The Democratic campaign grinds on, and it's wearing us all down. Two months ago, there was a rather good-natured rivalry between the Clinton and Obama folks. Many of us in the Obama camp respected Hillary Clinton's policy substance and agreed with most of her policy positions. Many us were sad for her, feeling that she is a worthy candidate who was simply weighed down by too much baggage piled on by her husband and by her political enemies, and who was outrun by an fresher opponent with superior political skills, Our counterparts in the Clinton campaign shared some of the excitement of what Barack Obama is trying to do.
After a few months of sharp elbows, missteps, disappointments, and exhaustion, the rivalry isn't so good-natured. From our side, every day that Hillary Clinton hammers away at Barack Obama is a good day for John McCain. We've got a long and growing list of grievances: Various Clinton surrogates' efforts to racialize the campaign, her dissembling about the Social Security earnings cap, her 11th hour pandering faux populist bogus gas tax thing, the negative overall tenor of her campaign since Super Tuesday, her morally and diplomatically awful comments about our ability to "totally obliterate" Iran, some rather sleazy emails sent by various Clinton operatives.
The list grows. Just the other day, President Clinton had this to say about the Obama campaign:
The great divide in this country is not by race or even income. It's by those who think they are better than everybody else and think they should play by a different set of rules.
Let's all take a moment to savor the stratospheric chutzpah of him delivering these words.
I know the Clinton people have their own tally of grievances. It includes the words "likeable enough," various sexist insults Senator Clinton has endured (usually from Republicans), Obama backers' criticizing the Clinton presidency, some tough mailings hammering health insurance mandates. It includes countless slights one receives playing catch-up for months against (from their perspective) a media-favored front-runner. The basic point is clear: Both sides have reasons to feel angry and to feel some wounds rubbed raw.
With all this water under the bridge, can we Democrats resolve our differences to close ranks against the Republicans? Visiting an Indiana garage sale reminded me of why we will. I've told this story to Jonathan Cohn of the New Republic. here
Here is my version.
My 11-year-old daughter and I spent last Saturday canvassing door-to-door for the Obama campaign in northwest Indiana. We also trolled neighborhood garage sales talking with people and buying tchochkies. In Indiana, people sell hot dogs, coffee, and pop at neighborhood sales, which piqued my daughter's interests more than the Norman Rockwell prints.
A small house in the neighborhood was having a garage sale. Out front was a sign: "All proceeds go to liver transplant patient." A relative with cirrhosis is on the liver transplant waiting list.
A gracious older lady brewed me a coffee and told me her story. She was a little fuzzy about the arcane bureaucratic details. Yet the contours are clear enough. He's getting excellent care, but he's getting hammered by medical bills. He had a good manufacturing job, but it went away. He had been making hefty COBRA payments of nearly $1000 per month, and lost that as well. They've tried with limited success to penetrate a bewildering, at times callous Medicaid bureaucracy. He is now in the waiting period for a federal disability program and getting those bills.
I gave the lady some numbers, left $20 for my coffee, and moved on. I've contacted some transplant social workers to see if this family can get some help. As it happens, this family are Obama supporters, but that's beside the point. Even after everything that's happened, I'd vote for Hillary Clinton in a heartbeat if that meant I didn't have to attend such garage sales and hear these stories any more.
As Senator Obama said, it's not about him. It's not about Hillary and Bill Clinton, either. It's not about some email Sydney Blumenthal sent to undermine our guy. It's not about people screaming at each other on the blogosphere or cable television. It's about sick people who need health care and help with the bills. It's about protecting the environment, enacting progressive taxes, refueling activist government to hold wealthy interest groups accountable. It's about putting a new face on America in the world.
We've been through a painful family feud. After last night's Obama victory in North Carolina and whisker-thin Indiana loss, the political fight is effectively resolved. I hope the feud will end, too. When we've had a little time to look past the hard feelings, we'll all realize that we need each other.
Let's not kid ourselves. This will be a tough election fight. Clinton supporters need Senator Obama's fresh charisma to advance their valuable policy agenda. Ironically, both Clintons need Barack Obama to solidify their own legacy. They must show that they can fight for something larger than their individual political fortunes. It's not all one-way, either. Senator Obama must harness the Clintons' doggedness, their new-found economic populist message, and their stomach for a tough fight. He'll need her in the Senate fighting for health reform.
It's easier for him to be magnanimous in victory. I hope Senator Clinton goes out on a high note with her head held high. Despite everything, many of us would have seen much to admire in a Hillary Clinton presidency. She practices a different kind of politics from Barack Obama's. I prefer the Obama way, but they are both trying to improve our country. We saw much to admire in the Clinton years. Senator Obama can help to retire her large campaign debt. I can't imagine that he would appoint her vice president, but there are other ways to give her an honored seat at the table.
We'll come together. Too much is at stake for us not to.
Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to the Indiana and North Carolina primary results
Postscript: Apologies to readers for my poor copy editing.
The one thing that really makes me angry though, is older voters saying that younger voters (like me) are uninformed, naive, drinking kool-aid, etc. I grew up in the internet age and spend HOURS every day (at night, after my jobs) reading newspapers and websites from every point of view from all over the world. If you take the time to read them, Hil's "obliterate" comment is causing shockwaves everywhere else. Generally, the world is excited about Obama, although, of course, there are Clinton supporters. I've also had the opportunity to live in and travel to other countries, not because I'm rich but because I took two jobs, a loan and worked for it. I've had friends die in combat, others come home wounded. I'd pit my knowledge of the world and issues against any. To hear Bill Clinton and older Americans (some) tell me that my view is pointless or wasteful or dumb because I haven't been around 65 years just shows me that they are the ones that are out of touch, not me.
I know there is a math equation to being less expensive to pay her off rather than campaign against her.
Barack can't be seen as buying her off. This will undermine him especially thru the General.
Her supporters, surrogates, rich pals, can chip in and help pay off their candidates debt.
If she has to take a loss for her personal loans, that's the risk she chose. It won't bankrupt her.
No VP slot for her either. She will undermine his Presidency, her divisive style of politics will be distracting and disruptive.
It is PROHIBITED under federal campaign finance law for Obama to contribute money from his campaign to Clinton's campaign to "pay off" her debt. So, you and everyone else with the same misunderstanding of campaign finance law can put to bed this handwringing about Obama "paying off" Clinton's campaign debt.
What has been bounced around, at least within certain political circles, is the idea that Obama could help Clinton with joint-fundraisers, etc. to help her pay off her debt. Personally, I think this is a good idea to help heal wounds and bring about reconciliation. If even 20% of Clinton's supporters (and I am not referring to "Operation Chaos" Republicans, but rather committed Clinton supporters) either refuse to vote or vote for McCain out of spite, it could very well be enough to swing the election to the Republican party.
This is not the time to be petty. I don't care how justified you feel in your anger. This is not about you (or me), rather it is about the future of our country.
No, not while she is in them.
It's time to just flat out tell her to go home to continue her carpetbagging and influence peddling. She lost a long time ago. Those of us who recognize her for who she is, are not the ones who are deluded.
alienated in Seattle