How to Avoid a Democratic Disaster
A Democratic disaster in the November election looms, but it can be avoided by a demonstration of true leadership by our two leading candidates!
By the end of the Democratic primary process, no matter how robust the turnout appears, less than half of all Democratic potential voters will have expressed their preference. And because the primaries will have extended over such a long period, by August and the Convention some of the voters will have changed their preference as a result of the many revelations, faux pas and new bits of evidence that have intervened since they voted. Other entanglements also threaten the possibility of a selection at the Convention that would be supported by both the Obama and Clinton constituencies. Two states with significant Democratic strength -- Florida and Michigan -- may be denied votes and the specific role of the superdelegates may become a matter of serious and possibly irresolvable contentiousness.
Meanwhile the Democrats every day come closer to the end of the primary process without a clear choice for president, with alienation between their candidates growing, while the Republicans' candidate, John McCain, gathers strength unmolested within his own party and comforted by the squabbling among Democrats. Obama argues that he has won more delegates, more states and more popular votes in the primaries. He also argues the superdelegates should feel "morally obligated" to vote for the winner of the delegate count in the primaries because that would be the "democratic thing" to do.
The Clinton forces argue that the Democratic National Committee should find a way to count Florida and Michigan, both of whose primaries were won by Hillary, and should remind the candidates that the superdelegates were created specifically to override previous primary votes if they believed it was necessary to get the nominee most likely to win the election.
Recent polls of all Democrats whether they have voted in the primaries or not, show the two leaders virtually tied and indicate Clinton may be more likely than Obama to win the states the Democrats must take in order to succeed.
No matter how all these challenging questions are resolved the increasing contentiousness has left the two candidates -- and more importantly their distinct constituencies -- badly alienated.
Polls show that if the battle continues to a conclusion at the Convention a significant portion of the constituency supporting the loser, disappointed by the selection of a candidate at the Convention will refuse to vote Democratic in November. That could cost the Democrats the election and bring back "Bushism", assuring the continuance of the tragic Iraq war indefinitely.
Whose fault would that be?
The Democrats'.
Who can solve the problem?
Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton can -- by putting aside personal irritations, and to some extent personal aspirations, and agreeing to end the hostilities and form a ticket that gives us both of them, a candidate for president and a candidate for vice president who is clearly good enough to serve as president, should the occasion arise. That candidate for vice president would also have a good chance of being elected as president eight years from now because neither of the two would be too old in 2016.
If they are not capable of doing that, alternatively, the two could announce they will complete the primary schedule and Convention with the winner becoming candidate for president and the other agreeing to be a candidate for vice president, thereby mollifying to some extent the constituency of the candidate who was not chosen as the nominee for president.
Think of it, over the next eight years we could elect both the first woman and the first African-American to become president of our nation. That's not a dream: it's a plausible, achievable, glorious possibility -- if our two remaining candidates have the personal strength and wisdom to make it happen. The joint statement announcing their agreement would rock the nation and resound across the globe -- sweeter than any political poetry; smarter and more meaningful than any tightly intelligent political prose.
And all it takes is two votes!
If, on the other hand, the candidates refuse to work out a way to keep both constituencies firmly in the Democratic camp for the general election, it may make of the 2008 primary the story of a painfully botched grand opportunity to return our nation to the upward path, and leave us mired in Iraq and government mediocrity.
Originally published in the Boston Globe.
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Mr. Cuomo, I loved you as my Governor and appreciate your intelligence and political savvy.
However, this race is not about political appeasement. It is about CHANGE.
Having Hillary on the ticket is a non-starter because she represents EXACTLY the kind of Old Washington politics that Americans have grown tired of.
Now that we've had a taste of Barack Obama, we can never go back to the foul, rancid politics of old.
It's New American Politics or bust for us.
But many older voters are comfortable with old school Democratics. They like the back room dealing, mud slinging, dirty, old fashioned politicians.
But we're going to need to thin that herd and breed it out of extinction with politicians who are honest and intellectually nimble enough to go around obstacles, rather than over them. To win fights before they begin by outthinking and outstrategizing their opponents. To stun Americans with their forthrightness about the our challenges, the issues and the pain involved in the solutions.
Ones who will treat us as adults and not talk down to us, but will demand and expect more from us.
Ones who will engage us, enlist us, respect us, empower us and inspire us.
That is why Hillary Clinton CANNOT be on the ticket.
The political asteroid has hit and it's now time for these Washington dinosaurs, mighty and long holding dominion over all the political earth though they may have been, to become extinct.
Make way for Obamo-Sapiens. ;-)
Give me a break ... this "change" thing is so much blue-sky wishful thinking. Obama talks about "changing" Washington, but look how many "Washington" insiders are supporting him. You think they aren't gonna want something. Please!
