Whether or not Hilary Clinton goes on to win the Democratic nomination remains to be seen. A single caucus loss for a well-funded, high name I.D. candidate is hardly grounds for surrender. She may still prove to be the inevitable political juggernaut that pundits had been predicting for months.
Ours is a collective political climate traditionally based on not losing rather than winning. To this end, the Clinton campaign has been a cautious, methodical, take no chances operation, reserved for incumbents with wide leads or candidates with a sense of entitlement.
After her loss in Iowa, Clinton is obviously neither. Much has been made about her 35-years of experience, but at least in Iowa, Clinton couldn't convince a plurality how that was important going forward.
But Clinton's explicit message, her experience, her mastery of the issues, and that she is ready to be president on day one, was undercut by her implicit message. Clinton's implicit message seeks to combine two oxymoronic concepts: Helen Reddy and Tammy Wynette.
Reddy, who in 1972 co-authored and performed the number one single, "I am Woman," which became an enduring anthem within the women's liberation movement. Released in 1968, Wynette's "Stand by Your Man," seemed to be the antithesis of Reddy's affirmation.
Not surprisingly, "Stand by Your Man," was derided by feminist movements of the late 1960s and early 1970's as counter productive to their efforts. Wynette defended the song as not a call for women to place themselves second to men, but rather a suggestion that women attempt to overlook their husbands' shortcomings and faults if they truly love them. Like Reddy, it was Wynette's signature song.
In Clinton's case, it is not "stand by your man", but rather "have your man ready whenever you're in trouble". She portrays herself as the independent woman, with 35-years of experience, involved in all the triumphs of the Clinton administration, and takes little responsibility for its failures, while keeping the former president close by to save the damsel in distress whenever necessary.
But politics, and its accompanying ambition, can do strange things to a candidate--things that might otherwise seem contradictory. Thus, Clinton's particular high wire act is an interesting juxtaposition that we've not seen in American politics.
For all of her experience it is based on being Mrs. Bill Clinton. Would she have been the presumptive front-runner for months if she were Hilary Rodham, New York's junior senator? Because her husband is the double edge sword serving as strength and weakness, this implicit message of Helen Reddy and Tammy Wynette undercuts perceptions of authenticity.
As long as she was perceived as the inevitable nominee, this was not a problem. She could afford to do drive-by's giving prepared comments peppering them words like, change, experience, and leadership. She was not obligated to take questions. Nor, on those rare occasions she did take questions, answer them authentically.
Back in March, at an event in Berlin, NH, Clinton refused to answer Roger Tilton's question if she regretted her vote on the Iraq War. That's the luxury of being perceived as the frontrunner. But no one is actually a frontrunner until votes are casts.
In the first presidential election since 1952 that will not have an incumbent president or vice president on the ticket, Clinton behaved like the quintessential incumbent.
After Iowa, she is now potentially the political version of Mike Tyson. She was perceived as the strong invincible bully, causing opponents to concede defeat before the contest began. But after sustaining his first loss to Buster Douglas--Tyson was never the same. How will Clinton fare?
I don't see how Clinton can change tactics. She has hitched her fortunes to the train of inevitability on being a strong independent woman, who has the luxury of turning to her husband when things get tough.
This may yet prove to be a winning strategy. But ask yourself, when was the last time you listened to a radio station that played Helen Reddy and Tammy Wynette back-to-back?
Byron Williams is an Oakland pastor and syndicated columnist. E-mail him at byron@byronspeaks.com.
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