TPM: Hillary Must Engage Palin Mess

By On August 29, 2008 · 6 Comments

Just as I’ve been saying (and will continue to say), the way to quash this Palin nonsense and completely pull the rug out from under the strategy is for Hillary to engage it head on. TPM’s Eric Kleefeld has a great idea:

It is practically certain that on the night of Palin’s speech on Wednesday, we will be treated to her repeating her praise of Hillary Clinton, and the talk about how women still have a chance to break the glass ceiling. This will be accompanied by the bizarre sight of the Republican convention cheering for Hillary Clinton, all in line with the gimmick.

And the Obama campaign should be prepared. Just as John McCain bought his ad time for right after Obama’s speech last night, they should get their own for right after Palin.

And here’s the ad: A one-minute spot featuring Hillary Clinton herself, talking to the camera and laying into Palin on the issues, her complete lack of qualifications, and the temerity of the McCain campaign to think they could get away with this. Then she urges anyone watching who might have supported her to get out there and support Barack Obama.

Then it closes simply with Obama walking on to the set to shake Hillary’s hand: “I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message.”

Evangelize!
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  • http://writeslikeshetalks.com Jill

    So long as you not excluding Obama, Biden, Michelle, Jill or anyone else from doing this, I have no problem with it. But if you are saying that Hillary is THE messenger – nuh uh. A woman picking on a woman is WAY too much for the media to address without going all sexist on us in its reporting – it is dangerous to Hillary and to Obama.

    Gender-neutral punches, from everyone. Not just women or the most prominent women. Otherwise, we undermine ourselves.

  • Len

    Jill, I do think that from a tactical angle, Hillary (and maybe Ferraro) should fire the first salvos at Palin. It’s not necessarily because of gender, but because Palin has evoked and will continue to evoke Hillary (and to a lesser extent Ferraro) for McCain’s purposes. The ad Eric’s suggesting is just a variant of “I’m Hillary Clinton, and I do not approve that message.”

    I don’t think there’s any sexism involved in any of that, and frankly I think it’s a bit insulting that you’ve arrogated to yourself the judgment of what is or isn’t sexism. Basically, if anyone even takes notice of her matching chromosomes, you seem to view that as sexism. Get real, and get over yourself.

    I don’t generally run around scolding people for the Much More Widespread incidence of anti-atheist bias (which was on prominent display during the DNCC, I might add — where were you on that issue, hmm?). I don’t browbeat people about their homophobia, either. If I did those things, I would never have time to think about anything else.

    Why do you feel the need to run around policing what people write about this hopelessly unqualified VP pick who was obviously selected solely because of her gender (and McCain’s known predilection for beauty queens)? If McCain wanted to shore up the GOP’s evangelical base, he should have picked Huckabee. If he wanted a woman on the ticket, he should have picked Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is an eminently qualified Texan and would have been a formidable VP choice. The fact of the matter is that the choice of Palin was itself sexist, Jill.

    Turn down the gain on your bias detector, or it will drive you (and everyone else) crazy.

  • http://writeslikeshetalks.com Jill

    Len – that is a very fair criticism of me.

    You are right. And I will re-think what I write and where I write it in this regard. I stand by my belief that all candidates and surrogates must be willing to use the same salvos and not break it up on a gender basis.

    But as for the sexist policing perception, I hear what you are saying and will think about it seriously. I don’t anticipate no longer calling something out, but I will re-consider how and where I do that.

    Thank you.

  • Len

    Sure, I think that the Obamas and Bidens, as well as Bubba and whoever else wants to take a swipe at the GOP ticket in general and Palin in particular should be completely free to do so. However, given the content and context of Palin’s remarks at the Nutter Center, Hillary and/or Ferraro should be the first to open fire.

    I’m certainly not suggesting that you stop raising our awareness of sexism in the national discourse. It’s valuable, necessary and serves as a reminder of where we don’t want to go. I just think you might be better off being more selective in your choice of battles. :)

  • J-Dog

    Most predictable Biden salvo in the Veep Debate: “Governor, I know Hillary Clinton…You’re no Hillary Clinton!!!”

  • J-Dog

    I see Modern had the same idea over at BSB. Darn, maybe it’s too predictable to use!

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