March 26, 2007

No Big Brother of Mine

By: David Freddoso

Some people just don’t know their place. Hillary Clinton has risen far beyond where someone like her belongs in politics.

Now wait a minute, thought police, this has nothing to do with the fact that she is a woman, a liberal, or a Clinton. Other liberals and women and Clintons have legitimately made it in politics. With Hillary, it’s different.

There is no point in resenting someone just because she had a Senate seat handed to her by a pliant New York State Democratic Party. But the fact that it was handed to her continues to show — she has no real experience as a politician, and it is painfully obvious every time she opens her mouth.

THE reason the online “1984” commercial drew so much attention is not that it was somehow “unfair” to Hillary. Rather, it is because it fits her so well. Whether it is in public speeches or on the Senate floor, Clinton speaks in a monotone voice that grates on the ears and gives a constant impression of condescension. Regardless of what she’s talking about, she always uses the same hand-gestures, which are themselves annoying. When she departs from them, as she tried with an adopted drawl in an appearance in Selma, Alabama, she just looks stupid.

Real politicians don’t do that — they become polished through years of schooling in tough primary elections for local and state offices, and often in competitive general elections. They are nearly all phonies, but they learn to make their phoniness seem genuine. Hillary is just genuinely phony. She is as intelligent as any of them, I’m sure, but she lacks the skills that every state senator and small-town mayor needed at some point to get elected. She never had to develop those skills to get as far as she has, because everything was handed to her.

That’s why I cannot think of another major politician whose face could fit on that telescreen, droning on as if conducting an indoctrination session. Such a commercial as this could never have worked on John McCain’s behalf against the 2000 establishment candidate, George W. Bush. Bill Bradley could never have used it against Al Gore. Had the technology existed then, it could not have even worked for Pat Buchanan against Bob Dole in 1996 — Dole was kind of lifeless, but he still came across as human. Nor would it have been even slightly amusing to see Michael Dukakis, Jimmy Carter, or Ted Kennedy up on that screen.

Hillary’s two greatest assets — even more than the monster fund-raising — have always been, first, the perception that she was somehow wronged (by Bill, by a conservative conspiracy, by space aliens, etc.) and second, the perception that she is breaking down cultural barriers. The first asset will be of limited value in the presidential election unless someone else comes forward with new personal attacks. (Maybe conservatives should build up sympathy for her by attacking until the primaries are settled, then back off completely.)

The second asset has been neutralized by her opponent, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who happens to be black. With Obama, who despite his inexperience is actually a real politician, Hillary’s advantage is turned on its head. If Obama becomes president, it will be a huge deal — think “David Palmer.” If Hillary becomes president, then it’s just four more years of Clinton, like we all expected anyway. Her pathetic attempt on March 10 to highlight herself as the barrier-breaking candidate — when she compared herself to the first Catholic president, John F. Kennedy — only highlights this fact.

SENATOR Clinton’s best argument against Obama is his inexperience, but it isn’t that convincing coming from someone whose greatest feat to date is her 2000 general election victory in New York as a Democrat. That’s roughly the equivalent of scoring in soccer against a double-amputee goalkeeper.

That is why I believe that John Tabin got it right in Brainwash last week: Hillary Clinton would be a terrible nominee for President. It is a matter of opinion whether Republicans should be kneeling down and praying that the former First Lady gets the nomination, but that is probably the easiest way for the GOP to hang on to the White House. It could even help them pick up a few extra congressional seats at the bottom of the ballot — they could take back the House.

Clinton is amassing a large war-chest that she will doubtless use to her benefit in the next year. But no amount of money, no amount of care from her handlers, and no powerful political smear machine can buy her the charisma, likeability, or oratorical skill that she manifestly lacks. Next to her, John Kerry looks like Ronald Reagan in his ability to connect to the average voter.

Can Hillary win? With universal name recognition, Hillary is running even, in the low 40s, with the relatively unknown former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.)). Thompson, who plays the district attorney on the popular show Law & Order, isn’t even in the race for President.

No poll this early is definitive, but I suspect he’d wipe the floor with her. And, frankly, he isn’t even that good on Law & Order.

David Freddoso is a political reporter for Evans and Novak Inside Report