The headlines tell the tale of a brewing storm on the left:
Obama Directly Attacks Bill’s Presidency, Blames It For Massive Dem Losses
Hillary Loaned Her Campaign $5 Million, Spokesperson Confirms
Obama on pace to raise $30 mil in Feb
All of that adds up to high drama indeed in the time left to us. For the Clinton machine, this was supposed to be a coronation, not a competition. But now the upstart from Illinois is not just making a race out of it, he’s splitting the party by gender, race and age, bear bating Bubba and causing herself to root around inside her own purse.
This should be fun.
On the right, at least one of John McCain’s fiercest conservative critics – Hugh Hewitt – seem ready to make nice in light of the senator’s apparent inevitability. Meanwhile, Powerline’s John Hindraker tells the base to cool their jets and ponder the alternative:
I’ve long been dismayed by the fury of many conservatives’ attacks on John McCain. I understand why McCain is not some conservatives’ first choice for the nomination, but the ongoing effort to read him out of the conservative movement has gone way too far. To assert, as some have, that there is “really” no difference between McCain (average ADA rating from 2002 through 2006 of 23%) and Hillary Clinton (average ADA rating over the same period of 96%) is the kind of never-mind-the-facts shrillness that we expect from the Left, not from our fellow conservatives.
This blog, as ever, remains scrupulously non-partisan. But we can’t help but think that it’s time for conservatives to throw their moral weight behind HRH, putting her over the top in the Democratic primary. Simply put, McCain – however impure a conservative he may be – has a fighting chance to beat HRC.
Obama, not so much.
If Obama seals up his party’s nomination, they will unite behind him. He has largely run a clean and honest campaign against HRH without seeming mean spirited or divisive. Bubba’s clumsy swipes at Obama’s voting record, and his even clumsier forays on race will not be forgotten by Obama’s youthful enthusiasts who have no honeyed memories of the Glorious ’90s to bask in. Nor will his “Jesse Jackson won South Carolina, too” smears be forgiven by those however few for whom the race card trumps.
The Clinton machine’s “war room” unctuousness was seen by the left as smirky high jinks and just desserts when it was turned against conservatives back in the 90′s. It wears a little thin when arrayed against the party’s own – people are disenchanted. Sure, the Vagina Monologue set has vilified Obama – or his proxies – for daring to Spoil the Moment, but we have previously witnessed their willingness to submerge their principles in favor of access to power. They’ll get in line.
And an Obama/McCain match-up would provide a stark study in contrast to the vast, muddled middle who actually decide elections. On the one hand they will see an evidently decent young man of color with an inspirational life story and a compelling oratorical schtick. Arrayed against him they will see a mercurial, white bread gerontocrat whose chief claim to heroic fame came in a war that is as remote to the youngsters among them as World War II is to those of my generation. A war, one might add, which carries a certain amount of negative emotional freight. Undeservedly, but there it is.
Obama – a genial, if relatively inexperienced man with the number one most liberal voting record in the US Senate – will probably not bestir irreconciliable conservatives to pull the lever for McCain in the same way that an arguably more pragmatic HRH would do. But he will get enough support from non-partisan, “gosh, wouldn’t it be nice” types to help put him over the top.
McCain has his own enthusiasts in the center; undogmatic people who like his pragmatism and enjoy his occasional propensity to stick his thumb in the conservative eye. So the only chance for conservatives to keep the White House – and potentially nominate as many as seven Supreme Court justices for confirmation over the next eight years – is to run McCain against HRH. That match up will certainly bestir the grizzled veterans of the Clinton Wars from their couches to pick up their well-worn weapons of war. They will rejoice once again to the whistle and clash of Juanita Broderick scimitars and Kathleen Willey broadswords, and head down to the polling booth singing the old songs.
Not that I care of course. Being scrupulously non-partisan and all.
should be a god horse race in Nov. nice blog. what ever the case, none of their wives can touch Obama’s. he has a Coretta.
…and all.
RE: Hillary and her recent $5 Million campaign infusion.
On the Michael Medved talk radio show yesterday, Dick Morris (yes THAT Morris, on the phone with Mr. Clinton (yes THAT Clinton) while ‘doing it’ with a person not his wife, to the rumored delight of all three)….Dick Morris said that the Sultan of Dubai (yes THAT Sultan of Dubai of notorious Dubai Ports World ownership) recently bought out Clinton’s interest in a dubious partnership agreement they all had for some $20 Million. Said partnership agreement worth a whole posting in itself.
