Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Democratic Presidential Contenders

Then there were three. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. As Democrats wind through the primary process to select our champion, each of these candidates needs a good hard look. After all, our current President* has amply demonstrated that it really matters who sits in the oval office.

A chummy yet arrogant Rexall Ranger tin star cowboy we would like to have a beer with just won't cut it this time.

This is my analysis of the top three Democratic contenders. We start with Hillary Clinton.

As our Sith Lord Cheney has informed us, all we need to enact an agenda is 50 percent plus one vote. Bi-partisanship, according to some Republicans, is a lot like date-rape. Fair, or unfair, this is what we will get with Hillary getting the nomination. Republican leadership has bled out America, so the probability is the Democratic nominee will win.

Many on the right who people the mighty right-wing Wurlitzer like Fix News and hate-spew rightard radio and newspaper columnists have an irrational hatred of the Clintons. This bled over into the corporate media. David Broder, the Dean Of The Washington Press Corps. famously wrote about the Clintons, "They came in and trashed the place, and it's not there place."

President Clinton was not a liberal--he was a moderate, just ask any liberal. Also see NAFTA and the Federal Telecommunications Act. Still "the Clintons" (get two for the price of one) served up as national tackling dummies for the right and got nuked for eight solid fucking years. Every week a new gate was built. Haircuts on the runway, travel agents getting fired, whitewater, Monica, anything to diminish and divide the overwhelming popularity of President Clinton.

And now Senator Clinton wants her turn at bat in a country that is far more divided than before. Entire careers were built by bashing her husband, so her nomination would be money in the bank for many. No matter what she does, or how well she does it, there exists a built-in sizable group genetically predisposed to hating Clinton. It really irritates true progressives when Senator Clinton strikes a moderate position on anything because they know when she puts her hand out to the right, she'll only get back a bloody stump, which is then poked in the eye of the left.

Senator Clinton would probably make an excellent President. The right will never accept her and the left thinks she's a fool for trying. She may do 50 percent plus one vote, but the victory for Democrats will taste like ashes. After all, she campaigned for Lieberman.

Obama has the wow factor. He is new and shiny and different and speaks of hope and unity and the American dream. Many have questioned his experience in the rough-and-tumble world of politics, but being from Chicago, one would guess he knows how to throw an elbow. Still, I have the gnawing feeling that he has not been adequately vetted by our venerable press corps. What with Senator Clintons cleavage and Senator Edwards hair, who really has the time to deconstruct Senator Obama? The Republicans will during the general election.

Get set for the nastiest, bloodiest general election in history as the richest one percent in the country pour huge amounts of money into opposition research and all sorts of made-up shit to protect their precious tax cuts. Senator Obama has made the same mistake as Senator Clinton, only openly and repeatedly, reaching out to independents and Republicans during the Democratic Primary. To the far right fringe, who happen to be very noisy, are unconcerned with the truth and devoted racists, it won't matter.

Sing kumbaya all you want to, Senator, if you walk on water they will say you can't swim.

Finally to Senator John Edwards. Every time I hear him speak I think of the final scene in "Scarface" (Say hello to my little friend). Americans have been trickled on by Reaganomics, enjoyed the thousand points of blight by Bush the Adult and seen thousands of Americans die, lose their jobs, homes and national treasure under the askew glance of the compassionate conservative junior. In these times we can not afford a triangulating policy wonk or a handwringing "can't we all just get along?" (because we can't) group hug Dr. Philgood.

Americans need a champion. That man is John Edwards.

1 comment:

BigAssBelle said...

sigh. that man was john edwards. wait a second while i get my little tinfoil hat adjusted.

okay. there. i'm wired in.

i am convinced the media essentially blacked him out because he was strongly anti-corporation and thus could be perceived as a danger to the stranglehold the media has on this country (and the other corporations, but they were in charge of getting his message out. or not.)

from being very near the front a year ago, he just drifted, drifted, drifted and then he vanished. no one can fight a blackout.

with senator clinton, the press is on all out attack mode. i fear what will come for senator obama should he win the nomination. i hope he's up to the challenge.

god save us from another administration of the rethuglicans. i don't know that our republic can withstand yet another assault.