The Question That Cuts Both Ways --Why Let McCain Win?

Hillary Clinton supporters are facing the prospect of having to decide whether to vote for Barack Obama, vote for John McCain or not vote at all. They're about to be wooed like never before -- a stark contrast to what they experienced during the nomination process from the media and a significant portion of Obama supporters.

Yet if you look at the math, as they've been told to do, the general election is not winnable by Barack Obama without party unity - something we're told will happen when people who support Hillary Clinton finally see the light -- or wisely peer into the darkness that a McCain presidency proffers.

Why would a Hillary Clinton supporter vote for McCain? It does seem ludicrous. After all, he represents four to eight more years of George W. Bush. The country can't afford that. What would prompt a Hillary supporter, especially a Democrat, to even consider backing such a despicable outcome? Revenge? Not good enough. That feeling in the pit of the stomach women get when they know they've been dismissed, diminished or patronized? That's a tough one, but it still doesn't trump the future of the country. Being told it will only take a few months to convince them and most Hillary supporters to flip -- something in persuasion you never telegraph if you really plan to be persuasive? Still, can McCain be the answer? Hardly.

Yet why not turn the question around? If keeping McCain out of the White House is vital to America, why, despite what's touted as Hillary Clinton's "baggage," would Barack Obama not want her as the vice presidential candidate any less than she, as the nominee, would want him in that spot if it made a McCain win unlikely? Revenge? Not good enough. Disdain for a woman who criticized him as not ready to be president? Still, you have to wonder.

How about long-term hatred for "the Clintons"? But, the country is at stake in so many ways. Believing that unity is possible without her? Risky.

So the question cuts both ways. Why should Barack Obama let McCain win if that's exactly what Clinton and her supporters should not do? Wouldn't he be diminishing hope in favor of hubris?
To win Hillary Clinton voters, if that's indeed how all plays out, it will take knowing in their heart of hearts that Barack Obama would not be one iota more willing to relinquish the country to John McCain than the woman and her supporters he expects to take the same stand.

Dr. Reardon also blogs about politics at bardscove

P.S. Pondered in church today the interesting thought raised that every choice is somewhat of a sacrifice -- as other paths are left behind --sometimes one set of values surpass another. This blog is about difficult choice, not about Hillary, Barack, defending one of them, or defending feminism. This blog, like most strategy ones, is about winning the general election by making tough choices that the opposition hopes we can't make as we're too angry, too sure of ourselves, too disdainful, too stuck in a repetitive, reciprocal insult pattern, too riddled with trolls they've sent masquerading in our midst.

Comments

[Dap]

Biggest Fairytale *THIS* Bill Clinton... HA!

Ding Dong' the merry-oh, sing it high, sing it low.

Let them know!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOEq-ImGWJ0

[IndependentMynd]

Here is the main reason that Clinton supporters shouldn't vote for McCain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37TZuJg4jP8&eurl=http://timesonline.typepad.com/uselections/2008/05/clinton-warns-s.html

[kcender]

At this point I do not see a union of the two camps. Hillary has won more popular votes. The people have spoken and will not be heard again, because of the outdated delegate system. As a middle aged, white, blue collar worker, I will not vote for Barrack O'Bama. Not because I am a racist, but, because this man cannot be trusted. There are too many unanswered questions about his integrity. 20 years of listening to reverend Wright and others, his unnamed financial supporters and the list grows if you think about it.

I suggest that Hillary, run as an independent and give both candidates a run for their money. I believe she can win against McCain and O'Bama. As for the Democratic Party unity theme. Get Real Folks the Dems have failed since becoming the majority 2 years ago. Pelosi is a joke as are most of the other party leaders.

I am confused as to when politics became a profession. We have some of the same folks in leadership roles for the past 20-30 years. This was never the intention of the framers of our constitution. Wake up folks! As it may already be too late. George Bush has run a blindside on the whole country and overcharged the credit card. O'Bama or McCain guarantees more of the same.

That is my view, like it or not.

[Dap]

Confused MUCH !

[iLogos]

And if you weren't a Republican perhaps it would be meaningful to the rest of us.

[squarebird]

Okay, I've read this post 4 times now, and I still don't know what it is saying. Especially the last sentence before the p.s. It seems to be critical of female Hillary supporters, but it isn't clear on the advice to those supporters.

[OtayPanky]

Bill Clinton today, reacting to the Vanity Fair article "The Comeback Id":

"You know he didn't use a single name, cite a single source in all those things he said. It's just slimy. It's part of the national media's attempt to nail Hillary for Obama. It's just the most biased press coverage in history. It's another way of helping Obama. They had all these people standing up in this church cheering, calling Hillary a white racist, and he didn't do anything about it. The first day he said 'Ah, ah, ah well.' Because that's what they do-- he gets other people to slime her. So then they saw the movie they thought this is a great ad for John McCain-- maybe I better quit the church. It's all politics. It's all about the bias of the media for Obama. Don't think anything about it."

