The Art of Lowering Expectations

Just a couple of weeks after Hillary Clinton guaranteed her nomination on a national news program the Clintons are now engaged in an active effort to lower expectations in Iowa so that her upcoming third place finish will not look so devastating. First, from Hillary:

"I always knew it would be hard. There’s no surprise about that. I don’t live in a neighboring state; I haven’t been here for years."

-- Sen. Hillary Clinton, quoted by NBC News, trying to lower expectations in Iowa.

And from Bill:

"Well, no. Let me back up. In January, when on New Years Day, she said she was finally going to try and do this... I said I'll make you a prediction...allt he press will say you will coast to the nomination....I think you will have a difficult time getting nominated, and if you are nominated, you'll win the general election handily.....[HRC asked why]...you'll have to run in Iowa, which is the single most difficult state...but Sen. Edwards has a well-earned, huge cadre of support in Iowa because he's worked it for seven years...Sen. Obama is next door, that matters. ...

"It's a miracle she's got a chance to win."

The Clintons are starting to look and sound worried...as well they should.

Meanwhile, her chief rival is doing his part to suggest that an Iowa win will clinch the nomination:

WASHINGTON (CNN) — As Democrat Hillary Clinton appears to be lowering her expectations in Iowa, rival Barack Obama seems to be raising his.

Speaking in Guttenberg, Iowa Friday night, Obama said, "Whoever wins this caucus is likely to win the nomination, and win the presidency."

Earlier in Manchester, the Illinois senator told supporters, "We may just win this thing."

Anybody who thinks Hillary can lose the first four contests and still win the nomination may be correct from a purely mathematical point of view, but in terms of emotion and momentum, there's no way. If Barack sweeps the first four it's over.