« Hillary's House Backers Sticking By Her, But Cracks Are Showing | Home | Hillary Camp Pressuring Super-Delegates To Not Endorse For Now »
New Hillary Ad: Fighting For Struggling Voters "The Purpose Of My Life"
Hillary -- who's fighting off Obama's efforts to make inroads into Hillary's working class base -- hits the airwaves in Texas with a straightforward populist economic spot that emphasizes her willingness to fight for the struggling lower middle class and her longevity in public service...
Advertisement















Nice ad. The background music reminded me of those old NFL Film highlight shows.
February 27, 2008 9:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
It's the new key Clinton demographic: working class male Cleveland Browns fans.
February 27, 2008 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hillary, I think you forgot to mention how up until '92 you worked for a giant corporate law firm, and for many of those years you served on the board of directors at Wal-Mart, and then you went on to support your husband's disastrous NAFTA policies...so where exactly is the basis for populism and public service..?
February 27, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
I thought the purpose of Hillary's life is to win, always to win, to defeat her "enemies", and at ANY cost.
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/24/164324/479/466/463280
Did Hillary lie in an affidavit to the court in that child rape case? She alleged that the child had a history of false accusations but there's no evidence of this at all. The affidavit is sworn testimony, so if Hillary fabricated to help the rapist go free and impugned the 12-year-old victims credibility, that would have been a violation of ethics and also illegal.
I think it is a peak into the character of someone who really puts her personal ambition above all else. (I'm not sure this is news to anyone, come to think of it)
February 27, 2008 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
In this last debate, I thought Barack passed up an opportunity to contrast the role of socially-committed Jewish kids with LBJ's role in the struggle for Civil Rights. He was no doubt right to pass it up, but as I listened to him recall the contribution these kids made to the movement, what came to my mind was the contrast between his gratitude for their courage versus the point Hillary had made in NH of reminding us of the power of LBJ's pen.
I thought Hillary actually did better in this last debate than one might surmise from most of the reviews I've seen online, but I find myself unable to set aside my unease with what seems to be her suggestion that I vote for her out of gratitude for her long career in public service.
February 27, 2008 10:02 AM | Reply | Permalink
As wwjb pointed out, it is hard to take seriously the idea that fighting for struggling lower middle class is the purpose of Clinton's life. I'm not at all saying she has never done anything good for these folks, but parts of her life were devoted to struggling for corporate clients and struggling for the union-hostile Walmart.
This "purpose of my life" line, though, sounds awfully reminiscent of Edwards. It looks like the ad is pitched at getting some of Edwards's former supporters or landing an Edwards endorsement, or both.
February 27, 2008 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dan, I think she's actively sending dog whistles to Edwards - I heard a lot of "I'm a fighter" last night, and her message has been increasingly populist over the past few weeks (after her meeting with him). I'm really not sure, at this point, if his endorsement is going to mean a hell of a lot, especially after Chris Dodd's endorsement of Obama yesterday.
February 27, 2008 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'm with Carol on this one. I don't think Edwards' endorsement means much at this point. His supporters have already made up their minds, so unless Edwards shocks everyone and endorses Hillary, his endorsement is just a reflection of reality.
A three weeks ago, I would have said that Edwards endorsing Hillary was a move of political calculation, because she is exactly the type of establishment candidate that Edwards railed against. At the time, that was true.
But if Edwards were to come out and endorse her today, I'd feel differently. I still think his choice of candidates is inconsistent with what he claims to stand for, but at the same time it would probably be a pretty seriously held conviction if he strapped himself to her sinking ship six days before she lost the nomination.
February 27, 2008 10:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Was the long stint on the board of Wal-Mart furthering this purpose in any way? Or dismantling it...
February 27, 2008 10:19 AM | Reply | Permalink
Just another change of message, you can see her surrogates using the new message that she is a fighter. It isn't working, 1 more week until she concedes.
February 27, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Purpose of her life". Yet another new argument for why she should be elected. It's a little hard to believe that after year of campaigning (or two or 16, depending on how you count), she's rolling out a new message in the endgame of the primary. Further confirms her inability to offer a consistent message to voters.
I thought that the ad itself was an improvement over some of the others in the sense the Hillary Clinton was actually in it, but it seemed hackneyed and a bit amateurish.
