Clinton Uses Cleavage to Raise Cash

You may be the only person on the planet who has not heard that in a recent speech on Capital Hill, New York Senator and presidential hopeful, Hilary Clinton raised a few eyebrows when she wore a cleavage exposing combination. With a black shirt and pink jacket, the senator got some unwanted media attention as pundits and presidential analysts weighed in on ClintonScape.

Known for style and elegance, Hilary Clinton arrived in Washington DC as the wife of President Bill Clinton in 1993 from the plains of Arkansas by way of prestigious, private schools and a thriving law practice. Always one to choose elegance, Clinton's style has never been more critiqued than it has this week as people began to wonder how an image like the one captured this week would be viewed in foreign countries that are much more male-dominated than ours.

What was surprising, more so than the choice of outfit, was how in the face of the conversation about Sen. Clinton's cleavage, people on her campaign used the cleavage issue to raise money for her presidential run. In a recent fundraising solicitation released after the garment gaffe, the header in the fundraiser was 'cleavage'.

In a presidential campaign where both she and Illinois Senator Barack Obama raised over thirty million dollars each during the last fiscal quarter, all normalcies have been removed and the push to raise money at all costs has erupted. Obviously, any minor accident can become a storm in a matter of moments.

At the Youtube.com-CNN debate earlier this month, Senator's Clinton and Obama went at each other with vehement animosity towards each other. With Clinton pushing Barack Obama's lack of experience and Obama associating Clinton with the current administration, the battle lines have been drawn.

With the primary season less than six months away, the need to continue to raise money and put Hilary Clinton in front of the masses has never been more critical. Any news is good news when you can make it spin in your favor. That is something that Mrs. Clinton did this week after Barack Obama's commitment to be willing to speak with the presidents of the so-called Axis of Evil that President Bush talks about. Clinton pounced on Obama to the point that Barack Obama began to fight back.

This election cycle has already been the most expensive in history. So it is no wonder why people in the Clinton camp, developed a fundraising gimmick using the cleavage debacle for their benefit. In their solicitation sent out the Friday after Hilary Clinton's cleavage crisis, donors received an email with cleavage in the subject line.

Ann Lewis who wrote the content for the email opened it up with a brief, but effective statement about the imbalance experienced by many women when the focus of those around them is their body more so than their business skills or leadership qualities. Ann Lewis went on to say that it is time for people on the right side of the fence to stand up and vindicate women of all generations. And the best way to do this was by donating to the Hilary Clinton presidential campaign.

Ann Lewis also targeted a writer for the Washington Post. Robin Givhan, who handles the Style Section of the Post talked about Clinton's wardrobe gaffe in a recent article. She made the case that if a woman wears an outfit that reveals even a hint of her cleavage; she opens the door to the objective thoughts and advances of men.

Such is the state of politics in Washington DC today. Givhan, a well-respected style writer was less than condemning in her article. She raised a viable question in how much attention is good attention and how much respect can be won or loss based on the style of a president. Ann Lewis found these comments derogatory and insulting. And made as much clear in the fundraising email.

With so much being said and taken out of context on this issue, how it will affect Senator Clinton is unknown. Barack Obama on the other hand, has had little to say in the aftermath, knowing that taking a position could be seen as chauvinistic. Clinton will figure it out as she has other concerns. And when she does, she will not have to submit campaign fundraising emails with cleavage in the subject line.