===

Dear Bill,

Those of us with some residual concern that Barack might actually choose your wife for VP thank you.

Sincerely,

Your friend OtayPanky

[Darsan54]

This can only be "I'm going to hold my breath until I die" plan, which doesn't work for most four year olds and shouldn't work here. Nasty and bullying is not the same as tough.

[AmeriGus]

Democrats will not vote for McCain in any measurable amount, no matter who wins the nomination.

This is pure bluff, a scare tactic used by Mrs. Clinton to once again build leverage and show that she is a fierce competitor, not afraid to get down and dirty in manipulating the game in politics.

This is the "experience" and toughness, she faults Obama for not having and this is why my wife and I run from her.

We see a choice for changing the Presidential race this year. Instead of giving the Clintons back the power so they can beat back the neocons, we see a chance to beat back ALL the politicians who don't consider representing the vast majority of Americans as their most important duty.

[afed27]

Since the DNC has stolen 1/2 of Hillary's votes in Michigan & Florida which will pre-determine an Obama win, I am writing to Hillary to become an Independent. I absolutely, positively will not vote for Obama. This man, in my opinion, [ and I was right on the mark about Bush ] is not to be trusted. He is all for show with no substance! And, he lies a lot.
If Hillary will not go Independent and there is a close race between Ob & Mc, I will close my eyes & vote for McCain, the lesser of 2 evils. I will also vote for any Democrat for Congress so as to lessen McCain's chances of getting his miserable agenda passed.

[research]

Troll! First you trolls complain about the GOOD man Wright, then you complain that Obama broke his ties to Wright! (from your profile)

You are a rethug pretending to be a democrat, pretending you would ever have voted for Hillary.

[PioneerKing]

KATHLEEN:

The Clintons and Hillary"s campaign operatives have been marginalizing Obama for 15 months is the best reason to not have Hillary as VP.
The Clinton's have been working behind the scenes with republicans to discredit Obama and the will continue to do so while pretending to assist Sen. Obama.
Why should "the best candidate and her husband compromise their purported superiority to play second fiddle to someone so they claim is not right for America?"
The Clintons would appear as callus agents of political expediency, hypocritical, and consumed with political avarice and the pursuit of power for personal gain.
When the Clintons can't win they don't want another democrat to win. Just ask Al Gore and John Kerry how supportive and pleasant the Clintons really are when needed for something other than self aggrandizement.
Hillary has made additional loans to her campaign so that Obama would have to waste resources that should go towards the general election paying off Hillary's campaign debt.
What a way to show party loyalty - trash the nominee, spend what you don't have knowing that in doing so would mean less resources for Obama in the general and claim that you are the rightful nominee who had more popular votes and the election has been stolen from you and falsely claim that Obama does not want every vote to count and wants to disenfranchise Americans.
CAN THE CLINTONS BE MORE SUPPORTIVE? NOT!
These are a few reasons to not have the Clintons as VP.

[SeanOcali]

Are you Clinton supporters going to be angry at McCain should he not choose Clinton as HIS running mate?

[Tulka2]

We will not be surprised when Sen. Clinton joins Sen. Liebermann as an "independent", will we?

[Melissa]

I don't want Hillary to be Obama's running mate because even with her on the ticket I will not be voting for Obama. Not because I am a woman or any of the other nonsense, I just think he is not good for the country.

[peorgietirebiter]

the Washington Post just gave Hillary 2 Pinocchio's for her Puerto Rico speech claiming she leads in the popular votes - they also reminded us of her speech stating unequivocally that her Michigan and Florida votes don't count... the conspiracy goes on.... she did lead in every category including money and super delegates before people actually started voting... to know her is to....

[afed27]

To peorgietirebiter & her remarks on Hillary.
If there were to be a contest between Obama's & Clinton's noses, Obama would be 3 leagues ahead of her. This man does not know what truth is. He gave 8 different stories on Rev. Wright before booting the man out of his life. He gave Chris Wallace a false bio of the man. He claims that his "uncle" saved the people @ Auschwitz.. Previous stories named the hero as his grandfather or his great-uncle, all with impossible scenarios for the deed. The correction by the campaign people gave the name of a great-uncle who was in the navy, not the army & the new camp mentioned was also rescued by Russians.
Even his speeches were not his own! Obama is not a person!. He is an image created for people like you who do not do research & trust the loving media, not the fact givers who might destroy the Obama image.

