Who Can Beat McCain?

Lotta folks on this site hating Hillary because she's a woman. Lotta folks on this site loving Hillary because she's a woman. Makes me think that, in some quarters, men have been uncomfortable with women a lot longer than whites have been uncomfortable with blacks.

Sometimes I honestly believe that a racist white guy would vote for Obama over anyone like his wife or mother. A woman as Commander-and-Chief? Uh-uh, they say.

How sad.

Lotta folks worried about Obama's level of experience. Whatever you do, don't buy into that Republican bullshit. Obama is FDR compared to this Bush. The GOP committed every possible sin in order to get Bush elected. They forged a whole set of new ones to get him reelected. Everyone around the world recognizes that America is in real trouble. Most Americans do, too.

The past eight years have been the moral low point of the American experience.

I have said in these pages before that either candidate has the potential to make a very good president. Clinton is smart and shrewd in ways that will serve her well in office. I think she would play a Democratic Congress like a violin. Obama will have the great fortune of being able to attract his own version of the "Best and the Brightest", an army of brilliant and capable reform-minded people who would normally abjure political careers as the result of their inherent cynicism.

Who can beat McCain? That is all that matters.

McCain is another right-wing, retro, deficit-loving, never-seen-a-defense-appropriation-I-didn't-like tool. But there are a lot of people in this dumbed-down country that will buy that. They want to turn the clock back. To what, I don't know. Which Democrat will give a critical number of Americans the courage to move forward? This election represents a turning point for this country, not only internally, but regarding our future among the other nations of the world. America will begin to, albeit slowly, irreversibly go down if we do not get this right.

It is wrong to assume that either of these Democrats is less qualified than the other. But Democrats must think like Republicans, now more than ever. Who can win?

You think major GOP fundraisers sat back and clucked over the nomination of Bush in 2000? You must be joking. They held their noses and went along for the ride because Republicans like James Baker and that maniac Richard Mellon Scaife have their hands on the money valve and they anointed Bush. The GOP plays to win. They don't have good candidates all that often, but they don't let that stop them. Everyone digs in and puts their shoulder behind even the lamest nominee.

If you want to advocate for Clinton or Obama, do so in the context of how they will defeat McBush.

PS: One possible consequence of an Obama presidency? Supreme Court Justice Hillary Clinton. Dang, that sounds good.

Comments

[MElmore1965]

...yes, I watched all three sermons...­and, I watched Obama first say that he had never attended when wright preached racist sermons...­then, I watched Obama say that he had indeed been at that church when wright preached racist sermons...­and, I watched hill say that she landed in Bosnia under sniper fire...the­n I watched hill land in Bosnia...l­iars..both of them...stu­pid liars...I want my money back from Obama...an­d, my time...

[WLA]

I would also like to point out that McSame has been doing nothing but lying and getting facts wrong for the last two months all over the media, while we bicker.

Nobody believes in every word their pastor speaks in a sermon.

There is no chance Hillary will win the nomination. It's time to come together for Obama.

[ohdear08]

An old black man angry at America is not racist, its going to church in the black community. Were Obama from Detroit or Atlanta or wherever it would be some other preacher on CNN/Youtube unless he didn't go to a black church at all. As someone familiar with this milieu, will you just take it that the man was simply attending the church in the community of the Chicago demographic he represented. Do you really believe Obama believes the things Wright said? And do you really think Wright's words are to be taken so one-dimensionally, sans context? Have you no ability to see the inherent irony in black patriotism, necessity for paranoia in black survival, well-documented hyperbole in the cultural oratory of that milieu? Or did you think Obama went to a white church where people murmured hymns, recited verse in low, robotic voices, made polite references to the fragile state of the union but didn't delve too deeply and then went home after a half hour?

[kee]

I never considered Hillary's gender when I turned my support from her to Obama. I did consider her insincerity, dishonesty and her willngness to do anything to win! Whether her gender was male or female, I would not want Hllary Clinton as commander in chief!

[rpmcestmoi]

I am in complete agreement. I would vote for Nancy Pelosi in a second, Hillary only if I had to.

She's dishonest. Period. Fibs at the drop of an opportunity. Though I would prefer a dishonest Hillary to a dishonest McCain.

In the end, folks, it will be women, minorities, progressives, and solid independents who will defeat McCain.

Endless war to save his sense of the honorable and three Ayatollah's on the Supreme Court will defeat him.

[WLA]

I'd rather have Barbara Boxer than Nancy, but OK.