There is nothing wrong with "old style politics" - people everywhere do it all the time. It derives from our own human nature, not some evil plot to destroy us all, as some seem to feel.
When your job is at stake, would you not fight hard to keep it? Of course you would. Add to that fact the inner calling to serve the country, the will to wield enormous power and actually change people's lives, and the drive to succeed, and you have a perfect storm of human nature's competitiveness to win the contest. Make no mistake, what Obama says in public is NOT what he thinks in private. We have seen small glimpses of that with NAFTAgate, Iraq Withdrawalgate, Reverend Wright and Tony Rezko. Obama ain't perfect. He is a politician through and through - he is a very good politician, but a politician nonetheless. When "old style politics" is to his advantage, he will use it and your sainthood of Obama will crash & burn - unfortunately. Right now, it is to his advantage to preach the "change thing" to get your vote. Wake up to reality, not pie-in-the-sky promises.....
So I guess your slogan is:
"ABANDON HOPE, ALL YE THAT ENTER HERE:
- HILLARY IN 08"
lol.. I'd rather vote my hopes than my fears. Id' rather be FOR something than against something else.
I know what sticks in your craw, though.
The fact that we are voting FOR something we love and for someone we deeply believe in while you and those like you, mired in your cynicism and miserable are stuck voting against something you hate and for someone you could care less about.
No, I think our way is better. :-)
What the Party elders need to do is LISTEN to the people who have spoken out, worked diligently, and brought millions of new voters into the fold by repudiating the lies, distortions and political maneuvering of both the NeoCons AND the Clintons.
We are sick of this style of politics, and having her on the ticket WILL NOT bring the 16 years of Nirvana you describe as these would either begin or end with 8 years of more Clinton drama and subterfuge. You see, some of us have seen beneath the skirts of the Clinton wardrobe and things are not as we were led to believe....
NO THANK YOU!
Governor Cuomo, I enjoyed your post. However, many of Senator Clinton's supporters will have a hard time voting for Senator Obama, even as her VP.
Why is Mario Cuomo due any respect when he proposes a really bad idea? The line, "With all due .respect...", doesn't cancel the fact that you think that Mario or Eustace Goobervachi's idea is worse than lousy & he's an idiot for proposing it; in particular, when you state point by point why the idea won't fly & he's an idiot for proposing it; then, you give us a much better idea & carefully explain your idea. We all can see that your idea is much better than Mario's idea & that Mario is an idiot if he thinks that his idea can fly. Mario is an experienced NY politician. Mario Cuomo has been called everything but a human being.
While HP's monitors/editors probably wouldn't use or post your comment if you opened by saying, "Mario, do you have your head up your ass? WTF makes you think that HP or even the DRUDGE REPORT would even think of using your stupid blog if you weren't a famous has been? You could go on by ripping out a stoma for a colostomy for Mario by saying that his idea is errant nonsense, why only a senile idiot would propose it, asking Marion WTH he thinks he is, giving your much better idea, explaining it carefully & showing that Marion is writing like a senile idiot. Using, "With all due respect....", is like spitting in Mario's &wiping the hocker off his face with a silk, snot rag.
larry lynch
Governor Cuomo,As a former Democrat I must dispute your optimism on a joint ticket.Hillary Clinton has too much baggage and acts as a polarizing influence on the right and the left.An Obama /Richardson ticket would better serve the party. peace
OMG - and you think that is not "old style" back room dealing.... "Barack, I'll support you, I'll even stab the Clinton's in the back - if you make me VP running mate".
Obama is a politician through and through. A good politician, but a politician nonetheless. After he has your vote, the election is over, and IF he's President, you'll see what happens, when human self-interest (what you can always count on) takes over and reality sets in.
Please. Grow up and stop living in Never neverland.
Sorry, Governor. It all sounds great - on paper. But in actual application, it'll never fly...
If Obama accepts Hillary as his running mate, it basically invalidates the very raison d'etre for his entire candidacy - namely turning the page on the old-school politics of the past. Unfortunately, based on her performance in this race thus far, Hillary personifies the very essence of old-school divisiveness, triangulation and rancor. Why would Obama essentially shoot himself in the foot by even bringing her in?
As to the other contingency - Obama accepting a spot as Hillary's running mate - this is even less likely a scenario than the reverse. Primarily because Obama is on-track to win the nomination outright. But secondarily because it would be virtual career suicide for him to ever agree to such an arrangement. He knows that Bill Clinton would function as the de facto vice president - and Obama himself would be kept on such a short leash, it would be a complete and total humiliation. Honestly, how could you ever ask a man of brilliance and dignity to accept slowly wasting away in such degrading circumstances?
"Honestly, how could you ever ask a man of brilliance and dignity to accept slowly wasting away in such degrading circumstances?"
