Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

When someone says they “love freedom”, rest assured they don’t mean yours.

So it was an October Surprise A Day, like an Advent calendar but for crime.

Thanks to your bullshit, we are now under siege.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

I was promised a recession.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

I really should read my own blog.

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

A Senator Walker would be an insult to the state and the nation.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

It’s the corruption, stupid.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

John Fetterman: Too Manly for Pennsylvania.  Paid for by the Oz for Senator campaign.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

Why is it so hard for them to condemn hate?

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2008 / Delusional And Codependent

Delusional And Codependent

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According to MSNBC, President Bush has officially congratulated Barack Obama, while Senator Clinton is still holed up in her bunker in NY issuing her list of demands. I watched Clinton’s speech again this morning, and really, delusional and surreal are the only way I can describe it. In fact, since I really can no longer (could I ever? I tried, at least) rationally discuss the Clintons campaign, I will let Dahlia Lithwick take over:

Just finished watching Hillary Clinton’s unconcession speech. I guess we should give her credit for the fact that her supporters now look sufficiently angry to set small brushfires.

***

Unfortunately, I kept thinking of that Gilligan’s Island episode in which Ginger acts out an excruciatingly long and melodramatic death scene. You keep thinking her every last gasp is really it. But then she keeps rolling around and twitching because she’s been peeking through her fingers all along and knows you’re still watching.

From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary. She is not the candidate. She lost. The story is not about her, it is about Obama and McCain and winning in November.

Reader Interactions

73Comments

  1. 1.

    wvng

    John, good luck ignoring Hillary. The media won’t, as long as she continues playing her power game. As I listened to Hillary last night, I was thinking that Rachel Maddow remains right – she has no intention of conceding and plans to take this to the convention. Regardless of anything. Cause she’s a fighter. And something might happen to Obama.

    That is precisely what she set up last night by asking her “Denver, Denver, Denver” supporters to write in and tell her what to do.

  2. 2.

    Incertus

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    You say that, but can you really?

    I know how you feel, and I’ll certainly be glad to put this aside and move toward the general election as well. On the plus side, could there have been a greater difference between McCain’s and Obama’s speeches? What’s McCain trying–the rope-a-dope strategy whereby Obama gets tired of punching a defenseless McCain and drops out in October?

  3. 3.

    Blow Riley

    I’m holdin’ you to this, John, no mentioning Hillary again. No matter what stupidity she and her minions vomit up. All the way to the convention. I dunno, is there some sort of Nicorette (Hillaryette?) you can chew between now and then? Good luck!

    So, ya think the Pens can hold on tonight and force game 7?

  4. 4.

    Jeffrey

    One of the best things about the speech was seeing the CNN pundits calling Clinton out. That made for pleasant TV.

  6. 6.

    Punchy

    From now on For the next 45 minutes, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    Fixed for reality. Because we know you, John.

  7. 7.

    Bob In Pacifica

    Class analysis. She’s not delusional. She’s doing the logical thing if her job is destroy Obama and the Democratic Party. Loyalty? Not to the Party or the people it represents. Loyalty to the people who put 109 million in her bank account.

    Like I’ve said, I am old enough to vaguely remember JFK-Nixon. In my memory no candidate for nomination in a party ever attacked another candidate in the same party by saying that she was qualified, the candidate from the other party was qualified, but the guy beating her wasn’t qualified. It’s been about destroying Obama and the Democrats. Not about being an uplifting icon of post-menopausal Americans. It’s money and power, same as it ever was.

  8. 8.

    Lavocat

    C’mon, John, you KNOW you just cannot ignore this woman.

    SHE WILL NOT BE IGNORED!!!!!

    Besides, she’s like a nasty STD – damned tough to get out of yer system.

  9. 9.

    georgia pig

    Oh, she may hang around ’til the convention, but she’s done alright. She pissed away the VP slot last night, if she really wanted that. It’s funny, last night reminded me of the night of the Wisconsin primary, which is when everyone began to realize that Obama might be the real deal. An earnest but cramped little speech by McCain, self-indulgent dinner theater drama from HRC (a string of treacly anecdotes, each prefaced by an annoying “you know, . . . “), followed by a cleansing thunderstorm.

  10. 10.

    BH-Buck

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    Forget it, John. They, (the dark underworld known as Clintonia), will never allow it.

  11. 11.

    Grover Cleveland

    Interesting theme this morning in the NY Times and I presume other media sources that Obama needs to go after and capture the Clinton fund raising base. Whay exactly? He has done just fine with the small individual donor base and has really turned conventional wisdom on its head about how campaigns should/can be financed.

  13. 13.

    Incertus

    Interesting theme this morning in the NY Times and I presume other media sources that Obama needs to go after and capture the Clinton fund raising base. Whay exactly?

    Because much of the media is made up of the most creatively barren people not named George Lucas. They have no imaginations.

  14. 14.

    Notorious P.A.T.

    I know how you feel. I find myself thinking “gotta ignore her”.

    Then I start jonesing for my daily “bash Hillary’s latest stupidity” fix. I can stop any time I want. Yeah, right.

  16. 16.

    Shinobi

    I just went to HRC’s website and told her to get the fuck out of the race. (But y’know.. nicer.) I would encourage all of you to do the same.

    Maybe if enough people do it we can punch a tiny hole in her echo chamber. GO HOME HILLARY!

  17. 17.

    D-Chance.

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    Countdown to John Cole “And One More Thing…” follow up post in 3… 2… 1…

  19. 19.

    Neo

    Any reason to believe these folks ? ..

    The Michelle Obama Rant Tape was filmed between June 26th – July 1st 2004 in Chicago, IL at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition Conference at Trinity United Church: specifically the Women’s Event.

    Michelle Obama appeared as a panelist alongside Mrs. Khadijah Farrakhan and Mrs. James Meeks.

    Bill Clinton spoke during the Conference, as did Bill Cosby and other speakers, but not at the panel Michelle attended.

    Michelle Obama spoke at the Women’s Event, but referenced Bill Clinton in her rant — his presence at the conference was the impetus for her raving, it seems.

    For about 30 minutes, Michelle Obama launched into a rant about the evils of America, and how America is to blame for the problems of Africa. Michelle personally blamed President Clinton for the deaths of millions of Africans and said America is responsible for the genocide of the Tutsis and other ethnic groups. She then launched into an attack on “whitey”, and talked about solutions to black on black crime in the realm of diverting those actions onto white America.

    Maybe the MSM can end their lovefest and do their jobs and put this to rest.

  20. 20.

    calipygian

    “There are no Obama delegates in America. Never!”

    “My feelings – as usual – we will slaughter them all in Denver.”

    “Our initial assessment is that they will all lose in Denver.”

    “I blame Al-Jazeera – they are marketing for Obama!”

    “God will roast their stomachs in hell at the hands of Clinton supporters.”

    “They’re coming to surrender or be burned in their campaign busses.”

    “No I am not scared, and neither should you be!”

    “Be assured. Hillary’s lead is safe, protected”

    “Who are in control, they are not in control of anything – they don’t even control themselves!”

    “We are not afraid of Obama. Allah has condemned him. He is stupid. He is stupid” (dramatic pause) “and he is condemned.”

    “Obama supporters, they always depend on a method what I call … stupid, silly. All I ask is check yourself. Do not in fact repeat their lies.”

    “I can say, and I am responsible for what I am saying, that they have started to commit suicide under the walls of the DLC. We will encourage them to commit more suicides quickly.”

    “I can assure you that those villains will recognize, will discover in appropriate time in the future how stupid they are and how they are pretending things which have never taken place.”

    “We have destroyed 2 campaign busses, charter planes, 2 helicopters and their shovels – We have driven them back.”

    “We have them surrounded in their campaign busses”

    “The American press is all about lies! All they tell is lies, lies and more lies!”

