Seriously, it's like Groundhog's Day around here. First, Obama supporters got fooled by the New Hampshire polls. Then, they were lulled into over-optimism because of the Super Tuesday polls. And, now, we're seeing the same thing with the elections coming up over the next few days. It seems like a number of people are convinced of victory in these states -- perhaps all of these states -- despite Clinton's important advantages in a number of these places.
Here's how this story keeps unfolding. The Clinton gets a punch in the gut, the victimization/underdog play acting starts, the polls make Obama appear stronger than he is, and Clinton rides a wave of sympathy to better-than-expected results in the eyes of the media. No mention that Obama momentum allowed him to destroy major leads by Clinton from just a few weeks ago to score major delegate victories. No, again and again Clinton becomes a "comeback kid" or "stops Obama's momentum"
So it's happening again. Despite successfully tricking the media into reporting that she "stopped" Obama's momentum, her campaign got a punch in the gut when people noticed Obama's strong fundraising. So, she floated fake stories about fund raising problems. Bill acts contrite in an interview. The campaign downplays expectations everywhere. And, even though the "pimp" comment was odious, she decides to go to "war" with a network publicly over a reporters stupid spontaneous stumble -- in contrast to Edwards and Obama's muted reactions to ugly premediated media smears against them and their families.
And as her campaign plays the underdog/victim role to perfection, the overinflated polls come rolling in again. Up 13 in Washington. Up 19 in Maryland. Up 20 in Virginia. And then, up infinity in Obama nation. What the hell, he's going to take all of 'em big -- Maine, too! The whole month of February sucks for her!
Folks, this is called allowing Clinton to paint herself in a weaker position while we inflate Obama in a stronger position. Her campaign used this playbook to win New Hampshire and spin away Obama's major gap closing, to create a storyline that only getting upset in two states was a "momentum closer," and to trick her supporters into pouring in donations into a supposedly cash hungry campaign. And, soon, she'll be declaring a major come back by only losing one or two states to the Obama.
So, just like we call out campaigns all the time for these sort of shenanigans, it's time for us to point out this pattern, to criticize the press for swallowing it whole, and to not become unwitting players on the stage. Point out Clinton's strengths, like in Washington, Maine, and Virginia. Call BS when she pretends that she is the victimized underdog. And work like hell to gain every delegate we can -- polls be damned.