Even In Defeat, It's All About Her

It's hip today to step back and allow Senator Clinton some breathing space in order to proceed through the various stages of whatever on her way to eventually -- some day -- conceding this nomination process to Presumptive Nominee Barack Obama. And I'm not exactly sure why the Clintons deserve such latitude -- especially this year and at this dangerous time in our national saga. After all, there's a gigantic OxyContin-buzzed Republican crap-bot bearing down on our presumptive nominee, and yet we're being forced to sit here and wait for Senator Clinton to finally step off.

"What does Hillary want? What does she want?" Senator Clinton asked last night. What does she want? Seriously? This misguided and self-centered attitude is what ultimately doomed her campaign.

It should never have been about what she wants -- or, now, what she's demanding as ransom in exchange for releasing her supporters. Senator Clinton is effectively holding up the works and delaying the big show even though she has spent too many weeks inexplicably bolstering Senator McCain's chances over Senator Obama in November -- even though every second she's remained in this race, despite the mathematical reality, she has forced Senator Obama to keep his army divided, when it ought to have been raging forward in a unified, fist-pumping head-first frontal assault against the nefarious Bush Republican political machine.

But she's Senator Clinton and she gets to do and demand whatever she wants for some reason. Even if it means diminishing the nominee and boosting the Republicans. Even if it means a victory for Senator McCain. Even if it means the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. Even if it means 100 more years (or whatever McCain is saying today) in Iraq. Even if it means, as Thom Hartmann said yesterday, "More death."

This is one of several reasons why the Clinton campaign ultimately lost: because the Clinton campaign was all about Senator Clinton when, in the hearts and minds of a majority of Democrats, this nomination process was never about Senator Clinton and her ambitions and her famous name and her famous husband and her 3AM phone calls and her war stories and her scars. To wit: "Yes she will." Not only did her actual message fade away in lieu of her campaign's embarrassing attempt to mock Senator Obama's message, but her hackish spoof version of the Obama slogan was configured to be all about her (the Obama message is grounded in the collective "we"). Yes she will. Fortunately for us, Senator McCain has started to do the same thing -- mocking Senator Obama's far-superior branding. And, thankfully, Senator McCain looks a thousand times slimier doing it.

The Clinton campaign should never have been about her. This election, even before anyone officially declared, has always been about the evolution of the modern liberal movement and, more importantly, a newly evolved modern liberal movement gathering the required ammunition necessary to roll back the destructive and often criminal policies of the last 28 years -- and to do so in a way that might actually stick to the wall. And here in June 2008, while Senator Clinton dawdles around the stage doing her best to muscle the presumptive nominee while talking about what she wants, the horrible prospect of a McCain presidency hisses its way towards the zero barrier and the dismantling of American democracy nears the point of no return.

Senator Obama (or even if it had been Senator Clinton) needs a mandate in November. He needs an overwhelming electoral victory in order to have the political capital required to rebuild the nation in the aftermath of the terrible psychobombs George Bush and Dick Cheney have been detonating throughout this decade. And yet, here we sit. Talking about Senator Clinton and what she wants.

What happens if she isn't offered the vice presidential slot? Will she continue to stomp her feet and draw attention away from the nominee? Yes she will. Will she carry her campaign (in name and support only) to the convention? Yes she will. Will she continue to distract attention away from challenging Senator McCain's awfulness? Yes she will. So should she be offered the vice presidential slot, then? No she shouldn't.

Because a would-be Obama-Clinton campaign would end up being entirely about the Clintons. What they said; what they're doing; who's in control; do they get along; is she undermining him from within. Me, me, me. And besides, if she really wanted to be on the ticket, she wouldn't have engaged in this infuriating slash-burn-point-clap strategy in the first place -- a strategy which, by the way, continued through last night's speech.