    “I have detailed information about the situation…which completely proves that what they allege are illusions . . . They lie every day.”

    “Lying is forbidden in the Clinton campaign. President Clinton will tolerate nothing but truthfulness as he is a man of great honor and integrity. Everyone is encouraged to speak freely of the truths evidenced in their eyes and hearts.”

    “Now even the Obama campaign is under siege. We are hitting it from the north, east, south and west. We chase them here and they chase us there. But at the end we are the people who are laying siege to them. And it is not them who are besieging us.”

  21. 21.

    BH-Buck

    You really gotta feel for John. He left one party due to a huge amount of teh stoopid, only to land smack-dab in the lap of teh stoopid X 27.

    Actually, I’m amazed we’re not having to talk him off the ledge daily.

  22. 22.

    Tsulagi

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    What’s the over/under, maybe two hours? You just can’t quit her.

  23. 23.

    DannyNoonan

    Dear Hillary,

    You represent everything I hate about politicians.

    Sincerely,

    DannyNoonan

  25. 25.

    SGEW

    I have to say it. That Michelle Obama “rant” sounds awesome! Somewhat similar to a speech given by a U.N. human rights inspector at a int’l law symposium I attended last year. Only awesomer.

    Maybe I do support Mrs. Obama, Esq., for president . . . .

  26. 26.

    gypsy howell

    I’m ignoring Clinton today by basking in the trainwreck that is John McCain. I think I just might watch his speech on a loop all day. I can’t get enough of that ‘cottage cheese in a bowl of lime jello.’

  27. 27.

    Rick Taylor

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    You keep saying that, and you never do. I don’t think it’s realistic. And if she keeps attacking the nominee, I don’t know why you should.

  28. 28.

    ThymeZone

    Obama is making his AIPAC speech. Compare and contrast this eloquent material to the clunky thud of McCain’s speech there a few days ago.

    Man, this campaign is going to be fun.

    BTW, who is this Hillary you all keep talking about?

  29. 29.

    rob!

    BTW, who is this Hillary you all keep talking about?

    that is the correct way to approach this.

    john, if you can keep ignoring Hillary, then i will too.

  30. 30.

    merrinc

    Neo, kindly fuck off. Your blog is about to become as obsolete as your candidate; no need to recycle concern troll trash by dragging it over here.

  31. 31.

    Laertes

    I’m eager to get down to the business of ignoring Clinton too. It’s over, she’s history, and she’s irrelevant.

    That said, after the glorious struggle with Clinton, McCain is a bit of a letdown, no?

    It’s like a typical NFL season. One conference championship game is this epic struggle between the two best teams in football, and then the Super Bowl pits the winner against some hapless squad of dorks who wouldn’t have even made the playoffs if they were in the other conference.

  34. 34.

    Genine

    Ignoring Hillary and her nutty supporters is best. We can use our energy to concentrate on Obama and bringing Clinton’s saner supporters on line.

    And with that in mind…

    Just in case—has anyone tried a bucket of water?

    comments like that really do not help. We really don’t need to feed people’s delusions that misogyny had anything to do with Clinton’s loss. No, I don’t think anyone meant to be sexist or misogynistic but it comes across that way to others and that just fuels the fires that Hillary is more than happy to stoke for her own gain.

  35. 35.

    ThymeZone

    Sonofabitch. I hope you saw, or will get a chance to see, Obama’s entire AIPAC speech this morning.

    What an amazing performance in front of a tough crowd, what an eloquent appeal. What a contrast to the frankly dumb and patronizing mess of a speech McCain made there earlier in the week.

    There’s a big story going on out there, it’s called Barack Obama. I think you haven’t seen the best of it yet.

    I would not want to be a McCain operative this morning, watching that speech. I’d just concede now and save a lot of trouble.

  36. 36.

    MJ

    I watched Clinton’s speech again this morning, and really, delusional and surreal are the only way I can describe it.

