Help me define the "Lazio-Effect". I've been pondering the extent Obama's hands are tied

[KittyWampus]

in going after Hillary. Would like to come up with a good definition for the Lazio Effect. This can be Hillary's contribution to the political lexicon.

Lazio-Effect: preventing your opponent from attacking you by playing the victim to garner sympathy.

History of term is where Rick Lazio confronted Hillary Clinton during a debate and his manner was percieved as overly hostile towards a woman. Sympathy for Clinton helped her secure the vote.

That's my attempt. What's yours?

[democrattotheend]

1. I know what you are talking about, and I think you are dead on

And as politically incorrect as this is going to sound, I think Obama has to be even more careful than Lazio. If he were too aggressive in a debate or in general against Clinton, it could backfire big time. The image of a black man "attacking" a white woman would produce a backlash.

[KSinTX]

2. Wouldn't it though ... OMG

If you thought Wright was overplayed, that would pale by comparison.

[Cosmocat]

9. The 10,000 pound elephant in the room ...

An acqaintance of mine, who is African American, said something a couple of weeks ago that made me more attuned to the fine balancing act that BO really has to do ... He didn't really make a big deal out of it, just part of the conversation, but in thinking about it afterward, BO REALLY has to be careful about how he comes across, as an african american male ...

As noted, the media would just go nuts, and it WOULD put off far too many people, if he showed any real display of anger ... In general, much less against the white woman ...

[OHdem10]

3. His problem:; Lazio walked across the stage from his place

and practically got in her face. It was more about being so bold
as to enter her space.

[KittyWampus]

4. yes, but that was indicative of a larger phenomena, IMO. At least in Hillary's strategy

[madinmaryland]

18. But how many candidates actually walk across the stage and

confront the other candidate (almost never, except for Lazio).

[cliffordu]

5. Everyone who has made any statement concerning 'cojones' needs

to understand that THIS IS EXACTLY why he didn't attack her mercilessly.

He won't have to play so nice with McCain. Hold on to your hats.

K an R

[KittyWampus]

6. is it possible people will be distressed to see a young man attack Grandpa McCain?

[cliffordu]

7. No, I don't. McCain is a war hero - he's supposed to be tough as

the dogs balls....

[AndyTiedye]

19. They May Not Actually Get To See It If the MSM Refuses to Report It

They might just keep his response off the news entirely, while criticizing him as "weak" for not responding.

That worked really well against Kerry.

[baldguy]

8. Lazio wasn't helped by the fact that he's an asshole.

Obama isn't

[loyalsister]

10. This is a standard advantage for women

I heard a Male State Senator talk about this. He has run against women more than once.
He said that she could get away with attacking him, but if he attacked her, people would tell him to "stop beating up on her." People don't like to see women "attacked." Particularly by men.

Consider this. If a person following an election does not get so remarkably close to the candidate that they feel personally connected, they will identify the candidate with their personal lives somehow.

They may identify a candidate with someone close or at least someone they know.
If they see that candidate derided, it reminds a person of their own friends, sons\daughters, fathers\mothers, or even husbands\wives being "attacked."

When it is a woman who is verbally attacked even via advertisement the dynamics are different from attacks on men.

Despite the fact that it is an equal opportunity domestic problem, concepts like abuse are more closely associated with women. Not to mention, being the "recipient of an attack" and "victim." With words like "attack" and violent sports analogies the situation is aggravated.

All things considered, perceptually, political attacks coming from a male candidate have a psychological feel of a level of uncomfortable verbal violence toward the female candidate. Thus, the Lazio Effect.

[LisaM]

17. And that's why we have so many elected women officials?

Snort.

[loyalsister]

21. How does what I said translate into votes?

Only if attacks are the only driving factor. They aren't.

[alcibiades_mystery]

11. There is no Lazio Effect

Lazio was a fucking clown who had no business running for Senate, and the people of New York knew it. He was offered as a sacrificial lamb by the New York GOP, with full awareness that Hillary was going to win and win big. I voted for Hillary Clinton on the Working Families Party ticket in Brooklyn in 2000. I can assure you that Lazio never had a snowball's chance in hell of winning that election, pre-debate or post-debate, or anything.

The Lazio effect is largely a myth constructed by political pundits to sound like they have some insight on classes of voters. It is non-existent, and largely nonsense.

[KittyWampus]

12. so you're saying that perceived hostility towards a female candidate isn't an issue?

Or wasn't an issue?

BTW, I live in New York and remember that debate.

You are welcome to your take on that election.

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. It wasn't an issue: he was doomed from Day 1

[madinmaryland]

16. Lazio was an idiot. I remember that debate also and he

was far outclassed by Hillary. OTOH, there a many a dogcatchers that would outclass Lazio.

[Mooney]

20. That is correct.

This is why the argument that HRC has ever faced a real challenger is false. Anyone who saw the campaign that Lazio "ran" could only conclude that the guy was meant to be cannon fodder.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

14. Lasio didn't have to get the people voting for Hillary to vote for him six months later.

Clinton and Obama both belong to the same party. Big difference, IMHO.

[madinmaryland]

15. Lazio was just an idiot. That's the lazio effect.

The guy walked over to Hillary during the debate and almost touched her. Something that is NEVER seen in a debate between any candidate.

A totally moronic move by Lazio. It would have been a crass move regardless of the candidate.