Suggesting a direct connection between big (no, BIG) Arab cash and the Clinton(s) campaign. Let’s all savor the aroma of that for while, shall we?
At least her middle name is not Hussein. AND she was named after the legendary recently deceased Sir Edmund. Or so somebody said. When she was visiting New Zealand. It was rumored. Or something.
Cap’n,
The wild card in the Dem’crat primaries is, in actuality, the super-delegates which will not come into play until the convention.
Even if Obama wins the primary delegate count, there are sufficient super-delegates to still give the nod to HRH/ The dirty secret is that many, the VAST majority, of those super-delegates are on the hook for favours to the Clintons. Past favours, nominations, jobs, patronage, etc. It’s all very much like the Godfather calling in favours from the locals he has helped.
If this happens, and there is every reason to believe it will, then the Demcrat party will explode in a fashion not seen since the election of 1860. This can all be laif directly upon the feet of the party itself, which has embraced and expanded upon the concept of identity politics, and now that little bill is going to be coming due.
If Obama is denied the nomination, you can bet that the black vote & much of the moonbat.college vote, will walk away and/or demand an independant run by Obama, and they might well get it. Many would likely vote for him anyway as a write-in candidate.
For HRHm she could care less about the party, as it is simply a vehicle for the Clinton Restoration. If she burns all those bridges behind, well, she could care less as long as she wins in November. Her goal is the Oval Office regardless of the cost to anyone but herself. To her and the other half of her unholy alliance, power is everything, and obtaining that power is all that matters.
We’ve seen this play before. The Orestia spoke about the use and abuse of power. Cato, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, all knew of it. So did Shakespeare in his history plays.
Now we get to see it all again. Lovely. I can hardly wait. Fortunately, there is still time to cache guns, ammo and cash before the election.
Respects,
Must be nice to be able to loan yourself 5 million………When your annual salary is 160,000 per year.
I have problems loaning myself 5 dollars-yet she can blow 5 million without blinking an eye.
No wonder Hillary says she understands the common people. (NOT!)
Well said, on many levels.
Interesting post. So do you think Rudy will team up with McCain to run?
Given that I tend to think Obama will get the Dem nod, your suggestion that conservatives should support Hillary makes for some interesting, if amusing, mental images. Not sure how many of them could make themselves do that though, not even for the greater good.
Geez, I’ve come to think I know way too much about American politics in the last few years. How the heck did that happen?!
Completely agree with your assessment, Lex. Republican victory, yet again, depends largely on the Democrats picking the weaker general election nominee, something that they have shown time and again a willingness to do.
AW1, your point is well made. But Obama does have the Illinois and Massachusetts machines squarely behind him, and I’m not so sure that if it ends up in the smoke-filled room that I’d bet against them. I think Obama is right, that it will be a close run thing all the way.
Two things worry me about the McCain campaign. One is that he will literally run himself into the ground before November. The handlers need to control his schedule, and not the other way around. And second is that he needs to wizen up on which endorsements will actually help him. He will have many celebrities willing to jump on the bandwagon, and Carly Fiorina should not be on his “top 100 people” list, that’s for sure. She is simply not well liked.
Having read two biographies of McCain, IMO he has a screw loose. He is entitled to have a screw loose as he spent 5 years in a tiger cage. But, that doesn’t mean I should elect him as president.
Babs, I recommend “Faith of My Fathers,” his autobiography. His father and grandfather are fascinating figures, and the book gives ample insight on the shaping influences of his life.
Granted, anyone who is a Naval Aviator AND a Boat School graduate has two strikes against him, but at least he didn’t fly fighters!
Babs, I’m with you. McCain scares me…
Come now ladies, surely we conservatives cannot fall into the perennial trap of the Democrats. McCain is electable, and as in the words of the great Ronald Reagan, “My 80% friend is not my 20% enemy.”
Ok Flatlander…60/40%…still a good point.
Lex,
With all due respect…
I think this type of political opinion and commentary are best left unspoken until after your retirement.
Me thinks it will be, like always, who can swing the independent vote.