But even after Senator Obama surpassed the original threshold of 2,025; even after he agreed to allowing the reinstatement of the Michigan and Florida delegates despite the previously and unanimously accepted sanctions; even after he surpassed the new threshold of 2,118 and also nears the bogus 2,209 number that the Clintons made up last month, Senator Clinton and her supporters continue to paint the Obama victory as somehow illegitimate. And Senator Clinton refuses to accept the notion that she is holding back the larger campaign -- the most important campaign of our time -- a campaign that isn't about her or even about Senator Obama. It's a campaign about turning the tide on 28 years of Reaganomics and environmental destruction and foreign policy blowback.

It's not so difficult, Senator. And even though I honestly believe that he's a crazy squirrel-munching hooplehead, here's Mike Huckabee's concession, for example:

Ladies and gentlemen, I called Senator McCain a few moments ago. It looks pretty apparent tonight that he will, in fact, achieve 1,191 delegates to become the Republican nominee for our party.

I extended to him not only my congratulations, but my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country, so that we can be the best nation we can be, not for ourselves, but for the future generations to whom we owe everything, just as we owe previous generations all that they have done for us.

That's about right (even though it's in the name of a screwy, failed conservative movement).

We have an insanely challenging task ahead of us. Not just in defeating super-crazies like Mike Huckabee and Senator McCain, but also in confronting and debunking the corporate media's ridiculousness (i.e. "What's Obama's problem? Why can't he connect with the racist whites?"). And that's before November. If he manages to overcome the race-baiting 527 ads and all of the sinister e-mail whisper campaigns and the dubious voting machines, Senator Obama will have to achieve more in his first 100 days than most presidents have achieved in two full terms.

And yet, here we sit. Waiting for Senator Clinton to decide what she wants. This routine -- be it Senator Clinton's defiance, or the party's deferential behavior toward her -- illustrates exactly why this party, and liberalism with it, must change. And while we wait here in some kind of twisted Pollyanna limbo, Senator McCain is measuring the White House Residence to see if his Craftmatic adjustable bed will fit through the door.

Bob Cesca's Goddamn Awesome Blog! GO!

UPDATE 7:26PM EDT: ABC News is reporting that Senator Clinton will suspend her campaign and endorse Senator Obama on Friday. Congressman Rangel and 23 other members of Congress called her today and told her that it was time. Rangel, a Clinton supporter, in particular was "angry" and thought Senator Clinton's speech was "rude," according to NBC's Andrea Mitchell just now on MSNBC.

Related:
Read more from Huffington Post bloggers on Barack Obama clinching the Democratic nomination for president

Comments

[tompresnyc]

Bob-when a candidate, especially the first female, wins the most primary votes in HISTORY....that's HISTORY BOB, she can take and do whatever she wants. Compairing nutjob Huckabee's concession to Hillary's is an insult to our party including us OBama supporters. I think you've become bored with your job or just plain clueless. This was a historic race. Do u think for a second the media and others would have been calling for OBama (the first black candidate w/ success) to quit , quit, quit??? Do u think you have written the same article about OBama if the table had been turned? NO, u wud not because you would have been called a racist. If u'v got the majority of voters behind you then u can campaign as long as u damn well feel like it and u can give ur concession speech when u feel like it. Whatever u think of the Clinton's, get ur head on straight. And it's not Hillary taking a couple of days to concede that would tear this party apart, it's short sided, sometimes clueless, obviously visionless "reporters?" that will handily do it all by yourselves.

[packrat9940]

What a great post Bob Cesca, your right on target 1000%

[Eisai]

Some of us liberal Democrats are realpolitik and some idealpolitik. But to say that a candidate that garnered more popular votes than her opponent should do the nice thing. I don't want a gracious looser as President, nor do I want a sour looser as President. Power is something you take, and you must create your own opportunities. Do we really think Obama is not beholding to the same international banking/financlal gnomes. But why is it that no one acknowledges, that if Obama had closed the deal, Hillary would not be his bad penny. He is our presumptive Democratic Nominee, but he had better learn how to close the deal: Real Fast!

