Fight To The Finish

Yes, the beat goes on. Hillary will take the fight to the convention if things don't proceed the way she wants them to. To what end?

It seems a new organization is being formed, WomenCount PAC, to give Hillary's supporters a voice. "Not so fast," they proclaim as they perceive she is being forced out. "Hillary's voice is our voice and she's speaking for all of us." They've had a voice. And they've used it loud and clear.

Being a woman, I am totally confused. I understand those of my generation being rabidly supportive of Hillary's quest for the presidency. What I don't understand is the tunnel vision that brings them to this point. How can one support another who constantly plays loose with the facts, whines when she thinks the "boys" are picking on her, has hopelessly bungled her campaign by ignoring the possibility that she might have a competitor, and continually tries to bend the rules in her favor. Such a woman does not provide my voice!

An AP article had a paragraph in it that caught my eye.

But the numbers aren't as important as the signal each primary will send to her supporters: She's a fighter, not a quitter, and she's got a future. Even after this race is over.

That message is nothing new. Everyone who watches the news or reads the papers will concede she is a fighter and certainly not a quitter. It doesn't need to be continually shoved down our throats!

She's got a future? Maybe yes, maybe no. Even after this race is over? Maybe yes, maybe no. More and more she looks like a strident spoiled brat who is in a snit because things haven't gone according to her plan. If this continues I should think she may be doing irreparable damage to both her reputation, her future and the viability of any other woman with political ambitions for years to come.

I have to ask my fellow females, is it worth risking the presidency and the future of the country just so this woman can win? Is this the most important goal in your lives?

If you really believe this and she brings down Obama and the party because of it, I hope you'll all be happy with the McCain presidency.

Attention Addiction Disorder

I've come to the conclusion this is the current "hot" disease. Fortunately only a select few are susceptible to it. Athletes, Entertainers and Politicians. There is no known cure.

Actually it has been around for quite some time though it becomes more noticeable during election cycles. Think about this. Barack Obama had 60,000+ people turn out for a rally in Portland, Oregon yesterday. 60,000+, nearly 70,000!. Today, Hillary is reminding him there is no candidate quite yet.

It's one thing to believe in yourself. I think she truly does believe she would be the better candidate. There comes a time, however, you can appear to be more of a spoiler than legitimate competition. Tomorrow we suffer through two more primaries. Once again they are expected to split. The end will remain the same. Obama will have the lead in everything.

I got to wondering why the candidates linger beyond what is reasonable. John Edwards had the grace to get out as did Mitt Romney. It had to be tough though neither has really left the stage. Nor do I expect they will.

Think about it. Nearly 70,000 screaming fans hanging on your every word. Hundreds of people waving signs bearing your name and cramming close for autographs and photographs.

Whew. That's pretty heady stuff. What do you do when it's over? It must be like severe withdrawal because they keep coming back for more. Like entertainers who love their public but hate the media. Athletes too. Ah, the roar of the crowd. Heady.

The politicians are not so very different. That's when the disorder gets serious. It seems too many of them are morphing into "personalities". What are the symptoms of the later stages? Nastiness, flip flopping, foot in mouth, delusion? A decline in substance and a huge increase in ego. It's not pretty to watch.

Entertainers and athletes I can ignore or not as I choose. In politicians, who we choose to govern, I find it a tough pill to swallow.

So. We Are NOT Color Blind

One question was answered last night. Loud and clear. It has nothing to do with Democrat or Republican. It has everything to do with race. Racism. In West Virginia.

There is a lot I can say that is politically incorrect about the white, blue collar voters that are so supportive of Hillary, but one thing I have to give them credit for is that they are honest. They didn't vote for Obama because he is black.

Now I have to ask, which Obama do we want? It obviously matters. Some very much want him, no matter what he is. Others don't want him because of what he is. If Obama was white would they still have voted for Clinton?

I don't think I have to carry on about Obama versus Clinton anymore. As we're told, the numbers are against her. She will either continue on being the spoiler or she will exit gracefully. At the moment it appears she plans to continue. What the end result will be for the Democratic party remains to be seen. What the end result is for Obama also hangs in the balance.

The issue to me, is now one of racism. Obviously it is alive and well. That saddens me. I have felt if anyone could bridge the gap it would be someone like Obama who is neither white nor black, but both. It saddens me that he is still being judged, by voters, by his appearance and his name rather than his capabilites and accomplishments.

