Hillary's Makeover is Working

Admit it. It's entertaining. Hillary Rodham's makeover is looking like a text-book, slam-dunk success. Like Madonna or Martha, she's "wowing" the average American into believing she's the new, "Queen of Nice."

In fact, yesterday's Washington Post published a new poll by Rasmussen Reports that shows the number of Americans who view the former first lady as liberal has, "dropped from 51 percent to 43 percent in January."

Hillary's manipulation is further fueled by America's forgiving nature. We believe in redemption. We like to think of ourselves as open-minded. And the truth is that right now, Hillary's stated position on abortion isn't too far left of Rudy, Arnold, and Condi. In fact, after the 2004 election revealed that moral values are still the biggest issue for voters, Hillary referred to abortion as, "a sad, even tragic choice to many, many women..."

And aside from social issues, with all her recent talk about national defense, she's also positioning herself as a "Hawk." If Hillary continues to "sell" her new-found conservative image consistently for the next couple of years...I'm afraid to say that her makeover will work...for a while.

There's a reason political candidate's -- and movie stars -- study marketing and branding: Because it works. The average person is not a political junkie. And if what they see is a moderate Hillary, this is what they'll believe. That's why this sort of political manipulation makes those of us who live and breathe this stuff want to pull our hair out.

I'm a conservative, but I respect her political maneuvering. She's good at politics, and for that, I tip my Washington Nationals hat to her. It's fun to watch. But as they say, politics isn't a spectator sport.

Here's my prediction on how this will play out:

You will be amazed at how well Hillary's makeover works. You'll see more Republican lawmakers singing her praises. Friends will tell you how much they like Hillary. She will effectively position and brand herself as a moderate/conservative Democrat.

But Hillary's makeover will only work until conservatives once again lead a strong fundraising and grassroots campaign to set the record straight. Just as the Swift Boat ads re-positioned John Kerry from a "hero" to an "anti-war protester," Hillary's true colors will ultimately be revealed.

You see, makeovers only flourish in a vacuum. Their natural environment is dark -- like a bar in Old Town at two o'clock in the morning. When exposed to the light of day (through the scrutiny of a political campaign) voters will see how cheap this makeover is. In other words, once the high-heels, hair extensions, and makeup come off, voters will say, "Dated Hillary, Married a Republican."

So here's my message to conservatives: For now, sit back and enjoy the show.

Chuckle a little.

And then get back to work on growing future Republican leaders!