S.C.'s "Shame On You Award" Goes to Hillary Clinton

South Carolina stunned everyone on Saturday night. Pundits will be parsing the exit polls, the numbers and an unexpected Clinton rout for a month of Sundays. Those of us who live here, who work here and have been on the ground with the grassroots campaigns have our own take on the two-to-one margin in favor of Senator Barack Obama, on the significant surge of support among white liberals.

No one expected white South Carolina Democrats to exceed 10-13% of the Obama vote, but they doubled expectations and they did it in the privacy of the voting booth--when no one was watching. An argument can be made here for folks having voted principle over prejudice, for having made a stand for a better brand of politics. One thing is sure: South Carolina Democrats are saying they rejected the Clinton tag-team match. We like our mud-wrestling confined to sleazy night spots and late night cable. It's entertainment. We don't want it in our political discourse. Not anymore. That's big news.

But there's another story in South Carolina. At the end of the day, it may speak louder and define the character of a candidate in starker terms than any stump speech or pundit's perspective. It's a human story about what happened here on primary day--and what happened in Columbia after the polls closed.

When exit polls indicated an uncomfortable, even embarrassing, margin of victory for Barack Obama, Elvis left the building.

Hillary Rodham Clinton left for Tennessee faster than a jackrabbit when the hounds are loose. It was not the wisest decision she could have made.

Clinton staffers and supporters rallied in Columbia Saturday night. It's what you do. Even when it's hard. Even when you know the win has slipped through your fingers. You rally for your candidate. You cheer her on; you keep the faith. And your candidate is with you. She gives as good as she gets in optimism, in rousing support. She reminds you it's not over, that she's with you and will soldier on. And she thanks you--up close and personal--for all the hours, the hard work, the commitment, the emotional and financial investment you've made on her behalf.

The Clinton folks did their part and they deserved better than they got. They worked every bit as hard as Obama and Edwards staff and volunteers; they cared every bit as much. They didn't slink away to lick their wounds when the vote didn't go their way. They came together in the face of a loss that hurt and they did it for their candidate.

Hillary Clinton did not join them. She wasn't there to console them or encourage them. She wasn't there to thank them, either.

Somebody wins the Shame On You Award in every election. The South Carolina Democratic Primary trophy goes to HRC, hands down. She wanted to win big here. She did. And it's a shame.

Comments

[detriangulation]

This morning on MSNBC, Clinton surrogate Senator Bill Nelson, as part of a continued effort to hype Clinton's anachronistic FL "victory", highlighted her superior performance across all demographics---with one notable caveat. Nelson concedes Obama decisively won "THE BLACK VOTE" in FL that, looking ahead to Super Tuesday, only gives him marginal and inadequate "POCKETS OF SUPPORT."
This is further evidence that Hillary Clinton continues to rely on her establishment sycophants (including Bill, with his Jesse Jackson assertions after South Carolina, etc.) to pursue a Southern Strategy: a desperate, futile and shameless attempt to racially polarize the electorate and relegate Obama to the status of a candidate who is for, by, and of African Americans alone. This racial triangulation will continue to backfire because it outrages African American, white, Latino and Asian Democrats alike. Please make people aware of Senator Nelson's comments!!

[jrterrier]

and does anyone recall Obama concession speech after Nevada. No, cause he didn't have the grace to even say, thanks nevada, congratulations Hillary. His campaign instead sent a fax to the media saying he had won more delegates than Hillary and the Nevada party then clarified that no delegates had in fact yet been awarded so that he may or may not win.

[katemadison]

To all the Hillary volunteers in South Carolina: even tho I support a different candidate, thank you for the hard work you did for your candidate. I love to see participation and activism in our country. I'm sorry Hillary wasn't there to recognize and thank you for your efforts. Many others do, though. It would be terrible if all of us stayed home and didn't help our candidates.

[ButterflyWeed]

If I've followed HRC's campaign strategy (?), her "experience" merits the support of Democrat party machine loyalists in each state race. If she continues to scorch and leave her own seasoned supporters burning, won't her wildfire approach eventually self-extinguish?

Dwell upon who's offering a nourishing drink of water to parched voters seeking unity. It's critical to grow the base of registered voters in the Democratic party.

[NoDrama]

OK, I'm volunteering in a SuperTuesday state for another candidate, who hasn't won every primary (obviously), so while I've dealt with ups and downs I haven't any experience like the folks who've already seen the outcomes in their home state - but I think this does say a lot about Senator Clinton when you compare it to the actions of every other candidate who has "lost" in any of the primaries or caucuses thus far.
Pragmatic campaigning? I suppose it is if you're feeling it slipping away; but if I gave my heart and soul in such an isolated contest I'd frankly expect more leader-like behavior out of the candidate I had worked my ass off to support.

[liberalrebuttal]

She dosn't care about the voters. She cares about the votes.