By voters. Partnered with our rage over illegal aliens, mostly Hispanics; our segregated cities - blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and the predominantly white "burbs", we are still a nation divided.

When the ministers of our faiths still rail about outrageously inaccurate injustices, both white and black, we are still a deeply divided nation.

Red state, blue state. White, Black, Brown, Yellow, Red. Singular, unto themselves.

Hope? Change? I wonder if it's achievable if we can't see past the color of the standard bearer. We say we want to regain our place as leader of the free world; regain our reputation as the land of opportunity. It isn't going to happen unless we do something about our own prejudices. Unless we are willing to face our own misconceptions. Unless we are able to join together as Americans to move ourselves forward.

This is the time, before the general election, to take a good hard look at ourselves and decide how we want the world to see us. As they see us now or as we would like to have them see us. It isn't up to them. It's up to us. It's not looking good.

Flag Pins And Patriots

The talking heads were at it again last night. It would seem Obama was making a speech to a veterans' group and there on his lapel, as obvious as it could be, was an American Flag lapel pin. Was he pandering to the veterans? Has he finally seen the light? Now. Can we put that topic to rest?

No. Rather than digging into his ideas about how he plans to extricate us from the war, or the points of his health care plan versus Hillary's or what he will do in reality about gas and food prices, all they could talk about was that he was wearing a flag pin. Never mind that neither McCain nor Hillary sport one; it seems to be huge issue with Obama.

So let's look at just what a patriot is.

patriot |ˈpātrēət|
noun
1 a person who vigorously supports their country and is prepared to defend it against enemies or detractors.

By that criteria one would have to look at both Clinton and McCain. Is it a show of patriotism to knowingly and deliberately tear down a fellow candidate for the sake of winning? Is that vigorous support of country or self?

Is it patriotic to ignore corruption at the highest levels of Iraqi politics because it might prove embarrassing as reported in an AP article in this morning's Spokesman Review ?

This story got barely a mention on the news compared to the non-stop discussion of Obama's lapel pin. It is an important story, a not unexpected story and a disturbing story; especially now that there is a groundswell to get Rice on the McCain ticket to balance what presumptive candidate Obama may do.

Come on, talking heads, get with the program. You remind me of a bunch of high school gossips wondering "does she or doesn't she"?

We have huge issues facing us. We deserve better from those who's job it is to inform us. Tonight is the West Virginia primary. The win is expected to go to Hillary. What we'll hear is how wining this small, poor and mostly under informed segment of the population should propel her to the nomination.

What we should hear is why. What we should hear is why this particular demographic should outweigh everyone else who has and has yet to vote. What we should hear is why she appeals to this demographic and he does not since there is so little difference in their policies. If it's a race issue let's hear it. Front and center.

But we won't. We'll hear about her debt to herself. We'll hear how she deserves to wait to exit in her own good time. All that stuff of substance we really need to know.

Patriotism. All in good time.

Chasing Votes

With apologies to the late Al Capp, this illustration reminded me of Hillary in West Virginia chasing votes.

She is expected to win both West Virginia and Kentucky. They are Clinton strongholds. Largely white and working class. Miners. Hard scrabble work. Good people. Older. That's the key word. The young who can, leave.

Even with a lopsided victory tomorrow, it will do little to help Clinton's effort. The party elite figure as long as she does nothing to hurt Obama's chances, she can go where ever and do what ever she wants. Okay. I'll buy into that.

However, an article in today's Financial Times adds a disturbing dimension to the story. It quotes a retired coal miner, a life long Democrat, who vowed to vote for McCain if Obama is the nominee. Why? "I heard that Obama is a Muslim and his wife's an atheist."

This, after all the Jeremiah Wright flap. Do these folks live in a vacuum? Well they do have the lowest college graduation rate in the country, mainly because they can't afford to send the young to college.

Then again, a school administrator had this to say, "If he is the nominee, the Democrats have no chance of winning West Virginia. He doesn't understand ordinary Americans." Whew! Like I said. A vacuum.

Even one of the younger set had this to say, "I want someone who is a full blooded American as President."

Are the campaigning Clintons doing anything to correct this misthinking? Oh, I don't think so. Not when Bill tells them Hillary represents "people like you, in places like this", to send a message to the "higher type people " who are trying to force her out of the race.

This from a Rhodes Scholar, graduate of Georgetown University and Yale Law School about his Wellesley/Yale Law educated wife. Yep. Just ordinary folks.