[Georgiadude]

I still do not understand the stupid Bosnia lie. What in the hell was she thinking?
Will a Hillary Clinton supporter please explain how we elect someone like this President of the United States?

It's 3 AM, who are we going to trust? Hillary the delusional?

[cuvo]

==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­====
The fall campaign would boil down to this, Alec:

A real POW war hero beats the candidate who fabricated a war story.
==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­====

[anelder]

A real POW war hero - where does that bit of history canonize someone.
Theere are many of these men. Some would say were not as reckless as pilots and hence did not have to become a POW. All of them are noble men worth our
respect and lasting gratitude. None of this makes them qualified
to lead this country.

Having some experience with the military I would venture that the very things that make the best of military men is not what makes them the best to be a civilian leader of men. Don't challenge my experince - I have that in spades.

I would never call military men war mongers - that's ridiculous. I will say their adheance to duty, honor, and superiors makes for following orders despite all to the contrary.

[cuvo]

==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­====
anelder, your points are well taken, and I am not a McCain supporter.

My point is that this particularly potent Democratic liability in Clinton v. McCain would yield a hammering that would make the swiftboating of John Kerry's military service look tame by comparison.
==========­==========­==========­==========­==========­====

[WLA]

I would like to point out a few facts.

1) The war is incredibly unpopular, McSame has hitched his wagon to this war and consistently gets his facts wrong. As soon as the focus shifts away from the Dem. race, he is toast.

2) Hillary cannot win the Democratic nomination.

[Volkmeister]

Alec, Alec, Alec. Don't you know that it is a silly idea to put a pathological liar on the Supreme Court. I'd sell tickets to Hillary's confirmation hearings and be as rich as you. The only difference is that I'd have to work hard, unlike some actors who make $6 mil for five weeks work, and have to worry about which awards ceremony to attend next. Here's how it would go, Alec: A legal question is presented and newly minted Justice, Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton, would then write a legal opinion such as follows:

"When I was pinned-down by snipe fire in Bosnia, I thought about the peace process in Northern Ireland, that I helped achieve, and, when not avoiding the plots vast right-wing conspiracy, I was drawn to the words of Sir Edmund Hillary, for whom I was named, and I believe the Constitution gives this Court the power to proclaim any halfwit liberal notion as law and that great actor from LaLa Land, Alec Baldwin, has a First Amendment right to make an ass of himself every time he opens his mouth."

Now, Alec, I know that the above hypothetical opinion gives you a wet dream, but be realistic. Hillary has about as much chance to become a Supreme Court justice as you have to become the next Bobby DeNiro. The next Pauly Shore perhaps, but not the next Bobby DeNiro.

[baglenmushie]

Sir- I would not challenge your right to post opposing political views, that is what this space is all about, but when you denigrate Mr. Baldwin's acting abilities, you are not only off the mark but off topic. Not Robert DeNiro, why whould he want to be? In any DeNiro film you are always aware that you are watching DeNiro, not a bad thing, a truly fine actor. Mr. Baldwin is a chameleon, with each role he becomes the character, never the same perfomance twice. Also Mr.Baldwin is not a product of L.A.- how could you not know he is a New Yorker- if he is well paid, that is simply a measure of his talant in the market- so what !

[Arielman]

Living in New York State I watched Bernadette Castro run against the Senior US Senator at the time Patrick Moynihan, and do well on Long Island, I recall because I found myself sleeping on one of her convertible beds and reading a Robert Redford catalog that night there. Why she didn't run against Senator Clinton is odd, though appointed head of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in my state which working in I think should be split up instead of cloned in other public works depts (DEC etc). Senator Clinton made the Purple Heart stamp permanent and the State of NY has announced a Purple Heart Center to be built at the New Windsor Cantonment, where the troops overwintered after the treaty was signed with King George, just in case.

Maybe Bernadette Castro should be running now, it would seem more evenly matched, based on the Castro/Moynihan rivalry, both ran and won or lost a race for New York Senator. I'd hate to think we'd elect John McCain based on his similar sounding name John McComb architect:

Cape Henry Light (1792)
Montauk Point Lighthouse (1796) (commissioned by President George Washington, "earmarked" to keep it from falling into the sea)
Station Eatons Neck Lighthouse (1798)
Gracie Mansion (1799)
New York City Hall (1803)
Hamilton Grange (1803)
Old Queens building at Rutgers University (1808)
Castle Clinton (1808)
Quarters A, Brooklyn Navy Yard
Vestry (St. John's Chapel) at Trinity Church (torn down in 1918) (Wikipedia)

road and dam under Yankee Stadium(s)!

