10/31/00 5:10 p.m.
Senate Subway Series Surprise?
Hillary’s big mistake.

Robert A. George is an editorial page writer
for the New York Post------------------------------------RAGGEDmail@aol.com

ave the Boys of Summer inadvertently caused a major Hillary Halloween Headache? Quite possibly. Monday, the world-champion New York Yankees paraded through the Canyon of Heroes in downtown Manhattan. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton's nearly unimpeded march to a Senate seat might have fallen into a canyon itself.

The two events might be connected. New York's single-minded focus on the Subway Series might very well have perfectly played into the theme of Lazio commercials in recent weeks. Using a man-on-the-street style, the announcer asks a citizen to name one thing Hillary Clinton has done for New York. Respondents of various races, ages, and genders all look puzzled and stumble around trying to come up with an answer. The ads must be having some effect because Hillary's campaign is now running a rejoinder with Rep. Nita Lowey (who had been unceremoniously pushed aside when the First Lady made her claims known on Moynihan's seat). Lowey talks about Hillary having worked 30 years for issues related to women and children and how she "worked" on health-care and welfare reform.

Anyway, while this ad was running, Subway Series mania hit fever pitch. A curious thing happened the night the Mets clinched the National League pennant two weeks ago. Normally, when any politician comes to a game — regardless of affiliation — that person tends to get booed (with the possible exception of Mayor Giuliani at Yankee games). New Yorkers just don't like their sports events politicized. Well, Rick Lazio went to the game and was greeted by cheers of "Lazio! Lazio!" There were also hoots of "Hillary [stinks]!! Hillary [stinks]!" Mrs. Clinton was noticeably absent at any Series game. In fact, her schedule was completely filled up with fundraisers. On the other hand, Lazio got on the Number 7 train with Giuliani and Gov. Pataki when the series switched to Shea Stadium. Considering, Hillary's credibility has always been front and center, her invisibility at a time when most New Yorkers were single-mindedly focused on the Series stood out all the more.

Meanwhile, Hillary had to return $50,000 from the American Muslim Alliance when it was revealed that the organization supports the Palestinian "armed struggle." Hillary and company claimed they knew nothing about this aspect of the group's history. Republicans then launched a series of phone calls linking this group's support of terrorists to the USS Cole bombing. They recently pulled the ads, fearing a backlash. But the link is a fair one — especially as it turned out that the leader of the Alliance has been employed by the State Department as a "good will ambassador." Just got to love that Clinton administration national security.

In their third debate last Friday, after getting the pleasantries out of the way (prompted to say something nice about one another, Hillary said Lazio was an "attractive young man" and Lazio said she was attractive too and a "good mother"), the two went at it. Lazio hit with some solid blows on Hillary's record in Arkansas schools, in particular her willingness to cave to the education lobby.

John Zogby's daily tracking poll now puts Rick Lazio up by nearly five points. Admittedly, this particular result is contrary to other media organizations polling numbers (CBS/New York Times had Hillary up by 7; the local New York 1 cable station also gave her a seven-point margin). However, Zogby's numbers "seem" to fit how news has gone over the last two weeks for the First Lady. The poll also shows that Lazio is now virtually tied with Hillary among Jewish voters — thus demonstrating that all the events going on in the Middle East — including the U.N.'s resolution condemning Israel (and the United States' failure to veto) — have caused the erosion of even the soft support Hillary had among Jews.

Lazio may not actually be ahead, but it's clear this race has become far more competitive as it enters the final week.