McCain Would Be Better President Than Obama -- Clinton Said?
Senator Clinton's Remarks May Be Seen as Over the (Party)Line
What is not expected is the acknowledgment that Senator John McCain, a Republican rival and supposed ideological opposite, would be a better president than Senator Barack Obama, a fellow Democrat and supposed ideological equal (more or less). According to Fernando Suarez of CBS News in Forth Worth, Clinton told the reporters: "I think you'll be able to imagine many things Senator McCain will be able to say. He's never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002."
The speech she referred to is an anti-war speech Obama made in Chicago before assuming his duties as a U.S. Senator for the state of Illinois.
But let's skip forward in time and say that Senator Obama sweeps the four state primaries on Tuesday (Texas, Ohio, Vermont, and Rhode Island). Democratic Party officials have already intimated that it would be best for there to be one Democratic contender for the nomination after Tuesday's voting, so as to give the nominee more time to consolidate support against the Republican nominee (who, for all intents and purposes, will be John McCain after Tuesday's primaries). So, in our future scenario, Barack Obama has become the nominee of the Democratic Party.
And then the highly aggressive, expertly manipulative GOP party machine starts running political ads with Senator Clinton's aforementioned endorsement of McCain's experience. The most famous person in the Democratic Party not having confidence in her fellow party candidate to be an effective commander-in-chief.
Clinton needs to be careful with her "kitchen sink" strategy, the "do anything to win" mentality that her campaign seems to be fueled by at present. There are a lot of Independent voters and her ambitions for the White House could cost the Democratic Party the general election if she's not careful. Could she have handled that situation better, phrased it more favorably to reflect that both she and Obama would make better presidents than McCain? Of course she could have. But she did not.
It was the verbal road not taken in this case that says it all. Senator Hillary Clinton apparently sees nothing wrong with denigrating the assumed governing abilities of her own party member, even to the point of favorably comparing herself to a Republican rival. She also apparently does not see that it makes her look desperate, pulling out all the stops, doing anything it takes to gain the nomination of the Democratic Party for herself. And if that means taking the low road and aligning herself momentarily with the Republican frontrunner, so be it.
But if I were a Democrat (or an Independent with Democratic sympathies), I would not think too highly of this tactic of Senator Clinton's. In fact, if I were a Democrat (or an Independent leaning toward the Democratic ticket), I might find this the deciding factor in which of the two Democratic candidates I would want running for president.
Source:
Fernando Suarez, "Clinton Says She and McCain Offer Experience, Obama Offers Speeches," CBSNews.com
Published by Saul Relative
WVU graduate, with degrees in History, English, Secondary Education, Computer Programming, and Psychology (and nearly a degree in Political Science). Originally from West Virginia, with stints in Virginia,... View profile
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4 Comments
Post a CommentDon't give up, unknown commenter. