Joel Connelly (Seattle P-I):
JUST AS OUR country stands at a fork in the political road, between continued polarization and a renewal of common purpose, a similar choice faces the presidential campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton.The mostly female loyalists of "Hillaryland," who've worked for her in the Senate and earlier in the White House, have taken up a mantra that says: "Go, Girl! Just be yourself!"
Then there is "Billaryland," symbolized by the negative and increasingly nasty behavior of former President Clinton in his role as chief surrogate.
"Billaryland" is a land of scare tactics, of sly innuendo, of clever distortion of Sen. Barack Obama's record, of pushing and shoving, of smash and grab and anything to win.
Each faction can argue that its road is the path to the White House.
"Hillaryland" saw a grim campaign come to life in the last days of the Iowa caucus campaign and in New Hampshire. Hillary Clinton began taking questions from voters, interacting with normal people, and showing that she knows her stuff.
The candidate stayed sure-footed in Nevada, displaying command of a key local issue -- the Department of Energy's nuclear dump at Yucca Mountain -- and an ability to spontaneously connect with Latino voters.
And Hillary Clinton was able to recite, on a menu of issues, how she has worked in the Senate with her philosophical opposites. She cited a seminal trip to Alaska, revealing effects of global warming, taken in 2005 with Sen. John McCain.
Meantime, the dark side of the Clinton campaign did a job on the first person of color with a viable shot at the presidency.
A hustling, elbowing Bill Clinton worked successfully to knock Obama off his high horse, continuing to question the honesty of Obama's early opposition to the Iraq war.
The candidate's surrogate deployed a variety of gambits to maneuver Obama into being identified by voters as the "black" candidate. He used baseless charges of intimidation against the pro-Obama leadership of the Culinary Workers Union. (Hillary Clinton won seven of the nine "casino caucuses" held at Las Vegas Strip hotels.)
Dirty tactics can yield key tactical victories. They can, however, do long-term damage.
In Hillary's case, there is a widespread, just-under-the-surface apprehension about a Clinton restoration.
Sure, the Clinton administration produced 22.7 million new jobs in eight years and actually paid down the national debt three years running. Its foreign policy, at times maladroit, did not yield years-long foreign wars.
But there's a down side: Deep, valid doubts remain with ordinary voters and opinion leaders. They were summed up Tuesday by The State, South Carolina's largest newspaper, in an editorial endorsing Obama.
"The restoration of the Clintons to the White House would trigger a new wave of all-out political warfare.
"That is not all Bill and Hillary Clinton's fault -- but it exists, whomever you blame, and cannot be ignored.
"Hillary Clinton doesn't pretend that it won't happen; she simply vows to persevere, in the hope that her side can win. Indeed, the Clintons' joint career in public life seems oriented toward securing victory and personal vindication."
The paper went on to argue that Obama offers "a more unifying style of leadership" that does not demean or demonize the opposition. "He's not neglecting his core values," said the editorial. "But for him, American unity -- transcending party -- is a core value in itself."
The prospect of renewed political blood sport, and an ongoing soap opera at the White House, gives Republicans just about their only hope of winning the 2008 election ... especially if the GOP picks an adult, McCain, as its standard bearer.
Democrats have rebuilt a party decimated during the Clinton presidency. The grass roots are again growing. Promising new talent (e.g., Sens. Jim Webb in Virginia and Jon Tester in Montana) has come out of "red" states.
Republicans are certain to resurrect Bill Clinton's "fairy tale" line and his claim that Obama is "a roll of the dice" if the Illinois senator is nominated.
Signals of concern have come in the form of prominent Democrats' endorsements. Three senators and an able governor (Janet Napolitano of Arizona), who have won in pro-GOP "red" states, have endorsed Obama in recent days.
Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, another Obama backer, busted Bill Clinton in the chops Tuesday.
"I think it's not presidential; it's not in keeping with the image of a former president, and I'm frankly surprised that he is taking this approach," Daschle said.
It's tough to be an uplifting, unifying candidate if your partner in life and politics is slinging the mud.
Barack Obama
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