The real problem
Listen, I don't dislike Hillary Clinton the politician. The reality is that I have a lot more in common with her policy-wise than any of the Republican candidates. I'd pick her in a heartbeat over any of those guys.
The thing is ... I don't want to.
I do personally believe that a Barack Obama presidency would be a historic and transformative one that would have a fundamentally positive impact on our country, but let's leave that out of the picture for a moment.
I also personally believe that another Clinton presidency would ultimately embolden the Republican Party at a time in which Democrats have a rare opportunity to build a new, progressive movement to govern the country, but, again, let's leave that out of the picture too.
My problem is with, well, how she does her business.
Her campaign the past three days, without pulling any punches, has been rather despicable. It's typical of the Clinton political machine which is more about self-preservation and self-interest than considering what might be the best course of action for either the party or the nation.
I personally believe those now infamous tears shed yesterday morning, ultimately lifting her to victory, were not authentic. Perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps I'm callous. However, knowing that everything about her campaign and career is among the most calculated in the history of American politics, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that she deliberately showed such emotion because she needed something to prove to those who felt she lacked passion.
Her denigration of Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday was beyond awful for me. Her dismissal of false hope is a pathetic line of argument. Her husband complaining to the media about a couple of days of coverage of an 'Obama bounce' reeked of sour grapes.
But, most bothersome to me, is this blatantly insulting attempt to be all things to all people. She's experience ... and then she's change. She's against giving false hope ... and then she's ready to lift our spirits and unite America.
Listen to her victory speech ... it's full of lifted phrases and cliches drawn from both Obama and Edwards, inserted into her comments because they polled well for the others. And what floors me is, quite frankly, people buy into this.
I know this is harsh, and I'm aware that I could very well be accused of harboring sour grapes as well in the wake of Obama's second-place finish, but it's essential that I point out that it isn't like these are things that I just dreamed up tonight. I've been rather annoyed by her entire campaign, but I've been most disappointed with her conduct the past few days.
The thing is ... I don't want to.
I do personally believe that a Barack Obama presidency would be a historic and transformative one that would have a fundamentally positive impact on our country, but let's leave that out of the picture for a moment.
I also personally believe that another Clinton presidency would ultimately embolden the Republican Party at a time in which Democrats have a rare opportunity to build a new, progressive movement to govern the country, but, again, let's leave that out of the picture too.
My problem is with, well, how she does her business.
Her campaign the past three days, without pulling any punches, has been rather despicable. It's typical of the Clinton political machine which is more about self-preservation and self-interest than considering what might be the best course of action for either the party or the nation.
I personally believe those now infamous tears shed yesterday morning, ultimately lifting her to victory, were not authentic. Perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps I'm callous. However, knowing that everything about her campaign and career is among the most calculated in the history of American politics, it's not beyond the realm of possibility that she deliberately showed such emotion because she needed something to prove to those who felt she lacked passion.
Her denigration of Martin Luther King Jr. yesterday was beyond awful for me. Her dismissal of false hope is a pathetic line of argument. Her husband complaining to the media about a couple of days of coverage of an 'Obama bounce' reeked of sour grapes.
But, most bothersome to me, is this blatantly insulting attempt to be all things to all people. She's experience ... and then she's change. She's against giving false hope ... and then she's ready to lift our spirits and unite America.
Listen to her victory speech ... it's full of lifted phrases and cliches drawn from both Obama and Edwards, inserted into her comments because they polled well for the others. And what floors me is, quite frankly, people buy into this.
I know this is harsh, and I'm aware that I could very well be accused of harboring sour grapes as well in the wake of Obama's second-place finish, but it's essential that I point out that it isn't like these are things that I just dreamed up tonight. I've been rather annoyed by her entire campaign, but I've been most disappointed with her conduct the past few days.
posted by Jmac at 11:12 PM
7 Comments:
I feel the exact same way. I kept worrying about when the other shoe would drop--but I didn't expect it to be New Hampshire.
I fully believe that all those stories about her getting pressure to drop out of the race came from within her own camp, so that they could garner sympathy and cast her as making a comeback.
There will be some more interesting things happening soon, South Carolina promises to be another wowzer.
I'm still undecided, I am inspired by Obama, but when I read the fine print in Edwards' health care plans, they are far superior.
I have issues w/the Clinton regime too, but she has busted her butt to get to where she earned herself the rest of the season- at least until Super Tuesday. I think it was about time she let a crack show in that veneer she's been wearing as a mantle of female strength that came across as so brittle.
I do not rule her out, but she is going to have a hard time in South Carolina unless the biddy (I think she pulled something like 57% of the females over 40 in NH)crowd turns out again.
