Called “perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years” by Greg Mitchell, billed by ABC as a debate between Democrat presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, the contrived hit perpetrated against Barack Obama last night by Clinton enforcer George Stephanapoulos and friends has been excused by NBC political director Chuck Todd. The only real difference between Hillary Clinton and Obama is a matter of personal style so the tabloid-driven interrogation Obama endured for 45 minutes should have been expected by the front runner, Todd says.
The differences in their proposals could easily fill a 90-minute debate. But if networks should instead be tasked to exposing the stylistic differences between candidates why was Clinton spared the grilling?
Hillary likes to say that she is the most vetted candidate. The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, so named by her in 1998, attacked her then and she survived. Her mettle has been tested – she is now immune?
If it becomes necessary to dissect Hillary’s style the machine geared up and ready to do so would slice and dice any hopes her most fervent supporters cling to that she could win a general election. A generation of new voters ignorant of this history will be educated and the rest will be reminded of it. The hangover from that reunion party will poison whatever good excuses linger for her future in politics.