Obama’s Missteps: How Hillary Drew the Sting (And Why It’s Not Over Yet)

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, but I haven’t heard the name “Jeremiah Wright” in a while. Nor have I heard much about anyone being “bitter.” Although the enduring truth of this assessment will have to wait until November, it may prove true that Hillary Clinton, by trotting out some of the major foibles of the Obama campaign early in the primary season, deprived the McCain campaign of the opportunity to use them to discredit Obama when it actually mattered… as in, now. The American electorate, being a composition of single individuals, has an attention span and capacity for memory of current events akin to that of any individual. So, the effectiveness of a smear campaign varies on the strategic nature of its deployment.

The Time Value of Dirty Politicking

A well-timed public relations disclosure, regardless of its veracity, can spell disaster (Swiftboat Veterans for Defamation Truth), while truthful information that comes too late (Bush’s DUI conviction, disclosed on the eve of the 2000 Election) can be irrelevant. I think we’re about to see a new case: if a talking point is put into action too early, it loses its effect faster than an overplayed Top-40 Britney hit.

Of course, counterexamples abound. The issues of Kerry’s elitism and incomprehensibility to the common man (“I voted for it before I voted against it”), broached in the spring of 2004, both survived as potent themes and venues of attack until the fall election. But that’s due in no small part to Kerry’s incompetence. He continued to play into the role the Bush team had crafted for him. If you’re trying to dodge the “elitist” label, you don’t go windsurfing, and if you do, you can expect old smears and old missteps to be reincorporated into the next spin cycle. Making the same mistakes over and over again just gives the opposition an invitation to dredge up the old ones.

There’s every reason to think Obama’s case will be distinguishable from Kerry’s; his image related mistakes per week have dropped drastically since spring, and it’s come to be viewed as tactless and puerile to repeatedly harp on Obama’s “difference” from white America. “Look, he’s wearing a turban!” Oooooh, I’m scared. Hopefully, we’ve moved on.

What, Too Soon?

But we’re not invulnerable. A wise campaign would still keep a tight leash on Obama’s public image, and play down his vulnerabilities wherever possible. Sadly, some liberal groups and media outlets aren’t playing along. Outside of the “Colbert Report” – and even then, I’m not sure how I like it – it’s too soon to start making fun of the way Obama’s enemies want him portrayed. We risk dredging up and re-activating the very images that we thought were dead. Apparently the New Yorker hasn’t gotten that memo. And, neither has MoveOn.org. As much as I love MoveOn’s platform, they seem singularly incapable of doing anything with grace or tact. According to a recent e-mail sent to supporters, the PAC may soon start selling buttons displaying the “terrorist fist jab.”

Definitely too soon. While it’s good to show that we’re not afraid of difference, let’s not be foolhardy about it. A lot of Americans are afraid, or at least suspicious, of what makes Barack Obama different than previous presidential candidates. Not playing into their fears, and smugly acting like we’re completely invulnerable to a continued assault along those lines, might be a good campaign tactic. Let’s not “bring it on” just yet.