Hillary Clinton: From pearls to populism

MERRILLVILLE, Ind. -- Hillary Clinton began her presidential campaign in pearls, assembling a team of fundraisers that included luminaries from New York's financial services industry.

She's ending it in pickup trucks, Dairy Queens and fire stations, taking a 2-by-4 to "Wall Street money brokers" and vowing to break up oil-rich OPEC.

No development in the 2008 campaign is quite so striking as Clinton's transformation from a front-runner policy wonk with deep pockets to a cash-starved populist staking her hopes in today's North Carolina and Indiana primaries on a promise to lower gas prices.

"If I were president, I would be jumping up and down in the White House" to cut gas prices, she shouted to a crowd of several hundred supporters at a firehouse here.

Necessity is the mother of Clinton's populism, longtime observers say.

"It's a highly effective argument in a primary during an economic downturn," says Doug Schoen, a former pollster for former President Bill Clinton.

"She's not a true populist -- not at all," Schoen says. "She wasn't getting white males ...

in Wisconsin, Virginia and Maryland, and she needed those votes and this is the message. ... Politics is not only about finding a message, it's finding circumstances that fit the message -- and the weak economy provided her with that opportunity."

So don't expect Clinton to be "giving the 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Democratic National Convention," quipped Schoen, referring to populist William Jennings Bryan's 1896 convention speech railing against Eastern money interests.

Nonetheless, Clinton has been delivering a kind of CliffsNotes version of that speech to mostly white crowds throughout Indiana. On Sunday night, she asked members of the state's Democratic party, "Why don't we hold these Wall Street money-brokers responsible for their role in this recession?"

Despite her rhetoric, Clinton's connections to Wall Street are deep. Of the seven companies whose employees have contributed the most to Clinton, five are Wall Street firms -- Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan Chase and Lehman Brothers. Donors from those firms have given a total of $1.8 million to her campaign.

Many of Clinton's top campaign bundlers, known as "Hill Raisers," have made their fortunes in the financial services industry, including financier Alan Patricof, venture capitalist Steve Rattner and New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, a former Goldman Sachs executive.

Still, Clinton's resurgence this primary season has been fueled by her focus on pocketbook issues vital to white, blue-collar voters.

-- Glenn Thrush

Glenn Thursh, a reporter for Newsday, also writes for the Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[Clinton4itALL!]

Hillary is willing to say whatever it takes to get elected. Dishonesty is just a tool for her to get what she wants. Morality does not come in to play, as she writes her own morals. She has no religious values. If you are not "with her" you are "against her". Those that dared to do what they felt right, have been labeled as a Judas and traitors by Clinton. She is the decider and divider.

I for one, welcome our new overlord. Hail Clinton!

[Dave Reeves]

There must be a school of politics out there somewhere that both the Clintons and the Carvilles graduated from with honors. They've figured out the perfect way to deal with politics. Hillary takes one side of a position or argument and Bill takes the other - either way, one Clinton will win and pocket the cash that goes with the winning side. Take free trade for example; Hillary says that she is against it - Bill says he's for it. Bill is making a small fortune promoting the Colombia free trade pact while Hillary smiles and lies with impunity to voters who have had their jobs shipped overseas or have lost their homes, in part because of the NAFTA deal. She tells voters she feels their pain and that she will fight for them, but she doesn't tell them she and her husband have pocketed well over a hundred million dollars since the NAFTA deal was signed. No matter what happens in this nomination process they are going to walk away with their pockets full of cash. They live by the credo that there is a sucker born every minute and are living proof that the credo is true. They do it oh so well.

[dave]

the 'investors' in her campaign of course know when she's lying, and that she can be expected and counted on to remember where her 'true' loyalties are, in case of her election (although a rather unlikely scenario); this is paralleled by the campaigns of the other so-declared 'frontrunners' and 'presumptive nominees' of both major parties. the surprising exception being republican finalist RON PAUL, 'champion of the constitution,' who consistently has declined ANY 'donations' like those addressed, as he is clearly aware of the dangers of allowing any special interests to influence, compromise and ultimately corrupt constitutional integrity. his rapidly, even exponentially growing support (even against the odds of massive censorship and major media blackout of his campaign) with people of all backgrounds, can partly be explained by the growing public disillusionment and frustration with the lobby-backed and media-hyped 'frontrunners,' increasingly seen to stand for the continuation of corrupt and detrimental 'politics as usual.' clean politics, accountability throughout, small government, sober, strong and principled constitutional leadership, are prerequisites to uphold, maintain and defend a renewed and healthy, thriving american republic and society.

[Jon McKesson]

Re. One more vote for Hillary: Dylan Panzica was not raised by any dummies. He knows how to get ice cream and Hillary is a sweetheart. Dylan's grandfather, Poppa

[Vern]

I am a huge sports fan. Even with time expiring, no champion should ever quit! There are buzzer beaters, field goals with no time left, and walk off home runs that snatch victory from the jaws of defeat! A real champion can take a punch and shake it off. A real champion would never say to an opponent, I know there is still time and you really want to win, so I'll just lay down for you! No, a real champion makes you earn it! A true champion leaves it all on the battlefield! Hillary Clinton has had many chances to crawl in a hole and cover her head. She has been slapped around by the press, humiliated by her mate, and accused of every personal failing in the book, but she just keeps on coming back! BHO may win, but I'm counting on the heart of the champions in all of us to give HRC, the comeback victory of all time! This is not little league with the 10 run rule! Champions fight to the finish! No victory is as sweet as the ones you get from just staying close, until the last second and taking what all but the faithful said you would never have! Rise Hillary Rise!

[dave]

re re: 'well, dylan...hillary likes women. but what's the deal? can anyone be bribed or get pinned with a handful of dollars, an ice cream or a recycled celebrity signature pin? probably not - if and when people grow up, as they eventually do. even your mom.'

[GirlPatrol]

I wouldn't say her transformation was "striking".... I'd say it's more "blatant" than anything else.

Though I'm sure the people at NASCAR appreciate her call for a gas tax holiday, being how dependent they are on fuel for work...*cough*

I'll agree with the person above, who is disturbed by the "you are with us or against us" comment, last used on Congress the other day over the tax holiday. I will not elect someone who bashes another branch of our government as being 'against the people' - especially since it's that very branch that she's been sitting in the last 7 years. What I *don't* understand is why so many people believe she's telling the truth..

[Tom J]

I remember that early debate when she was asked if she preferred pearls or diamonds.

Ridiculous question (her answer was "both"), but I wonder what she would say today. A flag pin?

[dave]

also remember that in those early debates, it was herself who handed out those 'ridiculous' questions to ask her, and to which she then gave her 'hilarious' answers?