That, and I can’t wait for the debate where McCain points out that he has spent more time in the Hanoi Hilton than Obama has in the senate.
Obama has about two weeks left of medium wins. After that, HRC comes on strong in TX, OH, and PA as well as the re-introduction of MI and FL.
As for McCain, to balance him out, he ought to pick for his VP someone young, female, conservative, governor. Though not from a swing state, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska would be a bold choice.
How about Michael Steele for V.P.?
I can see the election campaign commercials now:
Pan to a Wagon that Says United States on it and a Pony Named Obama Hussein hitched to the yoke.
Enter A big Clydsdale named Big Mac who tells the little pony to move over….
When Lex, when will the fun start?
I’ve read speculation that HRC would select General Wesley Clark as her running mate. I believe that the VP slot this go-round will be far more than ceremonial. I believe it will make or break the presidential candidates – on both sides.
McCain and Giuliani is a sexy thought – but 2 borderline liberals do not a conservative ticket make. McCain and Huckabee? Not as sexy but at least gives a more conservative balance (though try saying Vice President Huckabee without laughing, and not in a good way).
The real question is – in a fight with Clinton/Clark – what Republican pairing will be strong enough to beat them. Clark would be a very strong ally for HRC, especially since the good General has already endorsed her ladyship. With dualing military records like Clark and McCain – where would the conservative vote go?
With dualing military records like Clark and McCain – where would the conservative vote go?
Conservatives do not vote by military credentials. If so, you would’ve seen a lot of conservatives voting for Kerry. And the military and DoD people who know Wesley Clark generally do not think highly of him (to put it nicely). He wasn’t the jerk Sestak was as a leader, but he was a preening prince and by many reports not as bright as one would hope of someone in his position. Reportedly, he was seconds from causing WWIII in Bosnia by ordering the British to intentionally fire on the Russians–just one example of his horrible judgment. People like Lieberman and other respected leaders are reported to loathe him.
I like the Mike Steele for VP idea. Good guy that didn’t get a fair shake in the People’s Republic of MD.
All you folks in Virginia, be sure to turn out for the Dem primary and vote for the Hildebeast. I would definitely rather see her than BHO.
I won’t have to hold my nose too hard to vote for my schoolmate. I think he tries to do what is right in his mind, and his number 1 priority is correct. But I think we will also be busy with the withering letter and phone call campaigns to shut down some of his leftist ideas, like we did to the shamnesty bill. I know I wrote at least a dozen letters and called a couple dozen congressional offices during that one.
I may have to build some Outlook distro lists for a McCain presidency.
Way to go Lex, Vagina Monologues? This is the way you refer to the New York State’s chapter of NOW? I am shocked and scandalized, almost to the point of speechlessness. Fortunately, my inner strength gives me just enough energy to continue.
The HRC and Obama show will continue right up to the Convention, and probably beyond. The three main issues that warm the Dem’s and Progressive/Liberal belly will continue to be right there, on the air waves, everyday, every night. It’s the Economy, Iraq War, and Health Care. Percolating in the background is the stink in the Justice Department, fiscal miss-management, corruption, and the issue of torture. As that pot gets stirred, it will produce a powerful brew.
John McCain has a central problem: money. He isn’t going to get the long green from the great unwashed, the way Obama is raking it in. It will only come from the Republican heavy hitters. The door to those heavy hitters is President Bush. No, Bush light is not going to work. To get the cash, he will have to go Bush heavy, and he will not be able to drink any of the brews the Dems are stirring up.
Iraq? We will be there for another hundred years. Health Care? No problem, we have the best system in the world – if you have a problem, just go the hospital emergency room. The Economy? Best in the world, all it needs is more tax cuts. Corruption? What corruption, just celebrate the free market system that brought you (___) – fill in the blanks. Torture, all together now: We do not torture
Pssst Lex, if you are from Center Right, Vagina is not a word you should include in your discourse, especially with a derogatory hint. Proud man of ’55, my Alma Mater of Golden Dome and football fame a while back had a modest controversy. Should the play, “Vagina Monologues” be banned on campus. The show went on!!! The Bishop of the South Bend, certainly not a Teihard de Chardain fan, was scandalized.
