The XX Factor: What women really think.

Operationalizing Authenticity

Something elese I've been wondering about, relating back to Julia's post yesterday about Hillary's newfound authenticity and all of Meghan's insights about Clinton's voice. Strategic question: How does one operationalize authenticity? In a day-to-day campaign that will last months? I mean, here we have a candidate who has, as Melinda's pointed out, been so many things to so many people (and yet so few to so many as well!) that when she finally strips off the mask, as she did in New Hampshire, we all swooned. I agree with Meghan that her whole voice that changed in that Portsmouth diner. But I have a nagging sense that her voice changed again on that Saturday night debate. And yet again in her victory speech.

So, to repurpose Julia's question: How does a woman who has worn so many masks; who is so dependent on pollsters; and who is backed by a huge political machine going to sustain being the warm, likable person we glimpsed?