Fixing the Democratic Breach

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The perception outside and inside of the Clinton camp was
that they would have this election in the bag by Super Tuesday.
If that had been the case, we wouldn't be having this discussion.
The Clinton camp approached this election by believing in the
hype. The reality caught them flat footed.
They lost in part because of their own significant missteps.
After all, we're not talking about some bush league inexperienced
politicians, we're talking about a former, very popular and well though
of two term president and his wife a two term senator.
Because this didn't turn out as many had hoped or believed they
had a right to expect it to turn out. Because they miscalculated,
misjudged, made mistakes and nonetheless, threw the book
at this junior senator who dared to challenge them and STILL
lost is not something which should be placed entirely at the feet
of Barack Obama.
There's a saying, "Someone who thinks something can't be
done, shouldn't interrupt man (or woman) doing it". I would take
that a little further and submit that "Someone who thinks something
can't be done, ought to have a good backup plan in the event that
fate disagrees."
The Clintons are as guilty as our current president was in
overestimating the outcome of the Iraq war. "We will be greeted
as liberators. It will take a small and mobile force to bring it about.
It won't last long or cost much." But, suppose none of that
proves to be true. Then what.
Super Tuesday was supposed to be doomsday for everyone else.
Apparently neither the country nor Obama saw it that way. Then
what?
Hillary Clinton's team didn't have an answer for that. Barack Obama,
who was not as enamored of his inevitability, did.
Still, this was a very close election. Credit to Hillary Clinton for that.
But, to suggest she was robbed. That this was stolen from her,
misrepresents the facts.
She had help from the problems of her own campaign.
It might not be a pleasant truth, but, it's true nonetheless.
Nothing sexist in that, just political reality.
If it had been some man instead of Hillary, that wouldn't change
that truth. Maybe it would've been a completely different outcome.
No denying that gender and race have played and will continue
to play a part in this election up until the day after the election in
November. Both Obama and Clinton and their respective supporters
need to be honest and not want to deny race or gender when it hurts
and look the other way when it helps.
Hillary is a woman. Barack Obama is black.
And they were and are exceptional candidates who happened to
pick this election to run against each other.
Someone had to lose.
If Hillary is everything her supporters believe she is, we shouldn't
be having this discussion. Apparently not enough voters believed
so. I have no doubt this may change how future primaries are held.
And if the Clintons could do it over, there's probably some things
they'd do different.
But, that's a different discussion.

Mike of WA 11:35PM June 06, 2008

...just as he has been doing. Just 4 years ago there was a very different & independent thinking senator named John McCain who didn't have the money to win the Republican nomination even if he had Karl Rove on his staff. He had his own vision though & stuck to his guns. Now there is a quite right leaning John McCain who has compromised beliefs but money to boot. I respected John McCain before this election but he no longer garners the respect he deserved since he no longer sticks to HIS beliefs. He has flip-flopped to his financiers beliefs & vision. He will do anything it takes to get in office even if it means he has to alter his core beliefs? That's just sad. That's just what we DON'T need in office right now.
I voted for Clinton & still support her but I will never vote for someone such as John McCain who will so easily give in. Clinton appealed to me with her experience & vision. Obama, for the most part, shares her vision & my vision of how America should handle itself. I would be very happy if Obama picks Clinton as his VP since she would do well in that influential position. We do need change. We need to better ourselves but we need to be responsible. Bush has degraded our image throughout the world but even worse he has lessened our own self-worth. McCain has alligned himself with Bush's people & doesnt seem to mind to lessen himself so far. What do you think he will do to the rest of us?

Chris V of WI 1:34PM June 04, 2008

You lost. Keep repeating...you lost. No matter what you did, you lost.
Now you must atone. To do this - 1) acknowledge defeat and stop blaming others for your loss 2) decide in your heart how you want your grandchildren to live in this country 3) put nation over petty personality differences 4) organize and start to work toward turning this country around.
Nation over petty partisan bickering...Nation over your since of loss.

Lisa of TX 11:17AM June 04, 2008

Clinton has been treated by the media shamefully. I have never been so disgusted, upset at the sexist way she has been hammered and hammered on. Obama was the media "darling" from the start. Anyone with eyes and ears knows that. The audacity of CNN on last night of primaries to demean and denigrate Sen. Clinton's speech was deploreable. I was embarrassed for them. It is okay to be sexist in this country --no one who does this has to explain themselves--BUT IF THIS HAD BEEN A RACIST ISSUE, ALL HELL WOULD HAVE BROKEN LOOSE. Personally, I back Clinton and always will. Without question, she is the hardest working, smartest one to ever run. Obama has never given any specifics on any topic--who is he going to surround him if he is in the White House. I feel if Clinton is the VP--she will have to teach him how to be President. I am a very devout Christian. I know the Bible--there is no way I can get past his beliefs in the "so called" church of his for 20 years. He condoned what was being preached in that church. If he didn't know what was going on in 20 years, HOW DO YOU THINK HE WILL EVER KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THE PRESIDENCY AND WHAT IS GOING ON? His pastor's comments, the preist's comments are outlanding, things that are not ever mentioned in the Bible. You do not curse in the pulpit--that is a CULT--my dear friend, not a Christian church. I will NEVER NEVER CAST A VOTE FOR HIM--EVEN IF CLINTON IS ON THE TICKET. SO, I AM FORCED TO JOIN JOHN MCCAIN--AND NOT VOTE DEMOCRATIC IN NOV. I HAVE A MAJOR INFLUENCE ON MANY PEOPLE--I WILL CAMPAIGN FOR MCCAIN (I DON'T REALLY LIKE HIM). BUT, I WILL KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT HIM AS I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT OBAMA EXCEPT WHAT I STATED ABOVE. DONNA BRAZILE MADE A STATEMENT ON GMA (ABC) PROGRAM -SHE THINKS THE WOMEN AND FOLLOWER OF CLINTON WILL VOTE FOR OBAMA--HATE TO DISAPPOINT--NO WAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I THINK THE MEDIA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY ON EXCESSIVELY ONE-SIDED, POOR COVERAGE THAT HAS BEEN DONE AND HOW YOU LAMBASTED CLINTON AND STILL DO. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO ASHAMED OF HOW PEOPLE SWALLOW WHAT THE MEDIA SAYS--MUST BE GULLIBLE

JUDY BAUMAN of AR 10:57AM June 04, 2008