MSM: Democratic infighting helps McCain
Fri Mar 14, 2008 at 10:50:09 AM PDT
In a story dated March 14, Newsweek's Michael Hirsch weighs in on a question that's been discussed here recently - does the extended (and increasingly ugly) campaign between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama really help John McCain:
The upshot is that both of them are already losing the general to John McCain. By the time the Democratic convention rolls around in August and the nomination is finally awarded, the battle may already be over.
Read the Newsweek article here.
Many here have argued that 'any press is good press', and the continuing campaign is relegating McCain to 'below the fold' coverage. I've argued that, in an electorate with both a weariness for political infighting and a notoriously short attention span, any message is being lost in the din of attack and response.
The other danger, as Hirsch outlines, is that the campaigns are doing each other real harm, while no one is laying so much as a glove on McCain:
Obama's advisers point out, rightfully, that the Clinton campaign started this downward drift toward mutually assured destruction, Democratic-style, with its now infamous "red phone" ad before the critical Ohio and Texas primaries. Subtly but with devastating impact, the TV commercial raised questions about Obama's preparedness to be commander in chief. The Obama campaign responded by effectively branding Hillary Clinton a liar about her own record. "As far as the record shows, Sen. Clinton never answered the phone either to make a decision on any pressing national security issue—not at 3 a.m. or at any other time of day," top Obama adviser Greg Craig—a former close friend of Hillary's—wrote this week in a widely circulated memo.
Winning elections is about setting the agenda and, while creating a positive image of oneself, negatively defining one's opponent in the minds of the voters. This is happening for McCain—having Obama defined as unready and Hillary as lacking in integrity—without his having to lift a finger.
It's clear that Clinton has no intention of stopping her campaign, and it's unreasonable to expect Obama, leading in delegates, states won and popular vote, to drop out when he's by almost every measure ahead. We can't expect the campaigns to resolve this impasse, and every day that it continues continues the damage done.
Uncommitted superdelegates, however, can effectively end the race by throwing their support to one campaign or another. I strongly feel Obama has earned this support by virtue of the campaign he's run, and the stronger likelihood of significantly longer coattails.
While it may be painful for them to deliver a death blow to the Clinton candidacy, the danger of remaining on the fence is real, and growing.
Permalink | 11 comments