The Clinton Problem

With the Democrats in Denver to attend their convention, the television pundits are still chattering about Sen. Hillary Clinton’s disgruntled supporters. It’s being reported that her husband isn’t happy, either. Some of her talking head surrogates, like Paul Begala, are still dwelling on the woeful “disrespect” that has been directed toward her and her supporters all through the campaign.

With all that as a backdrop Sen. John McCain has commercials up and running that make use of the Clinton undertow current of discontent. Republican commentators are praising Clinton and saying Sen. Barack Obama made a mistake in not picking her as his running mate.

Part of the reason the media are pumping the negative story is that it creates an unpredictable subplot. With modern political conventions so tightly orchestrated, such stories add a little soap opera-like spice to a stew of speeches that can be rather bland, otherwise. So, we can’t be surprised when the television news channels try to boost their ratings by making some stories seem a bit more important than they may actually be.

But the Clinton Problem has risen above subplot, to be the convention story's lede on the first day of the confab.

All that said, the biggest reason for The Clinton Problem to be looming over the convention is that Hillary Clinton is obviously focused on being the Democratic presidential nominee in 2012. To her, the convention in Denver isn’t about electing Obama ... it’s about her. It’s about Hillary and her singular quest to be the first female president. She apparently has never seen Obama as anything more than an obstacle. In order for her to be the nominee in 2012, he has to lose in 2008.

With her PUMAs howling like banshees, poised to sabotage the convention, Hillary seems ready to call ever so softly for party unity -- with a wink and a nudge -- and then allow her surly surrogates to plunge their daggers into Obama’s back.

Hillary Clinton could have called off the Begalas. She could have quieted most of the PUMAs. She has done neither.

Today, I feel especially sorry for the feminists who are being used to pursue the personal agenda of one woman. At this point, my hope is that Sen. Ted Kennedy will step up to the podium tonight and lay a serious scolding on those who are dividing the Democratic Party.

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Update (Thursday morning): Well, at long last, the Clintons were good Democrats. Hillary probably did as good a job as she could. Bill was his old self, his speech was boffo! Why there had to be all the melodrama leading up tho their speeches is anybody's guess.

-- Words and art by F.T. Rea