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A Concession By Any Other Name
Okay. So she indirectly dissed Obama and his supporters, and implied that maybe--or more than just maybe--she was not ready to give up the fight. It is her supporters' campaign, after all, (eh-hem) and she needs to hear from them before deciding what to do.
And yes, there is a frightening element of crazy at play, a level of "deranged narcissism" (thanks, Toobin) and denial deep enough to flood the Grand Canyon. I have posted about my fears of sabotage and secession, little paranoid ramblings about her will to win or die trying--or even to take the rest of us down on the way.
But maybe--or more than just maybe--Hillary has to back out slowly, not only for her the purpose of nursing personal ego, but as a means to allow the heat to die down before tossing a wet blanket on the fire. Maybe her supporters need the opportunity to weigh in and say their piece before they will be ready to change tac and embrace unity. Maybe it would be ill-advised to throw on the e-brake while hauling down the freeway at a cool 95. Let them decelerate before asking them to board another bus.
I am doing a terrible job with my metaphors this morning, but I think you know what I mean. Maybe this was a concession speech, in its way.
The key to deciphering it is time. We need to wait and see whether Hillary will decide to keep quiet and let the reality sink in or whether she will amp up the rhetoric and dig in with the denial.












Comments (6)
You're not the only one with this hopeful interpretation. I think we'll see a less ambiguous concession within a week. If not this week, then next.
June 4, 2008 9:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hopeful, and hopefully not foolish.
June 4, 2008 9:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
A lot of what's going on with the non-concession is fund-raising. Retiring debt.
June 4, 2008 11:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
I can't see that last night she was trying to let the fire of her supporters die down because she certainly did her best to stoke the flames of their passions and their shared feelings of victimization.
June 4, 2008 12:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Yeah, well... declining to schedule a meeting with Obama doesn't bode well either. Truth be told, I'm afraid she is setting up this "go to my website and tell me what you-- the people, my beloved supporters-- want" thing not only to raise funds but as a tactic to stay in the race. ("The people have spoken, and as a public servant it is my obligation to do their will...")
But I remain hopeful that she will go gentle into that good night.
June 4, 2008 1:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
Apparently I'm not the only one with this fear. I like Uygur's analogy to hostages:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/hillary-holds-her-voters_b_105077.html
June 4, 2008 3:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
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