[schicklett3]

Excellent, well written, article. I agree with everything it says.
Of course Hillary wants something, something big.
She should have dropped out of this race months ago - now she's stuck with a 30 million (plus) debt and wants Obama to help bail her out.
Hillary wants John McCain to win the presidency - then she can say, "I told you I was the better candidate".
She thinks the Democratic Party is all abour her. Period.
P.S. I find her disgusting, and sincerely hope Senator Obama dosen't choose her as VP.

[loudspeaker]

Without the media's lies, Hillary would still have been a candidate.

[VOTER]

What media lies?

BOSNIAN SNIPER FIRE?

I first heard Hillary utter these lies in late December in Iowa. The media

didn't notice or gave her a pass until St. Patrick's Day.

During that time, she gave this same speech to every audience.

Imagine!

If she had not been Bill Clinton's wife, her Bosnia Sniper Fire Lies would
have ended her campaign then and there.

[truthyguy]

You mean the media lies about Bosnia sniper fire. The damn film that was all Photoshopped.

[maidenofdforest]

Lies? You mean Hillary's lies should have been kept hidden as she kept pounding Obama.....?

Get real...

[campgranata]

without her husband she would not even be a senator

[ScapeGoat]

More sour grapes from a sore looser. Maybe if Hillary ran a better campaign, she would have won. BUT, Obama our maneuvered her, out organized her, out fund raised her and out messaged her.

If Hillary won, I would be supporting her now rather then crying over spilt milk!

[blinddraw]

Having begun a public-speaking career, nearly forty years ago, I was insistent in the value of my own words, by saying, "I would, very seldom, walk across the street to hear myself talk". To the degree that it affected the lives of others, however, I am glad that they "walked across the street".

Growing up, I was encouraged to read good books, books with content and that taught one how to think. An axiom of teaching is that should be immediate direct result. With that attribute in hand, thinking leads to writing, which leads to speaking. And, when one speaks, you can certainly tell what they think. When you focus on principles, in your reading, speaking about them is not far behind.

When one knows how to read, it is easy to follow the intentions of the speaker. A case in point, for the reader, is to read "How To Read A Book". When once you are aware of patterns of thinking, and, consequently, speaking, you realize selfish intent, immediately. Then, after listening to the self-congratulatory speakings of the Clintons, you, immediately, know will know what they are saying: nothing.

It has been written that she suffers from a "deranged narcissism", and I, for one, can think of no better way to explain the bitterness in her spirit. And, because of the learned experiences I have had, I can say, without equivocation, that I would not walk across the street to hear them speak, either.

[Anonani]

The Obama presidency must not be highjacked.

[copesthetics]

hillary will be forgotten
she isn't even a feminist.

[suekzoo]

Democrats! Please stop bashing Hillary. It serves no purpose and is causing more harm than good. We have to unite. To do so, everyone must lay down their arms. She lost, she is going to end her campaign. Rehashing negativity will only damage Obama. Think about it.

[JTyroler]

(Part 3)

I hope we as a nation are ready to put aside many of the ways we separate ourselves - where we don't think of ourselves first by race, gender, religion, or whatever other method of dividing ourselves. First of all, we are human beings - and each one of us deserves to be treated as such. We shouldn't be living in a nation where people can't afford food or shelter or health care. We shouldn't be scheming on different ways to skew the government for personal benefit.

We are Americans and we should be working for the common good. I'm from Missouri, where the state motto translates to: "The Welfare of the People is the Supreme Law."

[JTyroler]

(Part 2)

We're stuck in a war that's ruining our economy (does anyone remember how a prolonged presence in Afghanistan destroyed the Soviet Union?) and, unlike her husband, managed to have her campaign go deeper in debt. I feel really sorry for the kid in Kentucky who sold his bike and video games to support her campaign (quite possibly that money went to repay her loans to herself) - she should give that kid his money back.

