Clinton Campaign Uses 'The Bill Factor'
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama attended anniversary ceremonies for the Alabama civil rights marches. The events marked the Clinton campaign's first use of the "Bill factor." Gloria Borger reports.
The decision to send Bill Clinton to march in Selma alongside his wife was made at the last minute and it was a delicate mission: to prop up Hillary Clinton’s standing with African Americans while not overshadowing her.
So while his wife preached at a Selma church, Bill Clinton was not sitting in the congregation.
“All the good speakers bent down by Hillary and Senator Obama today already, I just sort of bring it up the rear.”
It’s a lesson the Clinton campaign learned after the President upstaged his wife at the funeral for Coretta Scott King.
Finding a way to turn a former President into a good campaign spouse is tough. It’s never happened before. And it inevitably leads to this question: aside from raising money and acting as strategist in chief, what is the best way for her to use him?
“That something I guess is like a protein medicine: you can use it, but you have to use it sparingly and in small dozes.”
Even small dozes, sometimes yield surprises. As on Sunday when Mr. Clinton embraced his wife’s opponent and still got a huge cheer. As President Clinton was leaving office, his popularity among American Americans was at 73%.
Congressman John Lewis calls him an icon. “In the African American community, there’s probably no other white politician had such a whole on their community.”
The Clinton campaign wants to transfer some of that love to Hillary.
“I’m not sure that it’s possible to transfer. I didn’t do it just right. But I think it’s not a bad problem you may have that you married the most popular Democrat in the United States.”
Before Barack Obama entered the Democratic race, there was a sense of inevitability about Hillary Clinton’s nomination. But now there’s a real political fight. And on lots of levels, the big question is this: will Bill Clinton help her or hurt? Katie.
Gloria Borger in Washington tonight. Gloria, thank you. |
