There have been some really rousing speeches at the Democratic convention, and, by and large they've been warm and fuzzy, inspiring, and uplifting. Most of all, they've had one underlying theme-- making Hillary Clinton likable.
The Dems find themselves with the most-experienced but least-trusted candidate they've run for president in at least the last 60 years.
Her achievements, when pulled from their context, would seem impressive. She'a a skilled attorney who fought for children's rights, former activist First Lady both on the state and national levels, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State.
But although she had a good reputation as a hard-working senator, she ran into trouble at the State Department.
Not only were her accomplishments there lackluster, but her private email server and mishandling of state secrets as Secretary of State is a mess that won't go away.
And therein lies her issue.
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| Here's Hillary's plan for her speech tonight. If she senses she's coming across like a robotic policy wonk. she's going to hold up this picture. |
Hillary had a private email server not to commit some nefarious act of sedition against the state, she had it so she could keep her personal communications out of the public eye.
On a private server, Hillary's electronic correspondence would be beyond the reach of the Freedom of Information Act. No one would ever see her emails unless she decided they should.
But Hillary's desire for privacy in public positions is her Achilles' heel. Wanting separate public and private personae is her weakness.
Because of it, even after 25 years in the public eye, we still don't know her as a real, multi-dimensional, flesh and blood person.
She's been so objectified at this point, it's very easy to see her as an exaggeration of her negatives and to loathe her for them.
After this much time has passed, most of us have formed our opinions of her. Rebuilding Hillary as a capable, trustworthy, empathetic grandma is a pretty tall order.
But that's what the Democrats must do to defeat a man whose principle appeal is to raw emotion, and who has moved ahead of Hillary in the polls.
Heavy hitters like the president, vice president, Bill Clinton, Michelle Obama, and even Michael Bloomberg, who enthusiastically endorsed her at the convention (all of whom would be better candidates), have nearly moved the mountain of Hillary's historically-high negatives.
Tonight, it will be up to her and her keynote speech to prove to us she is the rosy picture they've been painting.
Mrs. Clinton is remarkably capable and intelligent, but her shell has been difficult for the public to crack. We want to know the real person.
Tonight's will be the most important speech of Hillary's life.
Many are looking for something, anything to help us like her. Can enough of us warm up to Hillary Clinton to defeat a looming monster?
Come back tomorrow. Maybe the world will have turned upside down.
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