Ever wonder what's exactly meant by "triangulation", that Clintonian technique of playing the extremes against each other to your own gain?
Senator Clinton's decision to appear on a Fox News debate is a textbook example:
She takes some heat for agreeing to it, but in exchange she puts Obama in a lose-lose situation: If he accepts, he'll risk angering the young, progressive flank of his supporters, if he refuses, he offends the right-leaning moderate flank who actually tune into Fox News now and then, as well as offending potential Republican voters. It's a smart political game, if not exactly the actions of someone looking to unite her party. It's a preview of what I expect will be Clinton's strategy over the next few weeks: To create wedge issues to try to fragment Barack's coalition of supporters.
It's a strategy, but also a risk; if Obama continues to play the role party uniter, voters may reject her for all the calculation. Her real challenge is too find a way to bring "hope" and "change" over to her column without looking like she's trying to kill both to get elected.
Labels: politics
