Hillary Clinton Was "Working the Refs"

[LoZoccolo]

There's a clever, effective technique often employed by coaches in the National Basketball Association, used to gain a subtle but demonstrable edge in close games, known as "working the refs." In essence, it involves endless and bitter complaints about your opponents' supposed advantages -- to your own future advantage. Aggressively contesting every foul and infraction assessed to your side, no matter how deserved it may have been, and in the end, the unmitigated barrage may result in a psychological reaction on the part of the referees, who (being only human) then begin to feel that they have been unfairly calling the game. Striving for impartiality, they soon begin to subconsciously 'adjust' their control of the game so as to correct any prior 'imbalance' that may have resulted from their previous calls.

Hillary won this week by working the refs.

By constantly complaining about coverage, and relentlessly focusing on charges that the news media has favored Barack Obama and treated him far more gently than herself, Hillary was finally able to staunch the bleeding and stage a desperately needed, last minute comeback that will keep her in the game. By mocking the media, quoting Saturday Night Live, and "practically browbeating reporters," her campaign lived to fight another day.

http://www.alternet.org/election08/78759

There you have it, Rovian Republican tactics once again! Let's get to the White House with the wounded bull routine, hurray!

[NC_Nurse]

1. She's going to whine her way into the White House.

Wah, the press is harder on me!
Wah, I always get the first question!
Wah, it's a boys club!


:puke:

But she's so TOUGH. Yeah, right....:eyes:

[crikkett]

2. I really wouldn't call it Rovian. She was calling out bullshit,

which is something that people are normally too timid to do.

On edit: I've only seen a little bit and I've been impressed.

[earthlover]

7. What is bullshit is how easy Clinton has fared, after 11 losses anyone else would be gone

[crikkett]

12. She's made of steel, that lady.

I'm not saying I support her or Obama, because I went for Kucinich and now I have to weigh options again. Actually no I don't have to weigh options again. I have to wait and see what happens.

But even after 11 losses she's not giving up because SHE STILL HAS A CHANCE. Hillary Clinton is not a loser.

Neither is Obama.

Seriously if they don't run on a combined ticket they should both be run out of the country.

[earthlover]

15. I was referring to the media. The media would have treated anyone who lost 11 straight as dead

Except, of course, Hillary. They would have propped her up if she lost Texas and Ohio by 5 points!

[seabeyond]

8. republicans say the same with liberal news.... poster has good point

didnt think about. but this is another rove tactic clinton seems to have picked up. no one said she wasnt smart. i have just spent a lot of time picking up on the many rove tactics she employs.

[papau]

14. Agree - the press bias against Hillary is obvious - as noted by Media Matters re Tweety

[Tarc]

3. Um, it isn't "Rovian tactics" to point out the truth, son

Obama has long been enjoying a free ride by the media, but the NAFTA memo and other stories finally came out that even his media darlings could not ignore. And in trying to respond to this new-found and sharpened spotlight, he stumbled badly.

The voters in Texas, Ohio, and RI saw in Brack Obama a candiate who is simply not ready for the withering scrutiny that will come in a general election. They rejected the cult of presonality, and went with someone who will best represent them.

[LoZoccolo]

5. So Hillary made the media "fair and balanced", lol. n/t

[godai]

4. Obama needs to work the refs or risk being swiftboated.

Clinton is winning the media game recently...from NAFTA to Rezko to Obama spokespersons not doing a good job on TV. Today's comment by Susan Rice that he's not prepared for Day 1 is bad, even though she included Clinton also.

[joeybee12]

6. No, it worked because it resonated with voters...if she had simply

complained about something people didn't agree with, they would have ignored it...but the majority of people believe she's gotten a raw deal from the media nto only now, but always...that's why people responded when she complained.

[LoZoccolo]

9. If they believed she had gotten a raw deal wouldn't they have voted for her anyways? n/t

[crikkett]

13. It's not a popularity contest. I swear if I ever heard someone tell me they cast a sympathy vote

for PRESIDENT at this time in our history, I'd probably break a couple laws in my failure to control my disgust.

On edit: If you barf on someone's shoes is that assault?

[DrFunkenstein]

10. Planted Questions, Killing Articles, Denying Access - Clinton Plays Victim When It Suits Her

The Clinton campaign whipped the media for about year when she was the early frontrunner, leaving them to marvel at the campaign's discipline (remember those heady times?) because they refused the media (and therefore the American voting public) any access, just like the Bush administration.

Then, in New Hampshire, she found her "voice" - which was playing the victim apparently can help a female candidate in a pinch. Suddenly, the campaign that had once smacked journalists for daring to print even the mildest criticism started saying they were all ganging up on top of her.

[featherman]

11. It worked