Campaign imagery: High stakes

Posted by Christi Parsons at 6:15 am CDT

Is Sen. Hillary Clinton commanding or shrill?

Is Sen. Barack Obama a community activist or credit hog?

Sen. John McCain: Seasoned, or old-timer? Rudolph Giuliani: America's mayor or Broadway Rudy?

In the making of public perception of presidential candidates, image is everything. And "it's unbelievable'' how early all of the image-shaping is taking place in the 2008 cycle, one political professional says. "I shudder to think how people are physically going to be able to maintain this pace,'' says Tad Devine.

For more, see this perspective from today's Tribune:

Presidential imagery

By Christi Parsons
Washington Bureau

April 8, 2007

Does Hillary Clinton have a "commanding presence," or is she a shrill yeller?

Was Barack Obama a successful community activist or was he hogging credit?

John McCain: seasoned veteran or old-timer? Rudy Giuliani: America's Mayor or Broadway Rudy?

The characterizations are all thumbnail sketches of the current presidential candidates, some rendered by friendly artists, others by those with a less charitable view.

What's at stake is perception, which the hopefuls are fighting feverishly to shape as the image campaigns shift into high gear.

Presidential races in the past meant more behind-the-scenes work during these spring and summer months, but candidates these days are front-and-center on the personality stage, under a glare of unprecedented wattage.

"Seeing this kind of intensity so early, it's unbelievable," said Tad Devine, one of the few veteran Democratic media consultants not currently caught up in the struggle. "I shudder to think how people are physically going to be able to maintain this pace, this personal focus, for two years."

The incentive is plain to see, as the race for definition early on can frame a candidate for the duration of a campaign and even for a career. Dwight Eisenhower practically walked into the White House as a war hero, while Harry Truman struggled against "little man" comparisons to his predecessor, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, for years.

Dan Quayle never had a chance, once he was successfully portrayed as a less-than-stellar thinker. Howard Dean went from fiery orator to plain old hothead in one famous scream.

Now the stage has changed remarkably, even since the last campaign. The constant gaze of the Internet and its ever-shorter news cycle mean every personal feature is on display—and then up for immediate spin.

Take the recent example of Democrat Obama, whose published memoir includes his personal stories about working with residents of the Altgeld Gardens to get rid of asbestos in their homes. The account is a passage in a more sweeping story about Obama's experiences as an organizer, during a period in his life when he delayed a more lucrative legal career to try to help South Side neighborhoods.

But critics, including at least one Altgeld activist of the time, say Obama's book didn't give credit to other groups and people who worked on the problem. As one recent Republican National Committee critique put it, Obama "unfairly omits others responsible for the successes of the Altgeld asbestos campaign."

That dual view of Obama has been applied to other parts of that memoir, "Dreams From My Father," as well, and it's likely to continue as the book is further scrutinized in the months to come.

The urge to write their personal narratives is common among American political figures and their supporters, as old as Parson Weems' made-up story about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree. The story about his childhood "confession" caught on and endured, most likely, because it seemed to illustrate his virtuous reputation.

"There have always been myth-makers," said Fred Greenstein, a Princeton presidency scholar and professor of politics emeritus. "They are closer to truth in some instances than others."

JFK sought to look healthy

John F. Kennedy, for example, deliberately presented himself in outdoor pursuits—playing touch football, for example—to make himself look vibrant and healthy. Yet at times during his public career, he was beset by back problems and had a hard time just moving around. Richard Nixon used to retire to a private office one afternoon a week to scrawl notes on a yellow pad, often about how he wanted his staff to publicly present "RN."

But for every personal story, perhaps there's an equal and opposite way of looking at it.

"Almost every president has had an alternative narrative," Greenstein said. "And the way the public perceives them is often different from the way historians view them. That's how Andrew Jackson could be admired as 'Old Hickory' but also known as a 'killer of Indians' and a coarse frontiersman."

Hillary Clinton has seen the he said/she said dynamic playing out lately. While Obama's writings are under the microscope, Clinton's personal presentation has been the subject of dissection. After she addressed a crowd of union members in Washington the other day, one audience member marveled at her "commanding presence."

Where some hear a firm voice, though, others feel they're being yelled at. Clinton has frequently been criticized for her voice's tone and volume.

Time.com's political Web log said Clinton was "eerily LOUD" when addressing a recent conference on health care. One television host described the sound as "shrill," and a CNN guest said she sounds as if she's "constantly yelling at us like we're 4-year-olds."

Republicans circling

Though Democrats have the gloves off, Republicans are just beginning to circle each other.

McCain, a Republican senator from Arizona, has addressed the contending portraits of himself directly. He said recently that he's "older than dirt," but in the next breath he added that he has "learned a few things along the way."

And some conservatives are asking whether Giuliani's experience as New York's Republican mayor is a good credential ("America's Mayor" in the wake of the 9/11 attacks) or a drawback (the big-city moderate who backs gay rights and abortion rights). Giuliani isn't spending a lot of time talking about his positions on social issues these days, focusing instead on the tough jobs he tackled as mayor.

But a more open battle is certain to come, said David Hill, a Republican pollster not involved in any of the presidential campaigns.

"It's inevitable, unless you're not really a player," Hill said. "They'll pick out a hill they're going to fight on and they'll position their troops."

cparsons@tribune.com