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Hillary's home advantage

James Forsyth

Monday, 10th March 2008

Politicians have a tendency to be from far more places than the rest of us. Hillary Clinton is no exception to this rule. We always thought that she came from the Chicago suburbs but now it turns out that she has roots in Pennsylvania too, conveniently the site of an upcoming and crucial primary. Some old home video of her running about in Scranton, Pennsylvania—her father’s hometown where she used to summer—is now being promoted by the Clinton campaign and I expect we’ll see an ad featuring it before the primary on April 22nd.

Folk might scoff at Hillary claiming yet another place as home. But it is worth remembering that Arkansas, which was her home state until she decided it would be easier to run for the Senate from New York, delivered Hillary her biggest victory so far thanks—at least in part—to an ad made up of family photos and home movie footage. Anything that humanises her, works hugely to her advantage.