Hillary Clinton's Defense Strategy: A Delicate Balance of Innocence and Denial

Strategic Insights -

Hillary Clinton's well-rehearsed defense of her husband, President Bill Clinton, was on full display in her Tuesday appearance on NBC's "Today" show. As the chief defender and soundbite-spinner for the embattled President, Clinton's performance was seamless, carefully avoiding direct answers to crucial questions while framing the allegations against her husband as a "vast right-wing conspiracy" and "evil-minded" opponents.

Key Takeaways:

  • Clinton skillfully sidestepped questions about her husband's behavior, instead focusing on the motivations and backgrounds of his opponents.
  • She relied on a tried-and-true tactic, echoing a phrase used by her husband's former press secretary, Neel Lattimore: "When all of this is put into context, and we really look at the people involved here, look at their motivations, look at their backgrounds, look at their past behavior, some folks are going to have a lot to answer for."
  • Clinton's presentation was designed to create a moral binary, positioning her husband as a "good and kind man" and his opponents as "evil-minded."
  • Despite credibility problems of her own, particularly in connection with the FBI files flap and missing Whitewater evidence, Clinton remained the "coolest head in the bunker," able to navigate the complex web of allegations and counter-narratives with ease.
  • Her media appearance was also significant in that she failed to address the elephant in the room: why so many Democrats are failing to rally behind their President, or why a former chief of staff, Leon Panetta, has said publicly that Democrats might be better off with Al Gore in the top job.
  • Clinton's defense strategy relies on a delicate balance of innocence and denial, carefully avoiding any admission of wrongdoing or fault on her husband's part.

Statistics:

  • Donna Shalala, Health and Human Services Secretary at the time, must have been delighted with the abrupt change in Hillary's support for Bill.
  • The first lady's Tuesday appearance on NBC's "Today" show was her high-profile debut as chief defender and soundbite-spinner for her husband.
  • According to Kenneth W. Starr, the independent counsel leading the investigation, "there is evidence that Mr. Clinton lied under oath about his relationship with Ms. Lewinsky."
  • President Clinton's approval ratings stood at 73% in November 1995, but had dropped to 73% in November 1995, two months before his affair with Lewinsky began in November 1995.