Hillary Clinton has an image problem.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Hillary Clinton has an image problem. She’s going on ‘Saturday Night Live’ to try to fix it.

By Chris Cillizza October 1 at 3:17 PM

The news that Hillary Clinton is expected to appear on "Saturday Night Live" represents a clear recognition by her campaign that she has an image problem with the American public that needs fixing — and fast.

How important is fixing Clinton's image problem to her campaign? Writes the New York Times's Amy Chozick:

Who is keynoting the Human Rights Campaign gathering in Clinton's place, you ask? One Joe Biden, vice president of the United

In order to appear, Mrs. Clinton turned down the chance to give the keynote address to the influential Human Rights Campaign, the country’s most powerful lesbian and gay rights group, which will allow her to make the debut SNL appearance of her 2016 campaign, said several people with knowledge of her schedule who could not discuss private planning for attribution.

Clinton is snubbing the most powerful LGBT group in the country for a chance at five minutes (or so) of airtime at 11:30 p.m. on a Saturday because she and her campaign know that they have to poke a hole in the current perception of her as guarded, stiff and not terribly honest. There's no better way to do that than laughing at yourself in front of a few million people. Self-deprecation — especially via humor — is the secret weapon of any candidate trying to change a negative perception about him- or herself.

And Clinton is absolutely fighting a negative image. In a Washington Post-ABC News national poll conducted this month, just 33 percent of registered voters said the words "honest" and "trustworthy" applied to Clinton, while 62 percent said they did not. Those numbers include 58 percent of independents who don't think Clinton is honest and trustworthy and, perhaps more surprising, 1 in 3 Democrats (32 percent) who say those words don't describe her.

There's no debate as to what has caused Clinton's slippage in the race. It's her inability to effectively deal with the existence of the private e-mail server she used exclusively while serving as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Clinton's botched handling of the issue has reminded people of all the things they associate with the Clintons and don't like — a sense that the rules don't apply to them, a paranoia that everyone is out to get them and a tendency to surround themselves with people who aren't willing to or can't tell them that certain things are just bad ideas.

When you are as well known as Clinton is — and so many people have their minds made up about you — it's virtually impossible to snap your fingers and change how people see you. And obviously, a single appearance on "SNL" won't do that.

But if you are a politician who needs to show people — or at least start showing people — that you get the joke and that you know change is necessary, "SNL" is a pretty good place to do it. Sure, nerds like me will watch the segment live and dissect it. But the takeaway for most voters will be that Clinton went on "Saturday Night Live" and poked some fun at herself about her e-mail issue.

That's a good takeaway for Clinton — and one she badly needs at the moment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/10/01/hillary-clinton-is-going-on-saturday-night-live-to-fix-her-image-problem/

Edited October 2, 2015 by lostinblue

[lostinblue 1,989]

Plenty of material she can joke about

[Transborderwife 4,666]

You know Al Sharpton used snl to try and help his campaign too...

[TBoneTX 46,354]

Won't work for her.

[Póg mo 1,749]

She certainly does have an image problem. I certainly won't dispute that claim. Is her image problem worse than Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, or any of the other Republican Presidential candidates? Not so much. Negative campaigns only get you do far.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

Errr, I seem to recall she was on SNL before during her last run for the presidency. It's a thing candidates do. Whoopee.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Errr, I seem to recall she was on SNL before during her last run for the presidency. It's a thing candidates do. Whoopee.

Clinton is snubbing the most powerful LGBT group in the country That is not looking good for her..

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

If they're upset about it, there's nothing on their Facebook or Twitter. On the other hand, there was a nice Facebook post about how much the HRC liked one of her campaign videos a few months back: https://www.facebook.com/humanrightscampaign/posts/10153270176693281

It doesn't look wonderful, I agree. But to paint it as anything more than the usual publicity stunt is weird.

[Darnell 8,479]

Ah cruddables... i wanted to watch snl, too. Now? No no.....

Clinton is snubbing the most powerful LGBT group in the country That is not looking good for her..

maybe she'll come to Houston soon and talk about the HERO ordinance here, soon to be voted on.