Clinton Campaign Attacks Obama for Being a Good Speaker

Posted by Mike Lux, Open Left at 2:10 PM on February 15, 2008.

So now that I've done a post on something other than the Presidential race, I just have to say one thing about the Presidential race- sorry.

Hillary Clinton's new attack line against Barack Obama is that he gives great speeches. Seriously, here's her quote:

Speeches don't put food on the table. Speeches don't fill up your tank, or fill up your prescription, or do anything about that stack of bills that keeps you up at night. My opponent gives speeches. I offer solutions.

So let me flow this argument out, as we used to say on the debate team: her argument seems to be that Obama gives good speeches, and I don't, so I will be a better President.

Apparently since Obama gives great speeches, so he must not be good at getting things done. It's a bullshit argument, but it can be very effective with working class folks who are cynical about politicians and the speeches they give. To push back, Obama has to keep his speeches rooted to the real issues people are facing, and tie those real issues to the hope message he is bringing. He's doing a pretty good job of that at the moment, so I am guessing that these new attacks by Clinton will fall flat.

To my old friends at the Clinton campaign: I love y'all, but you gotta come up with something better than this.

Tagged as: clinton, obama

Mike Lux is the founder of Progressive Strategies LLC and a director of the Center for Progressive Leadership, the Proteus Fund and the Arca Foundation.