I have been waiting since about last Thursday for Hillary Clinton's campaign to trot out their tried and true, tradmarked, Pre-Primary Kitchen Sink Strategy. Perhaps I will jinx it with this post and we will see an ad insinuating Obama visited Waziristan in August 2001, but I doubt it. Per Ben "Objective Journalist" Smith at Politico:
In a pair of new Indiana ads, Clinton keeps the focus on gas prices and fighting for workers but drops the shots at Obama, closing on a positive economic message.
Apparently Hillary has chosen to throw things at Wall Street, where a lot of her contributions, and few votes, come from instead. From Ben Smith again:
"Why don't we hold these Wall Street money-grubbers responsible for their role in this recession?" Clinton asked at an Indiana Democratic Party dinner in Indianapolis tonight.
(Hey, aren't those money-grubbers also known as her donors and constituents?)"
Now I'm not saying that I don't like the sentiment, just the messenger seems a bit, how should I put this, disingenuous.
Obama for his part has chosen to throw a Kitchen Table between himself and primary voters, pull up a chair and ask them to sit down and chat. An account of a recent stop in small town Indiana:
Wolf seized his chance to talk to Obama about Social Security. He said he complained that he has to pay taxes on his Social Security income, and "I don’t think that’s fair."
Although he normally votes Republican, Wolf said, seeing Obama campaigning in his neighborhood might sway him to vote Democratic this time. He said Obama has the aura of youth and energy, with a young family, just like Kennedy.
Beatriz Jones, who lives on Jackson Boulevard, said she was undecided about her vote until meeting Obama.
He talks with his eyes, she said, and she could tell he was telling the truth. Jones said was in the crowd at Hillary Clinton’s recent appearance at the Coveleski Regional Baseball Stadium in South Bend, and Hillary never looked her in the eye.
Her 10-year-old son, Austin, talked basketball with Obama. Jones said Obama commented on Austin’s 5-foot-6 height, which is tall for his age, and said he could be a good basketball player.
http://www.wsbt.com/...
The more people can get past the caricature of Obama and see the man the better he will do.
I like his approach better, but I don't know about pandering to the 5'6" kid. Maybe he's good, but i would tell him to hit the books and the hardwood. You never know. :)