Hillary’s Meeting Expectations
For the last seven years I’ve thought a couple of things about Hillary Clinton: she wants to be president in the worst way; if there is a worst way to become president, she will find it. My suspicions have proven true, according to Ezra Klein:
This is the sort of decision that has the potential to tear the party apart. In an attempt to retain some control over the process and keep the various states from accelerating their primaries into last Summer, the Democratic National Committee warned Michigan and Florida that if they insisted on advancing their primary debates, their delegates wouldn’t be seated and the campaigns would be asked not to participate in their primaries. This was agreed to by all parties (save, of course, the states themselves).
With no one campaigning, Clinton, of course, won Michigan — she was the only Democrat to be on the ballot, as I understand it, which is testament to the other campaign’s beliefs that the contest wouldn’t count — and will likely win Florida. And because the race for delegates is likely to be close, she wants those wins to matter. So she’s fighting the DNC’s decision, and asking her delegates — those she’s already won, and those she will win — to overturn it at the convention. She’s doing so right before Florida, to intensify her good press in the state, where Obama is also on the ballot. And since this is a complicated, internal-party matter that sounds weird to those not versed in it (of course Michigan and Florida should count!), she’s adding a public challenge that, if the other Democrats deny, will make them seem anti-Michigan and Florida. [Emphasis added]
I suspect that this is only the beginning of the Clintons’ shenanigans. Though I thought Bill Clinton was a good president, I abhorred the trail of slime he left in his wake, including the Marc Rich pardon and the speech he gave at the aircraft hangar the day he left office, when he reminded the listeners he wasn’t going anywhere. It was tacky in the extreme and diverted attention away from a new president getting inaugurated. Now we’re looking the possibility of four years of his wife as president, a woman who has none of his charm and all of his flaws. Lovely.
All hail the errrr… queen?
Following Bill, Hillary is the error apparent
Ah, it’s good to see Clinton Derangement Syndrome rear it’s sickening head again. I mean, what’s violating the constitution, torture and a disastrous war costing us hundreds of billions of dollars compared with the “trail of slime” left behind by one of the most popular presidents in history – not to mention the budget surplus and unprecedented stretch of prosperity during his two terms.
Good times are here again!
We already have liberals == nazis in Jonah Goldberg’s opus maximus as the opening act. It’s going to be a real treat to hear y’all lose even more of what’s little left of your minds during Hillary’s two terms.
Uh, I have yet to read a single analyst who actually thought Florida and Michigan wouldn’t get delegates eventually. It has always been a “slap on the wrist, don’t do it again, now have a cookie” kind of deal.
It was expected all along, saying it will break the party is ridiculous.
The analysts are saying that the delegates will probably get reinstated as a gesture of unity once the nominee is decided. I think the point here, which I agree with, is that it’s poor form to argue during the nomination race for the delegates to count in order to gain favor in a state you promised the party you wouldn’t campaign in.
Lets not forget that this is a two party problem. The Republicans took the same tack as the Democrats with regard to states which changed the primary/caucus dates.
I do think the decision to penalize the states by taking away delegates was short sighted. Why would the party place itself in the position of possibly nominating someone who couldn’t get the highest delegate count of all the states.
The courts have upheld the right of the parties to do this. The courts decision is all the more ironic when you consider some states force both parties to allow outsiders to vote in their primaries/caucuses.
The problem I see here, is that reinstating them won’t matter, if the reinstatement doesn’t change the outcome.
I can see giving them back as a gesture, but I think it is rather tacky to make the argument during the primary.
I think removing the delegates was a poor move, but the parties weren’t really in a position to control the move backwards.
I think one thing I have noticed about this primary season, is all the whining about Iowa and New Hampshire getting first shot at picking the winner is really meaningless.
To date we have had several primaries, and a clear winner still isn’t there, and I am not even sure we will have one after Super Tuesday for both parties.
The early races are really more about weeding out the also rans, than choosing a winner the eventual winner.
I hope that the parties will get together after the 2008 and work out a plan that can make things better, but somebody is always going to go last and somebody is gonna be unhappy about it.
It was expected all along, saying it will break the party is ridiculous.
You know, Tlaloc, there is still something to be said for keeping your word. Even for Hillary Clinton.
She agreed to the rules, whether they were stupid or not, and now she wants them changed when the outcome will be to her benefit.
There are plenty of Democrats who are sick and tired of this kind of thing, along with the lying, that is coming from the Clintons. I think you better reconsider how ridiculous it really is when someone says they are tearing the party apart.
If the Clintons think they can just go back and mend fences after all this, I don’t think Bill’s alleged charm will be enough for a lot of Democrats. Hillary, of course, has no charm.
Ah, it’s good to see Clinton Derangement Syndrome rear it’s sickening head again…
Hal, this may not be the good news you think it is. Many of us who are coming down with Clinton Derangement Syndrome are Democrats.
Hal,
I don’t think it is mutually exclusive to criticize both the Clinton and Bush administrations–and Robert wasn’t making a comparison.
If it makes you feel any better, as much I disliked a great deal about the Clinton administration, I would agree with you that if we stack up the key negatives from the Bush admin and compare them to those of the Clinton admin, Bush’s are worse. However, saying that doesn’t make Clinton’s problems evaporate.
