An Opposing View
Laura Leslie, one of my colleagues in the Raleigh press corps, has an alternative view on the effect of the Clinton victory in New Hampshire on the Edwards campaign. Over at Isaac Hunter’s Tavern, she makes a good case that an Obama victory actually would have been less harmful to Edwards than a Clinton victory. She writes:
“Clinton’s victory may have been worse news for Edwards than his own distant third place. It means there’s no way he can narrow this race to two by the South Carolina primary Jan. 26th, which leaves him still fighting for a foothold between two celebrity candidates. And fighting for funders, too - had Clinton fared badly, Edwards might have seen a fundraising bump. But with both Senators still in play, that isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.“
Bottom line: If he truly intends to stay in this race until the convention, as he promised tonight, Edwards is going to need to pull off a surprise at least as big as the surprise that Clinton just pulled off in New Hampshire.
Leslie, by the way, also has a very smart analysis of the purported role of Clinton’s recent moment on the trail in which she briefly became choked up. Some commentators have already identified that moment as the thing that propelled her to the New Hampshire win. Leslie writes:
“Oh, come on. Women aren’t that susceptible to a few tears. But as I see it, the tears (which admittedly got her the kind of network coverage money CANNOT buy) were a symptom of what DID help her.
As frontrunner, Clinton was remote, icy, and uncommunicative, more concerned about convincing voters she was tough enough to be president than connecting with them as a human being. But frustration evidently succeeded where likability polls could not - she eased up, opened up, and started being herself, instead of the person focus groups said she ought to be.“
Hey Jim,
Enjoy Mt bachelor with the wonderful powder that only the west can offer
As for the granite state primary, I do not think I could have scripted the outcome any more to my personal preference! We americans love a neck and neck race… I think it will cause more people to vote, feeling that their vote may actually make a difference (imagine that). I agree with you jim, I think cliniton’s inch out to the front of the line is to edwards favor and I will tell you why. In watching the NH debates, i could not distinghuish edwards from obama, they were completely symbiotic. It was a love feast between them. If the NH voter chose obama then it would be satement of obama over edwards.
My first reaction to hillary’s “moment” was.. you have got to be kidding me, then I thought this is what happens to people when they are sleep deprived. Although as I listened to her a sencerity came across that she needed to convey. The american voter desperately wants openess and honesty rather then the slick scripted stage performances we have come to expect.
Mary Beth Leaton on 01/09/2008 (9:19 pm)