February 9, 2014

Running Against a Cultural First

By G. Murphy Donovan
The 2016 U.S. Presidential Campaign is underway. Not officially, of course, but interest groups and pundits are already taking sides and stirring the political pot. Presumptive front runners seem to be former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for the Democrats and New Jersey governor Chris Christie for the Republicans. There are no third party spoilers on the horizon for the moment. Two media themes are evident to date: the lionizing of Hillary as a seasoned statesman and the demonization of Christy as a loud, rude thug from New Jersey. Mitt Romney was portrayed as the rich, insensitive business mogul in the 2012 campaign with effect. Romney was way too genteel to win a Chicago street fight. Hillary has few significant policy or program accomplishments to her credit. Her time at the Senate and the State Department seem to have been a kind of resume burnishing. "What does it matter?" might well be her campaign theme song. Still, early opinion sees her as heir apparent;...(Read Full Article)