Hillary v Obama - the battle for the centre

"The Magic versus the Machine". That is how the fight between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is being characterised. And if this was right, Hillary could neutralise the threat of Obama fairly easily - the Clintons, after all, have magic too.

But the threat from Obama is far more serious than that. The real problem Obama gives Hillary is a threat to her positioning, long the most potent Clinton weapon.

As EJ Dionne writes in the Washington Post, the Clintons rose to power at the head of a movement - a Southern campaign to restore the Democrats to power, by moving the party to the centre. They have only ever been successful while they have maintained this position. Yet Hillary is less associated with it than Bill. She will have to work hard to ensure that she is seen as a new Democrat rather than as a traditional liberal. Unless she does this, she cannot win the general election.

This is why Obama is a threat. He has the black vote for obvious reasons and will court the centre because of his religion and his independent appeal. Hilary may be tempted to court the party faithful by moving to his left.

This would be a disaster for her.

And in case you’re interested, here’s Hillary Clinton launching her presidential bid:

Comments

[Akin Ajayi]

I'm not sure it is that obvious that Obama has the black vote sewn up. Al Sharpton was making strange noises about Obama taking him (and by implication, other self-styled 'spokespersons' for the black community) for granted last week.

Paradoxically, moving to the centre could easily lose Obama votes from the Black community, who may interpret this as 'selling out'. But remaining (or, perhaps more accurately, aligning himself) within the sphere of black activism epitomised by Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, amongst others, will only alienate the mainstream/centre ground voters crucial for a run at becoming POTUS.

[Tucker]

I'm still hoping that Al Gore will throw his hat into the ring, as many people have been begging him to run.

About three months ago I, along with several friends, signed an "on-line" petition asking him to run.

The petition can be found under "draft Gore.com"

I check it out from time to time, and the petition keeps growing larger.

Now, concerning Obama & Hillary. I would have to throw my vote to Hillary, as she has "much" experience concerning the Whitehouse.

The USA & the free world "CAN NOT OFFORD" some novice such as Obama, at this time.

What is wrong with people??? Anyone with any common sense should realize this. Our world is on the brink of total calamity, or worse, and than in the midst of all this, we're going to have a Presidential Hollywood side show???? "WAKE UP"!! World "smell the coffee"!! Especially we American's, who can only vote the next President into office.

Think about who you are putting into the oval office.

It has to be some one with much national & world experience.

The next President has to get the middle East back on track, be able to talk to Syria & Iran, "yes" talk to them one on one. Rattling rockets doesn't always work. Sometimes, as the old saying goes; " you can catch more flies with Honey, than with Vinegar" works. It's a proven factor. War should be a last resort to any situation.

Plus,be able to deal reasonably with No. Korea.

"AND"!!! Make amends with our allies, as Bushes bunch have treated them terribly wrong. Our nation, the USA, has become this big, bully in the neighborhood, to our friends, allies, and relations (the British).

Everyone has to decide, who they want to vote for in 2008. I'm just saying, seriously consider, in this very important election who it will be, that you vote for. This is not a popularity contest, and God only knows how serious this next Presidential Election's out come will be.

[Menachem Fruchter]

I think your wrong about "Obama is a threat.He has the black vote for obvious reasons".Read this story from Tony Allen-Mills,Sunday Times"Obama's charm lost on America's black activists" :http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2546081,00.html

[RG]

Forget about both of them, and vote for Sen. Chris Dodd (www.chrisdodd.com).

[P Sparrow]

I think it's vital for both Clinton and Obama that they both stand. Bigotry, racism and sexism is still rife in many parts of the USA and having two candidates who would each be regarded as the 'first of their kind' to be president forces the entire population to set aside their prejudices and vote for who they genuinely believe to be the best candidate. I can only hope that Hillary is not remembered as being just the first female president or Barack the first Black president. Widening the spectrum of candidates from just well-off white businessmen can onl be good for making more people interested in politics and voting.

[Zoie Glass]

Comparing Bill Clinton's pull in the south to Hillary Clinton's pull in that region is horses and asses. She has much more in common with the stiff east coast democrats John Kerry, Al Gore etc.(did the democratic party check for a pulse before they nominated them) then she has with Bill Clinton. She solidified that connection when she chose to run in New York, a byword in most southern communities. One of the previous commenter's was correct when he said that this is too important of an election to vote a popularity contest. Bill Clinton is not running, much less spending any time with anyone who is. There is something more at stake here then a presidential election. Being different from George Bush was enough to win the Congress, it will not be enough to take the White House. Obama has laid out a clear alternative. His books articulate a direct common sense approach that is distinctly middle America. The middle class is exhausted with it's shrinking wallet and the south is secretly tired of sending their boys to die. Obama speaks to all of this in a way that Hillary's speech writers could only dream of.

[Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD]

If any one were being chosen as a chairman of the club or organisation, he/she ought to have charisma and money to attract more patronage.
Here we are talking of the BIGGER DEAL.
PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER POWER THAT IS HAVING PROBLEM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. However to vote I would say;

Hillary has more then the above qualification. In fact he has the husband Bill who is not only charismatic but after the Iraq war , after the WMD, after Colin Powel drew the map for the march to Iraq and after the Blaire dossier was punctures, stated that this war was false.
Now can you beat that? This is politics.
May be Hillary will clean up this mess. Thank you.

[Firozali A.Mulla MBA PhD]

If any one were being chosen as a chairman of the club or organisation, he/she ought to have charisma and money to attract more patronage.
Here we are talking of the BIGGER DEAL.
PRESIDENT OF THE SUPER POWER THAT IS HAVING PROBLEM INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. However to vote I would say;

Hillary has more then the above qualification. In fact he has the husband Bill who is not only charismatic but after the Iraq war , after the WMD, after Colin Powel drew the map for the march to Iraq and after the Blaire dossier was punctures, stated that this war was false.
Now can you beat that? This is politics.
May be Hillary will clean up this mess. Thank you.

[Abioye A Oyetunji]

If anything the fact that Obama doesn't have the black vote "sewn up" is the only reason he is a contender. I also think so-called think-tanks and other political speculators must have quite a dim view of African-Americans if they think the only thing they could possibly vote on are the colours of the candidates.

[Barry Brierley]

"...He has the black vote for obvious reasons..."
Statements like that irritate me. Let's turn that statement around, "...she has the white vote for obvious reasons...". If you were to write something like that, you would be implying that white people would vote for Mrs Clinton because of the colour of her skin and in so doing, you'd be opening up a massive debate on racism in the United States. But somehow it doesn't work both ways.
I am not certain who has the correct qualifications but I hope that you are wrong about votes being sewn up based on skin colour. I hope that the good people of America will vote for ther person with the correct qualifications for the job, not the correct skin colour.

[Linda Delfs]

I'm not an enrolled Democrat, but voted Democrat for president from Kennedy up to the Bush debacle. Considering the number of contenders for the Democratic nomination, I hope they can do better than either of your subjects. It's not enough to be "the first." If it's a "first" you want, how about (on the other side of the aisle) the Governor of New Mexico? He has everything going for him that Hilary does and then some, and the experience Obama has yet to acquire. The US may be ready for a female president, but Hilary is not the one - I wouldn't vote for her on a bet. But it's early days, who knows what dark horse may yet appear.

[Zoie Glass]

It is important to remember that the presidential race will not be between Obama and Clinton. Race and gender will play a huge role. The stark reality is that there are large groups of people in the United States that do not want to see a women or a minority in office. There is some truth in the idea that Obama has a good foothold on the African American vote, just as Hilary has an advantage with the female vote. People vote for canidates that they percieve to be like themselves. When it comes down to it, if either one of these make it to the nomination, the Republican party gets to choose the other canidate and that canidate will probably be a white male with a running mate who is a women or a minority,or both, which pretty much splits the difference. In the end it will come down to the canidates who can best articulate change.

[k thompson]

The battle is really over the type of politician; a professional like Hillary with a traditional politicial organization and mind set versus a neo-type polictician with neo-type. The traditional organization needs someone at the top who wants and needs to win at all costs. The neo-type organizations values, ideas and genuine policy - the cult of personality is much smaller than with the traditional.

[H.N.Ramakrishna]

I look forward to Hillary being elected as the president of the United States. With Nancy Pelosi as the speaker Hillary as the president would be a wonderful moment in the history of the US
Ramakrishna

[julie stavrum]

Frankly...I think the best duo to run for President and Vice President would be Clinton and Obama. They would be impossible to beat. The GOPs really have no one close to this dynamic combo.

[Bryan Turriff]

What a difference a year makes, eh? He's the real deal.

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