    Speaking of delusional and surreal did you follow what BO said? Were you paying attention or just yelling ‘YES WE CAN!’ mindlessly through out?

    “I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal.”

    What self absorbed narcissism. The oceans stopped rising the moment he reached 2118 delegates? LOL .. How is he going to create these ‘good jobs’ by raising taxes? Scrapping NAFTA and other free trade agreements? Did the sick heal themselves with a wave of his hand last night? The silliness is just amazing.

    If it wasn’t raining I’d go take a walk on the beach and enjoy the extra low Obama tide. I guess I can just reread his speech, it smells about the same.

  40. 40.

    tBone

    What self absorbed narcissism.

    Yes, after Hillary’s “It Takes Me to Build a Village” speech, it’s clear that Obama is the narcissist.

    Thanks to this primary season my desk has a permanent imprint of my face.

  41. 41.

    Luke

    Oh please Mr. Cole, you can no longer ignore Hillary any more then I can be euphoric that Obama won. You will be ranting, complaining, pissing and moaning about the Clintons until life no longer exists. Your revulsion for the Clintons consumes you. I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.

    Touché John, your Man won. Of course if Obama makes it to the White House – and you become disillusioned with his inexperience, hell, you can always swap parties – again!!!

  42. 42.

    jake

    I don’t know if I can ignore her but now that Obama has a lock on the nom., I might try to cut back on the mocking and scoffing.

    Because much of the media is made up of the most creatively barren people not named George Lucas. They have no imaginations.

    PotD.

  43. 43.

    Rick Taylor

    I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.

    I will. That’s at least one.

  44. 44.

    BH-Buck

    I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.

    Far, far less than that number of Obama supporters voting for Clinton, had Clinton won.

    Which tells us something about Clinton supporters. But what?

  45. 45.

    Shinobi

    Luke,
    Way to just randomly interject that little comment about how Clinton supporters wont vote for Obama in a paragraph about John. Why would you even bring that up? A desperate attempt to remain relevant?

    Re: inexperience. If Obama is indeed that inexperienced then I say that inexperience can be supplemented by a willingness to listen to experts, learn from others and from mistakes, and to keep an open mind. Deranged Narcissism is harder to overcome.

  46. 46.

    Doug H. (Fausto no more)

    Which tells us something about Clinton supporters. But what?

    That they need to read more Kung Fu Monkey and Lance Mannion.

  47. 47.

    theturtlemoves

    I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.

    I’d say at least 16 million. See, this here internet thingy that we’re all posting on? The vast majority of American voters don’t haunt it, screaming anonymous insults at phantom people. So, once they don’t have Hill’s smiling fact on their teevee anymore, they’ll forget she ever existed and vote for the guy they just saw the day before. Which is why she’s refusing to go away right now. Where there’s even one news camera trained on her, there is life and hope…

  48. 48.

    Ed Drone

    Hillary Clinton’s unconcession speech

    I read that — simultaneously — as

    “Hillary Clinton’s unconcious speech” and
    “Hillary Clinton’s concussion speech.”

    Funny what that says about me, eh?

    Ed

  49. 49.

    Sasha

    Because much of the media is made up of the most creatively barren people not named George Lucas. They have no imaginations.

    Do not dare sully the name of the man who brought us STAR WARS and INDIANA JONES. Lucas may have been off his game for a while but when we was on, he was *magic* (the people whom you rightfully dismiss, besides never having game, have never stepped onto a court to begin with).

  50. 50.

    MJ

    I dunno, MJ. You sound bitter.

    What self absorbed narcissism.

    Yes, after Hillary’s “It Takes Me to Build a Village” speech, it’s clear that Obama is the narcissist.

    Thanks to this primary season my desk has a permanent imprint of my face.

    You folks assume I’m a Clintonite. I’m not. Which I know makes me even worse in your eyes.

  51. 51.

    Rick Taylor

    A post at Daily Kos makes a point about Clinton’s VP comments I wasn’t able to express:

    If Hillary Clinton really wanted to be Barack Obama’s vice presidential pick, what course would make sense for her?

