There are a couple of ways to look at all the turmoil in the Clinton campaign. One, if she turns it around and actually wins the nomination, she’ll have blunted a truly historic run by Barack Obama and that’ll make her stronger, so enjoy the turmoil now because whether it’s her or Obama, the general election isn’t looking good right now. Two, if she sinks as now seems likely, we could be looking at the end of the Clinton era. Hurrahs will be in order. So either way, this is a time to enjoy ourselves a bit.
It’s probably not going to be enjoyable for long because it’s likely to get ugly soon, if the MSM reports are correct and the Clintons are about to bring their old hand spinmasters back into the fight. They won’t be able to sell Hillary as the candidate of “change” very effectively, but they might find a way to destroy Obama.
Key campaign officials may be replaced. She may start calling herself the underdog. Donors would receive pleas that it is do-or-die time. And her political strategy could begin mirroring that of Rudolph W. Giuliani, a Republican rival, by focusing on populous states like California and New York whose primaries are Feb. 5…
Officials stressed that any signs of upheaval might weaken her further, and that decisions would be made about her staff after the New Hampshire primary. They also noted that her personal loyalties to members of her team leaned against a major shakeup: Ms. Solis Doyle and Ms. Grunwald have been by Mrs. Clinton’s side since her husband’s 1992 campaign, and Mr. Penn for more than a decade. She is also close to Mr. Wolfson, a veteran of her first Senate campaign in 2000.
It is also unclear who could come in this late to right the ship, especially if Mrs. Clinton is 0 for 2 in the first nominating contests. She faces a four-week calendar of primaries through Feb. 5, when she believes the Democratic nomination will be decided. Two former aides to President Clinton, James Carville and John Podesta, have been mentioned by her allies as potential hires, but neither man has been formally asked, said people with knowledge of internal campaign conversations.
Mrs. Clinton is trying to steel herself against pessimism, but both she and Mr. Clinton are feeling disappointment, advisers say.
“We’re all resolved to the probability that’s she’s not going to win New Hampshire, and the mood has turned very despondent — fatalistic, probably,” one of Mrs. Clinton’s leading fund-raisers and supporters said on Monday on condition of anonymity.
A wounded, cornered Clinton is a deadly Clinton. Obambi, keep an eye on the skies.
Update (AP): Good news and bad news for the Glacier. The good: She has something of a walkover in Michigan. The bad: Obama and Silky are conspiring to make it as embarrassing as possible.
This video from Slate is amusing, too. The left cries out for substance and policy and detail! See what happens when they get it. Why, she’s even gone and “played the Al Qaeda card.” How desperate can a candidate be, talking about terrorism during an election? Right, Olby?
(Photoshop by Argument Zombies)
