Archives for 2008

I really, really don’t like Hillary. I have tried to be fair to her, but just because I am skeptical about the Obama magical unity pony does not mean I think Hillary is the greatest thing since sliced bread. hell, search my archives. Almost EVERY time I was trying to keep Republicans from excusing/advancing Bush’s executive branch grabs, I believe I asked Republicans to think how they would feel with President Hillary Clinton having those powers.

All I am saying is that right now a lot of Democrats are joining with some questionable folks regarding their Hillary hatred, and that ‘Yes We Can” and a need for “change” is pretty thin gruel. Particularly when we consider how important this election is, and what we have ahead of us. Maybe I am wrong, and some flowery speak and “hope” will win an election. I just don’t see it, and Obama supporters are setting themselves up for some pretty serious angst over the next year if they think the kid glove treatment he is getting from the media and the Clinton camp is going to last. This general election is going to be ugly. Period.

And one more thing- I am up to here with the faux outrage. I spent the last five years dealign with Republicans outraged by every little damned thing- “ZOMG people put an ad in the NY Times questioning Petraeus! TRAITORS!” That is the same sort of bullshit Isee coming from the Obama camp- “OMG, Bill Clinton said he was a kid! What a racist!”

*** Update ***

In other news, Captain Ed will caucus for multiple choice Mitt, the establishment candidate. I am sure you are all as shocked as I am. Can Romney run with the slogan “Four More Years?”

One More Thing…Post + Comments (219)

At the same tame that I can state I am sick and tired of the Clintons, I can also state I fully understand the frustration of Clinton supporters:

Here are some of the rules that Obama and progressives should look to enforce through to the General Election:

1. Rezko is a nonissue and bringing it up is a slimy personal attack on Obama. This one has the virtue of being true. Let’s get that enforceable against John McCain and the other Republicans.

2. Discussions of experience and youth are, at the least, vaguely racist, and a personal attack. When a candidate touts experience or points to Obama’s lack of it, they are expressly arguing for a return to the past as opposed to looking to the future. It means they are opposed to change. Indeed, it expressly means for Republicans that they want to continue the policies of the Bush Administration. For Republicans, this also has the virtue of largely being true. The GOP field is indeed basically arguing for a continuation of Bush policies in most areas – tax cuts permanent, continuatio of the Iraq Debacle, less government regulation, etc.

3. What Obama Meant. Any review of Obama statements or past votes is subject to an explanation by Obama of what he REALLY meant. Any criticism of Obama’s statements which do not take into account Obama’s clarifications and explanations of what he REALLY meant are unfair personal attacks and the attacker is a “liar” who will say and do anything to get elected.

4. Obama’s attacks are always fair and merited. Any suggestion otherwise is, at the least, vaguely racist.

Can we get these rules enforced in the Media in a General Election? Let’s hope so if Obama is the nominee.

As for those of us who have been trying to push Obama to be more of an explicit partisan Dem well we can give that up now. He does not even have to give that concern a second thought. Obama can not be criticized period now. We must operate on faith now.

I understand the frustration. Obama is, in my mind, getting a free ride in the media right now, and the behavior directed at the Clintons has been unhinged. I saw this Craig Crawford piece yesterday, and thought there was a lot too it. It is amusing listening to Joe Scarborough, one of Gingrich’s foot soldiers, lament how “divisive” Bill Clinton can be. Actually, it is absurd.

I am tired of the Clintons, but I sure understand why they think they are getting a raw deal. They are. Maybe during the general election, when the Republicans are unloading some truly vicious bullshit on whoever the democratic candidate might be, the folks will look back and re-evaluate their attitude towards the Clintons.

The Clinton FrustrationPost + Comments (116)

Obama wins big in SC.’

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If I were a campaign manager, I would make damned sure my guy speaks before Obama. Edwards looks like shit after listening to Obama’s speech, and Edwards is not a bad public speaker.

*** Update ***

This may be the dumbest post ever to be created in the history of blogging. Yes, Erick, the party running a black man is the hotbed of racism.

Obama FTWPost + Comments (119)

Adding to my earlier post and partially in reply to John’s response below, I don’t have any major existential problems with Hillary. I just plan to support Obama or Edwards instead. She would still make such a vastly better president than the Republican competition (even, maybe especially McCain) that you could chain a starving, pissed off akita to my voting booth and I’d still throw the lever as long as I have one working limb.

The dynasty issue, her personal quirks and the Addington baggage shrinks almost to nothing compared with four more years of Bush. Think supreme court. Think another four years of insufferable neocon officials snidely mixing criticism with antisemitism. Hurricane FEMA. Schiavo. Aside from policy differences that I have with Republicans, they just can’t run the country. They can’t accomplish their own stated goals, they can’t even keep ordinary government functions going without colossally screwing it up. Maybe some future iteration will manage a Pizza Hut without disaster but the current crop haven’t made a break yet.

Plus, the thought of psycho freaks like Roger Stone suffering through four more Clinton years almost makes a restoration worth it.

Clinton Post The ThirdPost + Comments (45)

Following on Tim’s great post from last night, let me explain where I am with the Clintons: I can’t handle hearing about them anymore. I am sick of them. They suck the oxygen out of the room, they and their rabid detractors make everything about them, and despite my best efforts to be fair to Hillary, it just keeps coming back to one central fact:

I can’t take 8 more years of Clinton.

And I can not see how I am the only one.

*** Update ***

Look, folks. I am not a total moron. I am well aware that the Republican spin machine is going to attack Obama and churn up the outrage and we will spend 4-8 years hearing about Hussein Obama and so forth. I am well aware that they will do this to EVERY candidate the Democrats offer.

But that isn’t a reason to vote for Hillary. And at least it will be different.

An example:

Seriously, though: as others have noted, Hillary has no control over the actions of her rabid detractors. That is the entire fucking point. Hating Hillary because of Rush Limbaugh is like some fucked-up version of Stockholm Syndrome, and I really wish you’d get over it, John. In effect you’re saying that you won’t vote for Hillary because the biggest bunch of sanctimonious shit-eaters on the planet would throw a temper tantrum. It’s the battered wife mentality, it’s the prison bitch, it’s everyone who’s ever conned themselves into believing that the reason they’re beaten and raped is because they’re just not submissive enough.

I am not saying vote for someone else because of who hates Hillary, I am saying vote for someone else because I am sick of the damned Clintons and I am sick of the Clinton haters. Seriously, are even you loyal Clinton supporters not sick of this kind of crap? I think I have been as fair as can be to the Clintons this year, but sheesh.

Clinton FatiguePost + Comments (85)