Going Negative: A Perilous Strategy for Hillary

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

To counter Obama’s "Big Mo" coming out of Iowa, Hillary has predictably decided to go negative in New Hampshire. I suppose this is a page taken right out of the traditional “Running For President Campaign Playbook” (Chapter entitled: When A Frontrunner Looses Frontrunner Status). But as applied in this campaign, to this candidate, it carries a big risk. Maybe it’s because she is misunderstood, maybe it's society’s sexist double-standard, perhaps it’s due to a vast conspiracy of some sort or another -- regardless, Clinton’s main problem continues to be the likability factor. While Obama has positioned himself as something new, fresh and positive -- Hillary conjures up the ghosts of politics past. By going for the jugular at this critical point in the campaign, Hillary risks further alienating voters who are tired of slash and burn campaigns. Negativity will only reinforce the case against her own candidacy: too polarizing, too caustic, unscrupulously ambitious -- not likable. Meanwhile, Obama stays above the fray and dismisses Hillary’s attacks as desperation and vintage politics as usual. Tacking negative could most repel New Hampshire’s critical block of independent voters, who pundits predict will most likely play in the Democratic primary this time around.

In order to regain traction, Hillary needs to make her case without slinging mud. Re-write the campaign narrative in a way that highlights Clinton’s own unique strengths as a candidate -- not by tearing down her ever-positive chief rival. A negative strategy will only backfire, and the casualties will be Clinton’s candidacy and the same traditional campaign Playbook that will be re-written in the aftermath of an Obama victory.