Yes, there are people who are disappointed that Sen. Clinton didn't win the nomination. Yes, there are women who have waited most of their life to know that a woman can be president in the United States. But that woman who becomes the first woman president needs to realize that the reason she is a candidate for president is for the greater good of the country - not for ego gratification.

[JTyroler]

(Part 1)

Mr. Ceska - in my opinion, that's a very astute observation. Sen. Clinton's campaign became a lost cause for quite some time. The reason(s) for voting for her changed almost daily - Michigan and Florida's votes needed to be counted and she was the only person who got any votes in Michigan.

Obama doesn't pass some imaginary test to be Commander in Chief, but McCain and her do.

She divided the Democratic party by saying it was only her that could create the coalition of Democrats and Independents needed to win in November.

With all the years of experience she claimed to have, somehow she only found her voice after winning the New Hampshire primary.

Her most dedicated supporters were shocked at her inability to concede the race this past Tuesday. It wasn't a question of any vote totals were in dispute, like Florida in 2000.

She thought she would the Democratic candidate for President, but instead of conceding her defeat, she had to bring up the possibility of an assassination as a reason to stay in the race.

[AnnieinOR]

NY daily news Op Ed - her own home state warns Obama against her:

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/columnists/goodwin/index.html

says a lot when your own home state papers are always writing up editorials about you. Sad.

[campgranata]

Barack Obama must break with Billary

is the title of the article mentioned in AnnieinOR's post. the ex president has a lot of baggage to be sure but MRS Clinton doesn't have the experience, smarts or judgment to be in the senate let alone seek higher office. Her tenure in the senate has been all about running for the presidency and has been at best disappointing for the people of NY State who deserve much better.

[myskylark]

You Clinton-haters just don't get it. Mike Huckabee was far behind McCain in delegates - there was no way in Heaven or Hell that he could win. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were in a virtual tie. Maybe you don't get it. Obama is an historic black candidate. Well, Hillary Clinton is an historic woman candidate. You're damned right she's entitled to take a breather before conceding. In 1980 Ted Kennedy who never even came close to Jimmy Carter in the primaries kept his campaign going right to the convention floor where he lost after the ballot was taken. Then he refused to shake Jimmy Carter's hand. He didn't take any grief for that ego-driven performance, but Hillary Clinton is judged guilty of deranged narcissism. This is the reason that many of us are pulling away from the Democratic Party and finding it difficult to support Obama. You use a special standard for Hillary Clinton that was not set for men who ran before her. No runner-up in the primaries ever in history came as close as she did to the winner, yet so many have made demands on her that were not made of male candidates.

When you keep slugging away at our candidate we transfer our anger to your candidate. If you care about party unity, and you really want Clinton's supporters to get behind Obama you'd better stop browbeating Clinton right now. Show some respect!

[rowzeer]

You're wrong many of us had a hard choice between HRC and Obama. Hillary was the one who alienated alot of people by saying the only she and McCain had crossed the threshold to be president, she said he wasn't a Muslim...that she knew of, she ragged him on the bitter comments when he never mentioned her sniper comments,

She said that the superdelegates should decide the nominee when she was ahead in superdelegates then changed her tune to the popular vote should decide the nominee when he was ahead in the delegate count, she agreed that the votes in FL and MI would not be counted but left her name on the ballot when everyone else took theirs off and then had the nerve to ask that they be counted AFTER ALL and then to add insult to injury once he reached the needed delegate count she refused to concede and made the night all about her with her "I, I, I, Me, Me, Me" speech in stark contrast to Obama's "we" speech.

I voted for Obama and was agonized over whether or not I made the right choice. After all I have see of HRC I realize I did make the right choice unlike friends who voted for HRC who now regret their choice. But given all that I would still vote for HRC before I EVER vote for McCain. If HRC wasn't so full of herself, she would have made an excellent president.

