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HenchPAC NewsTHE deployment of America's first daughter on the Senate campaign trail last week did little to enhance the fortunes of Hillary Clinton as she tussled with her fresh-faced Republican opponent in what is becoming one of the dirtiest election campaigns in New York's colourful history. The smile of Chelsea, 20, the only child of Bill and Hillary Clinton, was a useful prop. But Clinton's growing unpopularity is such that Rick Lazio, the Long Island congressman fighting her for a Senate seat, commands growing support among the suburban white women she was hoping would back her.
For Clinton, who has spent millions on negative advertising and deployed every weapon in the White House armoury, from spin doctors to the president, the latest polls must seem dismal.
Her sunny look when her daughter, on holiday from Stanford University, took centre stage in Manhattan was soon eclipsed when pundits said Chelsea reminded people of Clinton's failure to chastise her husband over his affair with Monica Lewinsky, a White House trainee.
An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll found that more than 50% of those surveyed thought Clinton, 52, was not a positive role model for women.
Another survey by New York's Marist College put the two candidates neck-and-neck with 42% support each. However, among key suburban voters, only 8% disliked Lazio, compared with 38% for the first lady.
Lazio, 42, joined the race as an underdog in May when Rudolph Giuliani, 55, the mayor of New York beset by personal and medical problems, announced he was withdrawing.
Lazio entered politics as a prosecutor in suburban Suffolk county and quickly rose to prominence in the House of Representatives as a confidant of Newt Gingrich, the powerful former Speaker.
Last week he was criticised by Clinton over a Securities and Exchange Commission investigation into a quick 600% profit he made on risky stock options. She also blasted him for missing a congressional vote that could have helped to cut the price of fuel oil.
By Friday, however, Lazio announced that Clinton had passed the caviar at a fundraiser for a Democrat congressman who had also missed the vote. It was a mistake that brought headlines accusing her of hyprocrisy.
Even though her party's members outnumber Republicans by 2m in New York, Clinton is now viewed by many as being in trouble.
"Hillary is now weaker than the typical Democratic candidate," said one political analyst.
"With Rudy gone, it's turned into a race between Hillary and herself, and that's always dangerous for a politician."
HENCH adds: Happy Independence Day everyone....Independence from the CLINTONS!
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