But they want to do it in such a way that she doesn’t get hurt by it. Well, if she’s successful it will be something McCain could expand upon in the general.

Strategists for Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign believe it is imperative to identify her high-flying opponent, Sen. Barack Obama, with the “McGovern wing” of the Democratic Party — but they want to keep their candidate’s fingerprints off the attack.

During the two weeks remaining before the important Ohio and Texas primaries on March 4, Clinton insiders want to spread the message that Obama represents the radical left-wing politics of George McGovern’s 1972 candidacy, which won only one state. But they don’t know how to accomplish this. When Clinton herself has launched past attacks on Obama, it has hurt her with voters.
The Clinton campaign is confident of winning in Texas because of the state’s Hispanic vote. But it sees the need in Ohio to identify Obama as a leftist in the eyes of lower-income white voters, who often have supported Republican candidates against Democratic opponents they consider too liberal.