    To speak privately to Obama, and to make her case. In public to congratulate him on his great victory, and to take back some of her most damaging attacks on him. To say nothing about the vice-presidency except that the choice is, and has always been, up to the winning candidate, and should be, and he should have some weeks to enjoy his victory and move fully into general election mode before he publicly addresses this issue, and that she too needs such time.

    Imagine on the contrary that Clinton wanted simultaneously to undercut Obama and to advance her own interests. What then would be her best move?

    Exactly what she did.

    Funny how Obama keeps getting flack for not being sufficiently gracious to Clinton, but she shows him very little graciousness at all.

  52. 52.

    cleek

    here’s an awesome little talking point i’d not heard before:

    Obama’s victory dance is premature because he didn’t win enough pledged delegates to put him over the top – he only beat the magic number with the help of the super-delegates.

    i couldn’t find the relevant section in the DNC rules, but is this complaint in any way valid ? seems like everyone else is under the impression that a delegate is a delegate, when it comes to the number.

  53. 53.

    MJ

    MJ’s shitting his pants over the possibility of a different world.

    So it’s a whole new different world MUP is promising? “YES WE CAN!!! Lets see how many people he can fool with that. I’m laughing but not hard enough to shit myself.

  54. 54.

    Jeff

    cleek-

    I mean, if Clinton is really going to drag this crap out, then theoretically the talking point is “anything is possible”. Every delegate, not just the super-delegates, have the ability to vote at the convention for whoever the hell they want. Nothing is 100% iron-clad official until the convention actually votes in August. But, this is beyond extremely unlikely… So, Obama has won, and that is that.

  55. 55.

    Rick Taylor

    I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.

    And here’s another, via Americablog. At least two.

    I am disappointed. As a long time Hillary Clinton supporter and more importantly, an admirer, I am sad that this historic effort has ended with such a narrow loss for her. There will be the appropriate “if onlys” for a long time to come. If only the staff shakeup happened earlier; if only the planning in caucus states had more focus; if only Hillary had let loose with the authentic human and connecting voice she found in the last three months of the campaign. If only. If only. I have written many times on this site about the talents of Hillary Clinton and why I thought she’d make a great President.

    . . .

    So, I am also so very disappointed at how she has handled this last week. I know she is exhausted and she had pledged to finish the primaries and let every state vote before any final action. But by the time she got on that podium last night, she knew it was over and that she had lost. I am sure I was not alone in privately urging the campaign over the last two weeks to use the moment to take her due, pass the torch and cement her grace. She had an opportunity to soar and unite. She had a chance to surprise her party and the nation after the day-long denials about expecting any concession and send Obama off on the campaign trail of the general election with the best possible platform. I wrote before how she had a chance for her “Al Gore moment.” And if she had done so, the whole country ALL would be talking today about how great she is and give her her due.

    Instead she left her supporters empty, Obama’s angry and party leaders trashing her. She said she was stepping back to think about her options. She is waiting to figure out how she would “use” her 18 million voters.

    But not my vote. I will enthusiastically support Barack Obama’s campaign. Because I am not a bargaining chip. I am a Democrat.

  57. 57.

    Rick Taylor

    That last quote was of Hilary Rosen, according to John at Americablog, “a top Hillary surrogate.”

  58. 58.

    cleek

    That last quote was of Hilary Rosen

    “Hilary Rosen” is a name which will live in infamy – at least to those of us who shudder at the letters “RIAA”.

  59. 59.

    Rick Taylor

    I hadn’t heard of her, but what she wrote above is awesome, especially when she gave a vision of how Clinton could have used last night, and how people would have responded.

  60. 60.

    BH-Buck

    I think sometime in the near future, Hillary is going to look back at last night and realize she may have made a mistake.

  62. 62.

    PaulB

    i couldn’t find the relevant section in the DNC rules, but is this complaint in any way valid ?

