I want to say that I've been an Obama supporter throughout this primary season.  I was blown away by Hillary's speech today.  It was everything it had to be.  I think, like a lot of Obama supporters, I was skeptical about what she would say today.  As an Obama supporter, and I don't mean this in a bad way, if she had given a speech like the one she gave today in Feburary, she would hands-down be the presumptive nominee.  I applaud her.  And the fact that she could go out and give the speech she did today, despite what has to be such a personally hard moment in her life, has really, really raised my opinion of her.

However, as an Obama supporter, I want to see her follow through on what she said today.  I thought I had a great idea, now I'm not so sure of it.  I am, however, still interested in what the people in the blog-o-sphere think of it.  If I were writting a thesis I would have titled it: 'How to bury the Republicans'.  Here it is:

Although they are considered junior Senators, both candidates carry exceptional weight in the party now, and they both currently have jobs as Senators.  My idea was this: that they should both co-introduce a bill to Congress that would significantly advance women's rights.  What that would be, I have no idea, and I would love to hear your comments on this.  BUT, they could use their new power to ramrod the issue through Congress and get every real Democrat in Congress to support it in both the House and the Senate (And give a real reason to alienate Leiberman in the process).  But the key is to make it something substantive, not some window dressing that could easily be discounted as political theater.  I'll detail the strategy later, but what got me thinking this wasn't such a great idea is that the Republicans would spin it as a wedge issue.  I'm sure it would be hugely popular with the Democratic voters, but we've just moved into a phase where we have to start thinking about wooing Independants (like myself) and Republicans.

So what is the issue that should be forced in Congress?  Upon my rethinking, the War in Iraq.  Congress had the power to grant war-time power to the President, it should have the power to take it away.  It doesn't always make the front headlines nowadays, but it is an issue that is on every voter's mind.  They should draft some legislation that would declare the war over and demand troop withdrawl in 90 days.

Why?  The President would veto it, I know, and it wouldn't get a veto-proof majority in either house.  BUT, the Democrats could point to the fact that they could pull in every Democratic vote in Congress (this is key to whatever issue the co-bill addresses).  Most importantly, John McCain wouldn't vote for it, thereby permanently fixing the albatross to his lapel.  That is the point.  By picking an issue that the broad general public cares deeply about, the Democratic Party could attach a 'Just Kick Me' sticker to McCain's back.

And yes, this proposal could pick up Republican support as well.  Off of the top of my head I can think of three Republican Senators that would support this: Hagel, Luger, Warner.  None of them are up for re-election this year.

In my eyes, this is a win/win situation (not just on this issue, but on the women's rights issue as well, or any other big issue).  If we get enough Republican votes, the Democrats can point to the fact that they can reach across the aisle and demonstrate that they can work with their colleagues.  If they don't they can point to the fact that they were thwarted by Republicans, they will have an avenue to currently, and directly, tie John McCain to Bush and it will diffuse the new McCain add.  "If you hate war, why are you supporting it Senator McCain?"  "If you're not like the President, why are you voting with him Senator McCain?"

In my mind this is a win/win.  If it passes the Congress, even though it will ultimately fail with a Bush veto, McCain will vote with Bush, thereby tying the two together.  If it gets a veto-proof majority, even with McCain voting against it (which we know won't happen because he hates war so much...Snark!), the Democrats can point, not to a vote that happened years ago, but to a vote that happen a couple of months ago.

My point is this, they should force something through Congress as quickly as possible.  But it has to be something substative, not some powder-puff political tripe.  But something that will resonate with the American people. 

Then the people can look back and say: And who made this happen?  Obama/Clinton.

Normally, I would balk at this type of sycophancy.  But it really isn't sycophancy if 80+% of the American people agree with it.  It's called listening, and changing.  Isn't that what our elected officials are supposed to do?   Isn't that what this election is supposed to be about?

Unity and then some.

I look forward to your comments