What kind of Writing is on the Wall?
I think it is pretty obvious that I want Barack Obama to win the Democratic Party nomination; that I am opposed to HRC on the ticket or in any way; and the only way that McCain can get my vote is for Obama and HRC to pair up and run on the same ticket.
What has been getting me, of late, is that HRC won a few primaries a week (or so) ago; and has used those wins to suggest that she is gaining momentum in a race where the majority of states and the majority of people are still leaning toward Obama. As a result of some of her wins, she has even gone so far (along with Bill) to suggest that a combined ticket with her at the top would be a good alternative to a divided Democratic Party.
And yet, I find it interesting that HRC would suggest that Obama would accept a second seat to that woman. She is such a powder keg, not only for the election process but also for her party and for America, that (to me) the idea of having Obama give in to her pandering and her form of politics is pretty stupid. He is ahead.
You see, the collection of delegates is the means whereby a candidate collects supporters to help establish a claim on the party nomination. In the Republican Party, this process denotes that whomever reaches X number wins the nomination. McCain got to that point, he gets the nomination; the rest of the primary season will be spent, by him, prepping for a national presidential race.
However, the Democratic Party is still divided. This is not a 50/50 division. Rather it is a 60/40 division with Obama at the lead. And yet, Obama, not wanting to play politics as usual, has allowed HRC to continue to suggest that she is in a position to make a move and actually win enough delegates to win the Democratic Party nomination. What happens, in the silence, is that people actually start to believe HRC and her spin machine and, in some places, may actually lend their support in her direction rather than toward Obama.
(NOTE: the party split is not as wide as 60/40, it is actually closer, but still far enough apart that Obama just has to keep campaigning to win the nomination.)
What is happening is that we get to watch what may turn into a massive train wreck of a nomination process. Instead of the opposition party banding together to work against GW and McCain (and, in my opinion, a vote for McCain is a vote for GW and his policies), they are working as hard as they can to divide their own base of support instead of clearly and decisively choosing a presidential candidate.
The writing on the wall would indicate that whomever we vote for, and whoever gets to be president, is really only going to be a single-term president. That is not set in stone; but consider the Nixon-Ford administration that went to Carter (who served one term and did nothing of any significance while in office, but has been very active out of office), who turned around and lost to Ronald Reagan. The senior George Bush served a single term, more out of GH's making promises and not keeping them; losing to Bill (who did a two term stint), and then GW.
I believe the nation is tired of politics as usual. The problem we have is not that we are tired of it, it is that we (collectively) don't know change when it is presented to us.
You see, HRC is not change. She is a significant part of the political machinery. Her husband, Bill, served eight years as president. She is in her second term as a Senator. She served (Bill's first term) as an unpaid part of his cabinet. She is the current political machinery. She is politics as usual and she is not the best person to have answering the red phone at three a.m. when it rings and crisis is taking place. She is not even a good second seat to Obama.
McCain, though he claims to be a reformist, is the political establishment. That man has played both sides of the isle and there were rumors that he was threatening to leap ship after the last presidential elections, siding with the Democratic Party and not just voting with them. That would've been an interesting turn of events, but we, as a nation, are so fickle, me thinks, that we often forget what a man or woman does when it comes time to trust that same person with the presidency or any office with real authority. Yes, McCain and HRC and Obama and others are all Senators or Congressmen, and have authority, but theirs comes as a result of party affiliation, time served, and requires the votes and support of others; whereas, we vote for a President to represent the people directly to the Congress.
In this case, McCain has shown that he does not support his party or the people he represents though, I would imagine, he keeps his job because he has the seniority to move federal money into Arizona. As a result, and because is constituents are happy, he can pander in Washington D.C., make like he is really about reform, co-sign bills that would radically change the architecture of the election system, and knowingly not make a single change.
As president, he will do exactly what G.W. is doing and he will be a bit more liberal in his execution. HRC is about the same. She can say, "Look at my record," and, "Look what I have tried to do," but neither are an indicator of her ability, her temerity, or what the outcome will end up being (in the long run). And yet, we are supposed to look at this woman who has followed her husband (until he left office) and who is a hair more experienced on the National Level than Obama, and certainly less experienced (as the politician) overall than Obama and believe, for one second, that she can lead this country better.
I don't buy her act. I can't stand McCain's act. And I think we are in such a radical need for change that the man with the least amount of experience (at the national level) is my choice... not just because of his lack of experience; but also because he has a message of peace, working together, and understanding. His campaign has troubles (mostly) when he goes low and though there are some road bump's he's not figured out how to overcome, I think he is a quick learner with the ability to lead this country for the next (at least) four years.
However, I will not broach HRC as president or vice-president and I would rather vote for the current way of doing things (with McCain) than allow her any opportunity or ability for more political power or influence than she already has. Right now, though, I am not sure what will happen; though I am pretty certain that Obama is smart enough not to saddle himself with HRC and, hopefully, will remain on top when it comes time to decide who our next President is.
John Hattaway | smokingpen | Alicia Grey | Clockwork Princess | Cassandra West
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