Today Rainey is Happy to Note That She Won't Need to Rant (Much)
It was coming. I wasn't happy about it. The urges had been resisted for a long time and it was only in the interest of party unity and general good will that I was able to bit my bloggy tongue. Then, on Saturday, watching the meeting of the DNC Rules Committee, I felt it building again. There was gonna be a smackdown and it was gonna be ugly.
The worst thing was, I was starting to be afraid...starting to question the basic premises upon which my hopefulness for this election season were founded and also feeling a decided lack of love for someone I have always respected. I didn't like that feeling and I was ticked off that she was the one making me feel that way.
Just last night, over the usual cocktails with The Neighbor, I was telling her that sometime this week it was going to happen. But now it looks like I'm not going to have to slap around Miss Hillary after all.
First, I was watching CNN, where some blowhard Republican strategist was going on and on about Obama being, basically, an unpatriotic Muslim. (Seriously, it certainly doesn't surprise me that this is something the GOP is going to try to exploit but if they think that's their ticket to winning in the fall they are going to be soooooooooo sorry). There were 2 other panelists, both Dems (because you pretty much have to have a ratio of 2 Dems for every one Republican blowhard), who were taking this woman on.
So? you say. Isn't that the nature of the beast?
Yes, says me, but what was significant about it is that one of the Dems was a declared Clinton supporter and dude totally had Barack's back. He wasn't all, "Yep, that's why Hillary is more 'electable'" or "Yes, that will be a problem if he's the candidate". No, he was just basically stomping all over the Republican talking points.
Hmmmm, I thought to myself. This signals something.
Then I read this article in the NY Times this morning. Despite the sometimes lunatic ravings of her cadre, despite the tantrum Howard Ickes threw on Saturday and despite the completely specious arguments that her camp has been proffering in these last weeks, it looks like the Clinton camp have finally begun to correctly interpret the tea leaves. Actually, there's no magic about it. The facts are these: Barack Obama needs - as of this moment and it's changing all the time- just34 30 more delegates to be the nominee. (Hillary needs 200.5). He stands to pick up at least 20 more pledged delegates in today's primaries (and that's assuming a 50/50 split in both S. Dakota and Montana. I expect he'll do better than that, at least in Montana).
His camp would like it to be all over tonight. Could happen. Might be later in the week. The Clinton camp may still be publicly clinging to the notion that the fat lady hasn't sung and that there are still avenues for a fight. Which is why they are asserting that her speech tonight is not going to be a concession speech. But timing is everything. Obama may not be able to formally claim "presumptive nominee" status (you're only officially the nominee after the convention) tonight but once he gets to 2118, and more to the point, once he goes past it, all the attention is going to be on him and not on what looks like Clinton's increasingly desperate (some would say, pathetic) bid to keep hope alive.
There's a fine line, it turns out, between being a scrappy fighter and being a sore loser. I've no doubt that the general feeling in the Clinton camp has got to be one of sheer bafflement. She was the front runner, the heir-apparent. I was at two Cantwell fundraisers in '06, one with Hills, one with Bill, and the notion of Candidate Hillary was palpable even then. She wanted this, she felt entitled to it and then, bam, this kid comes out of left field and swamps her. That has got to hurt. But there's plenty of time for her to lick her wounds and chart her political future. At this moment, Clinton pretty much has one chance to do the right thing, both for herself and the party. By graciously acknowledging the facts, she walks away with her dignity and with a whole lot more respect than if she decides to play the spoiler card. If she waits too long, not only is she going to lose a lot of cache but the fat lady is going to be singing too loudly for anyone to hear what Hillary has to say.
I may not be drinking champagne tonight, but I'm going to make sure there's some in the house.
The worst thing was, I was starting to be afraid...starting to question the basic premises upon which my hopefulness for this election season were founded and also feeling a decided lack of love for someone I have always respected. I didn't like that feeling and I was ticked off that she was the one making me feel that way.
Just last night, over the usual cocktails with The Neighbor, I was telling her that sometime this week it was going to happen. But now it looks like I'm not going to have to slap around Miss Hillary after all.
First, I was watching CNN, where some blowhard Republican strategist was going on and on about Obama being, basically, an unpatriotic Muslim. (Seriously, it certainly doesn't surprise me that this is something the GOP is going to try to exploit but if they think that's their ticket to winning in the fall they are going to be soooooooooo sorry). There were 2 other panelists, both Dems (because you pretty much have to have a ratio of 2 Dems for every one Republican blowhard), who were taking this woman on.
So? you say. Isn't that the nature of the beast?
