“The Politics of Parsing”

Here’s an internet ad from John Edwards campaign. It’s not pretty for Hillary. (And you gotta love that sly reference to it all depending upon what the meaning of “is” is) I still think that she actually performed better than Obama at the Drexel debate this week, but the media has decided that she came off worst.Well, whatever. Edwards is doing his best to do Obama’s work for him. This ad has the considerable advantage of being, well, true: Hillary will trim her sails to get the best from the prevailing wind, while being prepared at all times to tack if the breeze shifts.

And yet, let’s say this for Hillary: she doesn’t waste much time on vanity, especially not of the moral sort. Though tediously preachy she isn’t quite as holier-than-thou as Edwards or Obama. Which is worse: Edwards’ shamelessness or the distinct possibility that Obama actually means it when he boasts of his humility as a means to show off?