Has Hillary made a strategic blunder by going "negative"?

[kentuck]

Nobody expected her to lose Wisconsin the way she did - by 17 percentage points. Just a week or so before that primary, she was ahead in some polls. Most prognosticators thought it would be a very close race. Then she sprung the "plagiarism" charge against Obama. He won Wisconsin in a landslide.

In the latest polls, she is slightly ahead in Texas and Ohio. But, she has decided to go negative once again. Will she lose these two states because of that decision? Look for Obama to go ahead in the polls in the next couple of days. Obviously, the Hillary camp sees no corollation between these two possibilities. Someone, perhaps Bill, is giving her some very bad campaign advice, in my opinion.

However, it is understandable that she would think there was nothing else she could do. She had to change the narrative. She may still win Texas and Ohio but, in my opinion, this decision to go "negative" has hurt her and she will pay dearly for that decision. She had a chance in Texas and Ohio if she had continued to play the card she brought out at the end of the last debate. She could have criticized Obama without appearing vindictive and could have gained ground.

[yourguide]

1. In the general election tracking numbers at Gallup

Obama's numbers are rebounding and have started increasing and HRCs decreasing, I think it shows voters are not liking her negative antics.

[Oleladylib]

2. NO..once again..if she were male..she'd be strong, forthright, on task

because she isn't ..she's a bitch...a damn double standard.

[Bluerthanblue]

9. no, Romney was a republican example of what you are describing

and he failed miserably- (as he should have).

There is no double standard in this particular issue. As a matter of fact, I believe she has gotten more schooch room, because she is Hillary-


peace~

[nookiemonster]

13. Yikes!

:rofl:

n/t

[cali]

17. yes. and Obama has the same problem

if he's not careful he'll be stereotyped as that most feared type in this country: the angry black man. He's dealt well with that obstacle. she hasn't dealt well with the bias that handicaps her.

[Yael]

22. You really are a one-topic wonder, aren't you?

Do you ever post anything other than SEXISM, SEXISM, SEXISM?

[Oleladylib]

31. yes, I do but you have to be well read to catch it!

[tyne]

3. Negative?

The NYT is now saying she's gone from "angry" to sarcasm. What's next...bi-polar?

[polichick]

4. imo it says something about her judgement...

...that she doesn't recognize bad advice ~ AND doesn't seem to be in tune with the voters.

[NDambi]

16. And there is a ....

ticking clock


around her neck..

[Oleladylib]

5. I hope she uses every ounce of ammunition she has got on Tuesday night

because..y'all feel she's losing...so she has nothing to lose by pulling out the stops...GO HIllARY!

[flor de jasmim]

15. She might have "nothing to lose", but we do.

It's been said before, but she would do better for HERSELF as well as the rest of us if she recognized the writing on the wall--the longer she stays in, the farther behind she's going to be. Losing graciously will earn her more points than fighting a losing battle that could result in a lower turnout in Nov.

[cali]

18. Me too!

It's not a matter of feeling like she's losing: she IS losing. By every damn measure. Even Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, told her to withdraw gracefully. Read the front page story in the NYT today. She's losing and the more negative she goes, the more votes she hemmorhages.

[Oleladylib]

30. The she has nothing to lose..I say go for it

[Cha]

26. Poor hilary..all she has is negative smears..

her arsenal is as bankrupt as her principles.

[patrice]

6. I think her campaign has been pretty poorly managed from the start.

And that fact may be a product of who her backer$$$$$$$$ are.

[andym]

7. Her only choice.

What would help her most is a significant national crisis where she could use her experience argument most strongly.
However, a crisis is not in her control. She has found that Obama seems to do very well on personality, so she has little choice.

[gravity]

8. She had no choice

She was losing ground to Obama so decided to risk going negative as a last ditch effort.

This might have worked against a different candidate, but Obama is gifted at taking on negative attacks

[cali]

10. sure. everytime she or campaign delegates have gone negative

it's cost her. I don't know that she can pull out Ohio at this point. she's much better when she's on a positive note.

