Earlier this week, everyone picked up on the fact that Hillary Clinton was bailing out of South Carolina, leaving it to Bill to represent her here, and generally building herself a workable cover story for how she didn’t really try here, so that she could shrug off losing, yadda-yadda.
Everyone bought into that narrative to such an extent that I still hear it or see it mentioned. But that ignores a fact: She’s back. At least, according to her official schedule she’s back. I noted that she was coming back yesterday for a speech at Furman. After that, I think she had a second event in the state — I know I saw it on a schedule somewhere, but I’m having trouble laying my hands on it right now (was it in Anderson?). Anyway, here’s her schedule today:
Friday, January 24
Columbia à Rock Hill9:00 a.m. EST
Hillary Hosts “Solution for America: Expanding Access to College” Town Hall in Columbia
Benedict College
1600 Harden St.
Columbia, SC 29204
DOORS OPEN 8:30 a.m.
OPEN PRESS
Additional Details TBA1:30 p.m. EST
Hillary Attends “Solutions for America” Rally in Anderson
The Freedom Center
215 E. Main St.
Rock Hill, SC 29730
DOORS OPEN 1:00 p.m.
OPEN PRESS
Additional Details TBA9:30 p.m. EST
Hillary Attends Charleston Rally with President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton
North Charleston Convention Center
Ballroom A
5050 International Blvd
Charleston, SC
DOORS OPEN 9:00 p.m.
OPEN PRESS
Additional Details TBA
So it kind of looks like she’s back, which means one of two things: Either she thinks she’s in striking distance of winning — see Zogby’s narrowing Obama lead — or she’s setting up the second potential spin narrative for a loss.
After what happened in New Hampshire, we should never discount the possibility of a Clinton win here, not until all the votes are counted tomorrow night. As for that second scenario, the "alternative narrative:"
As I suggested in my column today, that would go like this: "Well, I did my best in South Carolina, but it’s just too heavily black, and so it was just going to go for Obama anyway." This sets up the ghetto-ization of Obama as the "black-only" candidate, the new Jesse Jackson. And folks, I’ve met Jesse Jackson a number of times, and Barack Obama is not Jesse Jackson.
Somewhere, I think I hear the sound of Sister Souljah singing…
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She HAD to come back, just to confuse the issue concerning her original strategy, which you identified above, and which yet may serve her in the long run, depending on what the meaning of “is” is.
By the way, Mr. Editor, it’s Sister Souljah, not Soujah.
Damn, I know I typed it right the first time, because I copied it over to Google her to make sure I had it right, and it worked. But then I deleted the line and started to say something else, but changed my mind back.
And that’s all I’ll say about that. Except that I do pretty good for publishing instantaneously with no one copyediting.
Not great, but pretty good. (And yes, I know it should be “pretty well,” but I’m being folksy and approachable.)
Jesse Jackson is as divisive a force to America as Rush Limbaugh is. The oxygen they breathe needs the division and controversy they both generate.
Hillary started out early as strong, appealing to moderates; but she knows she needs the Democratic base. I voted for her husband three times, the SC primary, and twice for president; but I won’t be voting for Hillary tomorrow.
Arial published a great cartoon of her waffling on the issues: http://www.thestate.com/slideshows/gallery/280012-a279969-t3.html
I am a white, over 50, male that is going to vote for Obama tomorrow. His message of bringing together and leading red states and blue states, red people and blue people appeals to me. We need to end the partisan bickering in Washington that has stalled government since Bill’s years. That is why I will be voting for unity tomorrow.
Actually, Brad, I appreciate your copyediting skills. You screw up rarely here, and The State has zilch for typos on its opinion pages.
The headline style y’ all use on your pages — too short, centered, not always covering at least a part of every column — irritates the living frijole out of me, but I’m sure you do it thinking that extra white space will draw attention to the headline, not because you don’t know the cover-every-column rule or the two counts-short-at-the-max rule.
I suppose you think white space might reflect grey matter, but what do I know? I’m a 55-year-old white male. The space on this earth for my opinion is shrinking.
Hillary has left South Carolina – 4:30 Saturday the day of the primary
more of the et up for the spin as Brad noted on another blog–
Hillary has rally’s in Florida tonight and tomorrow
The weird thing about this strategy is that the Florida democratic primary violated the nat’l party rules by moving up their primary date from Feb 5th
So the delegates from Florida will not be counted and no one campaigned there–
This is another example of the Clintons thinking everyone is dumb- Hillary is definitely going to “win” the vote in Florida – no one else ran and no delegates will be awarded
So only if the media is complicit in this and spins for those out there who aren’t folloiwng this – that “Clinton wins Florida” will this strategy work–
Let’s hope they don’t fall for it —