Hillary Clinton's Facebook Page

Don't tell my boss, but I was just watching the SNL Clinton-Obama debate skit from this weekend.

For anyone who hasn't seen it - it's absolutely hysterical, regardless of your political leanings. At the end, Senator Clinton (the REAL Hillary - not the SNL version) gives an "editorial response" to the skit, which - I thought - painted her as a human, not simply a politician.

SNL is an excellent venue for political candidates looking to enhance their personal appeal. And got to thinking about the role social networking sites play in helping politicians create human identities to appeal to voters.

This thought brought me to Hillary Clinton's Facebook page. I actually like Hillary a lot more than most people do - but her page was beyond canned. For example, in her "About Me" section, Hillary says:

"I was raised in a middle-class family in the middle of America. From that classic suburban childhood in Park Ridge, Illinois, I went on to become one of America's foremost advocates for children and families; an attorney twice voted one of the most influential in America; a First Lady of Arkansas who helped transform the schools; a bestselling author; a First Lady for America who helped transform that role, becoming a champion for health care and families at home and a champion of women's rights and human rights around the world."

I fully understand that politicians must be "on message" all the time. But come on... this is Facebook. If Hillary is really trying to engage younger voters through her official page, she'd be well-served to let go of political-speak and try to communicate in a genuine way. I guess my point is that while digital forums are trendy, I'm not sure they're relevant in politics unless a candidate is truly willing to let go of the spin.