Wednesday, March 05, 2008
As far as I know.
I've been a loyal Democrat for 36 years. I've worked the phones, registered voters, walked the precincts, written letters and donated money. But after last night, I'm beginning to doubt my affiliation.
I'm not a Clinton supporter. I don't think she can win a general election and I've always suspected that her political career was more about her than it is about us. Last Sunday on 60 Minutes was the moment that confirmed my worst suspicions.
When asked if she thought Obama was a muslim, she said he wasn't, "as far as I know."
As far as I know. The readers of this blog know the power of words. A lot of us make our living with words. So, "as far as I know," was calculated to leave the door open, just a sliver, and still give her deniability.
This is what we've learned from Karl Rove: In a close election, you don't have to prove charges against your opponent. All you have to do is cast doubt. "As far as I know" was meant to cast doubt. The photo was meant to cast doubt. The lapel pin and pledge flap was meant to cast doubt.
After 30 years of Milton Friedman economics and Lee Atwater politics, we need something else. What we don't need is a continuation of Rovian political gamesmanship.
But it seems to work. And if Clinton wins with these tactics, I will quit the Democratic party and I'm sure I'm not alone.
I predict that if Hillary wins the nomination, the party will fracture, McCain will win and we'll have another 4 to 8 years of disastrous foreign and economic policies.
My only hope then is that Victory gin will be cheap enough to keep away the chill.
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4 comments:
If Clinton wins the nomination with these tactics, I'll probably still hold my nose and vote for her. The same way I've been holding my nose and voting for most of my life.
But what I really want is to cast a vote for president and feel good about it. Obama is my chance to do that. If Clinton destroys that, I'll never forgive her.
I'll vote for her too because of the alternative but I am heartsick these tactics are stealing the nomination from Obama. And I agree the she probably can't beat McCain
Maybe old age is confuzzling me, but didn't McCain do just that? Quit the Democrat Party? Somewhere in the bowels of my brain I seem to remember him as a conservative Democrat who got fed up and switched parties. Maybe I dreamed that, maybe it happened? Does anyone remember with clarity?
Third parties have always tried to have a place in America, maybe now is the time. The extremist and selfish are ruining both parties for the rest of us.
It was offensive to me that Steve Kroft didn't push her much harder on that response. So ridiculous.
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