The cultural politics are really starting to play out: Edward's being branded by a scared establishment as "angry," Hillary coming across as "tarnished" in the cultural marketplace, and Obama as the appealing, but non-threatening "new face" - and old phrase that signals the safety of the status quo with a change in cast of starring, but not necessarily supporting characters.
Part of Hillary's problem, beyond having run as an "incumbant," and on experience rather than change, and fear-mongering - is that she is already such a large part of contemporary national mythology - while she tries to cast her "experience" in a good light - it's as if she's running against herself, the image we already ahve of her, as well as the other candidates! What the lose in Iowa shows more than anything is that she will not be able to re-brand herself to the nation: she has already been mythologized, her narrative has already been written - and it will not change. - The Clintons are gambling their political legacy on this election - and Bill has already, seemingly, been diminished; a former President right back in the middle of partisan politics - and if she loses the primarys and the nomination, not only will it be an embarrassement to them, but it wll also become the new end point of the Clinton Presidency.
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