These numbers are impressive, and disturbing.
A neutral political observer would have to give credit to the Clinton campaign, they've done very will in subtly encouraging the "inevitability" mantra and it appears the numbers overwhelming bear it out.
77% See Hillary as Likely Nominee
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Seventy-seven percent (77%) of American adults say that New York Senator Hillary Clinton is at least somewhat likely to win the Democratic Presidential nomination in 2008. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that, among Democrats across the nation, 85% hold that view.
Source
This sense of inevitability is a key part of her strategy, when traditionally it has been the Republicans who annotate their successors. This trend has been flipped on its head this campaign season, as a well-oiled political machine of Hillary Clinton has waged a disciplined, methodical campaign.
This is disheartening to other campaigns who've struggled to make inroads against this theme. I would postulate that any candidates are going to need to begin making their attacks against Clinton with more force.
John Edwards seems to be heading down this path, and Barack Obama would be well advised to follow suit. Character attacks are extremely politically dangerous, but as the field is narrowing every day. There is a very real threshold that can be reached where the other candidates simply become redundant.
The key is to remember that Hillary Clinton has been ducking and weaving political, character, and every other kind of attacks for fifteen years and between her respective colleagues are light weights in comparison.
There are three narrowed key fields I think is there best avenue.
- Connection to suspicious donors the latest being Norman Hsu, each candidates team would do well to continue to look for more connections and leak them to the press to act as a cat's paw.
- Political Aristocracy, is an often underused tactic, but a fair one to acknowledge. With her successful election, the presidency would be under the control of two particular families for more then twenty-years, there is a lot of untapped potential there. I would suggest that the candidates use their unofficial connections to begin circulating attacks at this angle, and they will still be able to maintain the mantra of non-attacking fellow Democrats.
- Polarization, Hillary Clinton remains one of the most controversial figures in American politics to this day, and there is a potential there.Still attacks in this direction must be handled with a deft touch, because these are traditionally the political right's fodder.
I would be interested in hearing your thoughts, and comments on this.