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Growing Concerned
As an Obama supporter, the most disturbing news to me so far is the PA advertising backlash reported in one of the recent polls.
I am frankly concerned too about his ability to recover among die-hard Hillary supporters, and also in general his ability to win blue collar whites.
However, no matter how much these concerns get to me, I can't understand the bitter resentfulness of people like "Marginal Player" against his success.
In my most sober assessment, he is an excellent candidate who nevertheless may be vulnerable to some of the notorious cultural traps in American politics. Obama is successful because of his positive personal attributes, not because of illusions (though there may be) among his supporters.
On the other hand, the Clintons have created a tragedy of their own. I was an enthusiastic Clinton supporter since casting my very first vote for Bill in 1992, but Hillary has now made herself unacceptable to me in the way she has handled this campaign.
The list of low-ball, appalling, Rove-playbook tactics she's used recently has grown too long. I wish she hadn't gone this route, but she has. And she seems determined now to damage Obama enough to position herself for 2012.
What to do?
Potentially major intra-party problems now loom for either Obama or Hillary as nominee.
I think the best one can hope for at this point is that Obama will have a chance to turn a fresh page after this primary mess gets settled.
Comments (4)
I have some faith that if the party leaders (none of whom have any reason to dislike Obama) could come together strongly around Obama, we could win in a heartbeat. I'm not sure what their problem is, frankly. The latest manufactured spin on yet another truth that Obama uttered is appalling. Exactly what does explain the mentality that many people have that causes them to embrace gun rights politics rather than health care politics? That's the question that should be on the evening news, not whether it's elitist to suggest an answer.
April 15, 2008 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
"I'm not sure what their problem is, frankly. "
Their problem is that they sold out long ago. They'll support Obama only as a last resort.
April 15, 2008 11:55 AM | Reply | Permalink
"I think the best one can hope for at this point is that Obama will have a chance to turn a fresh page after this primary mess gets settled."
If Barack becomes president, his only chance will be if the public stands up and screams for change. Tens of millions of us will have to phone our reps and senators every day, month after month, and then hope that Barack shows the guts I think he has.
But sadly, after November, the national discussion will continue in the same old half-wit sound bite style, with ignorance and bigotry in the forefront. Many Americans will be hoping for Barack to fail, and the Clintons and many others will do everything they can to make it happen.
April 15, 2008 11:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
As a Clinton supporter, let me make a few non-partisan observations:
(1)The undertow of events favors Democrats this time (basically, ANY reasonable Democrat). The Iraq War, $3.90 gas, the recession, and just the plain, clueless obnoxiousness of the Bush Administration are powerful headwinds in the face of any Republican candidate. That doesn't gaurantee anything, of course - tactics DO matter, and more than one election has not gone to the one who "should" have won it. Nonetheless, the Democrat starts out on 2nd base, with the Republican in the batter's box.
(2)A few simple reasons why people favor such things as guns, beer, and religion more than they favor such things as health care politics: The former are more fun, more immediate, and more understandable. Being "worried" about health care - in the generalized, abstract way that many of us worry about those kinds of things - is not the same as being convinced that anyone will or can do much about it, or as having a really clear idea in your mind what OUGHT to be done, if you could advise someone.
April 15, 2008 12:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
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