It’s been a while since I posted any political commentary…
After a month of enduring the worst excesses of our broken political process — the manufactured scandals, the ‘swift-boat’ style smear campaigns, from two fronts rather than a single opponent — Obama did it. Double-digit win in North Carolina, elimination of Clinton’s double-digit lead in Indiana, leading to a final stand-still tie in her latest ‘must-win’ state.
To be more truthful, though — it was the voters that did it. The voters yet again defied the pollsters and the pundits by clearly stating that this election will NOT be about the usual Bread-and-Circuses freak show. It was as much a repudiation of the same old divisive bullshit as it was a ratification of Obama. It was glorious to behold.
Clinton is out of steam, out of money (she just lent her campaign another 6 million, which isn’t even enough to cover her outstanding debts), out of options….and, I’m guessing, out of the campaign entirely in another two weeks at most. Probably sooner than that, though — Super delegates are already beginning to move, and her own high-profile supporters are talking about her stepping aside.
On to the general election, then — and things don’t look so peachy for McCain. Last night, over a quarter of Republicans voting in their primaries voted AGAINST him, even with the nomination locked up. Remember, Limbaugh and his ilk were pushing for Hillary because they didn’t want to face Obama.
I’m not fooling myself — I’m expecting more Rovean shenanigans from the Republicans. I’m expecting they’ll try to paint him as a secret Muslim, a fanatical communist, a scary black man coming for your white women….
And I hear Obama’s voice, from last night’s speech:
” I didn’t get into race thinking that I could avoid this kind of politics, but I am running for President because this is the time to end it.
We will end it this time not because I’m perfect – I think by now this campaign has reminded all of us of that. We will end it not by duplicating the same tactics and the same strategies as the other side, because that will just lead us down the same path of polarization and gridlock.
We will end it by telling the truth – forcefully, repeatedly, confidently – and by trusting that the American people will embrace the need for change.
Because that’s how we’ve always changed this country – not from the top down, but from the bottom up.”