a similar margin, would you be providing the same breathless commentary above? Would you be checking your watch and wondering, cheez, why the hell hasn't he dropped out by now and just end this?
Somehow I don't think so.
Well, you know what they say -- you can't spell "inevitable" without EVITA.
The veneer of disdain that reporters have for Hillary Clinton is so thin that everyone can see it. When she was ahead, and everyone was reporting on her "Inevitable" lead, it was almost with a sense of "come on, guys, come and get her! game's on!" and when they did... now the media is having a field day. Writing and rewriting on the painful and devastating battle that she is going through with the charismatic man that America has become infatuated with has become the media's favorite pastime, and I said it before and will say it again: as a woman, I find this shameful and am disappointed and deeply disturbed. The reality is that this is distracting us all from their real differences-- their substantive differences. What matters to most, at this point, is style over substance. I am not necessarily convinced that Clinton is the better candidate--- I simply feel that using her as a punching bag, over and over again, in insidious and subtle ways (such as virtually constantly pointing out Obama's growing fanbase and inspirational quotes, asking Clinton questions first in debates or raking her over the coals for tearing up) is very sad. The soundbytes are turning into mantras. It's changing minds and Americans are, typically, behaving like sheep.
Come on people, THIS IS POLITICS. The media is going to spin this thing which ever way that provides for a longer primary and higher ratings. Don't kid yourself into thinking that they want Hillary to drop out and this thing to be over as soon as possible. While she was the frontrunner, they were spinning it his way. Now that he's the frontrunner, all they talk about is how she can mount a comeback. DO YOU REALLY THINK IF SEN. OBAMA LOST 11 IN A ROW THAT THEY'D BE TALKING ABOUT HIM MAKING A COMEBACK?!?
I believe that this debate went a long way in putting to rest the popular but baseless criticism that Sen. Obama is "all talk". For Dems, I think he displayed not only sound judgment and an impressive grasp of the issues that matter to the American people, but he showed the ability to be calm and composed under fire. For Republicans, I think they can at least concede that he does have an adequately filled out plan of action for this country...even if you thoroughly disagree with it.
Furthermore, I believe Sen. Obama made a powerful case for his "soaring rhetoric". The American people have spoken loud and clear and we are demanding change. In order for there to be REAL change in our government, we the people must be inspired to be that change. We must demand that our government be accountable to us and take part in the political process. Sen. Obama, more than any other Presidential candidate this year, has inspired the American people to take part in and take responsibility for our government. No matter what party you belong to, you've got to admire the way Sen. Barack Obama has given voice to a generation of voters who, until now, were dissatisfied, disheartened and disinterested in the American political process.
Oh, and kudos to JENNIFER SKALKA for a well-researched, well-written article. A large portion of Hillary's bad press can be DIRECTLY attributed to her own campaign's blunders and smear tactics.
when you have tv people like chris mathews who day after day downgrade hillary and every other media shows his clips of him doing it,lets get real,the media has played against hillary from the start.chris mathews,openly said he hated the B*tch,but of course only in america would that be FAIR
2/27/08
I really didn't understand why both Mr. Russert and Mr. Williams kept interupting Mrs. Clinton and cutting her off in the beginning of the debate. I will have to watch again, but it seemed over the top, and not done to Mr. Obama.
The media has been VICIOUS to Clinton, "Jennifer." The sexism has been over the top. Hillary Clinton has broken the glass ceiling, and the media took one of those glass shards and used it to slit her throat. And you, "Jennifer," are part and parcel of the gang of attack dogs--and your collective conduct is both ignorant and cowardly. It was the MEDIA that raised the "Inevitable" flag, and then proceeded to ignore every other candidate, and, after raising Clinton up, set upon her snarling and biting, and criticizing HER for the coverage that THEY gave her. Talk about a bunch of hubris laden hypocrites!!! You press idiots feed the baby cookies all day, and then complain that the kid is fat!
You don't seem to be able to keep in mind that women were the last to get the vote, they're last in line for job equality, they're last in line for proper medical care, they're last in wages, and you won't hear their male opponents described with any of the disgraceful invective that is par for the course when speaking of Clinton in this campaign. It's called Stockholm Syndrome, "Jennifer," when you start identifying with your captors and oppressors. I hope you're happy, there "Jennifer," because when your rights--from choice to salary and every other quaint little "equal right" you can name start being abrogated, older women of Clinton's age and stage will shake their heads and say "Toldja so, fool."
You do get the government you deserve, I guess, so you just get used to the idea of President John McCain, and four more years of the crap we've been dealing with up to now.