If ignoring false impressions and creating false impressions aren't a way of doing harm to Obama's chances I don't know what would be.

Then too, I had to read the Financial Times to find this. The London Financial Times.

Amazing (Lack Of) Grace

We've seen them all haven't we? The many faces of Hillary. Anger, deception, arrogant, teary, determined, defiant, whiny, triumphant, you name it. The one she is displaying now, however, I think is the least attractive and most frightening. Stubborn desperation.

I can only conclude that what I've long thought and often said is true. She is not running for President because she wants to better the country for us. It's all about Hillary.

I'm annoyed with the talking heads who insist she has the "right" to stay in the race until the last vote is counted. That it gives her time to come to grips with reality. Bunk. If it takes that long to come with grips with reality it's a good reason not to have her in the White House! We have a President who has refused to look reality in the face what's more come to grips with it. We have a candidate following in his footsteps. Don't we deserve a candidate that offers a change of pace?

They say if she continues on much as Mike Huckabee did there's no harm done. That doesn't seem to be the case. In bolstering her own "electability" she continues to take jabs at Obama's credibility. Why? She has threatened federal law suits over the seating of Michigan and Florida delegates. Why? She has continually tried to change the rule as she goes along. Why? Does she really believe she'd be so much better than Obama or is it because she's losing? Because it was meant to be hers?

The face I'd really like to see now is regretful acceptance of reality. And grace. I've seen neither nor do I expect to. There will no doubt be some type of self-serving "deal".

With all my distaste for the woman, I still feel a twinge as I find myself watching a strong, well educated, able woman self-destruct before my eyes. She's becoming a caricature of herself. She could be so much more if she could get outside of herself.

The last thing Hillary would want from someone like myself is for me to feel sorry for her. So I won't. Her choices on how she's chosen to pursue her ambitions have lead to her coming up short. All for the sake of power. At this point I doubt she'll ever be all that she could have been. For that, I am sorry.

Just Which Administration's Policies Would Be Continued?

Well, North Carolina and Indiana are now behind us. Hillary has made it perfectly clear she has no intention of quitting though continuing is sure putting a dent in her pocketbook.

Much has been said by both Democratic spokespeople about moving on, not allowing John McCain to continue as the surrogate for George Bush's third term. What about Bill Clinton's third term? Is that not what Hillary would be? A surrogate for Bill's third?

Okay. The lady wants to win. No one enters the race not wanting to win, but just how much is she diminishing herself in the process? It seems every twist and turn she takes makes it less clear as to what she really represents? The gas tax holiday is a page from McCain. A bad one at that.

Is her obstinate determination not unlike Bush's? Is she seeing only what she wants to see rather than reality?

I'll be waiting to see how many super delegates come forward before the West Virginia primary. She should win because of the demographic mind set. Obama is black. Same in Kentucky. But as all the pundits have made clear, the math isn't working for her. Yet she continues.

It's so everyone has a chance to have their say in this historical election. She's still more electable than Obama. She'd make the better president, commander-in-chief, and so forth and so on.

The Clinton's still maintain a lot of clout within the party. That's pretty clear. But is it too diminishing because this relentless pursuit, using every tactic imaginable, is showing them to be what they actually are? Is it for the good of the country? Or is it for the good of a couple of narcissistic opportunists?

Time will tell.

My Way Or The Highway!

Dan Henninger wrote a column in last Thursday's Wall Street Journal asking where all the self-proclaimed supporters of Barack Obama were during the darkest hours of his ordeal with former Pastor Jeremiah Wright. You know, like Ted Kennedy, Patrick and Caroline, Oprah, Bill Richardson, Robert Reich, John Kerry and Jay Rockefeller. Just a few of the better known. Good question. Where were they? There was certainly no outcry of support for Obama!

A letter to the editor in today's Journal may have answered that question. They are afraid of the Clintons. There may be more than a little truth to that. Hub has had a theory for some time now that Bill is proficient with photoshop and has pictures of every single super delegate. Back Hillary or the press will get them.

Win at all costs is one of the Clinton family mantras it would seem. You've seen it in Hillary's treatment of Obama. You've seen it in James Carville's treatment of Bill Richardson.

I get nervous as I watch a man of the church exercise ego over judgement in the treatment of a one time friend, member of his congregation and presidential candidate and the voting public can't divorce the story of the pastor from the story of the candidate.

