Dick Meyer takes a look at the contrasting psycho-dramas that would be associated with presidential runs by Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. In Hillary's case, Meyer thinks "the sense people have that Sen. Clinton's drive [for power] is overly determined by her emotional issues is. . .fatal." He correctly puts Clinton in the Gore-Nixon category of politicians who seem "emotionally unavailable." It should be recalled, though, that Nixon was elected president twice and that Gore outpolled Bush.

In Obama's case, Meyer sees a blank slate who, if he runs, will increasing look like a regular (though very good looking) politician. He adds that "these days, candidates with maverick window dressing and hero worshippers in tow break hearts: Bill Bradley and John McCain in 2000, Howard Dean in 2004."

Meyer's "psycho-political" analysis is pretty much on the money, I think. But I wonder whether a comparable analysis of the Republican contenders, especially in the context of an increasingly unpopular war, would cause him to like the prospects of Clinton and Obama a bit more.

Posted by Paul at 08:36 AM  |    |