18 million hostages? Saturday, June 7, 2008
Lots of people voted for Hillary Clinton this year for lots of reasons. Few believed they were doing anything but expressing their preference concerning the Democratic Party's 2008 presidential nomination. The vast majority of these people will vote for Barack Obama this fall. A deluded minority think that they remain in a cohesive unit with all of Senator Clinton's other primary and caucus supporters and hold great sway by doing so.
Good luck to them. Primary season voters chose Clinton for myriad reasons, including:
They are Clinton family loyalists.
They have always been Hillary Clinton boosters.
They thought she was the most electable.
They bought into the inevitability argument early on and then were too stubborn to switch candidates once she was shown to have clay feet.
They were party regulars who fell in line early and stayed there, often in great discomfort.
They believed we are long overdue for a woman president.
Rush Limbaugh told them to vote for her.
They hate Hillary but their racism left them no choice but to support her.
Their vote was swayed by a passing incident (such as Sen. Clinton's NH tears or the YouTube rollout of Sen. Obama's outspoken pastor.)
The choice was very close between the two candidates and at the last moment they simply chose her.
They bought her 'experience' argument.
They liked how she kowtowed to their local issues.
...and so on and so forth. The point is, these people have not been alloyed into some sort of political super element.
Today, Mrs. Clinton will formally encourage her supporters to join the Obama camp. This gesture is as much for her as it is for Senator Obama because she will be suggesting that people do what would have done anyway. Despite this, some Clinton dead-enders will continue to threaten to break with Democrats while talking as if they represent that mythical super-alloyed bloc of 18 million voters.
But most of those millions didn't intend to hand their perpetual political proxy to Mrs. Clinton when they cast a ballot or walked to her side of a caucus. They simply weighed in on which candidate they most supported in the Democratic field. Prior to making their decision, had Mrs. Clinton's supporters known anyone would suggest that their vote would represent an eternal splinter affiliation, it's likely many would have chosen Mr. Obama instead.
Most Clinton voters chose her as their first preference in a campaign during which they plan to vote for anyone who will end an eight-year nightmare of Republican rule. A few tough months on the campaign trail hardly trumps eight years getting ground under the boot-heels of Bush, Cheney and their operatives. This nation is involved in protracted, foolhardy war. The economy is in petroleum-fueled flames. The environment is on the verge of epochal ruin. On the other hand, a few bumps and bruises were incurred on the campaign trail. Boo-hoo!
It's time for the Clinton Alamo blog-ring to find a new obsession.
**
A few more points for Mrs. Clinton to take with her.... The Clinton Alamo blog ring tells us Mrs. Clinton is the victim of the Old Boys Club. They are right. Members of the club include: Mark Penn, Howard Wolfson, Terry McAuliffe and about as old a boy as you can find -- Bill Clinton
Mrs Clinton needs to understand that there is nothing magnanimous about acknowledging reality. Her recent pronouncement that it is Barack Obama's prerogative to select a running mate may have felt like a concession to her, but it looked pretty clumsy from here.
***
The celebration of American greatness because a man who is of partly African-American heritage will be the Democratic nominee for president overlooks something-- this nation's horrible and embarrassing history of slavery, Jim Crow oppression, continued bigotry and savage economic inequity.
In fairness, these ugly historical realities do in fact make it amazing that a black man could get anywhere in this country. But spare me the brass bands featuring chorales singing 'only in America' tripe. It could only happen in America because of this country's brutal history. This nomination isn't a continuation of the USA's ongoing greatness, it is but one small step in a rehabilitation process that will take centuries to complete. And there are no guarantees that this nation will last long enough to trek even a fraction of that path. So please let's stop congratulating ourselves.
All such congratulation really says is: considering how absolutely deplorable this nation has been about race, it's natural it would seize upon the success of one man and interpret it as the sounding of some sort of a culpability 'all-clear" for this nation's rancid and racist history.
