Will Edwards Ad Waltz Hillary Out -- And Obama In?

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Chris Matthews can't get enough of John Edwards' brutal-but-funny anti-Hillary ad, playing it twice during this evening's "Hardball." Set to the Blue Danube Waltz and based on clips from last week's debate, the theme is Hillary's double-talk on Iraq, Social Security and immigration [her triple-toe loop on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants].

But in the three-cushion game that is presidential billiards, two of Chris's guests surmised that the ad, in taking down Hillary, would likely redound to Barack Obama's benefit.

View video here [includes the Edwards' ad].

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Matthews had already played the ad earlier in the show. But it didn't take much to entice him to play it again during the subsequent roundtable with WaPo's Chris Cillizza, Jill Zuckman of the Chicago Tribune, and Jennifer Donahue, political director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics [who is quickly becoming my favorite new face on the presidential punditry scene].

JENNIFER DONAHUE: The Edwards parsing YouTube video . . . hits Clinton where she's most vulnerable, showing her flip-flopping, showing double-talk, as he calls it --

CHRIS MATTHEWS: I can't resist: Jennifer, you've done it, you've cued it one more time. I have to tell you, this is the funniest ad. It's Johann Strauss, the Blue Danube, and here it is: Hillary Clinton, caught in the act.

Matthews proceeded to play the ad. In the ensuing discussion, there was consensus that Obama might well emerge as its beneficiary.

DONAHUE: I think it's hilarious, and I think it's actually that middle road that doesn't really turn people off but that points out her vulnerabilities with humor. It's hitting her where it hurts her the most. Because Bill Clinton, and Hillary Clinton, if there's one thing that she's going to be vulnerable on, it's parsing, it's dishonesty, its double-talk. He is taking the gloves off -- and it's helping Obama too.

A bit later, Donahue added this incisive bit of analysis: "Make no mistake about it: Hillary Clinton is a candidate of convenience for the Democrats. If she looks weak, they will flee to whoever they think can beat a Republican."

Later still, Cillizza amplified Donahue's notion that Obama stands to benefit from Edwards' attacks.

CHRIS CILLIZZA: I actually think that John Edwards is doing Barack Obama a big favor. John Edwards -- and I've thought that for a while -- is better articulating the anti-Clinton message than Barack Obama is. But because of the financial, the organizational advantage that Obama and Clint have, it may wind up accruing to Obama's benefit anyway. Edwards is taking all these shots at her, scoring all these punches, but in the end it weakens her so Obama can beat her, not Edwards. It's an interesting sort of three-way dynamic.

Question: The Writers Guild strike being upon us makes me wonder: does Edwards owe residuals to . . . George Bush? Edwards ripped off the Strauss waltz theme from W's 2004 devastating 2004 Kerry windsurfing ad.

—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.


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Edwards is a lightweight.

Obama weighs even less.

Nobody watches Chris Matthews.

Hillary is a lock in '08.

I think the ad will be to

I think the ad will be to Obama's benefit....plus I think Obama is who Matthews has been ga-ga for anyway.

That as was the only smart thing the Edwards campaign has done so far for the benefit of millions like me who sent it everywhere including putting the link here immediately it is a winner for sure and I like your sentiments about Edwards paying royalties to GW...the Bush team needs to get an unemployed trial lawyer on this important matter in the future...

Edwards anyone..that is if Hillary doesn't do away with him first, she has to be furious all the while Elizabeth Edwards is laughing her arse off.

Been too much fun... 

 

But if you notice, the

But if you notice, the headline onscreen while Jennifer Donahue is talking says: "Campaigns Get Nasty."

So in the minds of the MSM, daring to criticize Her Royal Clintoness for waffling on the issues is "nasty."

 

Hillary, You're Fired!

Could the MSM be laying the groundwork for Captain Planet a/k/a Al Gore to get into the race?

