Weird that it came on a Saturday, no? Sure, it sets her up to be in the spotlight for the Sunday shows and Monday and Tuesday coverage running up to the SOTU, but a Thursday or Friday announcement would have put her front-and-center on the Sunday shows, and a Monday morning annoucement would have set her up for the pre-SOTU coverage.
Both would have gotten more eyeballs than a Saturday announcement. I asked Jim Geraghty what he thought, since he's he guru on such things. He thought maybe it was an attempt to make it into the Sunday papers, which are the highest circulation of the week. Oh, how positively Old Media. Although, she will be talking to folks in live chats on her web site.
Now, let's take a look at the announcement itself. She looked really good--far better than I've seen her look lately-- if y'all don't mind my saying so. Red works for her, though the cut of the jacket could have been more flattering. She was much less robotic than usual. Almost warm, though in a typically smarmy politiciany way. Does anyone buy that that's the real her? That modicum of warmth took a bunch of practice.
Also, a "dialogue"? I am so sick of the word "dialogue." At least she didn't use it as a verb. Small blessings. Everyone wants to have a conversation with us, the American voters. Aren't you guys pumped? That conversation business would be a lot more convincing had all of the candidates not focus-grouped and calculated every facet of their beings before they announced they wanted to talk. As it is, they're going to engage in some pretty convincing "active listening," "validate our feelings," and do as they've already planned to do.
Eh, maybe I'm being too hard on them. Maybe they will listen and learn. They'll listen to every grievance they hear on the trail, in every living room they visit, and turn it into a new government program. Yips for that.
She mentions health care, with emphasis. That's kinda gutsy. She seems to be owning HillaryCare instead of letting it become a weapon. She's bargaining on the fact that people have again become so disillusioned with their health care that they'll once again think socialism's a good idea. Sadly, she may be making a good bet.
What's with the camera panning back and forth over and over, swinging side-to-side? That was bizarre. A visual representation of her Iraq war stance, perhaps? Buh-dum ching!
Jim Geraghty has my favorite analysis of the announcement in his new place, The Hillary Spot. He talks back to the announcement. After all, this is a conversation:
"So let's talk. Let's chat. Let's start a dialogue about your ideas and mine."
Let's not.
"Because the conversation in Washington has been just just a little one-sided lately, don't you think? And we can all see how well that works."
Oh, come on. There have been two sides in Washington - on one side, the corrupt pork-barrel-loving free-spending big government greedheads who want open borders and to use the public trough as a way to line their own pockets, and then on the other side, we've had the Democrats. I take it back, Senator Clinton is absolutely right. The conversation in Washington has been one-sided; it could use some actual conservatism.
"And while I can't visit everyone's living room, I can try."
Americans, please lock and deadbolt your doors.
Also, she's running as Hillary-- just Hillary. Like Madonna for President or Cher for President or Bono. She's so rock 'n' roll.