**
Obama has played the campaign finance thing just about perfectly. Of course some money from so-called special interests will leak into his campaign but it will never outweigh the hundreds of millions of rank and file dollars that have been raised one (relatively) small donation at a time. The big money has come from the little people and so the little people are the big players. Talk about your upside- down financing
Enter John McCain who has yet to light a prairie fire of fiscal support that hasn't been doused by a flood from the Obama Volunteer Fire Department. As a result, McCain is hopelessly behind in the Dough Derby. Worse, as the self-proclaimed patron saint of campaign finance reform, he's left with absolutely no choice but to go begging to the very lobbyists and pacs he claims to want rooted out of politics. Even when he does compromise himself and accept the money from the influence peddlers, they won't come up with anywhere near the cash Obamawill have available to force McCain to fight in places he should have considered safe, while giving up in several where he might have been competitive.
**
After an earlier post, a commenter named Marc asked me what I thought Bill Clinton's legacy would be. Thanks for writing, Marc. I guess I'd say his legacy is the DLC and the surrender of the alleged party of the people to the money of the bosses.
As I said months ago, Bill Clinton has become the Willy Loman of American politics. Nobody is buying his crap anymore.
**
Speaking of unbought crap, how about John McCain's promises to educate us? He's attempting to assume the role of kindly old professor but he comes off as a mean and doddering fool, rearranging bromides in an attempt to remind us that we are all deeply indebted to him for getting shot down while strafing civilians in North Vietnam.
I have sympathy for John McCain but this does not translate into political support. Like so many veterans, Mr.McCain is in obvious need of care. Clearly he thinks he can somehow make right all that was so wrong in Vietnam by 'winning' in Iraq. To put it in a generational-appropriate term for Senator McCain -- balderdash!
I'm sorry for all Mr. McCain suffered in that needless and awful war but I'll be damned if he's going to use his horrible war experience to sell us on indefinitely re-upping for the current one.
And while we're at it, anyone who thinks open-ended hostility in Afghanistan is a prudent path to take, doesn't understand how many IED's litter that path.
Unfortunately, the IED's won't explode in the path-plotters' faces. That honor will fall to the path-trodders.
**
On a happier note: the gas you put in your tank yesterday is worth a lot more today. And you didn't know you were a speculating genius, did you?
Today's two word investment tip: bicycles futures.
Good luck to them. Primary season voters chose Clinton for myriad reasons, including:
They are Clinton family loyalists.
They have always been Hillary Clinton boosters.
They thought she was the most electable.
They bought into the inevitability argument early on and then were too stubborn to switch candidates once she was shown to have clay feet.
They were party regulars who fell in line early and stayed there, often in great discomfort.
They believed we are long overdue for a woman president.
Rush Limbaugh told them to vote for her.
They hate Hillary but their racism left them no choice but to support her.
Their vote was swayed by a passing incident (such as Sen. Clinton's NH tears or the YouTube rollout of Sen. Obama's outspoken pastor.)
The choice was very close between the two candidates and at the last moment they simply chose her.
They bought her 'experience' argument.
They liked how she kowtowed to their local issues.
...and so on and so forth. The point is, these people have not been alloyed into some sort of political super element.
Today, Mrs. Clinton will formally encourage her supporters to join the Obama camp. This gesture is as much for her as it is for Senator Obama because she will be suggesting that people do what would have done anyway. Despite this, some Clinton dead-enders will continue to threaten to break with Democrats while talking as if they represent that mythical super-alloyed bloc of 18 million voters.
But most of those millions didn't intend to hand their perpetual political proxy to Mrs. Clinton when they cast a ballot or walked to her side of a caucus. They simply weighed in on which candidate they most supported in the Democratic field. Prior to making their decision, had Mrs. Clinton's supporters known anyone would suggest that their vote would represent an eternal splinter affiliation, it's likely many would have chosen Mr. Obama instead.
Most Clinton voters chose her as their first preference in a campaign during which they plan to vote for anyone who will end an eight-year nightmare of Republican rule. A few tough months on the campaign trail hardly trumps eight years getting ground under the boot-heels of Bush, Cheney and their operatives. This nation is involved in protracted, foolhardy war. The economy is in petroleum-fueled flames. The environment is on the verge of epochal ruin. On the other hand, a few bumps and bruises were incurred on the campaign trail. Boo-hoo!