I was never going to vote for Clinton for various reasons. I do find it rather hillarious to watch Hillary running around one day telling us how tough she is and rounding up retired generals to help her look commander in chiefish (remember GW did that too before he was crowned by the supreme court) and the next day she's pouting about the press and reducing herself to quoting SNL skits!
Is this really what Americans would want to be our president? Not this American.
The Clintons need to stop whining and take responsibility for their own mess and stop blaming the press or whomever else is convenient.
Brent Budowsky summed Hillary's campaign very well. "Hillary Clinton as CEO has been a disaster who has mismanaged more than $100 million, mismanaged whatever one calls her message, mismanaged political tactics....."
www.huffingtonpost.com/brent-budowsky for the full article.
Hillary was swiftboated by the media by degrading her, by un justly turning the Clintons into racists,etc as part of Carl Rove's stratagy to win an unwinnable election for the GOP.also having republicans vote democrat for Obama (and funneling money into his campaign. When Obama wins the nomination, the press will echo Rove's talking points and turn Obama into a terrorist muslem. will support the Obama if he wins, nominee, but I am worried Obama will end up like Kerry
"Woe to me, dear voters, woe to me. Here I am trying to make history by becoming the first woman president. I am working so hard that I don't even have five minutes to photocopy my tax returns and distribute them to the media, or even take a minute away from the campaign to call my accountant to release them on my behalf. I don't even have the time to sleep. Yet, the media is ganging up on me and is not letting me win. If not for them, I would have sealed the nomination by now. And Shame on Barack Obama. He is not letting me win either. Let me remind you that this is what the male establishment will do to you. They will create diversions like the tax returns. And how dare they ask me to pronounce Medvedev's name. I'm a foreign policy genius. I can't be bothered with remembering the names of foreign leaders or be required to pronounce them correctly. I am Hillary Clinton, goddamnit. Vote for me. Or else.... I'll cry."
"Woe to me, dear voters, woe to me. Here I am trying to make history by becoming the first woman president. I am working so hard that I don't even have five minutes to photocopy my tax returns and distribute them to the media, or even take a minute away from the campaign to call my accountant to release them on my behalf. I don't even have the time to sleep. Yet, the media is ganging up on me and is not letting me win. If not for them, I would have sealed the nomination by now. And Shame on Barack Obama. He is not letting me win either. Let me remind you that this is what the male establishment will do to you. They will create diversions like the tax returns. And how dare they ask me to pronounce Medvedev's name. I'm a foreign policy genius. I can't be bothered with remembering the names of foreign leaders or be required to pronounce them correctly. I am Hillary Clinton, goddamnit. Vote for me. Or else.... I'll cry."
"Woe to me, dear voters, woe to me. Here I am trying to make history by becoming the first woman president. I am working so hard that I don't even have five minutes to photocopy my tax returns and distribute them to the media, or even take a minute away from the campaign to call my accountant to release them on my behalf. I don't even have the time to sleep. Yet, the media is ganging up on me and is not letting me win. If not for them, I would have sealed the nomination by now. And Shame on Barack Obama. He is not letting me win either. Let me remind you that this is what the male establishment will do to you. They will create diversions like the tax returns. And how dare they ask me to pronounce Medvedev's name. I'm a foreign policy genius. I can't be bothered with remembering the names of foreign leaders or be required to pronounce them correctly. I am Hillary Clinton, goddamnit. Vote for me. Or else.... I'll cry."
Hello Jennifer,
I have also watched the polls shift and commentaries shift from Hillary winning it all to being in favor of Senator Obama. Let's give him his fair due. He has run a great campaign! That said...the media is too much of a fair-weather entity. The media becomes biased overnight towards one candidate or another. If Hillary survives the primaries and does well enough to win the nomination....Obama will suddenly become a media non-person. The "of course we knew the Clintons were strong campaigners" media will come out. On another note...it is quite obvious when commentators like Tim Russert and Chris Matthews try to degrade Senator Clinton in order to build their own over-blown egos. How pathetic. Granted...Tim asks Obama tough questions too...but it's obvious which candidate they prefer. Kudos to Senator Clinton for pointing out that Obama always gets the second question in debates. He has mimed Senator Clinton's policies throughout the entire campaign. He copies her answers. Does it take an SNL skit to make this more obvious?? His theme should be: The Politics of Opportunism...not hope... Senator Clinton deserves our vote and has earned the right to be the next US President. Hillary Clinton for President in 2009!! and Senator Obama..FYI.....Yes we can..is NOT a plan!!!