ABC-6 Reporter Mark Curtis: “The Sunday Political Brunch” January 27, 2013

January 27, 2013 10:52 am

by ABC6 Chief Political Reporter

The Sunday Political Brunch January 27, 2013

(Providence,
Rhode Island) – I have a small
role in a political movie that debuts this week (more on that later), but the
real drama was in Washington, DC
as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before Congress about Libya. Here are
my weekly political observations.

“Hell Hath No Fury!” – Democrats loved Hillary Clinton's
combative appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee this week,
particularly her feisty exchange with Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI). Supporters
think a “tough as nails” persona by Clinton bodes well for her presidential chances
in 2016.

“What Difference Does it Make?” – Republicans, on
the other hand, have pounded Clinton.
They believe her rhetorical question – “What difference does it
make?” – about the often-changing explanation of what really led to the
death of four American at the Libyan Consulate, was insensitive and
inflammatory. You can expect to see the, “What difference does it
make?” clip in campaign ads against her in 2016.

“The Middle Ground” – Neither of the above observations
is a surprise. Hillary Clinton is a polarizing figure – people either love her,
or despise her. There is little middle ground. But with forty percent of
American voters registered as independent, and beholden to neither party, how
they react will be critical. And to those who think this quote will be a
distant memory in 2016, that's highly unlikely in our Internet and You Tube age.
It may fade for a time, but it will come back.

“Keep Your Friends Close; and Your Enemies Closer”
– Hillary Clinton's biggest initial problem with her quote may actually be with
Democrats, and not Republicans. While she is the odds-on-favorite to win the 2016
nomination (as she was in 2008), there are no guarantees. It's likely to be a
contested primary season again with key Democrats such as Governor Andrew Cuomo
(D-NY), former Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and
former Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN) as possible challengers. Any one of them would
be more than willing to use the, “What difference does it make?”
quote against Hillary Clinton. The only potential challenger that could not is
Vice President Joe Biden. The problem for Secretary Clinton is she has created
a wedge issue – whether she intended to or not – that can, and likely will, be
used against her.

“Why Does it Matter?” – I am sure some readers are
discounting what I am saying. After all, the next presidential campaign cycle
is three years away, and memories can fade. But Hillary Clinton remains one of
the most fascinating dynamics in American politics. Much of what she does and
says will be highly scrutinized. She is likely to travel a lot, write a lot and
speak a lot, right up until the day she decides whether or not she'll run in
2016. Potential challengers – especially within her own Democratic Party – will
be looking for any opportunity to pounce and gain some traction. Politics is a
full-contact sport!

“But Can She Win?” – The short answer is yes. She
came so close in 2008, that we all know she has the tools. But the road won't
be easy. As a practical matter, Americas
most often switch parties in the White House after a two-term presidency. Only
two Vice Presidents have ever succeeded their bosses electorally after two
terms – Martin Van Buren and George H.W. Bush. So that does not bode well for
Hillary Clinton or Joe Biden. It can be done, but it will be tough.

“The Looming 'X Factor'” – It made a few headlines
this week, but the chorus may get louder before long. Republicans in states
such as Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Michigan and Wisconsin, are
talking about changing the way their states award Electoral College votes. Currently
those states are winner-take-all, meaning whoever wins the statewide popular
vote, gets all the Electoral College votes. Only two states – Maine and Nebraska
– divide their Electoral College votes differently. They do it by whoever wins
each Congressional District. If all of the above mentioned states allocated
their votes by Congressional District, Mitt Romney would be President today.
There are lot of doubters that this change will actually take place, but consider
this: Republicans now control 24 states governments, meaning they have the
governor and majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. Democrats
only have 12 states where they control the whole government. Politics is often
about leverage. Keep an eye on this issue!

“I Ought To Be in Pictures!” – Well actually this
week I am! Sunday night on ABC, I play a background actor in “The
Makeover” – a movie where political operatives find a gruff beer
deliveryman and do a makeover, turning him into a candidate for Congress. It
stars Julia Stiles and David Walton. Watch the bowling alley scene, and look
for a guy in a lime green pullover shirt (photo above), applauding in the
background. It will be akin to finding a needle in a haystack, but yes, that's
me! And soon, you can see me in “Labor Day” with Kate Winslet, which
is set for release a bit later this year!

As always, you can respond by clicking the comment button at
www.MarkCurtisMedia.com