# Hillary Clinton's Presidential Campaign Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 4, 2016, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873 "2016-05-04T11:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/321 "2016-07-19T19:55:16Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > It’s a pretty lame controversy. I mean, I wouldn’t be shocked if there was some plagarizing but the fact is that it was two strings of total cliches that were similar. Quick, do a fact check and make sure no one else used “your word is your bond” or “pass these values to our children” in a speech! Don’t want to plagarize! If it was one line, yeah, I’d believe that. But it was multiple lines from multiple sources (Rick Astley and Michelle Obama). Regardless, if Donald is nothing but hot air, waiting to be punctured, well, let’s start puncturing it in ways his 60, 70 year-old supporters can relate to. Saying he double-talked on some trade policy doesn’t matter to them, but their ideas of manhood and how that is tested _does_. And if you can show how DJT fails to meet even these basic tests of manhood (provide for your kids, protect your family, etc), then you suppress their support and admiration, which is one-half of campaigning. Authoritarians who believe women are the weaker sex and need protecting are not going to think well of authoritarians who allow their wives to be bullied and mocked. It goes against their very image of themselves. And if I were the Hillary campaign, I would be exploiting this dichotomy for all its worth, having my surrogates appear on Fox, making this very point: “Imagine how Melinia must feel, knowing her husband allowed this to happen to her?” “If my wife were humiliated like this, all bets would be off and heads would roll, even if I had James Baker on my staff. I don’t understand why Trump would insist on no firings.” “It must be getting chillier and chillier in the Trump bedroom the longer this goes on…” ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/322 "2016-07-19T19:57:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Why do you need a slogan? “Melania Trump’s Speech Stole From The One Michelle Obama Gave in 2008.” You’re done. The story’s taking off on its own. It’s front page on every news site. Why bother spending energy and money on it? It’s about positioning the other candidate. Make him (especially DJT, as insecure as he is) appear less than a man to his authoritarian supporters could work just as well as positioning Romney as a person who “writes off” 47% of the country. “He isn’t man enough to defend his wife. How can he be man enough to defend the country?” ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/323 "2016-07-19T19:59:42Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > And if I were the Hillary campaign, I would be exploiting this dichotomy for all its worth, having my surrogates appear on Fox, making this very point: > > “Imagine how Melinia must feel, knowing her husband allowed this to happen to her?” > > “If my wife were humiliated like this, all bets would be off and heads would roll, even if I had James Baker on my staff.” > > “It must be getting chillier and chillier in the Trump bedroom the longer this goes on…” I think these would all be useless, or worse than useless. There is no reason to make her the focus of or the reason for attacks on Trump. It’s just not right. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/324 "2016-07-19T20:02:17Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > . > > Authoritarians who believe women are the weaker sex and need protecting are not going to think well of authoritarians who allow their wives to be bullied and mocked. It goes against their very image of themselves. > > And if I were the Hillary campaign, I would be exploiting this dichotomy for all its worth, having my surrogates appear on Fox, making this very point: > > “Imagine how Melinia must feel, knowing her husband allowed this to happen to her?” > > “If my wife were humiliated like this, all bets would be off and heads would roll, even if I had James Baker on my staff. I don’t understand why Trump would insist on no firings.” > > “It must be getting chillier and chillier in the Trump bedroom the longer this goes on…” And you seriously think that someone trying to be the first female President should have her allies out hammering this point? In particular, one who has a philandering husband? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/325 "2016-07-19T20:16:06Z")
Possibly. However, the idea is not to make _her_ the focus of the attacks, but Trump’s reaction to an unfortunate incident which negatively affected his wife. Y’all are likely right, it is likely the wrong move, and this isn’t something that should ever come officially from the Clinton camp. But I do know what had 63yo Joe sputtering at the office this morning - “when is Trump going to fire somebody for how his wife was treated?” ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/326 "2016-07-19T20:50:16Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Possibly. However, the idea is not to make _her_ the focus of the attacks, but Trump’s reaction to an unfortunate incident which negatively affected his wife. John - think about it. Hillary does not want to touch the subject of husbands who humiliate their wives on national tv. There is no way that wouldn’t backfire. Also - she doesn’t need to. Trump and his team are doing a fine job on their own. Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2016, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/327 "2016-07-19T22:29:58Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > It’s about positioning the other candidate. Make him (especially DJT, as insecure as he is) appear less than a man to his authoritarian supporters could work just as well as positioning Romney as a person who “writes off” 47% of the country. > > “He isn’t man enough to defend his wife. How can he be man enough to defend the country?” This could definitely work, mainly because Donald Trump is just sooooo easy to provoke. He’d react. God knows what he’d do, but I have no double he’d react in a spectacularly idiotic fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/328 "2016-07-20T03:13:19Z")
Which would hurt him among his supporters approximately zero per cent. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/329 "2016-07-20T03:28:43Z")
I don’t think Hillary needs to attack Donald in such a way - and doing so has more downside than up… Although I do love the idea someone else suggested of having Bill “borrow” from Michelle’s speech to make fun of what has happened… ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/330 "2016-07-20T03:30:46Z")
