How to read a Twitter bio: Hillary's pitch for Prez in 140 characters

There will be profiles aplenty, but everything you really need to know about Hillary Clinton-as-presidential-candidate is in her Twitter bio.

This thing is a feat of communication. Not only does it manage to squeeze a personal and professional CV into 158 characters, it takes several persistent criticisms of Clinton head on.

Most interesting of all, though, is what it gives away in its construction. The order in which Clinton's many roles are listed is both chronology and hierarchy, both a demonstration of merit and relatability.

Family first

The family-first cluster of 'wife, mother, grandmother' seems a clear attempt to establish a kinship with the 'everywoman' of middle America's imagination - which Clinton is decidedly not. Her wealth and the positions of power she has occupied separate her from much of the population - plus, she's a woman bidding for 'a man's job'. Grounding herself in familiar female roles is probably a smart move, even if it does savour of concession.

But even couched in this trinity, the choice to lead with 'wife' is stark. Of all the roles Clinton has played, 'wife' has undoubtedly been the most troublesome, and the least boast-worthy. Husband Bill's notorious infidelities make it quite hard for Hillary to project herself as one half of a solid power couple, like the Obamas do (or even the Underwoods).

There are those who think Hillary's ability to campaign as a leader in her own right is compromised by Bill's shadow. At best, starting with 'wife' is a calculated gesture of ownership. At worst, it is a way to acknowledge the obvious and get on with it.

More than Ms. Ladyparts

Next up is 'women+kids advocate'. By this point in the bio - which is to say half a second in - it should be clear, if it weren't already, that Clinton is leaning into what some right-wingers might describe as her 'demographically symbolic' identity. In other words: she knows she's trying to be the first female president, and she's not going to risk alienating women voters - as she did in 2008 - by giving the impression of not putting them first.

With her carefully constructed, seemingly casual bio, Hillary has left no space for interpretation, though folks will try

But lest she be dismissed a women's candidate, here come the big-boy political credentials: First Lady of the United States, Senator from New York and Secretary of State. This is the muscle of Clinton's resume: she's got experience in the White House, in the legislature, and as America's key diplomat. She's covered all the bases, and she's ready to go. (Her legal credentials are conspicuously absent, but I suppose there wasn't enough room for Yale Law.)

Especially not at the cost of taking a swing at media scrutiny of her image. 'Hair icon and pantsuit aficionado' work as a nice little one-two punch to all those prone to fixating on her appearance. She knows she's not going to be blog-beloved like Michelle Obama, and she's done being defensive. Time is on her side too. She's 67; she doesn't need to behave like a page-six debutante. Plus, of all the issues a prospective president ought to address, hair and wardrobe are pretty far down the list.

The final punch

And for dessert: '2016 presidential candidate'. This is the announcement around which the bio is built, yet its placement as a kind of punchline makes the whole thing read more as an application than an announcement.

Considering the concern over Hillary being a second Clinton in the White House, the construction of her bio on her credentials is a kind of push against accusations of entitlement. "I'm not the man for the job because I'm a woman with the right name," she seems to be saying, "I'm the woman for the job because I'm equipped to do it."

If she plays her cards right,this should be where Clinton's message lands. But the delivery will matter, and she has always struggled to charm the American public the way a presidential candidate must do. She seems inevitably to rub people the wrong way. She's been called bossy and mannish - and now they're calling her inauthentic and a granny.

On paper, Clinton seems an inevitable 45th US President. She has experience, connections, money, insider knowledge of Washington, support from the media, total name recall, next to no real competition within her own party and a 10% edge in polls over the closest Republican candidate.

And yet, not one week after she officially announced her candidacy, hand-wringing has commenced. Even those who feel she could be a good president are worried she will - once again - be a disappointing candidate.

Her bio is evidence that she - and her no-doubt crack team of strategists - are aware of the delicate balance her campaign must strike. Whether she can stick the landing remains to be seen.