[gabbyone]

I really can't wait for the great awakening....when the real Obama emerges and you see the
politician that has been set up for the job Daley couldn't get by Daley's top man.......Axelrod. A gracious high minded politician doesn't hang around with the likes of Rezko, Farrakhan, Ayers,Dohrn, Wright, Pflager, and more who are sure to come. A gracious politician doesn't promise a 5 year state
senator that he will not take her job and then work through legal channels to knock her off the ballot like he did to Alice Palmer. A gracious politician.....what a laugh.

[HotATL]

Dear gabbyone,

gabbyone. The "great awakening" will occur on January 2, 2009. The entire country will finally awake from an 8-year nightmare that was the Bush administration.

[lavisiter]

sorry to disappoint you but the real Obama has already emerged - just listen to his hate filled talking heads, his staff members, his campaign manager, friends, minister of OVER 20 years, his catholic church friend .....ad nauseum!

[betsyblair]

for those of you questioning honesty look at Obama's first race for Illionois Senate when he obliterated his competition by petition technicalities that left him running unapposed. Change? You dare question Clintons honor and honesty? Obama is a shyster you know nothing about, and you never will because Clinton supporters will vote for McCain to stop the lies and abuse of the elite Obama-Army

[mouselion]

And, you think you'll be happier with McCain?

[peorgietirebiter]

There are thousands of men and woman who s we speak are risking their lives in a hell hole of our creation. The final result of this election won't effect my life much either way. My vote will be cast for the candidate I believe will do the most for all those in need, but especially those who have already done faar more than their share.

[jonathanu]

If Barack Obama asks Hillary Clinton to be his running mate, as I suspect he will, and Hillary Clinton accepts, and perhaps she will, I will first barf in a corner, then I will start going house to house, and phone-banking, to get them elected. Hey, if those two can reconcile, so can we as a party...

[rmholt]

Simple. I am not going to vote for someone essentially unknown except for what he tells us with so little experience that would test him - not even Basic Training. All we know is what he tells us, in his dull derivative memoirs. McCain is a Good Guy who can listen and be practical and doesnt want to hurt people.

Enemies (terrorists or R's and D's in congress) would think twice before challenging Hillary OR McCain. They might send a hypothetical rocket up just to see what happens. Congress thinks OBama is what THEY want him to be. When it gets real they wont give over their agendas. Neither he nor Congress knows if they can work together. If he wins fine, but I wont take this gamble at this critical time.

First R I will have voted for. Ds insult my intelligence. McCain isn't Bush. You sound like Republicans.

Revenge? cant you grasp that some people have motivations that you dont get and wont listen to?

The left, right, feminists, and MSM have pounded Hillary and she still has half the vote. Pundits and politicians keep making lousy predictions. She isnt that hard to "get" if you pay attention.

[SeanOcali]

No, all YOU know is what he tells you. Try doing some research for a change.

[speakingout]

Yea, why do you think there is a website - www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com
He's NOT the hero he wants everyone to believe. Where was he when the MIA families wanted to find their loved ones? He shut the program down!!! Why has he classified his military record if he's such a patriot? What is HE hiding? Clinton has already spent 8 years in the whitehouse and 7 as a Senator. So, what HAS she accomplished ? Can you name ONE thing that shes done? She couldn't get health care reform, we ended up in a recession as soon as they left the whitehouse,AND she voted for the disastrous war in Iraq that we have yet to determine the final price for once the Iraqi's start suing us over the loss of their innocent children, etc.! I'd rather have a fresh face in the Whitehouse that hasn't been influenced by all the old political tactics that both Mccain & Clinton can't seem to get away from. WE NEED REAL CHANGE!

[Honour]

Part II - The POINT is: Obama's team, by his direction - generous and gracious as he is (has always been) - made amazingly noble and unselfish offers that neither Clinton nor her minions could muster the GRACE to receive. No GRACE, no DIGNITY, no thought for anything but the OBSESSION, the MUST-HAVE-IT-ALL mentality. Too bad - but thank you, Donna Brazile, for your candor and integrity.

Isn't it time for the Disappointed Ones to step back and look at Everything at stake here? Please, try to forgive and begin to realize that we must elect a Democrat in November . . .and we do have an honorable and honest candidate in Barack Obama. Won't you do a little research on him so that you can see - he is the ONLY choice for president.

McCain is not worth your need for revenge. He stands proudly AGAINST women's rights, and is poised to wreak more havoc in domestic affairs, more suffering for the poor and middle class, immeasurable damage to the environment (he is owned by energy/ oil corporation polluters and lobbyists), and absolutely more bloodshed and War, and the bankrupting of our treasury in the process.

Please - realize that nothing McCain will bring is worth your defecting from a democratic vote. Vote honestly, vote your Conscience.

President Obama 2009! - Que Viva Obama!