Obama, Clinton Threaten to Sink Dems
The Democratic presidential nominee this fall—whether Sen. Barack Obama or Sen. Hillary Clinton—is going to be flawed.
And this is long before the Republicans and their wild-eyed, right-wing allies unload on either one.
Senator Clinton bears more of the blame than her younger rival. At nearly every crazy turn in this long race, she has behaved as if she is entitled to the nomination come hell or high water.
Clinton's husband has done his part, too, to make things difficult for a Democratic Party that boosted him into the White House for two terms, the latter one seamy.
Patching things up late this summer to run against GOP Sen. John McCain is not going to be easy. The hard feelings continue every day as the two Democrats clash with little or no regard for the damage being done.
Let me cite an episode from that ABC debate in Philadelphia in which Senator Clinton could have made a leap toward peacemaking. When Senator Obama was asked the silly question about not wearing the American flag in his lapel, she should have interrupted and said:
"Stop right there. That is the silliest thing I've ever heard. Senator Obama is a loyal, patriotic American, and so am I. Perhaps the moderators can finally get down to some serious matters?"
Of course, she didn't. She was waiting for a chance to clobber him on some issue like his pastor's controversial sermons.
(I thought we had gotten past the guilt by association in this country after the rampages of GOP Sen. Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin in the 1950s, but apparently not.)
Obama is not without fault. He has inspired huge numbers of young people, but largely with lofty rhetoric whose only specifics have been promoting "change" from George W. Bush.
The Democrats could still win the presidency in November, but the two senators left standing are not helping much.
Tags: Democrats | presidential election 2008 | Barack Obama | Hillary Clinton | John McCain
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Reader Comments
Senator Clinton should stay in the race: It is good politics
In the long view [all Americans] especially women candidates for political office from both major parties will respect and admire that the first viable woman candidate for the presidency (Senator Hillary Clinton) was tenacious and did all she could to break the historical glass ceiling on the American presidency being a “male only” club.
Moreover, I think it is a good thing that voters in these later primaries are able to have an opportunity to help determine who the Democratic presidential nominee is; rather than just endorse the candidate that the early primary states have chosen as “their” nominee for all of us
Clinton is right to fight on for the nomination. Why should she demure in a close race to Obama and make his road more comfortable and easy? I think if Clinton were a man with this same relentless spirit that she would be celebrated and admired for being "Bull-dog tough", like Winston Churchill in the face of the Nazi’s in WWII. Instead she is said to be trying to “steal” the election and harshly criticized for being a dogged determined competitor of the first order.
If Obama is the nominee, he will be battle tested and battle hardened for a tough fight in the general election because of his sparring with Clinton. McCain and the GOP will be tough on Obama and because of the lessons learned during this primary season, he should be better prepared to succeed against GOP assaults. Moreover, Obama must do better with winning white working class, so called Reagan Democrats, if he is to be viable in states like Ohio and Pennsylvania against McCain in the fall. He can thank Clinton for showing his weakness with this Democratic constituency and work to win these voters over by the November election.
Hang in there Hillary! Time will show that you were right on with doing so.
Hillary clinton and bill are disgusting
They praised a hate group, which the republicans are aware of.. including rush limbaugh. If she wins the nomination, I hope she is roasted in public.
Hating Hillary has never been better...
The Clintons are damaging the party
The Clintons need to give up their fruitless campaign for the Presidency. None of their hardball tactics is strengthening the nominee. Because none of these attacks is at all issue-oriented. This election is not "all about them," nor should it be all about the aspirations of aging feminists to break the glass ceiling. This election is about the future of our country. We have masssive debt, an aging population further straining the system, an endless, needless war in Iraq, and a damaged image abroad. But back at home, we are allowing the Clinton brand , with the help of our sensationalistic-minded press, to brand and define the man who will be our Democratic nominee (wake up and grow up and do the math!).
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John W. Mashek covered politics in Washington for four decades with U.S. News & World Report, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and the Boston Globe. His primary beats were Congress, the White House, and national politics. He covered every presidential election from 1960 to 1996. He was a panelist in three televised presidential debates in 1984, 1988, and 1992.