And on a different note… What if, Melania had said something like this … Although we might have our policy differences, I think Michelle is a wonderful, smart woman who represents the greatness of opportunity we have in the US, so I’d like to borrow her words as a the epitomy of what makes America Great…then use the same quote… What would the effect be in such a situation? ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/331 "2016-07-20T04:35:18Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > And on a different note… > > What if, Melania had said something like this … > > Although we might have our policy differences, I think Michelle is a wonderful, smart woman who represents the greatness of opportunity we have in the US, so I’d like to borrow her words as a the epitomy of what makes America Great…then use the same quote… > > What would the effect be in such a situation? It would be spectacularly bad. To the GOP faithful, complimenting Michelle Obama would be a crime far, far worse than any level of plagiarism. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/332 "2016-07-20T06:07:36Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Which would hurt him among his supporters approximately zero per cent. When has this ever not been true, though? When have we ever at this point in a campaign talked about actually luring away voters who otherwise would’ve voted for the opponent? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/333 "2016-07-20T08:25:51Z")
I think the wisest course for Hilary to take is to say NOTHING about the plagiarized speech. Or come up with something complementary to say about Melania once and then be done with that topic. Or maybe something sympathetic about the difficulty of being the wife of a Presidential candidate. She’s been there, right? But again, say it once and drop it. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/334 "2016-07-20T11:12:13Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#): > > To the GOP faithful, complimenting Michelle Obama would be a crime far, far worse than any level of plagiarism. But they already know plagiarizing her is a major compliment in itself. Their response is what it has to be, that it wasn’t copying her at all. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/335 "2016-07-20T11:14:54Z")
The attention paid to the GOP convention by Team Clinton should not be on Melania but on the tying Clinton to Obama, perhaps while introducing Obama. Not a bad thing for Clinton while Obama has fairly consistently high approval ratings. > [@](#): > > Quite a few GOP speakers said that a Clinton administration would be continuing many of the same policies and goals that Obama’s had. To which I say -Yes! President Obama, despite dealing with “the party of no”, dealing with a party whose stated goal was to hogtie him from getting anything done, who to this day won’t even give Merrick Garland a hearing, has accomplished great things [insert list here] The work is far from done and, yes, Hillary Clinton will be honored to continue that work. Can we keep the ball rolling? Can we continue making progress so that this economy works well for \*all \*of us? … “Yes we can!” Please join me in welcoming: President Obama! The other theme from the GOP convention to visit is to contrast the themes of be afraid with a positive aspirational message. > [@](#): > > Our friends in Cleveland want America to be afraid, to be very afraid … mostly of each other … and of the future. America is not great in their minds. We disagree. America is great and we need not be afraid. No question our country has problems and issues and no doubt that we live in a rapidly changing world … but when we together roll up our sleeves and work together, unafraid, we have solutions. We have perseverance. The message of that convention an appeal to roll back the clock, to the days when everyone “knew their places” so to speak. Sorry. We are too busy looking to the future and at the greatness that lays ahead when we _all_ work together to be longing for past days before so many of us got uppity. … ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/336 "2016-07-20T14:36:10Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > The attention paid to the GOP convention by Team Clinton should not be on Melania but on the tying Clinton to Obama, perhaps while introducing Obama. Not a bad thing for Clinton while Obama has fairly consistently high approval ratings. > > The other theme from the GOP convention to visit is to contrast the themes of be afraid with a positive aspirational message. I agree with this. And, really, Melania is a dead issue. It had its moment and derailed the first night of the convention (no one was talking about the other speeches yesterday) but it’s not the sort of thing you’re actually going to campaign on. Everyone had their laughs, it largely nullified a night’s worth of coverage but it’s done with. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/337 "2016-07-20T14:43:20Z")
Just another in a long series of mistakes by an amateurish campaign for a meatball candidate. And a dangerous meatball, at that. ---
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/338 "2016-07-20T19:22:59Z")
Clinton’s team continues to be spot-on with [their twitter replies](https://mic.com/articles/149237/chris-christie-held-rnc-mock-trial-against-hillary-clinton-who-had-the-perfect-response?utm_source=policymicFB&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=WHFacebook&utm_content=inf_4_285_2&tse_id=INF_490738904ea111e6a541a52d0f601bf9#.POG8GZdA2). > [@](#): > > If you think Chris Christie can lecture anyone on ethics, we have a bridge to sell you. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/339 "2016-07-20T19:31:49Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Which would hurt him among his supporters approximately zero per cent. I fear the true Trump Supporters are lost to sanity. But there are still “undecideds” & folks who don’t love Hillary. They need to realize that Trump must not become President–so they are inspired to get off their asses & vote. (Of course, there will be other candidates worth voting for this November–but let’s keep it simple.) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873/340 "2016-07-21T01:52:52Z")
> [@Reyemile](#): > > Clinton’s team continues to be spot-on with [their twitter replies](https://mic.com/articles/149237/chris-christie-held-rnc-mock-trial-against-hillary-clinton-who-had-the-perfect-response?utm_source=policymicFB&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=WHFacebook&utm_content=inf_4_285_2&tse_id=INF_490738904ea111e6a541a52d0f601bf9#.POG8GZdA2). I see the standard of “one rule for the CLintons, another for everyone else” still applies. Has Christie been convicted of anything? No? That means that in Clinton logic, he’s clean and everything he’s been accused of is just his enemies throwing mud at him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hillary-clintons-presidential-campaign-discussion/753873.md?page=18)