Clinton's Latest NH Ad Is Rashomonic

The names of Hillary Clinton's Republican rivals are featured prominently in her latest television ad in New Hampshire, a throwback to the halcyon days of the late 1990s, when the glue that kept the Democratic Party together was the "Republican Attack Machine" (R.A.M) -- or the "Vast, Right Wing Conspiracy" that wanted to destroy the Clinton presidency.

There is something in this ad for everyone. To the Clinton campaign, raising the specter of the R.A.M. reminds Democrats of who Hillary Clinton is -- a Democrat who fights for Democrats -- and rebuts claims that she cannot be trusted to stick by Democrats when the going gets rough and tough. It also unsubtly points out that the Republicans are attacking Clinton now because they think she's going to win the nomination.

For Obama's campaign, it's a reminder of the Clinton that Democrats don't like -- the pre-Senate Clinton, the partisan Clinton, the Clinton who sold out Democrats (through her husband) at critical points in the 1990s.

For Clinton's rivals, the ad is a juicy opportunity for them to step up their attacks against Clinton. The Romney campaign, in particular, is just thrilled that Romney's picture is shown in the first few seconds. Says spokesman Kevin Madden: "Governor Romney also has a record of, and reputation for, actually getting things done. Senator Clinton has a reputation for one thing: partisanship. Extreme partisanship."

Comments

Nice reference...and analysis. (And yes, I use this handle all the time around the blogs.)

Posted by rashomon | November 20, 2007 1:59 PM

Awful analysis.

This makes no sense:

"For Obama's campaign, it's a reminder of the Clinton that Democrats don't like -- the pre-Senate Clinton, the partisan Clinton, the Clinton who sold out Democrats (through her husband) at critical points in the 1990s."

The "liberal" Clinton? The partisan Dem Clinton? That is the one Dems do not like? Maybe in the Beltway.

Indeed, what Ambinder sees as an opportunity is actually the um "bind" her rivals are in in attacking her.

when they do, fair or not, they sound like Republicans. That is usually NOT good in a Democratic primary.

Posted by Armando | November 20, 2007 3:05 PM

Poor little Armando, it makes perfect sense.
Were you asleep during the 1990s?

Hillary has never been a liberal, never fought hard except to claim being a victim, and never, ever was a "partisan Dem".

I don't live in the Beltway either, buddy. Hillary is a phony and this ad stinks.

Good analysis Mark.

Posted by Joe Justice | November 20, 2007 4:07 PM

Marc, your links from Google News over the past few days have not worked properly (click on them and one gets only an error message).

Posted by Joe | November 20, 2007 4:51 PM

Joe Justice - me too. I get fatigued just thinking of her at the helm for another four years of that nonsense.

But out of a sense of full disclosure, while I don't live inside the beltway, I'm not too far from it, either.

Posted by Paul | November 20, 2007 7:59 PM