It's time for the Clinton Alamo blog-ring to find a new obsession.
**
A few more points for Mrs. Clinton to take with her.... The Clinton Alamo blog ring tells us Mrs. Clinton is the victim of the Old Boys Club. They are right. Members of the club include: Mark Penn, Howard Wolfson, Terry McAuliffe and about as old a boy as you can find -- Bill Clinton
Mrs Clinton needs to understand that there is nothing magnanimous about acknowledging reality. Her recent pronouncement that it is Barack Obama's prerogative to select a running mate may have felt like a concession to her, but it looked pretty clumsy from here.
***
The celebration of American greatness because a man who is of partly African-American heritage will be the Democratic nominee for president overlooks something-- this nation's horrible and embarrassing history of slavery, Jim Crow oppression, continued bigotry and savage economic inequity.
In fairness, these ugly historical realities do in fact make it amazing that a black man could get anywhere in this country. But spare me the brass bands featuring chorales singing 'only in America' tripe. It could only happen in America because of this country's brutal history. This nomination isn't a continuation of the USA's ongoing greatness, it is but one small step in a rehabilitation process that will take centuries to complete. And there are no guarantees that this nation will last long enough to trek even a fraction of that path. So please let's stop congratulating ourselves.
All such congratulation really says is: considering how absolutely deplorable this nation has been about race, it's natural it would seize upon the success of one man and interpret it as the sounding of some sort of a culpability 'all-clear" for this nation's rancid and racist history.
**
Obama has played the campaign finance thing just about perfectly. Of course some money from so-called special interests will leak into his campaign but it will never outweigh the hundreds of millions of rank and file dollars that have been raised one (relatively) small donation at a time. The big money has come from the little people and so the little people are the big players. Talk about your upside- down financing
Enter John McCain who has yet to light a prairie fire of fiscal support that hasn't been doused by a flood from the Obama Volunteer Fire Department. As a result, McCain is hopelessly behind in the Dough Derby. Worse, as the self-proclaimed patron saint of campaign finance reform, he's left with absolutely no choice but to go begging to the very lobbyists and pacs he claims to want rooted out of politics. Even when he does compromise himself and accept the money from the influence peddlers, they won't come up with anywhere near the cash Obamawill have available to force McCain to fight in places he should have considered safe, while giving up in several where he might have been competitive.
**
After an earlier post, a commenter named Marc asked me what I thought Bill Clinton's legacy would be. Thanks for writing, Marc. I guess I'd say his legacy is the DLC and the surrender of the alleged party of the people to the money of the bosses.
As I said months ago, Bill Clinton has become the Willy Loman of American politics. Nobody is buying his crap anymore.
**
Speaking of unbought crap, how about John McCain's promises to educate us? He's attempting to assume the role of kindly old professor but he comes off as a mean and doddering fool, rearranging bromides in an attempt to remind us that we are all deeply indebted to him for getting shot down while strafing civilians in North Vietnam.
I have sympathy for John McCain but this does not translate into political support. Like so many veterans, Mr.McCain is in obvious need of care. Clearly he thinks he can somehow make right all that was so wrong in Vietnam by 'winning' in Iraq. To put it in a generational-appropriate term for Senator McCain -- balderdash!
I'm sorry for all Mr. McCain suffered in that needless and awful war but I'll be damned if he's going to use his horrible war experience to sell us on indefinitely re-upping for the current one.
And while we're at it, anyone who thinks open-ended hostility in Afghanistan is a prudent path to take, doesn't understand how many IED's litter that path.
Unfortunately, the IED's won't explode in the path-plotters' faces. That honor will fall to the path-trodders.
**
On a happier note: the gas you put in your tank yesterday is worth a lot more today. And you didn't know you were a speculating genius, did you?
Today's two word investment tip: bicycles futures.
