February 29, 2008

Too Green

Hillary Clinton has launched a devastating new ad, titled "Children," suggesting - rightly - that Barack Obama is simply too green to handle a major international crisis. Though polls show that, even more than Sen. Clinton, it is John McCain whom Americans most trust right now to handle issues such as terrorism and the war.

New data from the Pew Research Center underscores those other polls:A solid majority of voters (56%) says Obama has not provided enough information about his plans and policies; in contrast, most voters say Clinton and McCain have disclosed enough information about their plans. Moreover, a plurality of voters (43%) says that Obama would not be "tough enough" in dealing with foreign policy and national security issues.So, there is fertile ground for Clinton to build on the feelings many Americans already have that Obama isn't the best choice for keeping us safe.

Clinton's ad is good. It's reminiscent in tone to Ronald Reagan's fabulous "Bear in the Woods" ad from the 1984 campaign and, 24 years later, still one of the best political ads ever made.

But I don't think Clinton's new ad is going to do her much good. If she was facing an inexperienced thin-resume empty-suit like Obama in the general election it might, as the ad's message might appeal to swing voters for whom terrorism, the war and national security are big issues. That's not the people whose support she's battling with Obama for. Obama is being propelled by anti-war Democrats, who don't care about his inexperience because, frankly, they don't think there is a threat. Just as 24 years ago, there are those on the Left who do not believe there is a hostile bear in the woods.

Still, nice ad.