[proud2BlibKansan]

11. Yes - it is one more in a series of strategical blunders.

Very sad to see.

[TexasObserver]

12. YES. This will only ensure that she's going down hard on March 4th.

This IS the end.

It's going to be 15 point losses in Texas and Ohio, maybe worse.

[NoBushSpokenHere]

14. Real Democrats do not go Negative Against other Real Democrats

She is hurting herself tremendously. I was 100% behind Hillary until the 04 election - and was on the fence a few weeks ago before listening to Obama. The more I hear out of her the less I like her. Negatives should only be used against Republicans and this year, whomever gains nomination shouldn't have much of a problem because America is sick of Republicans. I, for one, do not believe the polls regarding McCain vs a Democrat. She has totally lost my respect.

[Yael]

23. They do if they want to throw the contest in order to have a shot in 4 years

Just sayin'

[NoBushSpokenHere]

32. Oh chit, I haven't thought of that........not good at all nt

[bigtree]

19. politics???!!

oh, my!

[mtnsnake]

20. The only mistake Hillary made was not going negative sooner.

She's been way too fucking nice.

[Yael]

24. LOL!!

:rofl:

And hows that workin' out for her?

Nice. LOL!!!

[paperbag_ princess]

28. I agree...

You can't compete with false hopes and dreams....somehow your positive plans and goals seem "weak"....and a bit of realism is just considered
"anti-hope"

I can understand why the Obama supporters "think" she shouldn't go negative...because they don't want anyone to find that the great Oz is nothing but a man behind the curtain.....

Sometimes you just have to pop the bubble and show the truth...then you can play on an equal playing field. The problem is that it is probably too little too late.


Edit to add: She has teetered around the edge of a negative campaign....making small charges that have backfired. She needs to attack the heart of the campaign...the concept that Obama is making promises that he can not keep. If the voters disagree then so be it, but at least she went out speaking the truth.

[BuyingThyme]

21. The plagiarism gaffe really awoke many Americans to two things:

1. Hillary Clinton is will lie about anything in order to get what she wants.
2. Hillary Clinton thinks the American people are too stupid to know what plagiarism is.

She may have gotten a pass for one or the other, but by exposing both shortcomings at the same time, she pretty much sunk her ship.

[OzarkDem]

25. Clinton still 8 - 9 points ahead in Ohio

Obama is running out of time.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/oh/ohio_democratic_primary-263.html

[yourguide]

35. Try these polls for fun:

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2008/president/oh/ohio_democratic_primary-263.html#polls

She was ahead by as much as 29% at one point.

He continues to narrow the gap by about a percentage point a day. That said, by March 4th it looks neck and neck. Doesnt HRC need to win both ohio and texas by about 60/40?

Oh and the rassmussen poll you are citing? They poll once a week there. She was up 14% a week ago.

[blonndee]

36. Except he doesn't HAVE to win.

Even though he very may well do so.

[ORDem]

27. She made a blunder by showing up at all. She is going to leave a

very bad taste in everyone's mouth. Honor! Shame! Honor! Shame! She's schizoid. Who can possible trust anything she says at this point. She's out there faux scolding Obama, then mocking him in the most childish way, meanwhile people are dying by the hundreds in a war she voted to authorize. You can't make this shit up! She has to be the most self-absorbed candidate I've ever seen. Even her supporters, if they were honest with themselves, must be cringing at her childish mockery and tantrums.

:dem:

[Vinca]

29. When she went negative before she tanked.

She must be getting really lousy advice to think this is going to play to her benefit.

[x-g.o.p.er]

33. This late in the game, yes.

Had she started going negative right after Iowa, and stayed on it through NH and SC, she wouldn't have lost all these primaries in a row.

And when she went negative, she dipped her toe in the water instead of jumping in.

Accusing Obama of wanting to be president based on a grade school essay? Are you kidding me?

[BringBigDogBack]

34. indeed

and the hits keep on coming