[likeicare]

Pointing out that someone suffers from an extreme form of narcissism isn't the same thing as "hating" them.

Get over yourself. You have lousy character assessment skills -- you picked the wrong candidate to back. That's all.

It's not the end of the world, in spite of what the Clintons say.

[nippyfan]

The Republicans have already started running ads with Hillary Clinton's voice, claiming her and McCain are better candidates than Obama. They already play it. Had Hillary won, they wouldn't have any Obama recordings to play in favor of McCain.

Her "by any means necessary" tactics, have given the Republicans some serious ammo. I heard the ad with my own ears. How could she promote McCain? Even if she was running against him, she helped McCain. Point Blank. It's hard to "Show some respect!". Especially when I'm not sure what I'm showing respect for. Am I showing respect for a woman whose path to the presidency was through her philandering husband? She would not be anywhere near in the running if she was just Senator HIllary Rodham.

I look forward to a female President. And I appreciate Hillary's run, because in the future there will be a Democratic female presidential nominee who is deserving of our respect because she got there through her own merit. Not through investing in her man and turning a blind eye to his adulterous ways. To me that is a gigantic judgement flaw.

[JudithG]

Absolutely unbelievable. So her personal life is what it's all about, eh? Well, at least you admitted it. Wow.

[gotogal44]

I don't hate Hillary, I don't have the time to hate her, I am dismayed with the way she and her folks handled the night she should have given a concession speech. It was all about her, and her 18 million, now I don't discount that 18 million voted for her, but don't anyone discount that only 200,000 less voted for Barack. Now lets put that in perspective, her 18 million included what she called white hard working middle class, I don't believe that either, since I fall into that same class and didn't vote for her, but lets carry on. Then she got the "... I would never vote for a black man folks, great those people that usually wear the sheets and hoods..." Now she also got the cross over Republicans that Rush told to vote for her so she could bloody Barack, you don't believe they were going to vote for her in the general now do you? My guess is if you subtracted those that voted based on Rush you would wipe out her "...I got more of the popular vote..." statement. Yes Hillary is an historic woman candidate, but no she deserved no breather. None would have been considered by Barack, but then that's what makes him a better canidate, his consideration of the others involved.
TO BE CONTINUED

.

[gotogal44]

Part 2 continued
Myskylark
You vote for McCain,OPPS, I mean McBush, you teach yourself a lesson, pay the higher prices for fuel,drugs, and food. Watch your neighbor lose their home, maybe you it will happen to you as well. If you pull away from the democratic party simply because we have the right to disagree with you and not like your canidate, then go for it.

there will be a part 3 since I have so much more to say.

[Madhyamika]

One good thing about the egoistic Clintons is that they don't even try to hide their blinding ambitions. As Hillary got all choked up in New Hampshire, she said, "... So -- you know, this is very personal for me. It's not just political. It's not just public. ..." (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0801/09/ltm.03.html)

Listen: it is NOT supposed to be personal. It is about serving the country and the people.

Here is an analysis of the respective speeches by Hillary Clinton and Obama given on Tuesday Night (June 3). Count the number of times they invoked "I" "My" "We" "Our" in the transcripts:

"I" - Clinton(55) Obama(19)
"My" - Clinton (19) Obama(3)
"We" - Clinton(24) Obama(32)
"Our" - Clinton(27) Obama(39)

Rather telling!

Buddhists have a point when they say that people's delusional identification with the "Self - Ego" is responsible for all human suffering. This Self-identification drives "self-interest" and "self-righ­teousness"­. A sense of "entitlement" is a product of the self-delusion too. Reverend Michael Pflerger was on the mark when he mocked Hillary - (but he could have chosen his delivery with more compassion). Truth hurts and the Clintons cannot handle the Truth. They are still wallowing in denial, anger, and bargaining. They better get over the depression phase fast and get to acceptance stage by Saturday. If they are as clever as they think they are, it is not too late to salvage whatever dignity they still have and act graciously.