Hillary Clinton's performance on Meet the Press today left something to be desired. Authenticity? Honesty? Polished rhetorical skills? I would venture to say all of the above. Confronting Tim Russert's quotations from your past is admittedly a difficult task, particularly when running for President and attempting to appeal to all variations of red, white, and blue. However, some are able to do this with skill, grace and class. In this performance on Meet the Press, Hillary Clinton seemed to lack these traits. With every quote displayed on the screen, Hillary countered with an attack on Obama. Rather than explain her positions or the thought-process that caused her to vote for the war, Hillary resorted to belittling Obama's forethought in denouncing the war, even when doing so was unpopular in Washington and throughout the U.S. She described this as speaking out with no action to follow through. However, she has missed the point that speaking out itself is action, particularly when speaking out means going against the powers that be and the authority figures that are saying otherwise. Clinton coupled this attack on the persuasive speaking abilities of Obama by also insinuating that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., while having brilliant rhetorical skills, needed a white President to create action and real change.
Clinton is fighting a losing battle by attacking Obama on his skillful speaking style and ability to inspire hope in millions of Americans who are losing it each day as they see the America they love spiraling downward. She would do better to develop her own inspirational message, as her husband Bill did when he ran for President, than to diminish the value of the hope instilled by her competitors.
Hillary also needs to consider the non-verbal messages she's sending while she's lashing out against other members of her party. Clinton spent most of the interview glancing down nervously, leaving viewers wondering why she felt compelled to do so. Is she looking at notes? No, she glances down too frequently for that. Is it a twitch she developed when lying? The inability to make eye contact is a sign of dishonesty. Is that the message she wants to be sending to voters? Or does Russert's presence make her that nervous? Is she trying to glance at Tim's notes to prepare herself mentally for the next question? These are the questions that Hillary should not want viewers contemplating while she's speaking.
My advice for Hillary: Avoid attacking other democrats, particularly those who are inspiring many to vote, some for the first time. The democrats will need everyone they can rally at the polls when the final voting day comes. You do not want to make any voting populace feel marginalized or disillusioned through the election process.
Also, try to develop your own positive, inspirational message. While Republicans may respond to fear and attack, most democrats, particularly at this point in time, want to hear that things will get better. Steer clear of running others down and try to find a way to build America up.
Finally, work on the non-verbal messages you're sending to voters. Make consistent eye contact with your interviewer or the camera. Show authenticity. Let Americans see that there is a real person underneath all the political jargon.
