To Hillary: What You Say Can Be Used Against You

Never has a presidential candidate’s wife been the focus of so much attention--or taken so much heat. In this strangest of all political years, Hilary Clinton’s story is strange, indeed. There are no historical precedents for the role she is playing, or for the public reaction she’s received.

But with everything that has been written about Hillary Clinton, one simple truth should be kept in mind: Without her, Bill Clinton would not be on his way to the Democratic nomination. Her willingness to stand up for him, to protect him when the charges of infidelity started flying, helped him survive the most critical period of his campaign. They also put her directly in the line of fire.

She was thrust into the klieg lights of presidential politics. And, as with candidates, the brighter the lights, the harsher the glare. First, there was the lavish praise of her as the close adviser and intellectual equal, at least, of her husband. Then, her statements about Tammy Wynette, cookie baking and the GOP’s “Jennifer” led to criticism, harping and second-guessing. Not that different, in fact, from the drastic swings of elation and derision that have greeted Bill Clinton.

Now, the conventional wisdom says Hillary Clinton is a liability. Rubbish. No presidential campaign was ever decided on the basis of a candidate’s wife. If Dan Quayle didn’t hurt George Bush, how in the hell can Hillary hurt Bill? What these “wisdomites” are missing is the constituency that wants to hear from Hillary Clinton.

Her role in the general election should be targeted to a group ready to bolt from the GOP. Moderate, Republican and independent baby-boomer professional women are likely to become more resistant to GOP approaches as they see that party increasingly restricting abortion rights. With the Supreme Court poised to narrow Roe vs. Wade this summer, these women will listen to one of their own speaking to their interests, reflecting their values.

There is ample data that abortion rights is the one issue that unites these women and that a perceived threat will cause them to leave their party home during much of the ‘80s. If Hillary Clinton hammers on this issue, she will be effective. To be sure, it’s controversial, but the people who don’t like her now are mostly Republican and overwhelmingly anti-abortion--and will vote for Bush.

But now she needs to take a page out of the New Hampshire primary fight. There, having defended her husband from bimbo attacks, she found she was keeping the issue alive by appearing with him. In the four days before that vote, she stepped out of the limelight, the issue faded and the “Comeback Kid” came back.

Now Bill Clinton has to fight his way back into the race with Bush. He has to reaffirm his capability and character to be President, to overcome the questions and doubts blocking his path to the White House. A job only he can do.

While he does this, Hillary has to avoid becoming another target for critics to use to attack her husband. Her role now should be less in public and more in preparing for the fall campaign. There is much to be done. Too little thought has gone into the tactics for this complicated race. As a trusted strategist, she can be an important internal voice as an experienced campaign operative. tive. She can help mold the campaign that suits Bill Clinton. Who better for that job?

One bit of advice to avoid will be from those well-meaning supporters who want her to become someone she’s not. Hillary will never be a Barbara Bush--or a Nancy Reagan for that matter, thank God! She will be the professional woman she is, and it doesn’t help the campaign to lose track of her strengths.

It also won’t help to give any more interviews with seemingly friendly interviewers, like Gail Sheehy. That interview in Vanity Fair, was not flattering--to put it mildly. So a rule of thumb for lawyer Hillary when dealing with the press: Everything you say can and will be used against you.