Reply #7: An online friend, ex-Clarkie, posted an "Undecided" thread the other day

[Tom Rinaldo]

Struggling with her choice between Obama and Clinton. She seemed to lean Clinton on a head to head comparison basis, but worried that there might be too much hatred of Clinton out there. This is what I wrote to her:

I think the ferociousness of attacks on Hillary will backfire
Edited on Tue Jan-29-08 10:28 AM by Tom Rinaldo
Here is an interesting story out of Florida:

Sun-Sentinal.com
Women give Clinton commanding lead in Florida
By Anthony Man | Political Writer
January 23, 2008

"...The South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Florida Times-Union Florida poll conducted last week found that among Democrats, Clinton had support of 56 percent of likely female voters — 36 percentage points ahead of Obama, who had support of 20 percent of women. Clinton had the support of 43 percent of men, just 5 percentage points ahead of Obama's 38 percent."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flbwomen0123pnjan23,0,6141190.story

The gender gap breaks much stronger in favor of Clinton among women than it breaks against her among men, and not just in Florida. And of course women are the majority group in America. Right now, in the Democratic Primary, sympathy for the unfair "attacks" Hillary comes under as a women is largely counterbalanced by sympathy for Obama because of "attacks" the media blames on the Clinton camp against Obama over race.

The story of how race is playing into this contest, and discussion about it, is overshadowing any focus on sexism for now. But the Republicans are going to run a white guy for President. If Hillary is our nominee there will be virtually if no talk about race baiting, but the issue of sexism will be on bold display across America. That is because the Republican Hate Machine can't help itself. They don't know how to throttle back their derision of Hillary, it goes against their DNA seemingly on the cellular level. They will repeat all the mistakes that won Hillary real sympathy in New Hampshire, and stir outrage against those who act belittling toward a woman who dares to believe she can be a leader. Obvious low blows will be landed against Hillary, and she will still stand strong. The public, women in particular, will not stand silently for that. Hillary's haters will dig their own grave.

As the Democratic nominee for President Hillary will get the stage half for herself to define herself to the American People. That is about an 800% more fair division of media access between Hillary herself and Hillary's haters than she has ever gotten before on a National level in the 15 years since Republicans started attacking her.

The Republicans have given it their best shot to negatively define Hillary Clinton and her positives vs negatives now are not that much worse in polling than Barack Obama is recording. But the Republicans have barely begun to spin their toxic stories about Richard Daley's legacy of an iron fisted Chicago political machine and a supposed culture of corruption that ruled Chicago throughout Obama's dramatic rise in politics. Obama has gotten the rock star treatment, Hillary has gotten Ken Starr's treatment. Hillary Clinton is the one with real upside potential left when the voters reevaluate her one on one in direct comparison with a Republican opponent.

Hillary Clinton will win the debates, that is important, because if she doesn't come across as up for the job the public will not balk at the unfair derision she will receive despite being the most intelligent and competent candidate running. But Clinton clearly comes across as brilliant. She comes across as strong but still understanding of the real pain real Americans are feeling. She comes across as a hard worker at a time when the voters understand that it will take hard work to deal with the massive problems any President is about to inherit. Hillary Clinton will certainly be scorned by her enemies during the General Election campaign. But they would be much wiser to "Beware a woman scorned..."


And I also wrote her this:

What I want to say to you is simply to support the person who you feel will make the best President for America. We will take that person over the finish line together. I think you should go with the person who you would rather vote for out of them.