It is almost easy to forget that Bill Clinton was once George W. Bush’s foil. As Bush’s presidency began its long slide, Clinton was upheld as the ex-president who could. He moved crowds. Excited voters. And reminded other nations of a time when America wasn’t so unpopular.
While Clinton may still be able to draw a large crowd, his post-presidency has lost a bit of its shine. Such is the danger when you start believing what they write about you. You lose discipline and start saying what comes to mind — instead of thinking about what you should say. And so the Hillary-Barack battle revealed a President Clinton who went a little too far, a few times too many.
Charisma is a carefully crafted thing. Presidents, actors, and lead singers all work hard to project an image that resonates with a target audience. And behind each image is a phalanx of marketers, speech writers, and image consultants who help hone the individual’s natural talents.
Superstars, political or otherwise, have a freedom to act within the broad confines of their charisma. It isn’t that everything they say must be scripted in advance. But they do have to realize that their charisma has its confines. And if they step outside of those limits, they better know what they are doing.
Bill Clinton was lauded for his ability to resonate with African-American voters during his presidency. His approval ratings among African-Americans were sky high. So much so that he was once refered to as America’s first black president.
But it is one thing to have been called America’s First Black President, and another to criticize the man who may well become America’s first black President. Such is the danger of charisma — you begin confusing image with reality. When Bill Clinton went to South Carolina and its large base of African-American voters, he thought he would use his standing to criticize Barack Obama before that state’s primary election. But he quickly learned something most people already know. Even if a community loves you, that doesn’t give you the freedom to go into that community and criticize a shining star of their own.
Today, additional stories are slipping out about superdelegates and others who resented the heavy pressure they received from the Clintons. True, the intensity of a campaign can make anyone more pushy than usual. And that intensity can only go up when you know you have fallen to second place.
But as these stories float around, they reveal the vulnerabilities found in any charismatic exterior. Nothing is set in stone — especially not public perception. Not even for ex-presidents.
