January 4, 2008
Authenticity Wins
Posted by TOM BEVAN E-Mail This Permalink Email Author
DES MOINES - Clearly, last night was the embodiment of what we've been sensing all along: this is an election about change. But last night was also the triumph of authenticity in both parties: the two winners were candidates who were not the most experienced, did not speak in terribly specific policy terms, but nevertheless were the most real and most sincere in their pitch to - and ultimately in their connection with - the voters of Iowa.
Last night we saw the result of the 'authenticity gap' in this race. Mitt Romney spent $7 million in Iowa touting himself as a candidate of conservative values and came away with only 25% of the vote. Hillary spent $6.7 million trying to portray herself as an agent of change and finished in third place with under thirty percent support. Voters simply did not buy the repackaging of these two candidates and instead opted for candidates who were, to use a cliche, exactly who they said they were.
You can see why this is such a problem for Clinton and Romney moving forward because while the composition of the electorate will change as they move to New Hampshire and beyond, the fundamental weakness of their candidacies will not. Will Clinton or Romney appear any more authentic over the next four days or even the next forty? It's hard to say they will.
The problem is especially acute for Romney, who has just a few days to regroup and retool his message against another candidate brimming with authenticity: John McCain. Romney is now in a do-or-die situation in New Hampshire, and unless he can somehow bridge the authenticity gap in the next four days he could very well finish second - or worse - and find his bid for the presidency critically wounded.
