My Problem With Clinton's NH Acceptance Speech

[Lord Helmet]

I heard Clinton's New Hampshire acceptance speech again today, and there's something about the first section that bothers me:

"Over the last week, I listened to you, and, in the process, I found my voice."

Here's the problem that I have with this - through this entire campaign, she has been going on and on about her 35 years of experience*, that she knows how to get things done in Washington... you know the routine. But if she is so prepared to be President, why is she just now finding her voice? Aren't you supposed to do that before you run? As far as I can figure, this means one of two things. Either,

A) She doesn't care about anything other than getting elected, and will shift her talking points accordingly,
or
B) She's even less prepared/qualified to be President than we thought.


...that, or it was just another poorly thought out speech. Who knows at this point.

[andyrowe]

1. She means she sounds better with Obama's message.

[Diane R]

2. HA!! I agree....when did she become (said in sing-song voice), "An Agent of CHANGE!!"

[AtomicKitten]

3. An excellent question.

[Mind_your_head]

4. The Clintons have ALWAYS stuck their finger in the wind and gone with the flow......

unfortunately.

[Clintonista2]

5. Your voice is what you use to express your words (ideas, thoughts, beliefs)

Her basic ideas, thoughts, and beliefs haven't changed. Her way of conveying them have, in a more human way. Obama, unlike Hillary, is great at using his voice. If you listen to his actual words, however, you see how empty they are.

[ORDem]

6. LOL!

I just hope she can learn to talk more succinctly and get her point across. She is just terrible off the cuff, goes on and on, mixing points all together.

[JDPriestly]

7. She is a phony. It is quite simple.

[jaybeat]

8. She's not my fave, but I think you're right

I think it was DeeDee Meyers commenting on Hillary's "moment of emotion" saying that Hillary has had to learn to control and supress her emotions, and that perhaps what happened was the fatigue and everything let some of that slip out and that this was good, though you could even see her try and gather herself and finish with a talking point, trying to get herself "back on message." Frankly, that seemed to ring true.

This might be the type of situation like Al Gore in 2000, where the army of advisers and experts is telling her to stick to the script, act Presidential, be tougher than all the guys, etc., and she may have found that talking with people (not at them), listening, showing that she cares (things that helped Bill charm his way into so many hearts 16 years ago) may be more effective politically because they are more like her "real self." Only Al didn't "find his voice" until after he lost. (Or, er, won...)

At least, that's what I'd like to hope, given that, win or lose, she's going to be a prominent Democrat for a very long time to come.