Get ready to meet the warm and caring Hillary Clinton
Democrats look to soften image of hard-to-love candidate
— The Democratic National Convention, which begins Monday, has one huge goal: Make people like Hillary Clinton. Make her warm, gentle, compassionate. It won’t be easy. Clinton’s negatives have been consistently, historically high. Polls show that most people don’t trust her. Her public image is that of a humourless technocrat comfortable only with briefing books and old friends and colleagues. Smiles don’t seem to come easily; smirks do.
So get ready to meet the warm and caring Hillary Clinton.
She’ll be described as a caring friend and companion by the most credible names on the Democratic team. Monday will feature Michelle Obama. Former president Bill Clinton is up Tuesday, and then President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden Wednesday.
Thursday, Chelsea Clinton will appear before her mother delivers her acceptance speech. Chelsea Clinton describes her mother as compassionate and someone capable of almost anything, who would work to help others during the day and help her with homework at night.
The rosy portrayal of Clinton will have tough competition. Supporters of Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent senator who fought Clinton to the end, plan to be vocal. They will march, agitate and try to mount a convention challenge to change some rules.
They’re highly unlikely to succeed, but if Clinton’s army looks heavy-handed in quieting them, it will set back the effort to improve her image.
Deborah Burger, co-president of National Nurses United, will have about 200 delegates. She said they will be there as Sanders supporters.
“We have not made that decision yet” whether to back Clinton, she said.
Then there’s the Republican Clinton-bashing machine, which has demanded Clinton be jailed for using a private email server while secretary of state.
Overcoming, or at least putting aside, the email furor looms as another part of Clinton’s challenge.
FBI director James Comey this month recommended that Clinton not be charged criminally in connection with the email controversy, though he said she and her aides were “extremely careless.”
To many voters, Clinton’s handling of the email controversy is emblematic of why they are wary of her. It’s the latest chapter of a long-running narrative of mayhem, dating back to controversies from her husband’s 1993-2001 presidency.
The convention strategy this week will be to paint the email matter as another example of rabid Republicans exaggerating a small mistake, part of the GOP’s now decades-long crusade to demonize the Clintons.
Clinton has to walk a narrow line at this convention.
She wants to stress her experience, and contrast it with Donald Trump’s.
She wants to show she’s thoughtful and serious, as opposed to Trump’s bluster and inability to master, or even discuss, details.
But the more she talks policy, the more she reminds people she’s been a part of so much they want to change.