She Found Her Voice Again
Hillary Clinton triumphantly walked out on stage tonight in Florida to bask in the fact that when people have the least access to her as possible, they like her more. Congrats!
Seriously, to see her on MSNBC, trying to spin these results as anything other than a name recognition contest, truly made my stomach turn. It signifies everything I dislike about politics. People saying bullshit, and smiling while doing it, hoping that people will be stupid enough to believe what is coming from her campaign.
When did Hillary stand up to call for the "enfranchisement" of the Florida voters? When the DNC set the rules saying they'd be stripped of their delegates? Nope. When she signed a pledge saying that she wouldn't campaign in Florida & Michigan (essentially saying the contests wouldn't matter)? Nope. When she was campaigning in Iowa and New Hampshire when she was trying to get their votes? Nope.
When did Hillary stand up for them? When it was most politically opportune. When she had been beaten, trounced, and routed in a state which she and her husband aggressively campaigned in. So, South Carolina is written off because Jesse Jackson won it in '88, but Florida, well, that is important because it shows that when people's votes aren't fought for, people will apathetically vote for Hillary.
Seriously, why should I back this kind of political hackery? Everyone knows its bullshit, I see the smirk on Hillary's fans faces when they talk about it, because they know its bullshit. Everyone knows that its bullshit, but they say it anyways because to them, politics is a game. To Hillary and Bill, this is a game...principles don't matter, winning does. I'm sorry, that isn't a politics I like, nor want to be a part of if at all possible.
Update: Heh...
Obama campaign issues tongue in cheek statement: "Based on exit polling data our campaign is prepared to call the delegate count at 7 pm eastern." More: "Obama and Clinton tie for delegates in Florida. 0 for Obama, 0 for Clinton."
Update II: More bullshit from Camp Clinton:
Asked why the campaign hadn’t urged for such a move before, Howard Wolfson, one of the senator’s top advisers, said, “I think there was a widespread expectation when the D.N.C. made its decision that voters in Florida would not participate.”
Oh, it was the overwhelming turnout by Democrats, eh? Oh, bless you hearts. Well, first off, they had a ballot initiative to vote on, so don't think Hillary's voice brought them out to the polls. Second, in Florida, a state narrowly won by Gore in 2000, and narrowly lost by Kerry in 2004; Republicans beat Democratic turnout by about 300K voters.
In South Carolina, a state in which Bush won by an overwhelming margin in 2004...Democrats beat Republican turnout by about 80,000 votes.
So, in fact, Florida's voter turnout was much lower than could've or should've been expected had there been an actual competition between the Democrats. My guess is that they would've topped 2 million or more voters. I still imagine Hillary would've won, but probably by a much closer margin.
If Hillary wants to fight for the enfranchisement of Floridians or Michiganders, she should call for actual elections (perhaps caucuses) in those states at later dates, to ensure that everyone has their voice heard.
11 comments:
I get a lot of comfort in knowing that you, Sean, actually get it.
The Clinton hypocrisy and policy of personal destruction is plain for all to see. Hillary's voting record, the spastic self-glorification she and Bill lavish upon themselves....
That's the trouble with Clintonistas, much like the Bushies, they see only what they want to see and are blind to any truth that doesn't suit their agenda.
I knew there would be some grappling over the best candidate for the party, but I didn't know that so many Dems would drink so deeply of the Kool Aid as to become like their Republican counterparts in so many ways.
Truly sad.
Great piece, man. :)
So let me get this the Obama ads that aired in Florida...that was accidental? Saint Obama did no campaigning in Florida? Talk about drinking the kool-aid. I'm so tired of the free pass that Obahma gets. He stands up and cheers when Bush mentions defending our interest in the Persian Gulf, but can't be bothered to fly home and vote on the Iranian Republican Guard and then still has the audacity to criticize someone who voted. Huh?
If anyone dares criticizes him, you better watch exactly how you word it or your racist. Political godfather in Chicago under indictment, barely knew him. So don't lecture about bending the truth. The thing that most drives me crazy is that we talk about changing and moving forward and all I hear about is Ronald Reagan and John F Kennedy.
tc: I get your frustration, but this line that Obama gets a free pass just isn't true. After Iowa, the media lauded him. After NH, the media lauded Clinton. They like winners. It's that simple.
Sean is 100% right on the Florida issue. I think the DNC's handling of Michigan and Florida was idiotic, and you can make a good case that Edwards, Obama and Clinton all should have objected when the decision went down. But they didn't. They agreed to this ridiculous plan. For Clinton to now object, after no real campaign took place there, is cynical and pathetic. No it's not illegal, and "all's fair in love and politics," but it reminds many of us that Clinton has no freakin' integrity. She seems to think it's for wusses.
Rant on, Sean!
Lisa, I agree with what you say about All three should have protested the decision. I an't understand the reasoning other then preserving the status quo. Still there are still a million votes cast there and to pretend that they don't matter...do you think Obama would not be crowing if the results were not reversed?
TC,
I understand the impulse to believe that Obama is just as cynical and unprincipled as Hillary Clinton, but so far that hasn't played out in this contest.
I also think Sean's right that they should look for a third way, that allows a campaign to take place later, with a re-vote. Everyone competes; everyone who wants a say gets one. Paid for by the loony DNC. Same in Michigan.
But one thing I think we can all agree on: Florida is a pain in the @#! every election!
Sean is too wrapped up in Obama to be objective. There are other blogs not as bias and give better information than this one. Remember he backed Briley.......
Sean is too wrapped up in Obama to be objective.
In other words, you can't refute what I've said, so you dismiss it.
Remember he backed Briley.......
Indeed I did, your point?
Which Briley, David or Rob?
Big difference...........
I supported David Briley for Mayor, and I said I thought Rob Briley should resign.
Ok, here's another rebuttal. Cynical and unprincipled, please? How about his response to the whole charge of racism against Hillary. The classic, "Well some people think she's a horse thief." By that ambiguous rebuttal, he fueled the racism charges. All he had to say was, look at their record and lets move on. He still hasn't come clean about Reznick and I don't care how much gobbly gook you feed me about the present votes, they are still protection for carear politicians. I am not saying that he's not a very competant canidate, but to put him on some kind of ideological pedestal is fantasy. Part of what I think Bill was trying to say is, we are being force fed that this is some kind of magical historical run. After Iowa it was trumpeted about how "history was made and we all should be proud of America". Well there was nothing historical. We've been down this road before. Jesse jackson won 11 primaries in his run. (I remember because I voted for him). That's the rhetoric that I'm speaking of. Thats what I believe Bill was trying to point out.
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