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Clinton vs. Obama: A Revealing Picture?
By Solon Simmons, ICAR Professor
Posted: 01/18/08

[Published, New York Times, February 28, 2007] To the Editor: Re ''Mud, Dust, Whatever'' (column, Feb. 26): I was happy to see Bob Herbert's comments on the scuffle between the Clinton and Obama camps. Reviewing the coverage over the last week, I find that most professional commentators seem to suggest that both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton came through equally scathed. I surmise that marquee media cycles hurt candidates only when they highlight a weakness.

Senator Clinton's weakness seems to be her temperament. Her reaction did not help impressions there.

Senator Obama's weakness is inexperience, not pettiness; he is already known as a new kind of politician. The effect of demonstrating that he understands a bit of politics that is red in tooth and claw does more to help him than hurt him.

We the voters are more afraid to discover that he has a glass jaw than we are to find that he is human like the rest of us.

Solon J. Simmons
Arlington, Va., Feb. 26, 2007

The writer is an assistant professor, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University.

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ICAR News Network Clinton vs. Obama: A Revealing Picture? By Solon Simmons, ICAR Professor Posted: 01/18/08 [Published, New York Times, February 28, 2007] To the Editor: Re ''Mud, Dust, Whatever'' (column, Feb. 26): I was happy to see Bob Herbert's comments on the scuffle between the Clinton and Obama camps. Reviewing the coverage over the last week, I find that most professional commentators seem to suggest that both Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton came through equally scathed. I surmise that marquee media cycles hurt candidates only when they highlight a weakness. Senator Clinton's weakness seems to be her temperament. Her reaction did not help impressions there. Senator Obama's weakness is inexperience, not pettiness; he is already known as a new kind of politician. The effect of demonstrating that he understands a bit of politics that is red in tooth and claw does more to help him than hurt him. We the voters are more afraid to discover that he has a glass jaw than we are to find that he is human like the rest of us. Solon J. Simmons Arlington, Va., Feb. 26, 2007 The writer is an assistant professor, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University. News Network Homepage / Armenia / 2008 Elections / Afghanistan / Diplomacy/ Egypt / Environment / Global Peace Index / Health / Immigration / Iraq / Iran / Islam / Kosovo / Nuclear Proliferation / Pakistan / Palestine-Israel / Russia / Somalia / South America / Turkey /		About ICAR Student Information Prospective Students Faculty and Staff Alumni Career Services Academic Programs Library ICAR In The News Events Technology Resources ICAR Publications Point Of View Center Center for World Religions, Diplomacy & Conflict Resolution