Dancing with Hillary
In the television age, presidential politics has become more a popularity contest than ever before - an elaborate Dancing with the Stars*.
And I think part of the Dancing-with-the-Stars psyche is the desire to vote not for the best candidate but for the candidate who needs it the most. Thus Marie Osmond, who played on the heartstrings of voters, stayed on the show far longer than excellence might've dictated. In a democracy, the winner must combine humility with greatness even if it's a false humility. We all want Rocky Balboa to win, in the ring and in the campaign. Thus Bill Clinton's "comeback kid" slogan and appeal to his humble beginnings in Hope, Arkansas played such a role in his getting elected.
George W. Bush won mostly because his two opponents, Al Gore (who embarrassingly "stalked" Bush during one of the debates) and John Kerry, were perceived as too hubristic. In our Dr. Phil culture, it's also quite possible that Bush's alcohol-fueled past actually helped him rather than hurt him. America loves an underdog.
Whatever her intention, Hillary's tears were perfect in that it made her more Rocky Balboa and less Apollo Creed. It simultaneously said two things to New Hampshire voters: 1) I want this more than the other guy and 2) I am humble. Known for her iron-like pride and reserve, for her to break down is seen as the ultimate act of humility. That's why no one considers Hillary weak for having teared up, unlike, say, the former Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder.
What hasn't gotten much coverage is at the same time Hillary was crying, Obama was boasting. Or at least that's the way his statement "You're the wave and I'm riding you," comes across. In the days just after Iowa, Obama was still seen as the underdog, the sympathetic and humble figure. But in one fell swoop, his wave line combined with Hillary's weepy moment spelt disaster.
It's not unlikely that Hillary will be dancing all the way to the White House.
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* - It's true that I've watched only about twenty seconds of that show, but the first rule of blog-punditry is that ignorance is not a barrier to entry. As many of us first learned on The Brady Bunch: "caveat emptor".
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