I get even more nervous when the desire to win is so egocentric that every state that has voted for the opposition is dismissed as not important; facts are twisted even with documentation staring them in the face; people across the board are summarily trashed for backing the opponent, sabres are rattled over a country that can be "obliterated" and the voting public looks at all this and says, "Wow! Look how strong she is! She can handle the job!"

It disappoints me that the character of the Clintons and their history has so little resonance with the voters. Vote gender. Vote race. Character doesn't matter. Honesty doesn't matter. The threat of retribution does on the delegate level.

You'd think the threat of an additional war would with the voting public.

Nutcracker? Sweet!

It had to happen! I caught a promo for the Graham Norton Show last night where he was demonstrating the Hillary Nutcracker for guest Martin Sheen.

Hillary, ready on the first day. It should make the males in Congress shake in their shorts! Hillary, who now tells us anyone who disagrees with her gas price relief idea is "elitist". Hillary, who has absolutely savaged her opponent. Hillary, who keeps trying to change the rules as she goes along. Hillary, who dismisses every state who has voted in Obama's favor. Hillary, who dismisses the caucus system as nonrepresentational.

You don't want an elitist because he doesn't understand you? You want another man you're comfortable having a beer with? We've got one now, remember? You'd rather have a pretender who sips Crown Royal as a beer chaser? C'mon guys. Get real.

Crack, crumble. Crack, crumble. Thighs of steel the ad tells us. All that's missing is the chair and whip! No wonder guys like steel workers identify with her. It has nothing to do with learning to shoot a gun outside Scranton or pretending to know what a boiler maker is.

It must be the "steely eyed determination", the mind like a "steel trap", the "iron" will that goes along with those "thighs of steel" that attracts them!

Okay all you white, blue collar, middle class men who agree Obama is elitist, are you ready for this?

Or are you so used to it it's your comfort zone?

I don't know Indiana and North Carolina, can she shoot hoops?

The "Wright" Way

He's quick, his biblical knowledge is incredible, he's sometimes glib, sometimes funny and sometimes maybe just a bit angry. He's been all over television the past several days.

One hesitates to use the word "angry" or "bitter" but one or the other applies to how the Reverend Wright feels about how he and "liberation theology" have been portrayed by the media. He's also not too keen about how he perceives the government treating his people. He has every right to speak his piece. That's what America is all about. But with friends like this who needs enemies?

The media brought it to the fore, to be sure. Hillary and Bill and now even McCain have picked it up and are running full tilt with it. Why is it no one is listening to Obama? Is it because the media have now decided the nomination should be Hillary's?

I'm beginning to think so. Dirt sells. Scandal sells. Truth and reason are inconveniences that are to be ignored. By the media. I am so tired of the one dimensional talking heads trying to convince us how to think, their prejudices barely concealed as analysis.

The very people who urged Obama to run this cycle, because in another four or eight years he would have gathered too much baggage, seem to have done a complete about face. What baggage he didn't have they've created for him. Why is it every suggestion from his past is turned into a full blown accusation of naivety, elitism or out and out wrong doing while known issues with Clinton and McCain get a pass?

Today's polls indicate Hillary is beginning to pull ahead in Indiana and North Carolina. Are the new voters and the young going to be enough to pull Obama through or are hypocritical older voters going to turn the tide for Clinton or McCain?

Why do I say hypocritical? Because we say we want change but deep down in we're afraid of it. We're afraid to take a leap of faith. We say we're not racist. Is that true? We say Obama doesn't understand the common man. Do you really believe that? He was the one who rolled up his sleeves and worked with the people of the inner city. Hillary was the one who took the cushy jobs with high profile law firms and hitched her wagon to Bill Clinton's star. McCain is the one against an updated version of the GI bill because it might dissuade some to remain in the military. What kind of thinking is that?

With Wright denouncing everything governmental and Al Sharpton out there threatening to shut down New York City after an obvious miscarriage of justice, the African American community is once more making us feel uncomfortable.

If only we would keep in mind that Obama is also half white. The white side raised him with an insight into both. If ever we needed that it would seem to be now. If ever we needed someone to address it, it would seem to be now. If ever we didn't need someone to use it to tear down a person who just might be the unifying force this country so sorely needs, it would seem to be now.

Are we to be our own worst enemy because we fear those who preach it? Are we going to settle for the status quo because we haven't the courage to change it?

Do we want to live with the end result? Don't let the media make the decision for you.