[WLA]

Why on earth do you keep posting this? And pray tell, what does it have to do with anything?

[Arielman]

When I first cut and pasted it from Wikipedia the asterisks (bullets) caused the posting to truncate yet was under the requisite number of words, so since it had yet to be moderated I thought the moderator would throw out the first and leave the second.

My point is that Bernadette Castro, a furniture heiress from NYC, known for some of the earliest TV commercials in many NYers mind, her jumping up and down on one of their bed/sofas in a long night shirt, an adolescent I think, was the GOP candidate against the "Democrat machine" once upon a time and she spent quite a bit of money. After she lost Senator Moynihan's "replacement" was the former First Lady, and one of the two women at the Watergate hearings, who ran against what the GOP decided was an appropriate candidate, a young inexperienced gentleman from Long Island, as if to say "you win".

Anyone can run is a myth we all share, and given the record spending in this campaign you have to wonder if America is going to the "heirs and heiresses".

[Arielman]

Living in New York State I watched Bernadette Castro run against the Senior US Senator at the time Patrick Moynihan, and do well on Long Island, I recall because I found myself sleeping on one of her convertible beds and reading a Robert Redford catalog that night there. Why she didn't run against Senator Clinton is odd, though appointed head of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in my state which working in I think should be split up instead of cloned in other public works depts (DEC etc). Senator Clinton made the Purple Heart stamp permanent and the State of NY has announced a Purple Heart Center to be built at the New Windsor Cantonment, where the troops overwintered after the treaty was signed with King George, just in case.

Maybe Bernadette Castro should be running now, it would seem more evenly matched, based on the Castro/Moynihan rivalry, both ran and won or lost a race for New York Senator. I'd hate to think we'd elect John McCain based on his similar sounding name John McComb architect:

* Cape Henry Light (1792)
* Montauk Point Lighthouse (1796) (commissioned by President George Washington, "earmarked" to keep it from falling into the sea)
* Station Eatons Neck Lighthouse (1798)
* Gracie Mansion (1799)
* New York City Hall (1803)
* Hamilton Grange (1803)
* Old Queens building at Rutgers University (1808)
* Castle Clinton (1808)
* Quarters A, Brooklyn Navy Yard
* Vestry (St. John's Chapel) at Trinity Church (torn down in

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

Who can beat McCain? Maybe John Kerry. War hero, smart, tall, not as liberal as Howard Dean.

Or maybe not. That thinking didn't work out so well in 2004. The fact is, Democrats can't think like Republicans, just like Republicans can't think like Democrats. Republicans think the ideal Democrat is Joe Lieberman (or was). Democrats (myself included) can't understand why Republicans don't like McCain-- he's big on war, pro-life, likes tax cuts almost all the time.

Either Democrat could beat McCain.

But this is our time to choose the candidate we want to represent us, and not worry about the other side. We should choose the candidate who opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, who has the charisma to inspire young voters and get people to care about issues such as education, health-care and America's moral standing in the world. Who will be a fresh start after sixteen years of senseless bickering between the two parties.

So, Clinton (and Clinton supporters): respect Obama. He's not just "one speech"-- he's a leader (in the polls and otherwise). I've respected Senator Clinton for many years-- she shouldn't encourage her supporters to dismiss Obama as an empty suit, a motivational speaker.

If Obama can beat Clinton, he can beat McCain.

[situationcritical]

You're going to be in for a big shock over who gets the Dem Nom.

[Arielman]

Living in New York State I watched Bernadette Castro run against the Senior US Senator at the time Patrick Moynihan, and do well on Long Island, I recall because I found myself sleeping on one of her convertible beds and reading a Robert Redford catalog that night there. Why she didn't run against Senator Clinton is odd, though appointed head of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation in my state which working in I think should be split up instead of cloned in other public works depts (DEC etc). Senator Clinton made the Purple Hear stamp permanent and the State of NY has announced a Purple Heart Center to be built at the New Windsor Cantonment, where the troops overwintered after the treaty was signed with King George, just in case.

Maybe Bernadette Castro should be running now, it would seem more evenly matched, based on the Castro/Moynihan rivalry, both ran and won or lost a race for New York Senator. I'd hate to think we'd elect John McCain based on his similar sounding name John McComb architect:

* Cape Henry Light (1792)
* Montauk Point Lighthouse (1796) (commissioned by President George Washington, "earmarked" to keep it from falling into the sea)
* Station Eatons Neck Lighthouse (1798)
* Gracie Mansion (1799)
* New York City Hall (1803)
* Hamilton Grange (1803)
* Old Queens building at Rutgers University (1808)
* Castle Clinton (1808)
* Quarters A, Brooklyn Navy Yard
* Vestry (St. John's Chapel) at Trinity Church (torn down in

[kingcityguru]

I thought you said Obama was a rude, thoughtless little pig.

