Hillary lacks that vision thing

It was quite obvious that she was following the party script and not speaking from her heart [blog].

By GIL STERN STERN TROY
us special 2 224 (photo credit: )
us special 2 224
(photo credit: )
A JPost.com exclusive blog Remembering the two great convention concessions of modern times - Ronald Reagan's speech in 1976 after losing to Gerald Ford and Ted Kennedy's speech in 1980, after losing to Jimmy Carter, Hillary Clinton's Denver speech fell flat. What was missing was what George H.W. Bush infamously dismissed as "that vision thing." Reagan's address, speculating about how future Americans would judge the Americans of 1976, inspired his supporters with a powerful vision of a smaller government but a more confident nation reviving economically, facing down the Soviets and managing the nuclear threat. Kennedy's oration eloquently argued the opposite, dreaming of a future liberalism as confident, humane and popular as his brothers' ideology had been. Both speeches helped shape the discourse of the times, allowing each candidate's ideas to transcend the campaigning failures - and in Reagan's case it launched his successful 1980 run. Both speeches can be taught decades from now as coherent and compelling ideological road maps that millions of Americans happily followed. Instead, Hillary Clinton mostly provided a laundry list. She ticked off various programs she advocated, particular policies she liked, and specific individuals she met on the campaign trail. She did what she needed to do, getting in a few good shots against George W. Bush and John McCain, urging her disappointed supporters to vote for Barack Obama. In fairness, she was also commanding, charismatic, and quite moving when she linked her campaign to women's historic aspirations for equality. But even when she spoke about women's rights - and quoted Harriet Tubman so effectively - she offered no vision of what women could do for America as women, she triggered no thoughts deeper than "it's our turn," and "our time has come." The speech once again illustrated one of the reasons why Hillary Clinton's campaign for the nomination failed in the first place. There was no overriding idea propelling her candidacy forward, nothing deeper than "it's MY turn," and "MY time has come." Observers can argue about whether Barack Obama is an old-fashioned liberal or a post-baby-boomer synthesizer transcending the black-white, red-blue divisions of yesteryear. But at least there is something substantive behind his various stands, some broader, deeper, thought-provoking and soul-expanding message. Hillary's speech was that of the diligent grade grubber not the romantic poet, of the hardworking ant not the soaring eagle. It was in keeping with her history as Bill Clinton's dutiful behind-the-scenes supporter rather than a Clintonesque riffer who can at once charm and inspire, making Americans feel good about themselves while being challenged to think about how to better their nation. And speaking of duty, Hillary Clinton fulfilled her obligation to Barack Obama and the Democratic Party. In fact, she was far more gracious - and far less destructive - than Reagan was in 1976 or Kennedy was in 1980. Still, it was quite obvious that she was following the party script not speaking from her heart. She had specific compliments for Michelle Obama and Joe Biden, Obama's life-mate and running mate, but was quite vague when it came to Obama himself. Hillary Clinton endorsed Barack Obama generically as a fellow Democrat not specifically as a candidate. Of course, the whole scene must have been excruciating for her, and she deserves credit for handling it so well. In fact, watching her, it was striking how far she had evolved from the brittle, insecure, angry woman she was when she debuted on the national stage in 1992. Hillary Clinton seems to be having a great time as her own woman, as her own politician - her opening riff about the pride she took in her various roles mentioned "mother" but skipped over "wife." If she could only find a little more poetry in her prose-laden politics, if she could only learn to bring the various pieces of her policy jigsaw puzzle together into a compelling package, she could be an even more formidable politician - and a greater threat to both of the current candidates.