Peggy Noonan on the challenge of Obama
He is the brilliant young black man as American dream. No consultant, no matter how opportunistic and hungry, will think it easy–or professionally desirable–to take him down in a low manner. If anything, they’ve learned from the Clintons in South Carolina what that gets you. (I add that yes, there are always freelance mental cases, who exist on both sides and are empowered by modern technology. They’ll make their YouTubes. But the mad are ever with us, and this year their work will likely stay subterranean.)
With Mr. Obama the campaign will be about issues. “He’ll raise your taxes.” He will, and I suspect Americans may vote for him anyway. But the race won’t go low.
Mrs. Clinton would be easier for Republicans. With her cavalcade of scandals, they’d be delighted to go at her. They’d get medals for it. Consultants would get rich on it.
The Democrats have it exactly wrong. Hillary is the easier candidate, Mr. Obama the tougher. Hillary brings negative; it’s fair to hit her back with negative. Mr. Obama brings hope, and speaks of a better way. He’s not Bambi, he’s bulletproof.
The biggest problem for the Republicans will be that no matter what they say that is not issue oriented–”He’s too young, he’s never run anything, he’s not fully baked”–the mainstream media will tag them as dealing in racial overtones, or undertones. You can bet on this. Go to the bank on it.
The Democrats continue not to recognize what they have in this guy. Believe me, Republican professionals know. They can tell.
I can feel myself getting sucked into this thing like I get sucked into watching the Eagles every year. This picture Noonan’s painting is not one I haven’t seen before. My guess is that she’s right: Hillary would be a much easier opponent for the Republicans because she’s about as polarizing a figure as there is on the American political scene. Only person I can think of who’s more polarizing than H-dot is Bush. Now granted, to be a loved-or-hated figure means that your legions of detractors can’t stand you, but it also means that your supporters will go to war for you, and given the way things have gone for the last 8 years, I wouldn’t be entirely surprised to see a we-don’t-want-them-in-office vote come November. But while that almost worked with Kerry four years ago, it didn’t quite happen. I don’t know if she can pull it off, either.
Let her tell it, facing Obama in the election would be like fighting Pernell Whitaker in his prime: where can you hit him? Ironically, Hillary may actually be providing the blueprint. They’ve tried making him the “Black” candidate, as in somebody who may get some symbolic victories but has no shot at really winning a substantial number of delegates, let alone an election. That didn’t work. Tuesday demonstrated that. Whether Obama’s as slick as Sweet Pea or not, he’s proving to be a tough out. Only thing is, if Obama IS Sweet Pea, I can see Clinton as Julio Cesar Chavez, pulling out a draw (or in her case, a win) that shouldn’t be, because of the superdelegates.
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