The Democrats’ “Iron Lady”?
by Tom Sullivan
Hillary Clinton is “a pretty good person,” according to Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. Today seems like a fine day for starting the competition for the best 2016 out of context quotes, so that’s my entry:
“Hillary Clinton is actually a pretty good person for us to run against,” he said in an interview on Fox News. “She unites the [Republican] Party, she allows us to raise a lot of money and allows us to recruit a lot of volunteers.”
There is much Sturm und Drang on the left over Hillary Clinton’s second run for president (the announcement is expected any minute). Clinton is not well liked on the left, considered yet another corporate Democrat, and in spite of hints that she might be “significantly to the left” of her husband on some issues. Elizabeth Warren’s economic populism is much more in keeping with the left’s sensibilities (mine included). But I wanted to play the contrarian this morning.
Publicly anyway, Republicans seem to relish the thought of running against Hillary Clinton. With its new “Stop Hillary” web ad and more:
Priebus — who habitually describes Clinton as a cold, Nixonian liberal millionaire — has approved a six-figure advertising campaign targeting voters in swing states, according to Allison Moore, a spokeswoman for the RNC.
But a galaxy of other conservative power brokers, rabble-rousers and advocacy organizations is involved, including right-wing Web sites and super PACs that can accept millions of dollars, without limits, from the party’s biggest donors.
Perhaps the electorate is more inured to Swift Boat-style attacks by now. Perhaps fear, the drug of choice for the GOP’s pushers, is not providing the rush it once did. And maybe not. But like those surefire Muslim-Kenyan-communist attacks on Obama, going back to the future to revisit anti-Clinton attacks from the 1990s could backfire. The Washington Post cautions Republicans about launching an anti-Hillary jihad:
“Republicans need to be careful about seeming condescending toward a female candidate when we talk about competence. If we’re not careful, it’ll bring out even more of the women vote for her, and that’d be devastating,” [Republican lawyer and Reagan administration veteran Bruce] Fein said.
“I’d advise to never talk about her age or her health. Rather, the focal point should be on her fitness to serve,” said Kellyanne Conway, a Republican pollster who advises male GOP candidates running against Democratic women.
There will likely be “an errant comment here or there,” she adds, by a “bit player” that will draw fire. You can take that to the bank. And they might not be bit players. Someone at DNC headquarters should start a pool.
The problem for the RNC is that, as with electing the first black president, voters might be eager to see the first woman become president and will want to take part in that historic election. Republican women included, especially given the all-male clown car that is the current Republican field.
No matter what punches conservatives have thrown at her for decades now, Hillary Clinton just will not go down. And that coldness Priebus wants to exploit could work in Clinton’s favor. There is a bit of “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher to Hillary Clinton that might prove attractive to Republican women already inclined to vote for a women. Like Clinton or not, if there’s one thing Republicans fear, respect, and vote for, it’s strength.
For the RNC’s “Stop Hillary” players, it just might be the fear talking.