Much as I hope Obama sweeps the primaries tomorrow (unlikely) and Clinton opts to withdraw shortly after (even less likely), don't count me among those "encouraging" her to do so.
One of the things I have always found tacky in sports in when fans or, worse, sportswriters/broadcasters insist on opining athlete X needs to retire because he's getting old, skills are slipping, we want to remember him (or her) in their prime, etc. Ultimately only the player and the teams get to make the decision on that, and they should be left to make that decision on their own. After all, you don't hear them opining about how columnist so-and-so has been getting trite the last few years, and needs to retire his byline.
I feel much the same way about those calling for Hillary Clinton to step out of the race, which has been coming in increasing volume and pressure from Obama supporters. While there may be good reasons to favor it (let's stop fighting each other and start fighting McCain), it still strikes me as self-serving and slightly distasteful.
Clinton remains a viable candidate who, while an underdog, still can seriously hope to win election. Despite a hiccup in late-January, early February she has plenty of money for continued campaigning.
Moreover, this opportunity likely represents her one-and-only shot to gain the Presidency, clearly something she has been working hard to achieve and laying the groundwork for not just the last 15+ months, but the last 15 years. She turns 61 this year. Should Obama win the primary and the general, she's looking at 69 before she seriously runs again. Even if McCain were to win, she's looking at 65 - young by McCain's standards, but not anyone else's ... and that's assuming she gets through the primary four years from now after losing in this one.
No, it's her dream, and it's a dream she's had a long, long time. It's hard to lay down a dream, especially when there remains a reasonable chance of that dream still being attainable. Only she should decide when (or if) she's willing to let that dream go any sooner than she is forced to.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
We're going to have to disagree on this one.
I am more concerned about the dreams of American voters and children than hers, and her negatives and the way she has run her campaign the last month telegraph inflexibility and obstinacy that will divide, not unite, the country.
The GOP will spend half a billion (including the non-profits) mucking up scandal after scandal. No one is routing for Hillary more than the GOP.
The race isn't about her. She needs to do what is best for the country. She has lost 11 elections in a row many of them by double digits. If she were anyone other than who she is, the nomination would be over. She represents the old establishment, not the new voice trying to emerge. The old cling tooth and nail and won't let go. If they manage to muzzle the new, the new turns off until next time. The omnivores cannot stand her.
If McCain wins, the new try again after four more years of bloodshed, stalemate, and economic decay (the recession is just getting started).
If she wins, same thing.
I do believe she will step down if she gets swept in Texas and Ohio today. She's almost committed to it.
However, recall that just as much as you, or I, might want Obama to win, there are a large number of individuals who have voted for her as well, and would very much like to see her stay in the race. It's still not completely clear cut.
The race may not be about her in the sense you mean it, but in another way it is - this has been a clear focus of her life for a long time. Ultimately, it's should be her decision as to when to set it aside.
Sirocco,
Most people, including me, did not have a problem with Hillary staying in the race until the Texas and Ohio primaries. And that is in spite of the very strong likelihood that anyone else would have been out by now, just like X4mr says.
The problem I have is the dirty campaigning. This has been going on and escalating every single day since she lost Iowa. The last two weeks have been unusually vicious.
The net result is that the mainstream media has kept it's focus on the Clinton attacks and Obama's responses resulting in tabloid level coverage of the election.
At the local level, the campaigns have been a lot more about the issues, mostly because people are hurting economically and they are tired of war. However, the national coverage has kept it's focus on "empty rhetoric", refusing to debate in Wisconsin, plagiarism, and every other Clinton attack on Obama.
I can tell you there has been a severe shortage of good journalism and good analysis of these primary elections because I have spent considerable time looking for it, and most of the coverage is either opinions, which there are no shortage of, or the tabloid stuff.
I believe that the 2008 election is too important to the future of this country to allow Hillary Clinton to go down screaming and fighting and taking Obama with her.
If she is allowed to continue tearing down this man and dominating the national media, I would seriously wonder if either Clinton or Obama will be electable when she is finally through.
There is a lot more at stake here than Hillary's dream. She is in a position right now to do very serious harm to the likely Democratic nominee, and she chooses to do it. If she is so far superior to Obama, then please tell me why the need to conduct such a dirty and vicious campaign?
Why not let her superiority speak for itself?
Could it be there isn't a whole lot there behind all that talk of a "lifetime of experience?" Could it be that Obama is a better politician, so the only way to defeat him is to resort to character assassination and ridicule?
I hope that by tomorrow, she's behind enough in delegates for the Democratic party elders to finally stand up to her. I guess we'll see.
Sorry guys, it doesn't appear that Hillary is going anywhere. It will be interesting to see how much shine tonight's results take off Obama's apple.
We have seven weeks until Pennsylvania, seven weeks without victory speeches will be an interesting test for Obama.
Trent,
It is more than the "shine" coming off his apple.
It is dirty Clinton politics, win at any cost, destroy what is in your way and to hell with the consequences.
Clinton will trash Obama for the remainder of this campaign, he will not be electable, and she probably won't be either.
No one in the Democratic party establishment can or will stand up to the Clintons. There have been a few voices of protest, but for the most part, the Democrats are okay with this.
The Democrats feel very confident about their ability to win the presidency this year, but they stand a better chance of destroying the support that Obama has been able to mobilize for them if Clinton gets the nomination, and they do not seem to get it. I'm not sure how much support will be left after they let Hillary destroy Obama so that she can "realize her dream" of parking her size 14 ass in the Oval Office.
In the meantime, the Democratic Congress is very clost to worthless and will continue to be so if McCain is elected. If this plays out, I can see people giving up on them.
Approx 8 weeks later, the apple the shine has worn off of is Obama's. ...And for good reason.
He makes pretty speechs, but has terrible judgment.
Hiding Rev Wright in the basement, and finally distancing himself (somewhat) from Wright... ONLY because Wright dissed him, shows qualities many don't like.
If you watched O's press conference, he flat out said the one that that really upset him was Wright accusing O of being just another politician.
Wright is right on Obama.
Post a Comment