Beyond November
Clinton and Obama supporters have been slugging it out for months, and the hounds are now snapping at Hillary's heels. Chris Dodd has publicly declared that this race must end.
Indeed, it must end if the Democratic nominee is to stand a chance against a thoroughly refreshed (and feisty) John McCain. The longer the brawling between Clinton and Obama goes on, the longer the mainstream press ignores McCain, the very thing he needs in order to survive a general election.
The in-party bickering is myopic and petty. Beyond Obama's Reverend Wright and Clinton's version of her Bosnia trip are the very real problems in the Democratic Party, and the larger problems of America's economy, the Iraq war, and the Iran diplomatic crisis.
Both Clinton and Obama have been vague about private mercenary companies like Blackwater. This presents a troubling issue. Even if troops are brought home "on day one," will a shadow war continue? If private mercenaries are also brought home, who will stay to guard the huge U.S. embassy in Iraq? Clinton and Obama have cornered themselves on this issue.
Then there's universal health care, the mirage in America's endless political desert. It seems like we've been promised health coverage forever, and the Clintons blundered the first real chance we had at implementation when they pursued the gritty details for too long, too secretively.
Such a huge policy shift will need massive public support, and the first step toward securing that is a strategically sound battle plan, including a ten-point plan (made digestible for memorization by every farmer, housewife, and child in America,) and a single Democratic candidate leading the charge toward Congress.
Oh, but first, Democrats need to decide between Clinton and Obama.
Better hurry.
Follow Allison Kilkenny on Twitter: www.twitter.com/allisonkilkenny
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Kilkenny, I suggest a ten point program to expand the anti-status quo forces that are represented on progressive blogs. Clinton is a corporate dem and Obama is a ...tabula rosa. Hope for the best prepare for the worst.
ABC’s Jake Tapper reported on an unnamed Democratic Party official saying that it's not a question of *if* Clinton can somehow secure the nomination. The question is -- what will she have to do in order to achieve it? The official's answer: She will have to "break his back," to destroy Obama and make him completely unacceptable. "Her securing the nomination is certainly possible - but it will require exercising the 'Tonya Harding option.'" the official said. Read full story here - http://blo
As the Clinton campaign spins Obama as actually being the reprehensibly negative player in this competition, and the media swallowing and regurgitating the most incendiary non-issues, (consider today's self-righteous "all I know is that if it were me personally, I would have left that church), I fear for the future of Obama's campaign, of the Democratic party, and the United States. I'm afraid we can't take another two months of the destructive Clinton ambition machine. Please contact the Democratic National Committee http://www
We have decided between Obama and Hillary. Like the Bush administration, no one in her inner circle wants to give her the bad news and, like Bush, she doesn't want to hear it.
Vague rhetoric lasted too long. Which ever candidate un-does the NCLB Act wins my vote.
The Democrates have decided it is just that Hillary does not have the grace to accept that decision.
Yes, Americas economy and the mortgage foreclosure crisis.
It's important we pick a candidate who would fix those real problems, not just use:..."'t
http://www
Allison: What you talken about? McCain could screw this thing up, easily, even with an eight year headstart on a 4 month race. Put him on a couple of "debates" (something he has proven time and again is his worst format) and watch his candiudacy melt in the glare of the T.V. cameras.
McCain has always done best when folks hear about him, rather than from him. In the General, he won't have any place to hide.
GOD I hope so!!!!
Dude..aren
look at history:
2004 - Kerry secures after Edwards withdraws after Super Tuesday
2000 - Gore secures after Bradley withdraws after Super Tuesday
2000 - Bush secures after McCain withdraws after Super Tuesday
1996 - Dole essentially was given the nomination by mid-March
1992 - Even though Clinton "campaigned" into June - after winning NY primaries in April - he was the presumptive nominee and Brown was rebuked and treated as a spoiler
1988 - Dukakis was dubbed the front-runner after Super Tuesday and his opponents continued to withdraw until only Jackson remained (where he was considered a spoiler)
1988 - Bush's organizational strength and fundraising lead after Super Tuesday (sound familiar?) gave him the front runner status and opponents dropped out shortly thereafter
1984 - Mondale and Hart went down to the wire on June 5, when Mondale was only 40 delegates short of the nomination (and leading Hart) ... and eventually became the nominee
1980 - Carter and Kennedy battle it out at the convention - even though Carter had the substantial lead.
1980 - Reagan had a lock on the nomination early in the primary cycle
Look, I don't have to tell you that the participation at this level is unprecedented. I truly believe that it would leave a bad taste in the mouths of the voters that have not yet voted in their respective states to not hear them out....thr
No, you're wrong. First look at what Thatcher has said about the past several primary seasons. Second, this particular race is disastrous for the Democratic party since Hillary is running as dirty a race as I've ever seen on the Democratic side....
With Senator Clinton spending millions each week for a contest that she cannot possibly win -- the numbers just aren't there -- she is revealing herself to be as fiscally responsible as Mr. Bush, who keeps pouring money into Iraq, another no-win situation.
We need a clean break from those politicians who are so ready to spend money from others that was given in good faith, whether those "donors" were contributors to what seemed, for a time, like a viable campaign or taxpayers who have reason to demand and expect a more responsible form of government.
On the other hand, we'll have the full measure of the Democratic candidate, and there won't be anything new left to say about them.
That's about the only good thing about this race! That and the fact that the only thing that they've really found on Obama is Rev Wright, which means that there's really not much dirt there!
where is john edwards when you need him?
I'd prefer Al Gore......
After the ugly fight for the Democratic nomination, there's this other thing called the general election. So this isn't all about Obama and Clinton. FYI.
i believe her point is that with the petty cat-fighting within the democratic party the focus isn't on how to beat mccain. hillary is doing her damnedest to to ensure that if she doesn't get the nomination obama won't win the election because she's throwing around useless dirt that the republican noise machine will manipulate into something bigger than it is. then they will use it to get republican voters out to vote against their own interests some more. if we don't get a nominee soon they won't win the general election anyway. we need to focus on exposing mccain for what he is, and we can't do that if we are too focused on in-fighting.
Um, first, we need to consider that come the General Election McBush really doesn't have much, which would suggest that if people can get over themselves, we'll have a Democratic President (provided that we don't have people voting AGAINST whoever the democratic nominee, which equals a vote for McBush!) Second, since this is a progressive blog, we need to consider how the progressive candidates will handle issues IF they become the President!
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