The First Laddie
Former president Bill Clinton is a man possessed. He is, once again, explaining for public consumption the intimate details of a love affair – this time, with his wife. Now roundly criticized by power brokers in his own party for being impolitic with his remarks chastising the Obama campaign, the former president has clearly become his wife's most ardent champion.
Bill Clinton's entry into Hillary Clinton's campaign was a strategy born from a widespread belief in the enduring political skills and the popularity of the 42nd president. His spousal advocacy displays an ardor, however, that would appear to go beyond mere support of Hillary's quest for office. In Bill Clinton's mind, the election of the first woman president may in fact be the last act of a grand political passion play featuring the First Man: the resurrection of the impeached. Granted an unprecedented second opportunity to enact a policy agenda that was derailed by his fall from grace, Mr. Clinton would certainly be an intimate adviser, someone with unprecedented access to the president of the United States. Hillary's victory could become the comeback kid’s ultimate comeback – the defeat of his political crucifixion and an exoneration of his place in history.
Implicit in this drama of course is also a powerful storyline that millions of American women can identify with: the woman disgraced by a philandering husband, his humiliation and her ascent to independence and power, all leading to spousal reconciliation and the ultimate vindication of the American nuclear family.
While this scenario would seem to play well in the living rooms of Oprah’s America, it may prove to be – to paraphrase Mr. Clinton – a well-worn fairy tale. Now that the contest between Barack Obama and the Clintons has descended into the realm of political cheap-shots and personal attacks, the American people may become uncomfortable as they find themselves suddenly dredging up the old detritus of the 90’s. With a little more help from her husband, Hillary Clinton may find that the voters will start to recall another phenomenon characteristic of the end of the last decade before a single vote is cast: Clinton fatigue.
Former president Bill Clinton is a man possessed. He is, once again, explaining for public consumption the intimate details of a love affair – this time, with his wife. Now roundly criticized by power brokers in his own party for being impolitic with his remarks chastising the Obama campaign, the former president has clearly become his wife's most ardent champion.
Bill Clinton's entry into Hillary Clinton's campaign was a strategy born from a widespread belief in the enduring political skills and the popularity of the 42nd president. His spousal advocacy displays an ardor, however, that would appear to go beyond mere support of Hillary's quest for office. In Bill Clinton's mind, the election of the first woman president may in fact be the last act of a grand political passion play featuring the First Man: the resurrection of the impeached. Granted an unprecedented second opportunity to enact a policy agenda that was derailed by his fall from grace, Mr. Clinton would certainly be an intimate adviser, someone with unprecedented access to the president of the United States. Hillary's victory could become the comeback kid’s ultimate comeback – the defeat of his political crucifixion and an exoneration of his place in history.
Implicit in this drama of course is also a powerful storyline that millions of American women can identify with: the woman disgraced by a philandering husband, his humiliation and her ascent to independence and power, all leading to spousal reconciliation and the ultimate vindication of the American nuclear family.
While this scenario would seem to play well in the living rooms of Oprah’s America, it may prove to be – to paraphrase Mr. Clinton – a well-worn fairy tale. Now that the contest between Barack Obama and the Clintons has descended into the realm of political cheap-shots and personal attacks, the American people may become uncomfortable as they find themselves suddenly dredging up the old detritus of the 90’s. With a little more help from her husband, Hillary Clinton may find that the voters will start to recall another phenomenon characteristic of the end of the last decade before a single vote is cast: Clinton fatigue.
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