As I wrote back in November (the context being that some were arguing that “Clinton fatigue” would defeat Hillary in the primaries):
And in another post:
Having said all that, however, doesn’t mean that I want Clinton to be the next President.
Many of us who are coming down with Clinton Derangement Syndrome are Democrats.
Man, where were you during the ’90s? I mean, Democrats afflicted with the syndrome were the primary reason the whole impeachment fiasco went as far as it did.
How quickly people forget.
Maniakes:
I see your point there. I chalk this up to “politicians acting like politicians.” Which granted is not exactly great praise, but not likely to tear apart the party either.
Pug:
What word? She *didn’t* agree not to campaign in Michigan and Florida. It was the dem party, not hillary, that stripped those two states of delegates.
The problem seems to be less about Clinton and more about Obama. Certain Obama supporters seem to regard their choice as divinely mandated and take offense that he hasn’t been coronated.
I find it odd, personally. All three major Dem candidates have serious drawbacks. They all also have significant strengths. Obama really isn’t objectively better than Hillary or Edwards, and yet he has this devoted cult of fanboys that flock to him.
*shrug* whatever.
I don’t think it is mutually exclusive to criticize both the Clinton and Bush administrations–and Robert wasn’t making a comparison.
Point taken. I was merely pointing out the contrast between Clinton’s two terms and the two terms of the current president. I’m quite confident that as revolted as Robert was with Clinton, he doesn’t feel the same revulsion for Bush.
But regardless, my point about Clinton Derangement Syndrome remains. One can criticize what is happening without having CDS. I’m really surprised Robert didn’t bring up Vince Foster, quite frankly.
However, saying that doesn’t make Clinton’s problems evaporate.
Never even implied that it would. There’s a difference between criticizing and merely using an issue as an opportunity to put back on the CDS simply to bash and rehash how much one loaths the Clintons.
As I said, one plus of Hillary is how much she’s going to drive a large segment of y’all on the right absolutely bat sh*t insane. It’s going to be a real treat to do 8 years worth of blog posts contrasting the “Bush Derangement Syndrome” with “Clinton Derangement Syndrome”. I can’t tell you how much fun it will be to hear “Hitlery” for the 50 millionth time…
Good times.
Hal,
I’m quite confident that as revolted as Robert was with Clinton, he doesn’t feel the same revulsion for Bush.
Don’t be so sure. My list of grievances against President Bush would fill a couple of books. To name just a few, the Terry Schiavo incident (a breaking point for me), signing McCain-Feingold, letting spending get out of control, etc.
Where Vince Foster is concerned, you must know nothing about me. I’m not a conspiracy theorist of any sort.
My list of grievances against President Bush would fill a couple of books.
Yes, I’m sure they would. A rather telling short list. Amazing that your quick list doesn’t include torture, violating the constitution, a fiasco of a war, etc. Rather, it includes a) an incident which embarrassed Republicans, b) a lame attempt at getting the overwhelming influence of money out of politics by a dork and c) doing what every single republican in history has done. Just because you may hate Bush for all the most bizarre reasons and none of what any other human on earth would consider to be a reasonable reason doesn’t mean you’ve won any brownie points in my book. The enemy of my enemy is often my enemy as well.
It’s also hilarious that you’re oh-so-very upset about pardoning Mark Rich, who was at worst a mere criminal. While pardoning Scooter Libby for exposing NOC CIA agent working on weapons of mass destruction, during a time of war for purely political reasons doesn’t even register with you. But hey, more power to you. You’ve obviously got lines that can’t be crossed.
Have fun with the CDS. 8 years is a long, long, LONG time.
Whatever.
The problem seems to be less about Clinton and more about Obama. Certain Obama supporters seem to regard their choice as divinely mandated and take offense that he hasn’t been coronated.
This is where you are mistaken. I have no problem with John Edwards or Barack Obama. They have both tried to deliver their message, like them or not, without trashing the others. My problem is specifically with Hillary and Bill Clinton. All this stuff started when Hillary was smoked in Iowa.
I don’t consider myself a “fanboy” in any way. I’m actually a pretty mature guy. I just refuse to accept any more of the lying and cheating of the Clintons. Hillary’s trying to change the rules in Michigan after the ballots are cast says all you need to know about her ethics. Try and justify it if you want.
Or if you want to be very Clintonian, just claim you never agreed: What word? She *didn’t* agree not to campaign in Michigan and Florida. It was the dem party, not hillary, that stripped those two states of delegates.
And the argument that it was just the Democratic Party that made those rules? I thought she was running as a member of that party.
Hillary Clinton deserved the beating she received in South Carolina. The Clintons’ behavior in recent weeks has been a disgrace, and as a former Clinton voter I have lost any respect I might have ever had for the former first couple. I have no doubt, however, that we can fully expect to see more dirty politics from the Clintons as we head into Super Tuesday.
Fair enough, but that’s kind of what a primary is all about, ain’t it? I mean, really. The phrase “dirty politics” is a redundant expression. I do wonder where y’all have been raised such that you think politics is played by the Marquess of Queensberry rules.
And if you think the Clintons are playing “dirty” and “tough”, I do believe you’ll faint when you see what happens when former Swift Boat patron Bob Perry dumps $250 MILLION dollars in the general election sliming whomever wins the democratic primary.
Geebus. Stop the outrage and roll the frickin’ sleeves up and fight for christ’s sake. Think of it as a proving ground for the onslaught yet to come.