2008 Primaries, Leadership, Messaging • May 27th, 2008

The vast left-wing conspiracy?

by Chris Lato

The Clintons are crying cover-up again – this time, it’s the Democrats and their friends in the media that are working to take them down, not the vast right-wing conspiracy.

There aren’t a lot of ways that Hillary Clinton could actually become the nominee at this point. But for all his missteps on the campaign trail this year, Bill Clinton is no dummy and he understands the messages that resonate - the victim card, the underdog pose, and the notion of the party bosses denying a voice to the disenfranchised voters. It is one last desperate swing for the fences.

Any of this ringing a bell? It’s the same thing Democrats accused Republicans of doing in 2000 in Florida, in 2004 in Ohio, and in 2008 in goodness-knows-where. It is the same thing that Wisconsin Republicans have been dealing with for years in trying to require a photo ID when voting. That perfectly reasonable requirement is just common sense, and is supported by a clear majority of Wisconsin voters (including – horrors! – a fair number of Democrats). But Wisconsin Democrats, including our governor, have blocked it at every turn. It disenfranchises voters, opponents claim.

Watch the video that comes with the CNN story I linked to up top. Clinton takes a dig at the Florida situation – 2000 vs. 2008 - that will become a rallying cry as this thing plays itself out.

The Clintons are on the ropes, but they know how to play the game and keep on punching until they officially throw in the towel. Needless to say, the leaders of the Democratic Party have their work cut out for them.

From a messaging perspective, the Clintons also understand their last, best hope is to appeal to the sense of disenfranchisement and victimhood. And this time, considering all the ludicrous complications built into the system of selecting a Democrat nominee for president, the Clintons have a point.

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2008 Primaries, Leadership, Messaging • April 28th, 2008

The Bill Clinton legacy

by Chris Lato

This article crystallized some thoughts I’ve had about whether Bill Clinton is wrecking his legacy with his behavior on the campaign trail in support of Hillary’s run for President.

It’s clear he is really bitter, feels he hasn’t gotten his due as a ‘great’ President, and feels he was shafted by the press. That has all built up and now, in the heat of another campaign, Bill Clinton is letting loose and showing some of that famous temper.

But what about his legacy within the Democratic Party? Will the Clinton ‘scorched earth’ policy of campaigning mean he’ll have a lot fewer friends left, assuming likely nominee Barack Obama ascends to the throne? Or will everyone have a short memory about these things if all goes well for the Dems in November?

Because this race is going down to the wire, and is historic for a number of reasons, it will almost certainly be one for the books, a race that is talked about for decades to come. That cannot bode well for the Clintons.

Presidents care about their legacies. Richard Nixon went to great lengths to beef up his foreign-policy bona fides after his shameful exit from office. Jimmy Carter’s spectacularly mediocre tenure has been buffed up somewhat by his activities for Habitat for Humanity - although he still steps in it on a regular basis – just Google ‘Jimmy Carter Hamas.’ The whole Iran hostage thing must still chafe him because he’s busy trying to prove he can broker peace in the Middle East – and to hell with anyone who tries to tell him otherwise.

Ronald Reagan gradually disappeared from the public eye, due more to illness and the fierce determination by his handlers to protect the Reagan Legacy. Then there’s Bush 41, who recently scored points by pairing up with Bill Clinton to raise money for tsunami relief efforts. He also parachuted out of airplanes, in addition to racking up huge speaking fees.

Bill Clinton is making a post-Presidential mint, which is his prerogative. He raked in more than $80 million from book and speech income, according to the Clintons’ 2000-06 tax records.

In the wake of 2008’s bitter campaign, will the Clinton legacy be irreparably dented?

Put it this way. If we are all watching the comings and goings of President Obama a year from now, Bill Clinton will continue to fade away while his own legacy should remain relatively intact. He will still be a force. But unless Obama chooses to involve the Clintons in some meaningful way, a lot of pain is going to linger for a long time to come, and you can’t count on Bill Clinton to keep his thoughts to himself.

And really, at this point, Bill Clinton’s own worst enemy is himself - not the press or the vast right-wing conspiracy.

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2008 Primaries, Branding Politix, Messaging, Views on News, wispundits • February 28th, 2008

Uh-oh

by Chris Lato

Barack Obama is moving ahead of Hillary Clinton in Texas.

This comes as I took a walk down memory lane today, listening to the Howard Stern Show on Sirius satellite radio (I’m a Stern fan – sue me!)

Turns out their guest was none other than Gennifer Flowers. Remember her? Well, she gamely answered any and all breathtakingly vulgar questions about, you know, The Affair With Bill. Without going into details, let’s just say I received as much info as I ever could have wanted.

If Hillary Clinton gets the nomination – and that is getting to be a bigger ‘if’ with each passing day – what does that mean for the next several months? Will we be partying like it’s 1992? Talk about going back to the future.

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