Fran made me do it. I have been thinking about the ongoing and endless campaign for the Democratic nomination. I'm not going to pretend that there is still a contest. The contest is over. Obama, short of an unforeseen catastrophe, will be the Democratic nominee. Like Fran, neither Clinton nor Obama was my favorite. Like Fran again, I liked Dennis Kucinich best. Next, I would have wanted John Edwards or Chris Dodd before either Obama or Clinton.
BUT, and it is a very big BUT, I believe that Democrats must be careful about calling for Clinton to drop out of the race. Feelings run strong on both sides, for the supporters of Obama and for the supporters of Clinton. There are those from both camps who say they will not vote for the other Democrat. They will either stay home, or vote for the Republican, or for Ron Paul, or now for Bob Barr. A vote for Paul or Barr is as good as a vote for John McCain. That frightens me. The thought of McCain for president is as scary as the thought of giving Bush a third term.
I have my personal thoughts and feelings about Hillary Clinton's campaign, which I won't state here, but I think that the timing for her to drop out is her decision and that of her advisers. Perhaps she'll carry her campaign all the way to the convention. That is her right. Above all, Obama should continue, as he has been doing, to resist the temptation to weigh in on the matter, as should his close advisers, and perhaps his supporters could give that some thought, too.
Democrats will need the votes of the Clinton supporters in the general election to win, and the time to start to make peace is right now, whether Clinton is still in the race or not. The decision on when to end her campaign is hers, and she must be not be seen as having been pushed.
BUT, another big BUT, both Obama and Clinton should stop attacks on one another right now, this minute, this second, and concentrate their criticism on John McCain. It's vital to the future of our country!
For what it's worth.
Great post Mimi!
ReplyDeleteIt is a non-funny version of "Don't blame me, blame Fran" I think.
I hope she goes - I hope she just drops out, but I do not think she will go easily.
Fran, it's a minor difference of opinion amongst many agreements between us. I'm not really blaming you so much as citing you and your post as the impetus to write what I have been mulling for quite some time. It's good of you to contribute your generous comment.
ReplyDeleteThis is good and expresses so well the feelings of many of us. I wish the Democrats could come together and show us how to be in unity.
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved your comment about my post of the gov't's stupidity!
P.S.
ReplyDeleteAnna Quindlen wrote her latest column on this exact same topic!
I really like Anna Quindlan.
ReplyDeletegreat post!
I don't mind Hillary staying in, but from what I heard of her speech tonight, she's starting to sound delusional. Lines about how she's winning the popular vote (as if delegate count doesn't matter), and how MI and FL will change the tenor of the race (they won't). Grit and determination become obsession and mulishness at some point, and she's at that point.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's time for them to stop fighting . . . whenever she decides to drop out.
ReplyDeleteJan, Quindlen's column is a good one. The letters about the refunds are a stupid waste of money. We haven't received letters. Perhaps we won't get a refund.
ReplyDeleteRmj, I agree. I deliberately did not express my opinion of the present state of Clinton's campaign in my post. My point is that emotions are running high on both sides. Many folks in the country have a large investment in Clinton's candidacy, and, because of that, in my opinion, she must be permitted to remove herself from the contest, however gracelessly, rather than appear to have been taken down by force.
I personally supported Clinton's candidacy, but I think anyone who says they will vote for McCain or the others mentioned just because they don't get their way is completely shortsighted. We have to understand what the greater danger is. Every vote DOES count, even with the Electoral College.
ReplyDeleteWanna see another twenty years in Iraq? Then by all means, DON'T vote Democratic. Want to see the imperial presidency continue to expand? Then DON'T vote Democratic. Want to see another four years of voodoo economics? I think you get the point.
"Ms. Cornelius", I get the point. I hope I made the point. You're right. It's important.
ReplyDeleteAnd furthermore....
ReplyDeleteHear, hear! We Democrats are all veterans of voting for the one we didn't really like. What makes this campaign any different?
