Ken Berwitz
If you\’re as old as I am, you certainly remember the rock \’n roll novelty singer, Chubby Checker (Ernest Evans, actually – Chubby Checker was concocted as a play on Fats Domino\’s name). He had a string of hits in the early 60\’s, one of which was the Limbo Rock. In that song, Chubby – who, at 74 years of age (or so he claims) is still around and performing, by the way – asks “How low, can you go?”
I don\’t know if Mr. Checker ever got an answer then. But Hillary Clinton seems determined to give him one now.
On October 4th, the Reuters/Ipsos poll had Ms. Clinton at 51%, with Bernie Sanders at 24% and the as-yet-unannounced Joe Biden at 16%.
But yesterday, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll was released, showing Ms. Clinton at 41% – a drop of 10% in five days – with Sanders at 28% and Biden at 20%
How low can you go, Ms. Clinton?
The CNN Democrat debate is taking place on Tuesday. There was a time, not so long ago, when the Clinton people wanted as few debates as possible – very logical for a front-runner, who has nowhere to go but down.
Now, however, it seems to me, Hillary Clinton not only wants this debate but needs it. She has to show that she is head and shoulders above her competition to resurrect this campaign.
Personally, I don\’t think she can do it. Ms. Clinton is lousy at extemporizing, so what you\’re likely to hear from her is a series of planned, scripted lines, designed to get applause…but sounding every bit like they came from focus groups and her campaign staff, not from her heart.
If Clinton were alone on stage that might work. But she won\’t be.
Viewers will be able to contrast Ms. Clinton\’s lack of authenticity with Bernie Sanders, who – whatever else you can say about him – is a true believer, and has no need to work from a script because he believes in what he says, so it comes out the same way every time.
She\’ll also have to deal with Martin O\’Malley, who is barely on life support and must – must – nail her to have any hope of sticking around (note: O\’Malley\’s Virginia campaign chair was just arrested on child pornography charges, which might end his campaign regardless of how the debate goes).
And even if Ms. Clinton were to do well on Tuesday, it would be without facing Joe Biden. By not being part of this debate, he stands above the fray, and will be able to capitalize on whatever damage his future opponents inflict on Hillary, and each other. This, of course, assumes Mr. Biden will run – a likelihood I currently have at over 98%.
How low can you go, Ms. Clinton? We may well find out after Tuesday.
