This Woman’s Job Is to Recast Hillary Clinton’s Image

[n2doc]

By AMY CHOZICK

To get a brief reprieve from the pressures of working in the White House, Kristina Schake, a former aide to the first lady, Michelle Obama, took a class about her favorite painter, Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio.

She noticed that the Italian painter often showed Christ with bare feet, portraying his subject as a common man.

It was a lesson that informed Ms. Schake’s job in the East Wing when, as Mrs. Obama’s communications chief, she encouraged the first lady to take an undercover shopping trip to a Target in suburban Alexandria, Va., to showcase her dance moves on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” and to make a cameo at the Oscars.

Positioning a public figure is not exactly the work of a Baroque master, and a trip to Target does not a work of-art make. Nevertheless, the lesson from Caravaggio was clear in Ms. Schake’s approach.

Having helped shape Mrs. Obama’s public image into that of an accessible everywoman, Ms. Schake is about to face what may be her toughest challenge yet: working to get another first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, elected president.

more
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/style/this-woman-is-in-charge-of-shaping-hillary-clintons-image.html?_r=0

[Buzz Clik]

1. Is this where we pretend to be shocked that Hillary has a PR person?

HOLY SHIT! I'M SHOCKED!

(how was that?)

[n2doc]

3. No, but I figured some might be interested in the details n/t

[Buzz Clik]

4. no doubt.

[marshall]

15. I'm more "shocked" by the Michelle/Hillary connection

For years the media has crammed down our throats that the Obamas and the Clintons loathe each other. Now they tout an apparent collaboration between the families that contradicts their treasured meme.

[Buzz Clik]

16. "Treasured meme"? Well, one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I frankly don't give a shit.

[Thinkingabout]

2. Another professional to her team.

[VanillaRhapsody]

5. God I love the smell of desperation on a lovely Saturday morning!

[OKNancy]

6. good. as the article says

people who really know her say she is warm and funny.

Rob Reiner quote at the very end of the article: “When you see Hillary Clinton alone, she’s a good old girl,” Mr. Reiner said, echoing the familiar lament that voters just don’t know the real Hillary. “She likes to have a beer and laugh.”

[Scuba]

7. Wow, that sounds so familiar ...

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/opinion/columnist/benedetto/2004-09-17-benedetto_x.htm

A recent Zogby/Williams Identity Poll reflected that. It found that 57% of undecided voters would rather have a beer with (George W.) Bush than Kerry.

[OKNancy]

8. of course it does

do you think Rob Reiner is an idiot? It's a half joke/half serious comment.
Your post is really stretching for something to hate about her.

[Scuba]

11. Yeah, except I don't hate her. I'm just opposed to the policies she backs.

[Beacool]

18. He's right.

Anyone who has spent half an hour with her without cameras and media around knows that she has a wicked sense of humor. She's funny, witty and can do impersonations that are spot on. She loves to be around people who make her laugh, she has enough pressures to live by and laughing is one way to decompress.

[quadrature]

9. remember when John Kerry went windsurfing?

helped his image a little bit, I suppose.

what about HRC?
can she walk up some stairs?
can she walk a half mile?
doubtful.

some things are not changeable.

[hopemountain]

10. perhaps..

but she can be a proud grandma who plays with her grandchild & holds her for pics...

and she can show up for workers' rights rallies, lgbt rights marches, social justice / minority rights events, show support for consumer rights, show up at earth day, sierra club gatherings and other environmental issue platforms... she wouldn't even have to say anything - just be there and accessible to the people with their boots on the ground.

[quadrature]

14. you are asking for a lot ...

can she(HRC) make more than one public appearance per day?

can she get out of a car by herself?
(if no)
can she get out of a SUV?
(if no)
can she get out of a shuttle bus?

[hopemountain]

19. exactly what are you implying?

is this the next coordinated assault against hillary by the gop and teahaddists - that hillary is too old and feeble or injured from her fall to be president? or, that just by being a woman she is a weak candidate?

sheesh. ridiculous. just shows how stupid this poorly thought out line of attack can be. yet, here you are implying this very line of thinking. she is not older than other candidates who have run for president - and then, there is reagan with early signs of dementia - in the white house.

[quadrature]

20. judging by appearances...her health is not up to the task ...

someone who needs 6 months to
recover from a fall, is not well.

appearance is all we have,
because she won't talk about her health.

[hopemountain]

22. disagree. she would not be running

if she were not fit for the job nor the task. seriously, you believe someone who feels they are unable to perform such a momentous burden would be able to raise support and donations and spend billions to run a campaign? you will never succeed in spreading your "weak" attacks. be prepared, if she runs and wins the primaries, you will be seeing her in the whitehouse as president.

[Darb]

23. I'm calling bullshit,

on your bullshit. You are parroting a winger meme.

Stop doing it for fuck's sake.

Sooooooooooo obviouso.

I seee you.

[marshall]

21. Her actions in some ways fed fuel to the fire

it is very wise to have a seasoned PR person to coordinate and guide both what she does and how she reports what she does.

[karynnj]

12. Kerry did not windsurf to reset his image - it was something he loved doing and

he had long spoke of how he often used it (and other exercise) to clear his mind and allow him to refocus. It was not a surprise that he had his bike in Switzerland to use between the marathon negotiations.

I suspect - that even though the Republicans had lots of fun with his windsurfing, it did serve a different purpose. I suspect without it the Republicans would have raised the issue of his recent treatment for cancer - especially as Edwards did not do all that well in his debate. If nothing else, the photos of him windsurfing - not easy at any age - showed an image of a very fit guy.

[Beacool]

17. Actually, Hillary and Bill walk a lot.

They always take long walks through Chappaqua with their dogs. They are reportedly the most accessible WH couple. They frequent the local establishments and shop like anybody else in town. Hillary loves to swim and does so often. Although she jokes about it, she also has a personal trainer who comes to her house on a regular basis.

[blkmusclmachine]

13. http://th08.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE/i/2010/114/0/a/Dorian_Gray_by_C_Sofia.jpg