Very well could be

Very well could be Barker,

I know I posted something about that somewhere a few days ago...I feel he is always lurking in those Global Warming shadows waiting to be begged to run if she goes down, the msm and others political whiz-bangs know they will have a major problem with what they have left for candidates to run...

LMAO!

bigtimer

I don't know, a Kucinich/Gravel ticket would be pretty tough to beat. ;^)

Barker, Al won't run. He is scared to death of the Hildebeast.

You think the FBI files that would up in the Clinton WH were only on republicans?

Puhleeze!

Ahhh daveR...she is going

Ahhh daveR...she is going to do her ownself in...with or without those files, she has to open her mouth all by herself and she has a long way to go.

I love it!

The truth revealed!

Question: The Writers Guild strike being upon us makes me wonder: will Edwards have to pay royalties to . . . George Bush? Edwards ripped off the Strauss waltz theme from W's 2004 devastating 2004 Kerry windsurfing ad.

Aha!  So John Edwards is secretly a shill for the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy.  </sarcasm>  

When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.

The Waltz is Al Gore as Edwards & Edwards are Gore shills

To answer a blog above, Al Gore is not scared of the Clintons. Two years ago he signed a blood deal with the globalist cartel to be President which is now being implemented against Hillary.

The one certain indicator was Russert coming out into the fray. He would never have risked blackmail by Hillary if the big fish was not in the water.......that fish is Al Gore and he is orchestrating with his cartel bosses who control the MSM to give the public him whether they want him or not.

As I blogged before I had concluded Chris Matthews was going to be paid Brian Williams chair as anchor, but right now it could also White House press secretary in a Gore administration. He has been in this with both feet for Gore and his continual pounding of Hillary is a public spokesman for someone.........and that ain't Obama or Edwards.

Hillary might be given the VP job or at least offered it. I still believe it will be Bill Richardson as that is why the powers put him in the race as they needed a "nice white guy hispanic who takes orders". Obama would do the VP job well as he is a dolt who Gore' bosses could run circles around, but I conclude Obama will be ushered back to the Senate or stuck in some UN post.
Edwards for all his work is aiming for Sec. of State, but it is also possible the breck boy is going to get a Supreme Court nod to replace Ginsberg or Stevens who are both about fossil fuel.

Good question about the residuals, but no is the answer as the cartel does not owe no man nothing.........just satan.

 

*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS

Gore is in the wings

A Hillary collapse and no one should be surprised to see a timely entrance by Mr. Sunshine himself - Albert Gore.

 

}}---> Gore me

I'm ready for my closeup Mr. de Mille.

I dont practice santeria

For just for an instant last Tuesday night, America caught a glimpse of the real Hillary, the confusion, the paranioa... even the speaking about 30 decibels louder than necessary. It was in that moment we saw something that was very clear and obvious to the old and young alike, that Hillary is not awesome. In fact, shes not even half as awesome as Bosley, Dennis Kucinich's pet ferret. Which is pretty devasting when you think about it.

Good point, we need a Lefty

Good point, we need a Lefty Awesome Listing.  Hillary would be below a ferret, but above Barry Manilow!  Or maybe not.

And, we got a glimpse of the real Tim Russert.  Who  knew he was a closet Republican!?

"We just can't trust the American people to make those types of choices.... Government has to make those choices for people" -HRC

The skillful use of rhetoric

Rhetoric is the art of persuasive speech. When it contains no substance, it's heinous. When it depends on substance, it's wonderful.

Whoever made this ad used rhetoric perfectly.

The Repubs should buy the rights to that ad

If the Beast wins the nomination, the Repubs should buy that ad from Edwards and play it non-stop near election time.....that is a great ad!!! It really shows what we have been saying all along.

No RINOs in '08 - Mike Huckabee is the best choice 

Whoever came up with the

Whoever came up with the idea of split frames each running the contradictory answer is very clever.  Whatever Edwards is paying this person(s), offer them double to work for the Repubs, we need a politically savy ad producer, Lord knows we have too many dunces in that department.

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.