ReplyDeleteThat said, Hillary has every right to stay in. It's not exactly unheard-of in the annals of U.S. history.
That said, anyone who sits out the election or votes for McBush cannot claim to really give a rat's for this country.
Well, its all very, very dull from over here and no one quite understands why quite so much media time is given over to it.
ReplyDeleteI've mentioned it previously: think Supreme Court, and the choice to vote for ANY Democrat should be very easy. Justice Stephens will be 88, and we can't afford another Scalia.I just wish Sen. Clinton would bow out with grace and magnaminity today. I'm old enough to remember the leathal injury done to George McGovern's campaign by late-primary "campaigning" by Hubert Humphrey and his surrogates.
ReplyDeleteJane, loved it. Enough already!
ReplyDeleteJohn D, The Supreme Court! Wars and rumors of wars! No one should sit this one out.
DP, I find it quite boring, too. I'm sick of the campaign. We could take a lesson from you Brits and cut ours short.
The issue is to defeat the Republicans in November.
ReplyDeleteThis is a dead heat; it's hard for me to imagine how we win if one side or the other loses the nomination feeling they had as good a claim as the winner.
It is time to stop claiming "I won" or "No, you didn't" and work out a deal, to be mutually announced and supported, whether before or at the convention, in a smoke-filled room or on all the networks (without moderators, please!)
If this can be done, I believe we will win, no matter who the nominee is. If it cannot, it won't matter who the nominee is.
The issue is to defeat the Republicans in November.
ReplyDeleteJohnieb, exactly. I love ya, but it's not a dead heat. Obama has the nomination. It's time for the Democrats to work out how to come together. Clinton should be left to decide when to bow out and not be pushed, but come together they must.
If she continues until the convention, that will prevent reconciliation between her supporters and Obama's. It may then be too late.
ReplyDeleteThat's a risk, Ormonde, but appearing to shove her out will alienate her supporters, too.
ReplyDeleteAh, ma Cher Mimi,
ReplyDeleteperhaps I was unclear, or I may be ill-informed as to the campaigns.
By "dead heat", I mean it remains undecided until the Superdelegates are committed by vote, and not "promises"; perhaps my experience skews my judgment, but I don't trust any public official's constancy until it's official and public, and then not much.
Nor do I accept the argument I have heard from some that Superdelegates must favor the leader (By what measure? Pledged delegates? Popular vote?); in my understanding, their vote counts more than mine because they're supposed to exercise their judgment, informed by political experience. To make them rubber stamps of the caucus/ primary process makes them redundant and useless. Or is their status merely an honor for holding office without real power?
All this seems to me to have been the case since at least Ohio and North Carolina. My hope is that both campaigns are quietly negotiating a unity strategy; as I said earlier, without it I shudder at the thought of the election to come.
You'd think we'd all be used to disappointment and horror by now.
Johnieb, I fervently hope that they work it out, too. If you want to know my truth, I am scared sh*tless about the election.
ReplyDeleteMe, too, Mimi; I'd rather have a united party with either of them than either one of them without: enough competing already!
ReplyDeleteshort of an unforeseen catastrophe...
ReplyDeleteI think Obama is a disaster waiting to happen. If you all nominate him, you get what you deserve.
I haven't given up on Senator Clinton who HAS won the popular vote and who has also won the popular vote in more key states. I don't think Obama can win against the Republican machine and given his absurd lack of experience I am not sure I want him to.
Convention delegates are one thing. Who can win in November is the question we should be asking and I don't think pretty boy is the answer.
Just me.
Lindy, I love ya, but I'm not overly impressed with Clinton's experience either. Being the wife of the president doesn't count with me. She voted for the Iraq War, which counts very much with me. That is the albatross around her neck. I don't buy the "we were deceived" shit, either. I knew the Bush people were lying. I'm sure the senators had more information than I did. They should have known better.
ReplyDeletePeace.
"I don't buy the "we were deceived" shit, either. I knew the Bush people were lying."
ReplyDeleteYou go Mimi!