"As many people know, I've spent many years in TV network news. I polled old friends and acquaintances today and with one exception, all agreed that Hillary Clinton’s announcement today that she is running for President (yawn) is a HUGE misstep.
First, she did it at a time guaranteed to get her minimum television exposure. The Saturday HUT (Homes Using Television) numbers are miniscule. When was the last time the Saturday Noon News was a “must see” for anyone?
In addition, anyone watching TV today or tomorrow is probably a man and he is tuned into sports. Not Hillary’s target audience!
She should have announced on 4:00 P.M on Thursday, after appearing earlier in the day on GMA, Today, CBSMN, and especially “The View” to coyly announce that she just might have something importance to announce “soon.”
By announcing at 4:00 on a Thursday, she would have been the lead story on all that evening’s newscasts. Thursday is often the second highest rated show of the week. Then she would have been topic #1 that night and all day Friday. She could have been back on the AM shows and The View on Friday, perhaps even a quick Oprah appearance. Friday night’s national news shows would have been all reaction stories, a visit to her hometown, etc. She would have owned 36 hours of prime TV.
As it is, she chose the absolutely worst time. The Sunday AM shows will be all over it, but no undecided voters watch those shows. She will get no mojo or movement from them. By Monday, it’s old news.
Next her method of announcement. She posted it as a statement on her website.
Idiotic.
She could have gathered 2000 screaming, sigh waving supporters on the Capitol steps, balloons, a band, etc. Could have been a huge hoop de do! CNN, FNC and others would have covered it live, etc. As it was, nothing! In the words of one senior editor, “She mailed it in!”
Next, she has based her campaign on “Stopping Bush.” That’s got about 30 days worth of legs. In addition, everything she says for the next 20 months will be seen as “political.” She just threw away any chance she had of being seen as a healer or “statesman” like. Politically, she just painted a huge target on her back. Every time she says word one on any issue, an “independent” third party spokesperson can rake her over the coals, and the Republicans can stay above it all.
Finally, everyone sees it for what it is. She panicked over Obama.
He is a 60 day flash in the pan, this year’s Weasley Clark or Howard Dean. America is not about to elect a Black, Muslim-trained, admitted cocaine-using man President, no matter how good he looks on TV… this month.
The media loves him…. this month. The media that loves him now will fill the air with “investigative stories” about him next month. By April at the latest, he will be very old news
Bottom line on that issue; Hillary stood eye to eye against a totally non-electable presidential candidate…. from her own party…. and she blinked!
Mark Halperin at ABC is gushing over her announcement, but everyone else is saying “Huh?”
Another said, "She has been planning this for 20 or 30 years, and this is her best shot!?!?" "What's next, shooting Santa Claus on Christmas Eve?"
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