Clinton Is Well And Truly Done
May 9th, 2008 by gordo
I wouldn’t illustrate this story with a film clip that compares Hillary Clinton to Hitler, but this one was too funny to resist
Now, it’s really over. Obama is well ahead in pledged delegates, and now leads in the superdelegate count as well. Sources inside the Obama camp say that he will claim victory on May 20, and Clinton’s campaign chairman indicated that she will concede in June. At this point, I wouldn’t be surprised if the race officially comes to a close within the next week.
Here’s what I think Obama has to do now: make it up to Clinton’s supporters by finding a qualified woman to serve as running mate. Here’s the one I like:
Anna Eshoo
Anna Eshoo of California has served more than 10 years in the House, and her experience on the Intelligence Committee would help make up for Obama’s perceived lack of experience (link). She’s been a staunch defender of civil liberties and she voted against the Iraq War resolution. A technology expert who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, so she should be able to help Obama craft a response to soaring energy prices. Finally, she co-chairs the House Medical Technology Caucus, so she’d be able to work with Obama to help address the health care issue, which is sure to be a big challenge for him when he takes office.
As of now, Eshoo is a real longshot, because she’s a relative unknown. But I think that when he selects a running mate, Obama should do so with an eye toward keeping the party together.
(cross posted at appletree and This Old Brit)
May 10th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
Anna Eshoo sounds interesting. I’m from Missouri and I’m wondering if it will be Sen Claire McCaskill. She endorsed Obama early in the game. She said it was because Hillary was unpopular with voters in Missouri and would bring more republicans to the polls to vote against her. (which I think is probably true.) I wonder if there’s more to it.
May 11th, 2008 at 12:40 am
Anna Eshoo…
F— HER!!!
She turned me down for a job!!– TWICE!!
May 11th, 2008 at 12:42 am
Ahem. Which is to say, of course, that a win-win might yet be found in the KS Governor. Kathleen Sebelius. Her name is impossible to spell, granted, but she’s a solid candidate that’s already been touted regularly as a potential Obama running-mate.
Much as Strickland has been touted as a potential Hillary Clinton running-mate.
May 11th, 2008 at 7:59 am
“She turned me down for a job!!– TWICE!!”
Well that’s the best recommendation you could have given the woman Alfalfa.
If she gets on the ticket I’m voting Obama, man…
May 12th, 2008 at 8:22 am
The Democratic Presidential primary is at the point where we find out if Obama has enough skill to convert Clinton and her supporters from beaten opponents to necessary allies and if they have enough class to allow what should be a natural alliance based on their virtually identical political positions. Had it not been for two strong candidates staking out very nearly identical planks that would already be accomplished.
May 12th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
Identical positions…?
She’s practically a blue-dog democrat. On crucial votes, you’ll see that she’s practically in-sync with LIEBERMAN.
Ever since she was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 — by a paltry few percentage points which is BAD for a Democrat in New York — her only real talent has been fundraising. Being able to make people write her checks essentially makes her like half of the girls I knew back in high school.
No, we need somebody new AND qualified to do the job. Hillary doesn’t cut it. Not by a long shot.
May 12th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
alpha,
You are definitely right that we need someone new. That is first. Put Clinton in some place where she has to play ball, and then we also get someone new in New York, too, and the Democratic split gets healed all in one swoop. The VP brings votes primarily, unless you have a moron at the top like Dubya or Reagan. Obama isn’t cut out of that cloth. Everybody has consistently underrated his political skills all along. Whomever he chooses will play ball by his rules as far as I can see, and Clinton wouldn’t even get a chance, unless she is willing to commit to that up front.
She isn’t going to get another chance at the Presidency that I can see, unless Obama dies in office and only then if he gets elected with her as VP. She has every reason to surrender gracefully at this point especially if he tags her to be his running mate.
FWIW in most of his positions, except on Iraq and Israeli issues, Lieberman is quite liberal. He has one dramatic blind spot, but you better take a closer look at the rest of his votes. He is both a blind hawk and a liberal. He wouldn’t be especially welcome in the Republican party on any other issue except his Middle East paranoia.
Clinton has garnered more votes in a Democratic Presidential primary than anybody else, ever, except Obama. Before you throw that away, it would pay to remember how much American support she still has.
You better look at the issues again, too. With the significant differences in personality preference out of the way, they aren’t very far apart on nearly anything. Not from where I sit. I said that early in the primary contest and nothing has changed on the significant planks. Neither Obama or Clinton is progressive, they are both center to center/left at the most, which is where most of the American public is also, which is why they both have so much appeal all across the country. That shows how much the far right has distorted American politics. If you think either one of them is any kind of socialist left winger, you are in for quite a surprise.
Our first task has always been to clean out the current administration and its Congressional support; so that a new administration has a chance to make peace and take care of the American people. We need a government back in the mainstream, or we will continue to waste away on the real left, allowing the far right to continue to dictate by default.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:09 am
I went to a very well attended Obama rally in Louisville this evening. The speech was heavy on platform and he can really work a crowd. He’s going to beat McCain soundly. He can parry any attack as a distraction from four dollar gas and the economy.
Dem voters in KY by and large don’t know that Hillary is already forked. My representative Ben Chandler already endorsed Obama which helps. The Herald Leader has already called KY for Clinton.
A few more stops in KY and Obama would pick up lots of votes. He makes McCain look like a Bob Dole.
May 13th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
“The speech was heavy on platform and he can really work a crowd.”
Huey Long was pretty good at that too…
May 13th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
No question about it, Obama does a very good job of connecting with his audiences in all areas. He also has a nationwide organization that runs very well or his stage presence alone would not have turned out the vote as it has. All around his campaign has shown a very significant amount of political skill which should answer any criticism of his supposed lack of experience from any quarter from which that may originate. His campaign has been run superbly.