Hillary is going to have to try to do something dramatic in the next debates

[Levgreee]

She is going to to speak out loudly, it can't be the same safe political talk and minor attacks we've seen in the other debates.

But... how can she do it? I think the health care argument goes to a stalemate. Obama is at least defensible on that.

About him only being talk? He can and has deflected that, but perhaps, she can try to highlight this in some new manner, and Obama will have to make a creative, off the top of his head deflection or be hurt a lot.


I feel confident about Obama, he has a very clear head, knows his political weaknesses and strengths, and probably has few if any attacks he could not respond against. He isn't infallible though of course.

It will be interesting.

[Tatiana]

1. Foreign policy. That is the only area where she has a significant advantage. n/t

[Levgreee]

3. How so? I think the idea of talking to Iran and other enemies quickly appeals to many

her foreign policy is more hawkish than Obama. 'Perhaps' she is right, but I don't know if she can convince the viewers of that.

Of course, she might stumble on Iraq again, if the debate goes into foreign policy too much.

[Tatiana]

24. We've gotten bogged down in Middle-Eastern foreign policy.

But there are a host of other relationships we need to cultivate like the European Union, India, China, Korea, Russia, Mexico, SOUTH AMERICA (Colombia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, etc.), CUBA...

By virtue of her husband and being First Lady, Hillary already has a jump start and vast knowledge base on these nations. Africa (Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Tanzania, Chad, Ethiopia, Sudan, etc.) is a draw between the two, but if someone asks a question like "What should the position of the United States be regarding Taiwan's sovereignty?" I think this is territory that Clinton can own.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I just think she starts off way ahead in this area.

[Johnny__Motown]

6. and you can argue ...that policy has failed, we need a change. good luck

[TheDonkey]

7. Actually Iraq will come up and she'll trip all over that.

[gateley]

11. He's on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee -- that's gotta help -- and

she's not. So he's hanging with the experts.

[Tom Rinaldo]

20. But he never called a single meeting of his sub-committee

I don't think he'll try using that credit.

[jillan]

23. And she has actually visited many countries and met with leaders

to stand up for woman's rights.

I don't think Obama has even visited Europe - which is his responsibility in the SFRC.

[theboss]

2. She needs to goad him into calling her a "white bitch."

That's pretty much her best option right now.

[John Q. Citizen]

14. I think that might be her only hope.

[TheDonkey]

26. Words he must not utter

periodical
claws
periodic table
periodically
PMS
down
depressed
sad and lonely
mood swings


If that is the case he'll be good

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. Salome?

no, the veils would not work. people would donate simply to keep them intact.

Hey. there's a new idea to raise desperate campaign $$$!

[babylonsister]

5. Nah, she is done. Obama rules. nt

[silverweb]

8. As Michelle said...

"We've heard it all before."

GObama! _Dare to Dream_

[Metric System]

13. Is this the same Michelle who says she's never been proud of her country before?

[silverweb]

15. You paraphrase poorly.

Buh-bye! :hi:

[John Q. Citizen]

17. So your suggestion to Hill is that she go after Michelle on her patriotism? Do you think

that will turn it around for your girl?

[Beausoir]

16. Oh...Michelle is in for a very rude awakening is she thinks this is as rough as it's going to get.s

She ain't heard nothing yet.

Once the GOP is done with her, she'll be a completely different person.

[John Q. Citizen]

18. Yeah, and she will be the First Lady by then.

[babylonsister]

21. I can't wait for that eventuality! nt

[silverweb]

27. She can handle it.

And then some. Just watch and see.

[HeraldSquare212]

9. The expectations will be too high - whatever she tries, it will be taken as a ploy by watchers

Something straight from the gut/heart would work, but I don't think she could pull it off at all.

[MilesColtrane]

10. She'll go with the meme that Bill Clinton was the country's first black president.

...to reinforce that people voting for that milestone have already missed the boat.

[gateley]

12. Her campaign people must be going nuts trying to figure out what approach

to take - not much has worked thus far.

[Moh96]

19. ya like announcing she will run independent and ruin it for everyone if the party doesn't nominate

her, because I think thats the last resort she hasn't taken yet

[Johnny__Motown]

22. She has no hope of winning 3rd party, Barack maybe but not Hillary

[Tom Rinaldo]

25. She just finished her nightmare two weeks,

It was expected to be bad and it has been worse than expected, but she always knew Obama would have a real momentum roll going through Hawaii. It has left her in a pretty bad place no doubt, but the schedule now at least gives her a chance to reboot.

The two debates are critical for Hillary, because they provide her with two "contests" that are immune to Obama's momentum, because no one will literally be voting in them. As it stands there is a temptation for voters to go with Obama now not only for the usual reason of preferring him to an opponent, but also to "get this thing over with". That is part of how Obama's momentum from a string of victories is helping him, it creates his own "inevitability factor". But the debates provide a "cooling off period" from voting, where voters will again simply be comparing the strengths and weaknesses of Obama and Clinton without going into any polling booths.

The debates give Hillary her last best chance to wipe the recent slate clean before the big primaries in Ohio and Texas. They are important to Obama also though, because they provide the last best chance for him to increase his own stature and gravitas prior to taking on McCain as our nominee, assuming Obama wins the nomination. Sharing a stage with Hillary Clinton twice, one on one, and holding his own while doing so unscripted can help Obama overcome some of the negative effects of an "experience gap" with McCain, helping Americans view him as equally as "Presidential" as McCain.

[lapfog_1]

28. She is going to use her experience on the

Senate Armed Services committee to detail how she is ready to be Commander-in-Chief and contrast that with Obama's lack of military experience.

I wish I was joking.

But I'm not. That's the plan folks. Attack Obama as not CinC material.

and outside the debate, double down on the go negative strategy.

Serious.

[bowens43]

30. You're probably right

but as we've seen, the more negative she goes, the greater Obama's victory. America is sick and tired of her kind of politics. We have had negative/attack politics for almost 28 years. It's over.

[bowens43]

29. Maybe a nice dance routine........ nt