A MERE 10 contests left in the Democratic nomination, backers of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton hope she can seize the moment to recast herself despite fears that the chance to wrest magic from rival Sen. Barack Obama may have slipped away. With the departure of senior strategist and pollster Mark Penn, advisers are urging her to stress issues and competence, but not at the expense of projecting warmth and humor. Be a passionate champion for the middle class, they argue. And make sure criticisms of Obama are on policy, not personal. Penn was forced out after it was disclosed that he met with representatives of the Colombian government to help promote a free trade agreement that Clinton opposes. His departure was a welcome change for many Clinton supporters and advisers, who disagreed with his strategic choices and had grown weary of his singular control over her message. Indeed, the message Penn fashioned for Clinton seemed at times completely wrong for the moment. She was cast as the “experience” candidate in a year voters craved change; the “establishment” candidate when they sought someone fresh; and the “strength” candidate when they yearned to see some humanity. Many observers, including some Penn detractors, acknowledge that Hillary was never going to embody the message of change as Obama has. Despite her pioneering quest to be the first female president, Clinton is more comfortable talking about policy and issues than trying to present herself as an inspirational or transformational figure. “She is who she is. I don't believe in manufacturing candidates, it's making sure they put the best foot forward,” said Geoff Garin, a pollster who, with communications director Howard Wolfson, will take charge of the campaign's message and strategy. Garin said his goal was not to jettison the old message but to make it sharper, more focused and more compassionate. “At the end of the day, it's not being strong for the sake of being strong,” he said. “It's about a president who can be strong for the sake of making this a better country for millions of people who face really tough times.” Few in and around the Clinton camp believe a wholesale change of message is desirable or even possible, with just weeks left in a campaign that has already gone on far longer than anyone expected. Advisers said they would urge her to sharpen her focus on the economy and show off more personality while not getting bogged down in policy details. Don Fowler, a former Democratic Party chairman who has endorsed the New York senator, said she should emphasize her command of issues while steering clear of harsh criticism of Obama. In recent weeks, Clinton has suggested Obama lacks the experience to handle national emergencies, and that Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee-in-waiting, is better prepared to be commander in chief. “I don't think criticism of Senator Obama is not necessarily bad, it should be substantive and not personal,” Fowler said. And in a campaign that has largely emphasized Clinton's competence and steely determination, lost at times was a sense that there was anything more to her than a laundry list of policy proposals and government programs. “Going forward, I would like to see much more of the Hillary I know,” said Susie Tompkins Buell, a longtime Clinton fundraiser and friend. “Everybody knows how tough and smart she is, but apparently it's considered by some people that it's not presidential to be emotional. She is so incredibly warm, capable and charming. So come on, let's go for it.” The last Democratic contests are June 3 in Montana and South Dakota. __