This is an excellent point, and it has me wondering, Governor Cuomo: Would you have accepted the vice presidential nomination under Bill Clinton if he had offered it in 1992? Or under Michael Dukakis in 1988? Or would you have felt that being a vice presidential nominee -- especially under two lesser political leaders, at least compared to you -- was beneath your dignity?
Hillary's favorability rating is now down to 37% and falling. Exactly how will she help the ticket? Seems like she is likely to drive many independents away. In any case, I think that whoever the Democratic candidate is, he or she is entitled to pick their own running mate. I am sure that whoever the candidate is, he or she, will factor into how various potential running mates might help or hurt. One question that Cuomo doesn't address here is exactly how is Obama supposed to run with a VP that is going to be prominently featured in Republican ads claiming that McCain is more qualified to be president than him? Seems to me that Clinton has eliminated herself from consideration with some of the snide digs she has made lately.
This all sounds great in theory but it does nothing to resolve the point of biggest contention -- deciding who will lead that ticket. And by the way each of the candidates is not just representing him or herself and personal considerations about his or her political future but the millions of Americans who have expressed their support with a vote or trip to the caucuses. I know that I would be sickened if Obama went over and had a talk with Hillary and walked out of that meeting and announced that despite being ahead in every way that counts, he had agreed to step aside and take on the secondary position. That would look like dirty insider politicking to me. I suspect that many of Hillary's supporters would feel the same way (despite the fact that she is clearly behind). So we need to let the process play out through the end of the primaries/caucuses. However, what would be helpful to the process is for the remaining Super Delegates to announce that they will support the winner of the primary/caucus process. Because listening to the will of the Democratic primary voters as expressed through their votes is the only fair thing to do.
Dear Mr Cuomo,
You see your candidate HRC has violated the first cardinal rule of competition among fellow democrats.
She told the Whole world Barack was not qualified to be President , McCain was more qualified.
She has been fighting him as a republican. You have children, they had limits, none of them would ever break a bottle on the other one's head , after all their bound was stronger than their fight. Hillary went too far and it is unforgivable (remember the kitchen sink, the muslim smear ). The rev Wright made a mistake by speaking the way he did , Hillary had no business talking about it . A lot of Black people relate to what happened in that church, the way she spoke is another insult. Some people who support her attend that church too.
She brought up Rezko knowing she herself had a lot dealing with some donors who are now in jail,
check the video "what Hillary doesn't want you to know" on youtube. She is very bright , but self destructive. The Bosnia story sealed her faith. Now she is looking for the right wing to help her defeat her fellow dem. She never thanked those who voted for her when she lost, . She is unable to run her campaign financially , it is a prelude of how she would run the country. Her arrogance is her downfall. I wish she was as wise as You. your idea is anon starter.
Sadly, this just sounds like a desperate ploy by a Hillary supporter, realizing she is losing and has no chance for the nomination, to get her on the ticket one way or another. The tactic is fear mongering about the divisions in the party that the nominating process has caused, and in my opinion, largely because of the style of campaign that Hillary has run.
The real question is why would Obama want HRC on the ticket? She would add nothing , subtract much, and not increase his chances. There are many better VP choices he could make,
If Hillary wants to end the hostilities, all she has to do is stop being hostile.
Hillary is still in the driver's seat, she can make or break the winner in November. Having said that, I think it's wrong that she still trys to be the nominee. She can help Obama win with her blessing, and can make it easy for him to lose with her curse. There is a lot of baggage on both candidates, more on Hillary. I think she'd have more determined voters voting against her than those voting against Obama. There's something unsettling about a spouse of a former president running 8 years afterwords. It's against the spirit of the 22nd amendment. I believe her when she said they were a team before, and I think they'd be a team again. Term limits have a purpose. The best outcome is that she changes her tune, much the same way she did at the end of the debate before Texas and Ohio, and helps Obama win. She could and should be given a reward that would benefit the country as well. I think Reid has been ineffective, and I think she could be the leader of the Senate. The idea of governor of New York has been floated, but I think that's a step down for her.
Hillary as VP? Scary. She'd be sneaking out in the middle of the night to puncture holes in the tires of the presidential limousine!
By far the best advice yet on this debacle. My take says Obama will never agree. He introduced the race card with the Oprah endorsement.
I am going to vote McCain. A pox on the Dems for racial as well as coward politics.
Amen, and welcome to HuffPo.
Gov, I gotta warn ya, it's addictive.
The democratic party, over the last 2 years, has passed the point of NO RETURN on every issue.
They have failed and will NOT recover. I hope that soon the overwhelming majority are independents.
I am an independent and WILL NOT support any candidate. I will write in Biden, Dodd, OR Paul in the presidential election.
Peace to you today.
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