by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright January 6, 2008
All Rights Reserved.

wo weeks before the Iowa caucus, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y,)—the undisputed Democratic front-runner—enjoyed a 12% lead in New Hampshire on her closest rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), whom she and her husband former President Bill Clinton called “a roll of the dice.” When the dust settled after Iowa, Barack won a hotly contested race with Hillary and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) by a whopping 8%, leaving Hillary in third place. Her loss upended the “inevitability” of her candidacy, sucking the oxygen out her campaign. She needed a dramatic turnaround in ABC News' 11th hour debate on Jan. 5, only four days before the New Hampshire primary. Instead of showing grace-under-pressure, she became shrill, attacking Barack and trying to triangulate Edwards into joining her assault. When Edwards didn't bite, it left Hillary on a fragile limb.

      Hillary cracked under the pressure of losing Iowa and facing almost certain devastation should she fail in New Hampshire. Instead of inspiring a national TV audience, she showed her worst side: Haughty, petulant and self-congratulatory. “Words are not action,” Clinton insisted, frustrated by Obama's unflappable demeanor. “As beautifully presented and passionately felt as they are, they are not action. What we've got to do is translate talk into action and feeling into reality. I have a long record of doing that,” accusing Obama of being an empty suit. Beyond her words, her body language and aggression revealed frustration and anger, something no presidential candidate should express. Hillary's usual calm demeanor was replaced by inappropriate combativeness, revealing how rattled and desperate she'd become since her third-place finish in Iowa.

      Looking unnerved and showing frustration sent the wrong message to New Hampshire voters. Within 12 hours of ABC's Saturday night debate moderated by evening news anchor Charley Gibson, a new CNN-WMUR poll showed Obama surging to a 10% lead. A Dec. 6 USA Today-Gallup poll showed Barack with a 41% to 28% lead. Only one day before, Clinton and Obama were deadlocked at 33%. Hillary sounded like former President Jimmy Carter debating the late President Ronald Reagan in 1980, when Carter, not knowing what hit him, accused Reagan of misleading voters by “speaking with a quiet voice.” Now it's Hillary's turn to disparage Barack as a silver-tongued devil that shouldn't be trusted. “You've changed positions with three years on, you know, a range of issues,” pointing out Barack's hypocritical ways. Instead of scoring points, Hillary shot herself in the foot.

      Hillary's reeling from a phenomenon rarely seen but when it hits it leaves you in a state of shock. Barack's sudden surge is directly related to his charisma, a rare but priceless political commodity. After upended in Iowa, she got that sinking feeling, triggering her combative response in the ABC debate, hoping with futility to slow down Barack's momentum. When the genie gets out of the bottle, it's too late, something impossible to stop. Barack's charisma has also impacted Republican candidates, prompting a discussion during their debate of how to slow him down. Hillary' campaign, once thought invincible, finds itself clinging to life, as voters compare the desirability of both candidates. Lashing out at the debate only made her look desperate and non-presidential, leaving New Hampshire voters with a bad impression of her expected leadership style.

      Only two days from New Hampshire, Hillary can only sit back and pray that their some reversal in what looks like an unstoppable trend. “Don't discount that power,” said Obama in response to Hillary's salvos. “Because when the American people are determined that something is going to happen, then it happens. And if they are disaffected and cynical and fearful and told that if can't be done, then it doesn't. I'm running for president because I want to tell them, yes, we can. And that's why I think they're responding in large numbers,” sharing what he thinks the magic is behind his candidacy. In reality, Barack's charisma gives people hope that someone cares and better days are coming. Though still the beginning states of the campaign, Barack inspires imagination and excitement. His positive energy creates a powerful magnate attracting a wide group of voters.

      Confronted with Barack's charisma, Hillary can do no more than lash out, making her look cynical and desperate. Voters seek change not only in policy but in tone, where rancor and bitterness give way to optimism and excitement. “You will have the chance to change America in two days time,” said Obama. “In two days we can do what the cynics said could not be done. We have the chance to come together, Democrats, Republicans and independents announce that we are one nation, we are one people and it is time for change in America. This is our moment, this is our time,” keying into voters' hunger to end the partisan divisions plaguing Washington. Hillary's real problem is that she's seen as a polarizing figure. With so much riding on this election, voters aren't willing to gamble with another four years of bitter partisanship. Barack offers hope that with the right leader things can change.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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