When in doubt, go with my pappy: You want to blur your negatives, and buff your positives. No more of this Vagina business…
FbL: I didn’t articulate my statement too well at all (I claim not enough caffeine when I wrote it…).
What I meant was, will the dualing military credentials have any impact?
I did not know that Clark was not that well thought of, so perhaps my clarification here is a moot point.
I’m all about the lesson.
Sir Lex:
Excellent analysis, a pleasure and comfort to read.
Best regards, P-dub.
Darn, “vagina” is wrongspeak?
I must, I must get back on the liberal/progressive distribution list of Forbidden Words. I simply can’t keep up through scanning the headlines.
Are there only certain people that can’t say it? And if so, is there a waiver process?
In your list of Things That Have Only Arisen in the Last Seven Years and Must Be Fixed Now (Because of BUSH!!1!), you forgot to add military spending. It’s always too high. Really big numbers, and there’s that national debt you were going on about earlier.
Military spending should always be reduced. By at least 15%. Preferrably a third. Annually.
But wait, let’s think big: If we could eliminate Wasteful Military Spending entirely, I mean every last useless bit of it (i.e., close the VA, stop paying pensions, let the troops thumb a ride back home before booting all of them to the street, stopping defense research, defense and acquistion, stop the repair or replacement of gear damaged in training or combat, leave the gear we do have rusting in place) we could pay off that $9 trillion debt in, let’s see, $500 million in to 9,ooo,000,000,000 is, em: 18 years.
That is, if no new money is added to the debt by the rapdily mushrooming costs for social security, medicare and medicaid. And we stop paying interest on the debt.
We could so do this.
And so long as you’re asking me to fill in the blanks on scandals, how does this list sound: Enron (Paul Krugman was an advisor, you know), Clinton v. Jones, perjury-impeachment-disbarrment, Jane Doe #5 (aka Juanita Broderick), Mike Espy, White House Travel office, FBI files misappropriated, IRS harrassment, Whitewater/Rose Law Firm, Castle Grande and Cattlegate, Sandy Berger’s socks, all those dead people, Webb Hubble, the Lippo Group, Marc Rich oh, and Monica.
It’s really hard being on side of angels, OP, I know. But intent has to count for something, right?
I think McCain/Huckabee would be a good bet. Guiliani gambled all in Florida and lost. Huckabee did quite well.
Look for the Obama & Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius ticket.
Lex,
Nah…. not to worry. It’s hard to insult NOW. They seem to do it so well to themselves.
I just can’t seem to find enough time to read all of their speeches and condemnations of the Islamist treatment of women, or of the lack of human rights of women in all arab countries.
Oh. Wait… maybe it’s because I CAN’T find any articles by NOW about that.
Damned interesting, that.
I’d mention Gloria S’s famous view on the vagina, but it’s a bit risque. Even for this crowd.
AW1 Tim, take a look at this – NOW Supports Legislation that Denounces ‘Honor’ Killings and Violence Against Women. It’s a start, no?
Clark wasn’t liked by some of his fellow flag officers (jealousy)but he was always well supported by his nco’s and enlisted men. As far as WW III goes it never was a threat . The Russians tried to stake a piece of the pie and never really wanted to go any further. Gen Jackson didn’t like to receive orders ,no matter what the rank. In his own book he couldn’t justfy his accusations
.
Roger all.
re Obama-It’s a long time to convention and election. He’ll stumble- trust me. Nobody really knows what he stands for except “change”- duhh. So does the Berkeley City Council. He’s a Howard Dean, so far left he’s off the playing field, in a nice guys facade. Plastic, but not Teflon- you’ll see. re Hillary-folks are just tired of the Clampetts, I mean Clintons.
I’m not going to let my BP go up just yet over all this buffoonery. I will say that if’n those supposedly principled (what does that mean when the alternative is Ob/Hil?) conservatives who say they’ll suicide vote? I intend on remembering who they are….As one who considers himself Conservative too, I can tell you I ain’t waiting 4 years for a Reagan type like ’76….
A POTUS Obama/Hillary, just like “Peanuts” Carter, will make life miserable for all folks who work hard, raise normal families, believe in God and play by the rules. In a time of War- geez Louise. How about McCain- Condi?
K.I.S.S.
b2
Condi is not qualifed for the job she has-and you want to give her a promotion?
McCain Powell-”The adults are back in charge”.