Monday, August 25, 2008

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.

*

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

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Disclaimer: I'm a 19-year-old white male who voted for Senator Clinton in the primary, I've made more than 1,000 calls for Senator Obama in the past two weeks and plan to do many more in the months ahead, and I will vote for Barack Obama in November come heck or high water.

That being said, if you know of a way to silence 18 million people (of whom only a few thousand are the vocal PUMAS) then please... be my guest.

For you to presume that feminists are "being used" shows a dismissiveness of the thought process of all those who place women's rights at the forefront which, quite frankly, I find contemptible.

For you to presume to know the mind of Senator Clinton, the burden of pressure she feels from supporters and the countless women who dreamed of her breaking the highest glass ceiling shows an arrogance beneath contempt. Tell me, at what point in your life have 18 million people entrusted you with their well-being, their future, their hope? Yet you presume to know her mind and that of her husband.

You're right about one thing. Ted Kennedy should admonish those dividing the Democratic Party... including Obama supporters who have forgotten what being a gracious winner means.

F.T. Rea said...

anonymous,

When your words are posted anonymously, it's easy to say what you find to be beyond contempt.

But I tell you this -- before this year I can't remember a bunch of cry baby supporters of a losing candidate bellyaching because their candidate wasn't vetted in the vice presidential selection process.

As far as my license to analyze the thinking of politicians goes, it's as valid as anyone else's.

James Young said...

Wow! That's about as unflattering a portrait as I've ever seen. Perhaps you should submit it to Human Events. They always seem to find the least flattering photographs of those on the Left.

Anonymous said...

I've heard the PUMAs are financed by the LaRouchies.