Well it's over--now what?
Today the great Hoosier state may breathe a sigh of relief. The national spotlight will turn its focus out East towards West Virginia and their 28 delegates at stake. In case you actually went to bed before midnight, Hillary Clinton squeaked by Barack Obama by 2%. I am sure it was the most exciting primary in Indiana in my lifetime and I missed it. Although I had the pleasure of experiencing it here in Pennsylvania just a few weeks ago.
Make no mistake in both contests one factor came into play for the Clinton victory: Republicans switching sides to vote for Clinton. She is perceived as a more favorable opponent for McCain in the fall. Of course with Indiana's lax rules on primary voting it is no doubt that "solders" switching sides to vote for Clinton occurred. In fact I personally know two people who played this dirty game. If the state of Indiana can have the most restrictive voting ID law in the nation surely they can adjust their primary rules. It makes no sense that a party loyalist is counted the same as some ass clown who switches his party that morning because some pill popping douche bag on the radio tells him to. Voters should have to declare their party loyalty at least a month in advance.
But I digress. So what does this all mean for Clinton? Well not much. Obama's overwhelming victory in North Carolina put an end to Clinton's campaign. She even had the look of a desperate candidate last night. She is now touting the rant of "count all the votes" meaning Florida and Michigan. They didn't play by the rules Hilary and they aren't going to count. Hell Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan. How in good conscience can she make the argument that those two states (who were warned not to move their primary) should come into play?
But I am starting to believe that the contest is starting to hurt the Democrats. It has divided the party and I don't know whether or not it will recover the longer this goes on. Anyone else notice that McCain is nowhere to be seen? Of course not. He could only hurt himself. Let these two duke it out. It is causing more damage then a million negative ads could ever do.
To unite the party it would take Clinton putting the good of the party before her own ambition. Based on what I have seen of her thus far, I don't believe that is even a thought in her mind.
Make no mistake in both contests one factor came into play for the Clinton victory: Republicans switching sides to vote for Clinton. She is perceived as a more favorable opponent for McCain in the fall. Of course with Indiana's lax rules on primary voting it is no doubt that "solders" switching sides to vote for Clinton occurred. In fact I personally know two people who played this dirty game. If the state of Indiana can have the most restrictive voting ID law in the nation surely they can adjust their primary rules. It makes no sense that a party loyalist is counted the same as some ass clown who switches his party that morning because some pill popping douche bag on the radio tells him to. Voters should have to declare their party loyalty at least a month in advance.
But I digress. So what does this all mean for Clinton? Well not much. Obama's overwhelming victory in North Carolina put an end to Clinton's campaign. She even had the look of a desperate candidate last night. She is now touting the rant of "count all the votes" meaning Florida and Michigan. They didn't play by the rules Hilary and they aren't going to count. Hell Obama wasn't even on the ballot in Michigan. How in good conscience can she make the argument that those two states (who were warned not to move their primary) should come into play?
But I am starting to believe that the contest is starting to hurt the Democrats. It has divided the party and I don't know whether or not it will recover the longer this goes on. Anyone else notice that McCain is nowhere to be seen? Of course not. He could only hurt himself. Let these two duke it out. It is causing more damage then a million negative ads could ever do.
To unite the party it would take Clinton putting the good of the party before her own ambition. Based on what I have seen of her thus far, I don't believe that is even a thought in her mind.
posted by The Kid at 5/07/2008
1 Comments:
A month's advance notice wouldn't help, alas. I know plenty of people who planned to vote for HRC six montsh ago partly for teh reasons you mention, some because they want her elected. The logic (horrid thought it is) is that HRC will get elected, fail, and then the Republicans will run a "real" candidate in 2012, having "learned their lesson."
-lemming
Post a Comment
<< Home