When one's political opponent is hanging out with the multi-millionaire swells in far left San Francisco and makin' with the condescending chatter about Americans who don't live in big cities one must seize the moment. Hillary started by getting into the "he's an elitist" trap. Not smart politically. Listen deary, you and Bubba Tubbypants have made $120 Million + out of the trash heap of his presidency. That ain't the common touch. You do NOT want to get into that rhetorical box canyon.
A good visual is far smarter politics. And the Clinton Crew came up with a doozy-- Hillary elbowin' up to the bar in a room full of "real guys" and hangin' with the boys. Now, at first you think the Hillster is just gonna sip that shot of Crown Royal, but then she does the right thing, she flat out knocks it back and immediately grabs her mug of suds to chase. Thata girl! I've known of Hillary since her Arkansas days when I used to go to Little Rock twice a month on business and this is the first time I thought anything positive about her. Think about it. If you were losing to the emptiest (albeit stylish) suit in the history of American politics AND you had to worry morning, noon, and night about what your loose cannon spouse might do to screw up things further... wouldn't you want to get loaded?
I bow to no man in my distaste of all things Clinton. I was in the VRWC before she even told the world about our club. But I also respect political imagery that is inspired and there's been very little of it coming out of this endless campaign season. This particular image is so much more effective than her clunky rhetoric about Obama's elitism and his being out of touch with the heartland. Nicely played. Now, two criticisms. Crown Royal is a little too pricey--- next time go down market. Secondly, to the media, every account I've read or seen on this incident in Indiana talks about her drinking a whisky and a beer. Where I come from there's a much quicker way to describe what she imbibed. She was havin' a boilermaker. Chances are, after the NC primary, she'll be switchin' to the Bacardi 151 and downin' a Flaming Blue Jesus. In the meantime, give the gal a boilermaker.
UPDATE: AP reports that Sen. Obama said the following today at a meeting of something called The Alliance for American Manufacturing, "Around election time, the candidates can't do enough for you. They'll promise you anything, give you a long list of proposals and even come around, with TV crews in tow, to throw back a shot and a beer."
Just words, BXO, just words. Say it with pictures. Here in small-town America* we're bitter that we haven't seen you go duck hunting yet. We cling to the HOPE that you'll CHANGE out of your stylish clothes and don a little camo.
*- Full disclosure, since we reside in an unincorporated area we technically don't live/work anywhere big enough to be called a "small town."
