In fact, the Democratic race has not been especially rough by historical standards. What’s more, our conversations with Democrats who speak to the Clintons make plain that their public comments are only the palest version of what they really believe: that if Obama is the nominee, a likely Democratic victory would turn to a near-certain defeat. Far from a no-holds-barred affair, the Democratic contest has been an exercise in self-censorship. Rip off the duct tape and here is what they would say: Obama has serious problems with Jewish voters (goodbye Florida), working-class whites (goodbye Ohio) and Hispanics (goodbye, New Mexico). Republicans will also ruthlessly exploit openings that Clinton–in the genteel confines of an intraparty contest–never could. Top targets: Obama’s radioactive personal associations, his liberal ideology, his exotic life story, his coolly academic and elitist style.
All well and good. Then they try to judge McCain’s approach by studying the past:
What about the issues that most journalists and probably McCain himself will consider out-of-bounds but that, if recent history is any guide, will echo nonetheless in the general election? The last two Democratic nominees, Al Gore and John F. Kerry, were both military veterans, and both had been familiar, highly successful figures in national politics for more than two decades by the time they ran. Both men lost control of their public images to the right-wing freak show–that network of operatives and commentators working mostly outside of the mainstream media–and ultimately lost their elections as many voters came to see them as elitist, out-of-touch, phony, and even unpatriotic.
Freak show? Kerry lost his image alright, but because his image was based on, at best, exaggeration. His Swiftboat crew was aghast at the images seared, seared into his memory–images none of them witnessed because they never happened, like that secret war in Cambodia. Bloggers and commentators did their bit by simply repeating Kerry’s libels of his fellow Vietnam vets. Or gleefully reporting incidents like Kerry blaming the Secret Service agent for causing him to fall on a ski slope (“I don’t fall down. The son of a bitch knocked me over.”) Stopping off for lunch at a greasy-spoon to meet “real” people, only to eat their usual five-star meal back in the bus. And of course the legendary magic hat. Kerry was the gift that never stopped giving. I lost count of the times I heard people voting for him say, “I don’t like the guy, but…” Not even his supporters supported him. That wasn’t Rush Limbaugh’s fault. Kerry unpatriotic? I wouldn’t go that far. But “elitist, out-of-touch, phony”? You bet. If that was the work of a freak show, then the mainstream press could use some more geeks and pinheads in their ranks.
