Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Targeting the Ederly

It just occurred to me that Hillary's campaign is like watching a play. The entire thing is scripted.

Remember a couple of weeks ago in the Democratic debate where Hillary ended with a touching story about the elderly women she meets? She said that she has shaken hands with 95 year old women who tell her: “When I was born women were not able to vote. I want to live to see a woman in the White House.”

According to The New York Times, this charming story came from Ruth Smith, 87. (not 95?):

She drove 160 miles to Des Moines from Buffalo Center to attend Mrs. Clinton’s first rally in Iowa as a presidential candidate and went up to her afterward.

“I told her that my grandmother was the first person in town to vote, and my mother was the second,” said Mrs. Smith, who was born three months before the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. “And I told her I was born before women could vote, and I want to live long enough to see a woman in the White House.”

Gee, that almost seems...scripted.

It gets worse:

In August, on the 87th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the campaign sent a letter from Mrs. Clinton thanking hundreds of female supporters who were born before ratification of the 19th Amendment. Mrs. Clinton’s weekly “Hillgram” e-mail newsletter is sometimes aimed at older women.

This reminds me of when I used to deliver Meals On Wheels. These elderly women were always getting phone calls and letters from solicitors wanting money from them. Scam after scam. I sat down with them and explained that if there wasn't a real stamp on the envelope, then it was just a mass mailing to thousands of people. It was the easiest way to explain it. I told them that if someone on the phone didn't pronounce their name right, then just hang up.

It's easy to take advantage of the elderly, it doesn't surprise me that Hillary would see them as her ace in the hole.