post-debate spin + ad = $$$$?

One of the most memorable parts of Thursday's debate between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama was Clinton's evocative final remarks regarding the "moment of crises" that "tested [her] the most." After answering, "Well, I think everybody here knows I've lived through some crises and some challenging moments in my life,” she went on to talk about how “the hits I've taken in life are nothing compared to what goes on every single day in the lives of people across our country. And I resolved at a very young age that I'd been blessed and that I was called by my faith and by my upbringing to do what I could to give others the same opportunities and blessings that I took for granted. That's what gets me up in the morning. That's what motivates me in this campaign.” This comment garnered a supportive and enthusiastic standing ovation from the audience, and the Clinton campaign wasted no time in running with it. Trying to create the same success as after her famed New Hampshire tear-up (which a Politico blog claimed helped her secure the victory there) the campaign created an ad using the debate footage.

This ad, which shows a softer and more human side of Hillary, deviates from her "safe, steady, commander-in-chief" image which her team has worked so hard to create. But, judging from the positive response when Clinton has shown vulnerability before, is a woman's touch what her image needs? I find this to be a serious and overlooked gender issue for Clinton because she does not want to seem to fragile to be a leader, but her cold but steady image isn't working very well either. This is a great challenge for her campaign, and I don't think male leaders have to face this dilemma. The Clinton team does its best circumvent the problem by framing it not as vulnerability, but as passion for the wellbeing of Americans.

Another interesting thing going on here is her tactic to raise funds for the ad. Everyone knows she is "struggling" in the campaign financially compared to Obama, and so she is posting this ad on her site stating that "everyone in the upcoming primary states of Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island, and Vermont needs to see that moment...but we cannot run it without your immediate financial support. We need to raise $1.3 million to put this ad on the air. " What do you think? Is this a clever tactic?