February 27, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
I actually feel that the music was too loud and distracting...i was too busy listening to the trumpets to pay attention to the ad. Still solid piece but nothing new.
February 27, 2008 10:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why do Hillary ads always have a narrator?
Can't they just show clips of her talking?
I know it's a minor thing, but it really bugs me... reminds me of a movie trailer.
February 27, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
If you were Hillary Clinton's ad person, would you show clips of her talking? When it's been proven in state after state that the more exposure people have to her, the more they gravitate away from her?
February 27, 2008 11:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
Seems to me this woman is very much in need of a purpose. "Life after losing: My purpose."
February 27, 2008 12:04 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm...if we wanted to see Clinton's ads for free, we can always go to MSNBC or CNN, since they both run them in their "blogs" for free. Of course, we could also just go to her website.
What I'd like to know is why aren't Obama's ads posted? Do you know why your friends at MSNBC and CNN rarely post Obama ads?
February 27, 2008 11:29 AM | Reply | Permalink
the second to last visual when she's delivering the message in person ... you can see her twice looking down to read it ... guess that's what happens when you rotate in new messages every 2 days.
February 27, 2008 11:41 AM | Reply | Permalink
Wish I had spend my life, like Hillary, fighting for the struggling middle class. Why is that you ask:
Because I too would now be a super wealthy person, so wealthy in fact, that I could loan five million to myself, and have trouble being able to keep track of all the money I have accumulated, and not be able to assemble my tax reports.
I think I have found a way to end poverty in America.
Just have everyone copy Hillary, and become a fighter for the struggling middle class, and that is sure to have all those selfless souls turn in to millionaires, just like selfless Hillary did.
February 27, 2008 11:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think hillary is heading back to the Senate. If she wants to make history, here's how she should do it:
Take the lead in the Senate to get a health care bill through the Senate to President Obama.
This is actualy the hard part. The president can only sign or veto, but it is Congress where these bills survive or die. And it will be very hard work, with the GOP fighting every step fo the way.
Imagine that, even not in the White House, she redeems her failure in 1993 and achieves what the Democrats have not achieved since Truman tried.
This would really be making history.
February 27, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Purpose of my life"?
sounds like she's lifting from
John Edwards again.
February 27, 2008 12:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
When the chips are down, you will often find that people's subconscious talks. I think it's fairly reasonable to assume that the purpose of HRC's life was to attain the White House -- starting with her activities in college and continuing up to her Senate run.
That's the reason she is fighting so hard here. The idea of getting into the White House is so core to her being, that to not get it would be a devastating psychological blow.
How else to explain the last month of campaigning? She is a very shrewd person -- who has been making mistake after mistake. Probably out of panic.
February 27, 2008 1:15 PM | Reply | Permalink
Curious self-description . . . "the purpose of my life." The title of Eva Peron's authobiography was "La Razon de mi Vida," or the translation would be "the purpose of my life." I would not want to be associated with that description!
February 27, 2008 6:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
Didn't you like her song: I'll cry for you New Hampshire!
February 27, 2008 7:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
You didn't like Hillary singing, I'll cry for you New Hampshire?
February 27, 2008 7:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
'Why do Hillary ads have a narrator?'
Nature of the beast. They have a narrator because they are political ads and political ads tend to have narrators. In seriousness... presumably because it creates the impression that someone else is talking up the candidate, agrees with his/her position, etc. rather than simply having the candidate tell you directly.
As for the Wal-Mart thing... in fairness the WalMart of the '80s and early '90s is not the WalMart of today. Not that I don't agree with the bigger point, but that is an important caveat to keep in mind.
February 27, 2008 6:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
I read all the obamaloons comment here and i wonder how on earth can obama bring the country together with these people on his side!! if the vicious hatred towards hillary clinton by obamagoons is anything to go by, god help us, what these people will do to republicans one can only wonder! and obama expects to build a broader coalition with these people on his side!
i hope these supporters here are in the fringes and do not really matter, otherwise i can't see obama getting anything done!
February 27, 2008 11:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Behold the launch of Hillary 1209094.0 version a.
She's found her voice! Again! No Really! Seriously this time! This is who she is!
(oh, and you'll all die if you don't vote for her)
February 29, 2008 10:51 AM | Reply | Permalink