[deejsmom]

that is very rude of you!

[MiraMcB]

Grow up...

[Betty W.]

The Top 10 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Should be president:
10. No touch football on the White House lawn or basketball photo ops.
9. No sordid sex scandals exposed at a press conference.
8. No confessions of past addictions to alcohol, cocaine or even smoking.
7. Appointments based on ability instead of on racial, religious or ideological grounds.
6. Hillary will make up for women not being mentioned in the Constitution of the U.S., and Americans will be well-informed for a change.
5. She'll garner world-wide respect, since she is articulate and grammatically correct when speaking and won't talk with food in her mouth, unlike our current president.
4. She'll be the only president who actually knows first-hand the challenges women and girls face and will stand up for them just as she has in the past.
3. The news media and others won't be afraid to criticize her, as in the past, without concern for her gender, race or religion.
2. During speeches she won't say "My friends" every few minutes or "uh" even more often.
1. Bill---a peace and prosperity former president, who will spread goodwill worldwide and even visit dangerous war zones just as his spouse did, and the needs of our troops returning home won't be ignored.

[epotruchyeahright]

Nice, sane post. She won't win, but these are compelling reasons.

[getitrighthistime]

Betty As for #4. Specifically what has HRC done for women? Certainly you would call kicking low income women off aide a benefit...­....... What about incarcerating black men. That was certainly helpful for black women. Paying Dee Dee Myers much less than her male counterpar­ts......
Joyce Elders, Laine Guinier, what other women did HRC support?

Oh the speech in China. We know those don't count.

Please provide some links so we can see what HRC has done for women. I'd like to get on that bandwagon.

[Daniel8168]

10. What does that have to do with anything?

9. How is that relevant? Her husband was impeached for the most famous sex scandal of our era.

8. Of course not, she wouldn't even confess to her recent lies. Also, her husband confessed to trying pot.

7. Her appointments will be based on campaign contributions and favors.

6. Look up her court case where she defended a rapist against a young teenage girl. Informed? You mean like she was informed on the conflicts of interest in hiring Mark Penn?

5. Obama is not only articulate and grammatically correct, he is one of the best speakers America has seen in decades.

4. Obama has a wife and two daughters, so I doubt he'll ignore women's issues. Of course, Obama knows first-hand what it is to be a black person and a white person.

3. Hillary will criticize others on gender, race, or religion as her campaign has done with Obama, implying that he is only where he is because he's black, implying that he's a mysoginist, and implying that he's a muslim.

2. Who cares if someone says "My friends"? Doesn't Hillary say that?

1. Bill---First WTC attack by Al Qaeda, Timothy McVeigh, civil war in fomer Soviet Union (er... Bosnia ring a bell?), falsely inflated economy because of dotcom craze, destruction of welfare, etc.

Those reasons aren't quite as compelling when you take off the rose colored (Clinton colored?) glasses.

[SamanthaJaneSalem]

10. No congratulating the Lady Vols on the White House Lawn if there's another President Clinton?
9. No sordid sex scandals-- from her, I'm sure, but what about from *him*?
8. "Past addictions"-- it's a good thing if you can kick a habit.
7. There would probably be some men in her cabinet to balance out the gender profile!
6. Please consult Constitution before bombing Iran.
5. Senator Clinton often makes grammatical errors such as "each of us are."
4. Women aren't serving in Iraq?
3. The media won't be afraid to criticize her? That'll be a change from right now!
2. Senator Clinton says "you know" and "uh" every other word.
1. Bill will make more speeches, and money-- and more power to him.

[tenilla]

Why, exactly, do you think that no sordid sex scandals will be revealed at a press conference?

On Real Time with Bill Maher a few weeks ago, Richard Belzer said that the word is out that
Rupert Murdoch has documentation of Bill Clinton's recent sexual dalliances -- which Murdoch
is saving to use if and when Hillary gets the nomination. Google Belzer/Murdoch/Real Time.

And I, too, would like to know one thing that Hillary Clinton has done for women. She was
a corporate attorney for 16 years. "So far as I know" she did nothing to make the workplace more fair for Walmart employees when she was on Walmart's board. Her inflated resume and
Bill Clinton's remark "It is O.K. to pick on girls" are both an affront to all strong liberated women.

