The XX Factor: Slate women blog about politics, etc...

Don't Stop (Thinking About the '90s)

One aspect of the whole experience that confirmed my choice was the speeches given by the candidates afterwards. Edwards was very fiery and compelling, but he still was saying the same exact things I'd heard him say at town meetings. He just repackaged his script. Still, I give him credit for championing his causes over the status of his candidacy. Hillary, on the other hand, was all about 'I, I, I.' For the first time, I realized that when she is not parsing the specifics of policy issues, she is talking about herself: her accomplishments, her expertise, her experience. It may be good to know these things, but they do nothing to inspire the electorate. In effect, she doesn't convey a vision for the future. She just touts a knowledge base that has evolved over the years. So when, in turn, Obama speaks as a visionary who will unite the country using the politics of inclusion, it really is music to the ears. He has that rare ability to actually inspire people, and that is why he won. 

Huckabee showed a similar charisma in his speech. I know that he has an uphill battle ahead of him and he may not succeed, and I disagree with him on just about every topic, but given who he is, I thought he gave an amazing speech. I wanted to hug him and say, "If only you weren't so daffy in so many ways and didn't take such oddball positions on things, I'd like to be your friend!"

The "I wanted to hug him'' factor should never be underestimated. And though Hillary is in no way out of contention now, her plan of attack -- to attack Barack -- is only another confirmation that her playbook is perfect for the last war.