Obama-as-lousy-politician is what the left loves about him and what the right scorns. He's a terrific political strategist. But he's more of a professor than a whore.
Let's leave that word in the above paragraph before moving on to talk about the Clintons, mère et père. The Clintons "in full fund-raising mode," says the New York Times, "come as a revelation to Democratic donors accustomed to what some see as the aloof indifference of President Obama."
Meet the President. He's not without charm; he's just not a seducer or, as the Times puts it in what one might consider an infelicitous phrase: "just not that into you."
As a voter who has had more respect for Obama than for the Clintons, I admit to having been put off by the Obama campaign's cool egotism in its dealings with supporters.
The report goes on to describe the fishnets, the street.In 2012, the Obama campaign largely relied on automated thank you e-mails with requests for additional donations, while the Clintons — and Mr. McAuliffe — are known for sending handwritten notes. Even while serving as secretary of state, Mrs. Clinton called some longtime supporters on their birthdays (“It’s your secretary of state calling to wish you a happy birthday...”), and sent personal notes when a new grandchild arrived. An aide emphasized that those donors are personal friends with whom Mrs. Clinton has stayed in touch.
“I know thank yous, and whether they come from a sincere place,” said Mrs. Clinton’s friend Susie Tompkins Buell, who has helped raise money for Mrs. Clinton in the past. “They don’t have someone sitting down with them saying, ‘Now you have to write your notes,’ ” Ms. Buell said.
Several people involved in Mr. Obama’s fund-raising operation said that follow-up was never a strong suit, but they said that the lack of attention in some ways enhanced his appeal. “One of the things we respect and admire so much about President Obama is that we don’t get overly stroked or paid an inordinate amount of attention to,” Mr. Spahn said. ...NYT
This spring, as guests gathered around a big table inside a grand Washington home at a fund-raising dinner for Mr. McAuliffe, Mr. Clinton noticed the hosts’ bored young son on a sofa. The former president plopped down and the two played on an iPad together.
The behavior wasn’t anything unusual for Mr. Clinton, who has always been known as a gregarious party guest. But for some Democratic donors — accustomed to what some see as the aloof indifference of President Obama — experiencing the full embrace of the Clintons in fund-raising mode comes as something of a revelation.
Mr. Obama has rewarded his top backers with coveted diplomatic posts like London and Tokyo, but he does not expend much personal energy when it comes to stroking donors: More than a dozen Obama supporters interviewed for this article described the president as an introvert who views big-dollar fund-raising as an unappealing, if necessary, chore. If the situation were a movie, one donor said, it would be titled: “He’s Just Not That Into You.” ...NYT
A cozy hug or passage of a fairer healthcare system?
The latter... Thanks.
