I would be curious to rewind the tape and find out how many of Senator Clinton's supporters offered the same defense of Dennis Kucinich in 2004, who was still campaigning against Senator Kerry at this point in 2004 and didn't endorse the presumptive nominee until July. Kucinich could at least claim to offer some clear and discussion-worthy differences from Kerry that were worthy of voters' consideration: the differences Clinton enunciates as her justification for remaining in the race are mostly personal -- electability, experience, being a fighter, etc.
Perhaps an even more potent comparison would be found in considering what Clinton has said about Ralph Nader's Presidential aspirations:
“His being on the Green Party prevented Al Gore from being the greenest president we could have had, and I think that’s really unfortunate. I think we paid a big price for it. I’m pretty sad about that,” Clinton told reporters on the campaign plane as she was en route to several appearances in Rhode Island and Boston.
Clinton was unaware, until questioned about by reporters, that Nader had announced Sunday morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he had decided to enter the 2008 race, and she was clearly surprised at the news.
“Well that’s really unfortunate. I remember when he did this before. It did not turn out very well for anybody, most especially our country,” she said. “This time I hope it doesn’t hurt anybody. I hope it’s kind of a passing fancy that people don’t take too seriously” [Beth Frerking, "Clinton Slams Nader over Presidential Bid," Politico.com, 2008.02.24].
Indeed, how dare someone with little chance of winning divide the voters and cost the frontrunner the election....
Speaking of frontrunners, remember the good old days when Clinton was that frontrunner? Take a look at today's historical chart of the Real Clear Politics Poll Average for the Democratic Presidential nomination:
Clinton peaked at 48.5% in October 2007, around the time Senator McGovern endorsed her. Obama was actually down from some initial buzzy ratings, around 21%. Seven months and millions of dollars later, Clinton hasn't managed to build any support. Her numbers have stayed stuck in the same 40%-45% range all this time. Obama, meanwhile, has produced a return on his investment, evidently drawing a lot of the undecideds and folks like me whose preferred candidates dropped out.As a Kucinich man and as a June 3 South Dakota primary voter, I can't tell the second-place candidate to drop out. But understand: Obama is going to win in South Dakota and Montana in June, in Denver in August, and nationwide in November. If Clinton has something to add to the conversation about different visions of policy and mission for America, by all means, bring it on. I will respect that effort... but I will expect Clinton and her supporters to accord the same respect to the Kuciniches and Naders who will offer voters differing visions and choices in future elections.
p.s.: Kucinich remains an uncommitted superdelegate... have you called Dennis lately, Hillary?
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Update 2008.05.25: Another hint of the Clinton-Nader parallel appaers on Dr. Blanchard's corner of SD Politics.
Check out the Cousin Dennis health care site. Look at the votes. Wow! Am I misreading it? It looks like most people don't want universal health care, and very few are willing to accept a tax increase to pay for it.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it changes day by day, and I may soon be wrong.
I smell distrust of government here. And that is, in my opinion, at the core of the opposition to Aunt Hillary. People don't trust her. (Well, I don't, anyhow.) I see spirals in her eyes. Didn't she call herself a "government junkie" at one time? I smell a "power junkie." She will fight to the bitter end -- or beyond.
One might say that Aunt Hillary's eye spirals are left-handed (counterclockwise), while Uncle George's are right-handed (clockwise).
Of course, on the flip side, we could use a fighter in the White House. Uncle George certainly is that! So's Grandpa John. But he knows, I think, when to fight and when not to fight. He's been there.
Here is a quote for Grandpa John to use the next time he decides to lampoon himself.
Q: "Mr. McCain, are you concerned about the possibility that you'll die in the White House if you are elected?"
A: "No, not at all. I'm an old soldier. Like any old soldier, I will never die. I'll just fade away."
I hope he picks Aunt Condoleeza as his running mate.
Whatever happened to Uncle Wesley? Might Brother Obama choose him as a running mate? He could do worse.
Postscripts:
ReplyDelete1) I meant to say "Brother Barack." As an editor, I ought to know how to maintain style consistency.
2) I do not intend "Brother" as a derogatory term. Quite the contrary. I might end up voting for Barack Obama if he can beat John McCain in the debates.
3) I've never had any uncles or aunts or grandparents that have in the least resembled any of these candidates.
Actually, I can go back as far as 2003 and find evidence that a majority of Americans do want universal health care. The hard part is convincing them that universal health care isn't Communism, just community (caring? compassion? Christianity?).
ReplyDelete