Hillary’s new ad getting some play, with some folks thinking its effective - and Atrios suggesting it needs more wolves.

(I got a fever… and the only prescription is… MORE WOLVES!!!)

In any case, I suppose it’s effective - if you’re of the opinion that the weak and vulnerable United States is surrounded by dastardly enemies and must destroy them before they destroy us. Or something like that.

There’s a demographic moved by the fear thing, obviously. This ad is maybe effective at inspiring them. But I tend to think the public is tired of fear. There are things to be afraid of, obviously; it’s why experience - Obama’s relative lack of it - is seen as an issue in this race. But the country has spent seven years wallowing in fear, cringing in corners. And there’s another demographic that is, simply, tired of this - tired not only of the attempts by politicians to capitalize on the fear, but of the fear itself. Fear justified Iraq; fear justified a level of surveillance so illegal and apparently unconscionable that even Republican appointees balked at it.

I always thought an effective campaign commercial for the right politician - maybe Obama - would be to have Americans from all walks of life - black, white, Asian; young and old, male and female - staring into the camera saying, simply, “I am not afraid.” Over and over; with the candidate as the final speaker, saying something along the lines of: In the world today there are many reasons to be afraid. But a country that wallows in fear is a country that has taken its eye off the future; it is a country without hope. We need to remain vigilant. But to spend the rest of our lives afraid is bad for us - and bad for our country.

That wouldn’t resonate with the demographic Hillary is trying to reach here. I’m convinced, though, it’s exactly the kind of thing the demographic of the future - which maybe is Obama’s demographic - would like it.