Of course, Obama can't count on the independent vote there, since there are probably McCain loyalists who still sting from his treatment there during Bushypoo's campaign against him not that long ago.
Obama will therefor not have the independent types from Iowa to help him in SC, bottom line, and the AA vote w/be split.
This thing is so fluid, as much of a hoot as these first few match-ups have been, the Huck and Chip show, a wooden McCain last night, oh the drama... this is just the beginning.
We haven't even started out west yet. Super Tuesday w/be the real make or break day for our top three, I just hope that the Edwards' health care plan influences the Obama platform, there are critical differences. Or, that it does the same for Hill's health care initiative.
I think Hillary will have a heck of a time against McCain, should he pull it off, but if he doesn't learn how to give a speech, he's going to bumble out of this somehow and we'll wind up w/robotron Romney as the Repub candidate, against ...
I have to tell you, I worry for an Obama race against a Romney.
I worry more for a Clinton race against McCain.
I will be supporting the Dem what gets it, and their little running mate too, but if I'm still wondering how to vote, I'm sure there are a lot of people who are still swinging in the wind.
We may even see some of the Hispanic vote have the impact some of the pundits are talking this morning. I'm a little disgusted at the way they're spinning things, but I always am.
Which is why I am a local gal, doing my little local thang when I can to boost the vote...
And not a national level strategist. Can you believe they haven't called for my incredible insights?
This thing has only just begun, and I find that if I get too attached this early in the game, to the top of the ticket, I am in danger of neglecting the Democrats we need to elect locally.
I don't want this primary battle to be a Cox/Taylor type race where we slaughter our own nominee before the Repubs even get a shot at them.
I am primarily looking for the candidate at the top who will bring out the voters I want to see at the polls here in GA., esp. Athens.
I have to stay right sized, and I sure know my own limitations, esp. of scope.
I encourage you to go to SC to work for Obama, I know w/your baby ill, and you having a life and all, that's not an easy thing. Your loyalty on this blog has been a huge contribution to the Obama campaign, whether you realize it or not. I think you'd have a blast doing door to door, even for a single Saturday morning in Columbia, and come away so high and happy on it you'll kick back and have a few laughs.
I know, blasphemous, that politics can be fun. Shock and dismay! At least the Huck and Chip (his campaign manager "goes by" Chip, I believe, lol) will be entertaining, I see them arm in arm singing like little chipmunks, I can't help it.
Maddy
I think most of us realize that our representative democracy has been captured by big money or big multinational corporations, if you prefer. The ridiculous amount of money going into elections at all governmental levels, the money and influence wielded by lobbyists are testimony to this assault on our democracy.
It should be clear to most of us that Obama and Edwards offer more hope than does Clinton for our efforts to return our government to the people.
As long as we're hoping, let's hope that Obama with his marvelous vision gets the Democratic nomination and election as President, then chooses Edwards to be his Attorney-General!!
That combination might actually put an end to the $400 M retirement packages to oil company CEO's.
Bert
She's a capable, formidable opponent but she beat Obama by, what, 3-4 points in New Hampshire? The media is acting like it was a landslide.
I think the tears were genuine. But while she's scrubbed up her public persona a good bit, that previous personality is surely still lurking under the surface.
Hill and Bill in the Oval Office again will set the conservatives at full frenzy. They've got enough baggage to bring them down, beside what ever the right makes up. I think she'll be a hinderance to the Demo party
2 points in New Hampshire, actually. With 96% counted she led by less than 8000 votes with over 250,000 Democratic primary voters. And they won the same number of delegates.
The problem is not the actual outcome, it's the media spin that will follow. She won new life with her 2 point victory, and the media (and the public) love a comeback.
Oh, whatever. First, keep in mind that the republican attack machine is employed as such, and therefore they'll tear to shreds any democratic candidate who becomes viable. Along those lines, Clinton and Obama are both bad choices because they're not white males. They will be subject to attacks that are covert and unaddressable, and baldly ugly. The advantage that Clinton and Edwards have over Obama is that all of their skeletons are already out of the closet. We know who they are, we know what they've done, and we know that it hasn't stopped them. And I say we support that pluck and determination and qualification. Obama's a fine choice, too. Listen, it's a great year when we have 3-4 viable, exciting candidates to choose from. Why must we tear down one to appreciate another?
I'm very happy with the New Hampshire results. I think we should all be glad that Clinton and Obama polled within 4 points of each other. But I am especially glad that in New Hampshire a lot of people who previously voted in the republican primary chose instead to vote in the democratic primary. That's a great sign for the general election.
Personally, I can vote for any of the top 4 democrats. I've now determined that I can't vote for any republican candidates. I look forward to getting the primary process over so that i can put my weight behind supporting two of the winning democrats in the general election.
(ex-posted with Sarah, obviously)
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