Tuesday, April 03, 2007

The Hillary Problem


Every once in a while, I find myself asking the question, "Just why did I leave the Democratic Party eight years ago?" But no sooner do I ask then they cheerfully remind me. The very fact that Senator Hillary Clinton (at this point in time anyway) is the odds-on favorite to win the nomination in 2008 is enough of a reminder, to be sure. If the Democrats are stupid enough to give her the Big Prize next year, they'll deserve everything that happens to them.

Lets's face some serious facts here, kids: Hillary Clinton is not - under any circumstances - going to be the next president of the United States. 'Tain't gonna happen - not in this lifetime nor the next. Get used to the idea. Come to terms with it. Get a grip. Deal with it. It's not in the cards - marked or otherwise. It's not part of the equation. It's not on the table. It's not under the table. It's not in the stars. It's not in the moons. It's not in any body's horoscope - yours or mine. It's not on the horizon. Let me be as clear and as concise as I possibly can: That's never, ever going to happen. Period.

Could I be any clearer than that?

I do desperately want to see a woman in the White House in my lifetime - Heaven knows we men have messed things up - but, please, not Hillary Clinton! Anyone but Hillary Clinton! Her credibility, as far as I'm concerned, is beyond shot - it's non-existent. Her pandering to the extreme right wing of the political spectrum in recent years can only be described as transparent and shameful. Her support for a constitutional amendment calling for a ban on flag burning is a case in point. As the nineteenth amendment of 1919 banning the consumption of alcoholic beverages made abundantly clear, when the constitution is cynically manipulated to limit freedoms, the end-result is always disastrous. She should have known that - She must have known that - but her political ambition has always come before anything else - facts be damned.
`
And let's not forget the big reason why she should never be elected president: it's all a question of judgement. In 2002 she came face to face with what will undoubtedly be remembered as the most important vote of her career and she blew it! With a drooling eye on the '08 election, she just had to prove to the electorate that she was as hardened a warrior as any man. When she voted to give this president - of all presidents - the power to wage war without the constitutionally mandated congressional approval, she quite possibly committed the worst blunder an elected representative can make. In the five years since, her support for the obscenity that you and I, as taxpayers, are now funding in Iraq has only compounded the error. People like John Edwards and John Kerry - and even Chuck Hagel, for Pete's sake! - have at least admitted that their support for this stupid, tragic war was a dreadful mistake. Not Hillary Clinton! Her refusal to admit as much should not be confused with a profile in courage: a brave and lonely statesperson standing alone in the political arena, her face "marred by dust, sweat and blood", daring to do battle with public opinion and political expediency. No, it's not that at all. It's stupidity - pure, naked stupidity. To argue otherwise is simply naive.
`
To expect a victory for Mrs. Clinton in November of 2008 is to ignore some crucial factors: she has not only alienated progressives but moderate conservatives as well. Do you really think that she has any chance of winning in the south? As politically polarized as America has become in the last quarter of a century, how can the Democrats realistically depend on moderates alone to put her over the top? As the old Ringo Starr song once aptly observed, "Pigs will fly and the earth will fry" before that ever happens.
.
If the Democrats are foolish enough to nominate Hillary Clinton next year they can count on another third party, Ralph Nader-style uprising. That's the reason we're in this mess to begin with. If Al Gore hadn't run away from the party of FDR's natural constituency seven years ago, Nader's candidacy would have been dismissed as irrelevant, George W. Bush never would have been elected and Gore would today be enjoying the final two years of his second term. Trust me on this one, campers: we can't afford that ever happening again.
.
The fact is, I'll be voting Democratic next year regardless of who the nominee is. But of this you may be absolutely certain: if that nominee is Hillary Rodham Clinton, I'll be holding my nose. The Democrats have come a long way in the last five months by reclaiming the House and the Senate - but they've got a long way to go. Let's hope they don't screw up - again.
`
Pray for peace.
`
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
tomdegan@frontiernet.net

PS - This is just a silly afterthought but look at the photograph of Hillary at the top of this posting - Doesn't it look like she's doing a Jimmy Cagney impersonation? "You Doity Rat"!

11 Comments:

At 8:57 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Tom Very good, my sentiments exactly,you summed it all up.
Also the Republicans would LOVE for Hill to run so they could trot out Bill, Monica, Paula, Vince Foster; the whole sad tale that we have managed to put behind us.
Like Nader, I would not be at all surprised if some of that cash bonanza came from Republican coffers.They want Hillary to be the nominee.

 
At 9:02 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

One great advantage of having Hill run for president is that all those great Clinton jokes can be dusted off and emailed once again!
Obama seems to have captivated many people, but does he lack experience? Who would your choice be for the party?

 
At 9:36 AM, Blogger McCarra—Poetry said...

Just a note to wish you a blessed Holy Week and a joyous Easter!

MaryAnn

 
At 10:17 AM, Blogger Tom Degan said...

Dear MaryAnn,
Thank so much for the Easter blessings...And a happy one to you as well!

Wilma,
You're right on target as to Republicans For Hillary! All of the GOP talking heads are all over the tube these days proclaiming what "a formidable candidate" she would be. Oh, please! I was born early in the morning but it wasn't THIS morning! They want her as the nominee so badly they're drooling!

Peace to you all!

Tom Degan

 
At 10:40 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Tom,

I think you are right on target here and unfortunately I don't think Obama will make the cut either. Just to goad the ox a bit, what abot a combination of Hillary and Obama?

With these two out of the running, that leaves only Edwards as a strong possible candidate, and even there I foresee difficulties, especially given the health situation of his wife.

I would really like to see Russ Feingold of Wisconsin run as he impresses me more than any of the others. Barring that, how abut impeaching Bush and Cheney, putting Pelosi in the White House in 2007 and then running her for reelection in 2008?

The sad thing about this whole sorry farce is that regardless of the shortcomings of ANY of these candidates, every one of them could do a better job than the current clown.

 
At 11:27 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Tom, Scoop!! My Alternet just arrived with the Russian leak saying what Stoney revealed.

 
At 10:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gore/Obama in 2008

Dr.Rick Lippin
"Blake"

 
At 9:29 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Doctor Rick I'll vote for that !!!!

 
At 4:33 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

thxs wilma lamb

People keep saying Gore and Tipper are having a great time out of office?

Too bad - I think he could win and lead well
??

Rick Lippin

 
At 6:47 PM, Blogger Floyd M. Orr said...

You're right on the money, Tom! I am in shock as much as you are that the Democratic voters are putting up with this scam. If the Dems railroad her in as the nominee, this will be the last time I support the Democrats. If she runs against Thompson, I'll probably vote against her. The way I see it, the only thing she will ever do right is to protect abortion rights. Healthcare? Forget it? Stop the war? Forget it. Muzzle the corporations? Forget it. Etc.? Forget it!

 
At 10:01 AM, Blogger Avram Mirsky said...

The Clintons have never allowed principles to stand in the way of their personal opportunism. They will never go to the mat for anything but what advances them personally. Yes, they are smart; yes, they bring smart people into their effective circle, but the fact that they are so blind to their own transparency is perhaps the greatest argument against trading a Bushite dynasty for a Clintonite one.

 

Post a Comment

<< Home