Yes, says me, but what was significant about it is that one of the Dems was a declared Clinton supporter and dude totally had Barack's back. He wasn't all, "Yep, that's why Hillary is more 'electable'" or "Yes, that will be a problem if he's the candidate". No, he was just basically stomping all over the Republican talking points.
Hmmmm, I thought to myself. This signals something.
Then I read this article in the NY Times this morning. Despite the sometimes lunatic ravings of her cadre, despite the tantrum Howard Ickes threw on Saturday and despite the completely specious arguments that her camp has been proffering in these last weeks, it looks like the Clinton camp have finally begun to correctly interpret the tea leaves. Actually, there's no magic about it. The facts are these: Barack Obama needs - as of this moment and it's changing all the time- just
His camp would like it to be all over tonight. Could happen. Might be later in the week. The Clinton camp may still be publicly clinging to the notion that the fat lady hasn't sung and that there are still avenues for a fight. Which is why they are asserting that her speech tonight is not going to be a concession speech. But timing is everything. Obama may not be able to formally claim "presumptive nominee" status (you're only officially the nominee after the convention) tonight but once he gets to 2118, and more to the point, once he goes past it, all the attention is going to be on him and not on what looks like Clinton's increasingly desperate (some would say, pathetic) bid to keep hope alive.
There's a fine line, it turns out, between being a scrappy fighter and being a sore loser. I've no doubt that the general feeling in the Clinton camp has got to be one of sheer bafflement. She was the front runner, the heir-apparent. I was at two Cantwell fundraisers in '06, one with Hills, one with Bill, and the notion of Candidate Hillary was palpable even then. She wanted this, she felt entitled to it and then, bam, this kid comes out of left field and swamps her. That has got to hurt. But there's plenty of time for her to lick her wounds and chart her political future. At this moment, Clinton pretty much has one chance to do the right thing, both for herself and the party. By graciously acknowledging the facts, she walks away with her dignity and with a whole lot more respect than if she decides to play the spoiler card. If she waits too long, not only is she going to lose a lot of cache but the fat lady is going to be singing too loudly for anyone to hear what Hillary has to say.
I may not be drinking champagne tonight, but I'm going to make sure there's some in the house.
Labels: political theater
cobbled together by Moi at 9:52 AM
8 Comments:
(sips lemon water)
(clears throat)
(proceeds to belt in high pitched tones)
"LA LA LA LAAAAAAAH!"
Thank you.
I sure hope she heard that.
I think she should follow Slings lead. He is a quitter and she needs to be one too. It is funny how the news orgs. are trying to be the first with the news..they have already announced it and retracted it twice...I really love that.
Brava! Brava! (unhitches horses from Hat's carriage and proceeds to pull same through the city streets)
Right, Sage? Talk about grace and dignity. That Sling is a model for us all. And yeah, it's getting a little silly with the news agencies. The correct headline is "Clinton concedes. Or not".
I've been watching it happen all morning.
Hillary's camp is making real moves to assimilate into Obama's circle,and Obama has made genuine overtures to receive them with open arms.
Everyone is getting ready to get ready for Obama's nomination.
I can't be upset with Hillary for sticking it out for so long,because the way I see it,this neck and neck battle these past several months has served to keep Democrats in the national spotlight.
Mcain has virtually drifted out of the public conciousness.
See what I'm sayin'?
Seems like a pretty shrewed tactical maneuver to me.
It's as if the whole country is anxious to find out which Democrat will be our next President!..
Or I'm over thinking this whole thing..whichever.
my friends this weekend were really stuck on how they think Obama's year was 2012 and this was Hilary's year. They weren't too happy that Obama really pursued it, but I sure am. w00t. I wonder what Hilary's political moves are?
Oh, I agree, Sling. Fundamentally it's been an excellent thing on any number of levels. But there were some very threatening noises over the weekend that sounded like she was going to take it to the convention. And that would have been ugly on as many levels as the contest itself has been productive. She fought the good fight but now she needs to pull a Sling and bow out gracefully. And it sounds like she's gonna.
Sfoof, pft to your silly friends. And Hills will land on her feet. It's not like she doesn't have a day job, for one thing.
Pass the champagn-ya.
I'm drinking it for entirely different reasons than you, but it's still champagn-ya.
Ba Ha Ha Ha (Note no W)
Yay. No more whining ladies then saying they never had a chance. No more whinin about a glass ceiling. No more whinin that racism or sexism determines who our leaders are.
Yah. Right. Sure ya betcha. By the by I hear 1 (one) can get a great deal on the first floatinig bridge too. Hhhhmmm. Remember all, figure out what the bad guys want you to do and say and then, Please do not say or do it. Remember all the work that needs to be done way after the electiion.
After all, its not the words or the good intentions, its the results that the children of tommorrow so desperately need and deserve.
Peace
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