    No. The meme seems to be that since superdelegates are free to change their minds at any time, the election isn’t really decided until they actually do vote, which means at the convention.

    It’s stupid, of course. And anyone who advances this silly argument has shown that they should not be taken seriously.

  63. 63.

    Mark

    From now on, I am just going to ignore Hillary.

    HA! Just like the Simpsons episode where the advertising icons go wild. We should all just sing this song.
    Just don’t look…Just don’t look

  65. 65.

    theturtlemoves

    At least she’s still got folks like this to still back her:

    ‘One older woman pointed at a reporter accusingly and said: “He is the one who destroyed our heroine!”‘

    Via Dana Milbank. But Obama supporters are a cult? Right….

  66. 66.

    Rick Taylor

    On the plus side, if Clinton had been gracious in defeat as Hilary Rosen suggested she should have been, it might have given her more leverage. It looks like she missed her chance.

  67. 67.

    w vincentz

    I just went over to Hillaryis44 to see how they were taking it. Not good.
    They will be writing a “stern letter” to Reid and Pelosi objecting. BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!
    Oh, the upsetment and knickers-in-twists.

  69. 69.

    binzinerator

    ‘One older woman pointed at a reporter accusingly and said: “He is the one who destroyed our heroine!”’

    Even worse is this self-pitying whine over at the Puffington Host by Erica Jong about Clinton losing.

    From her infantile and bizarre tantrum I learned:

    * Hillary is the victim. Victims don’t have to be gracious to their sexist oppressors. It’s up to the oppressor to do something for the victim.

    That was about it. Oh, and this:

    * Clinton losing was exactly like Joan of Arc, that other noble selfless leader and victim of sexism, being burned at the stake.

    * Of course, someone could whack Obama. She’s certain, in fact she really really hates to be a Cassandra about this, buuut…. All that sexism and misogyny only goes to show it’ll happen. So there.

    God the victimhood. It’s just stupefying. And she’s stupidly confused gratitude with graciousness. Graciousness is everyone’s perogative. Hillary chose to be ungracious. Throughout her campaign she rarely bothered to try. I wasn’t surprised by her non-concession concession. I only despised her even more.

    I used to have a much higher opinion of Erica Jong. But I also did of Hillary. I was wrong about both of them.

  70. 70.

    binzinerator

    Awwww shit.

    HRC’s non-concession speech, a “pathetic display of hubris and self-pity”, was channeling Nixon. Over at the HuffPo Peter Dreier points out her speech was a desperate gambit very similar to that used by Nixon in his 1952 “Checkers” speech.

    In his televised speech Nixon called on to his supporters to flood the RNC with letters demanding that he remain as Eisenhower’s VP. By doing so, he was also hinting that Ike couldn’t win the White House without his supporters while trying to remove the decision-making from Eisenhower.

    It worked for Nixon.

    Now we’ve got Nixon-lite, and she too is hoping her “Checkers” speech will strong-arm her into the VP.

    Does anyone really want someone who uses Rove’s and Nixon’s playbook anywhere near the White House?

Comments are closed.

Trackbacks

  1. […] An upset Hillary supporter commented over at Balloon-Juice earlier; “I do wonder how many of the 17 million Clinton supports will vote for Obama.” In which, I replied; “Far, far less than that number of Obama supporters voting for Clinton, had Clinton won. Which tells us something about Clinton supporters. But what?” Food for thought. […]

  2. […] In an ideal world, Senator Obama should have a day or two to revel in his campaign’s accomplishment; he has, after all, come from outside of the boundaries of the national political scene to become the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate after a grueling 15-month campaign. But the world is not ideal, and it appears to me that there are at least as many headlines referencing Clinton as there are concerning Obama. From Matthew Yglesias to John Cole at Balloon Juice to Michael Tomasky in the Guardian in England, much of the reaction in the blogosphere to her non-concession has been negative. And these folks aren’t nearly as vituperative as many. […]