[uglybetty]

You mean like the Obama sordid sex scandal ,going on right Now ???

[Amomma]

If I'm not mistaken polls in big battle ground states show Hillary beating McCain, and McCain beating Obama. If they ran together they would be unbeatable. A lot of people want this, maybe not you guys, but, it could be a great idea. Fact is, if HRC isn't the nominee many Dems are gonna break for McCain. This is a really close Primary, Obama may win it, but in doing so lose support of Dems he will need to win the White House.

[Daniel8168]

If Hillary is made the VP, Obama's independent and moderate republican support will go to McCain. If Hillary somehow steals the nomination, not only will those indies and repubs peel off, a lot of young voters that Obama has inspired will feel cheated and drop out of the process altogether. Not only will losing the young voters hurt dems in this election, it will likely make most of them feel jaded and as though their input doesn't matter in the future. In future elections, this could mean that a lot of new dems would either drop out of politics altogether, or switch affiliations to independent or worse.

If Obama were somehow the VP for Hillary, the same scenario as her being his VP would play out. Indies and repubs would flee en masse, plus some of the young Obama supporters would feel cheated.

[Amomma]

Daniel8168, all possibilities I suppose, but I think the largest block of all these voters are women over 55. They are hopping mad and will vote HRC.

[kdubbg]

You are mistaken.

[youzaho]

You lost me at the title of your piece. Politics is lowered to the place of professional sports rivalry when we start mulling over who our team needs to beat the other team. That shouldn't be what this is about.

[badtimes]

You're right, it shouldn't be- but it is.
Everyone should give this some serious thought. Regardless of whether you're a supporter of HRC or BHO, either one will be better than JSM.

[Daniel8168]

Hillary herself and her campaign have specifically tried to make it about that. Baldwin is just sort of reiterating his position on an issue Hillary brought up.

[Denni]

I think very few people hate Hillary because she's a woman. I think most who dislike her dislike her because she's not trustworthy. I am especially annoyed at how she uses us for her political expediency. She wants to be 'one of the boys' and then (and only when she loses) she wants women to rally around her because the boys are out to get her - patently false, but it's the story she'll tell if it helps her.

[fairandjust]

You haven't been to PA lately. Not sure how this is going to go against McCain where these demographics matter a lot. Some people say that they will just not vote if it is either Clinton or Obama. I hope that is not true.

[dwells]

Obama has a much better chance of beating McCain than Clinton does. Hillary’s fundamental problem is that while she has long been politically famous, she has neither the depth of experience nor the political skills necessary to run a successful presidential campaign, or for that matter, to serve as a successful president. Clinton is an extremely intelligent, well educated, hardworking woman with an excellent grasp of details who had a successful legal career in a major law firm in a mid-sized city. However, her personal qualities and background do not make her more qualified to be president that hundreds, or probably thousands, of other American woman - fellow senators, Congresswoman, university presidents, officers of major business corporations or non-profit organizations, judges, mayors, etc. What distinguishes her is that her husband once was president. This had given her a devoted following, but also has saddled her with the many scandals, investigations and controversies she and her husband, fairly or not, have been embroiled in.

Her sparse experience might not matter if she had good political skills or instincts, but, unlike her husband or Obama, she does not. She will not be blown out, but it will be very difficult for her to get a plurality of the vote.

[JanetE]

Alec, you're very funny in "30 Rock" and your brother was a hoot on the Apprentice. That being said, I am impressed with your writing, too. You are right on the money saying that the Reps stand by their man no matter how lame he is and run every trick in the book just to get/keep a Republican in office. I am waiting for Osama bin Laden to appear once again 4 days before the election so that our Al-Quaida-fearing voters will be scared into voting for McCain. Mark my words, they will time Osama's appearance accordingly.

The very best way to win the nomination and guarantee 16 years of democratic sense is to place Hillary at the top of the ticket with Obama as the VP. He will motivate a democratic Congress to get things done and then succeed Hillary afterwards. That is the perfect scenario. Power to the people.

Hillary/Barack '08

[acg1]

Mr Baldwin,
Well said. I agree the Democrats, this include candidates, superdelegates and voters, should look at the entire picture and think about who can beat the Republicans in the November. In addition, they should look beyond the general election and choose the better of the two candidates who will restore our credibility in the world, the one who is truly willing to solve the many problems that face us and our children. I have no doubt that both candidates have the ability to be a superb president, however, we need more than that given the results of the last 8 years. I have chosen the candidate who I feel will bring this country back to its standing as the leader of the free world and have faith that the American people will also choose this person.