Hillary's 'Republican' tactics backfire - Rove says he likes the attacks but she waited too long

[jefferson_dem]

Hillary Clinton's 'Republican' tactics backfire in battle for Pennsylvania

President Bush’s election guru Karl Rove tells our correspondent in Philadelphia that she has left it too late to assail Barack Obama

<SNIP>

If it is too late for Clinton, 60, to turn the race around, she has only herself to blame, according to Karl Rove, the architect of George W Bush’s two presidential election victories. Democrats regard him as the master of the art of negative campaigning.

“Her problem is not the attack on Obama, it is the timing,” he told The Sunday Times. “She was complacent at the beginning and took him for granted.”

“She would have a better chance of winning if she had been saying these things much earlier,” Rove said, although he does not rule out the possibility of victory.

<SNIP>

Rove argues that it is “superficial” to blame Clinton for behaving like a Republican towards Obama. “He’s been countering it as best he can by saying it is unimportant and a distraction, but Americans don’t care if she’s doing the Republicans’ dirty work for them. They just want to know more about Senator Obama.”

<SNIP>

Chris Carney, a Pennsylvania congressman who has yet to declare for either candidate, said: “This is probably the most stressful situation the two of them have ever been in and it gives us clues to how they will govern in the White House.”

He was not impressed when Clinton accused Obama of condescension towards working-class voters after he suggested at a West Coast fundraiser that economically deprived, small-town voters “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them”.

“I think it’s a tempest in a teapot,” Carney said. “It’s an indication that she’s grasping for something here. This is a close race. The fact is she’s come down from a lead of 22% in the polls to 5% or 6%.”

<SNIP>

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article3779840.ece

[Arugula Latte]

1. Queen Hillary was just waiting for them to place the crown on her holy head

She didn't know she'd have to deal with the riffraff and the democratic activists and the tens of thousands of little people who donate under $100. How gauche!

[Cha]

3. How lucky are we that

this will never happen?

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

9. excellent cartoon - behead Richardson!

for petes sake!

[dkf]

12. Goodness, they turned Hillary into a small bitter woman.

Yikes.

[book_worm]

2. it must pain Hillary to know that Rove praised her with reservations.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. No, what pains Hillary is she failed to please The Master. Her Hillarian tactics failed, but . . .

she's got 4 years to hone her skills.

[Cha]

10. You know it pains the

shite outta hilary that she didn't take rove's advice and start "earlier" with her negativity. That's what she can eternally blame herself for..she didn't get dirty until it was too late.

[DAGDA56]

4. It is said that "Master Rove" refers to the Senator from New York...

...as "grasshopper"...and is very disappointed.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. Poor Grasshopper, unable to take the stone out of the hand of the Master. Not time to leave yet.

[TML]

7. This is the only thing I'll agree with Turd Blossom on

Hit hard, hit early, hit to knock 'em down.

I hope certain people *cough,cough* are willing to heed that advice when the nomination's wrapped up and John McCain's in our crosshairs.

[liberalla]

13. You are exactly right... can't let anything slide when we face McCain

Is your team in the playoffs?
I'm an Avs fan, and we just advanced to the 2nd round tonight. (yippee!)

[TML]

14. Nope

But as soon as the Ducks are eliminated we're talking to Brian Burke about becoming GM. Then things will be looking up. :-)

[liberalla]

16. I didn't notice your sig line and Obama bumper sticker, or

else I would have seen your team. Yes, there's always next year.

I have a soft spot in my heart for the Canadian teams (my Dad is French Canadian), and to have only 6 teams remaining in the league is sad.

[TML]

17. Winnipeg and Quebec never should have moved

[ORDem]

8. K

:kick:

[merh]

11. from the mouth of clinton's sensei

Rove argues that it is “superficial” to blame Clinton for behaving like a Republican towards Obama. “He’s been countering it as best he can by saying it is unimportant and a distraction, but Americans don’t care if she’s doing the Republicans’ dirty work for them. They just want to know more about Senator Obama.”

He is wrong, this time the people do care that the dirty tricks are being used and they don't like it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. I wonder if Carney is signaling which way he's leaning?

“I think it’s a tempest in a teapot,” Carney said. “It’s an indication that she’s grasping for something here. This is a close race. The fact is she’s come down from a lead of 22% in the polls to 5% or 6%.”

Sure sounds like it to me....