Desperate Times for the HC
February 26th, 2008 | by Tom |Doesnt it sound like the title of some new Ashley Judd movie? In reality, from everything i have read this morning, the title of this blog refers to the situation Hillary Clintons presidential campaign finds itself in. One of the things i had recently begun to admire about her campaign is how it generally acknowledged the fact that it was in bad shape. I think its pretty classy when someone can admit that someone else is probably going to win but that you are going to buckle down, give it your best shot and hope that things turn around for the better. She said during the debate last thursday that if things didnt turn around and she didnt win the nomination that she “would be fine.” Thats nice i thought, now i dont have to feel bad when Obama wins denying America its first female President, which, i have to admit, i was sort of starting to feel bad about. Apparently however, Hillary was just really really wonderfully high on Thursday, woke up on Friday, still a little hazy but generally cognizant, watched the video of the debate and said, “What? What did I say? I’m not going to be fine! Im going to be pissed! Much like I am right now!” And so Team Clinton got desperate but unlike before she decided to garnish her desperate with a heaping spoonful of crazy and now instead of seeming determined she seems ruthless.
And people are starting to notice. Here are todays headlines from some of Americas major news soures:
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/26/us/politics/26clinton.html
The Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/columnists/lupica/index.html
New York Magazine
http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/02/clintons_barbs_condoned_by_the.html
Im sure this list can be updated as the day goes on (we can also debate the term “major news source”). During a normal election, and issued by a standard candidate, Hillary’s attacks might be seen as just that, attacks politically motivated and not personal but, when they come from the mouth of a Clinton, they sound petty and jealous and rude and condescending. Some part of me would feel bad for the way she comes off during her speeches and press conferences if i didnt think she wanted to look this way. I think she wants to seem desperate. I think she wants people to think that she will do whatever it takes to be president. i think she is hoping that people connect this ruthless desire of hers with the thoughts that maybe, because she wants it so badly she is willing to risk her reputation and her sanity, that she really loves us, that she really cares for us and that she really would be the democrats best candidate for president. Unfortunately for Hillary the more people see her in this desperate and flailing state the more people see the underlying truth of her campaign: that it doesnt have anything to do with you, me or America, its all about Hillary and her Arthurian quest to be president. I do feel, if Barack had to drop out for whatever reason and she became the default nominee and managed to beat John McCain, that she would make a decent president while in office, i dont question her intelligence and her policies and vision seem to be grounded in a general willingness to be a good person and a good president. But in the same way that George Bush’s White House has been described as having a “mob mentality” so will the Clinton’s. It will cost our government and our country dearly if anyone stands in the way of her “causes.”
Am i being to hard on her? I dont know, maybe, maybe not. What i do know is that her plan is back firing on her. Every-time someone reads one of the stories listed above, of which a differenent but similar version will be printed in every newspaper and magazine from now until she decides to drop out, the American people wince and then run to embrace the candidate that doesnt make them feel like a bad person for supporting the candidate of their choice. Your not going to hear Barack tell the American voter that their delusional for not voting for him but you are hearing that from the Clinton’s everyday. When Bill Clinton, in Texas last week, told a crowd of people, “If we win in Texas and Ohio i think we an get the nomination, if we dont then we probably wont. Its in your hands,” he was basically saying My wife and I are holding you all personally responsible for not letting us be president. It has nothing to do with how they ran their campaign or how they spent their money or how the conducted themselves or how seriously they took Baracks initial bid for the nomination. Its our fault. Yours and mine. She wanted it and we took it from her. We should be ashamed. Well, Im not ashamed and neither is anyone else. we will be ashamed if Barack wins Texas on Tuesday and she doesnt drop out of the race. we will be ashamed if she continues to try to pry elected delegates away from Barack just because the DNC’s arcane election rules says she can. We will be ashamed when the Clinton campaign starts to circulate a picture Barack should be proud of, dressed in a traditional African outfit while visiting Africa, in an attempt to appeal to America’s “ignorance” hoping we will mistake his attire for something having to with being a Muslim. Oh wait, thats already happened. Well then you win Hillary Clinton. I am ashamed. Ashamed that our electoral process has come to this. Ashamed that someone cannot remark on your record and your positions without you running around and unfoundly calling them a liar and a cheat. Ashamed that everytime you say that this election has nothing to do with race and gender you try and drag it back through the mud of gender and racial divide.
I will close today by saying thank you to Hillary Clinton for confirming that i made the right choice on Super Tuesday. That i chose to support the candidate that himself chose to stay above all of this nonsense.
Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton
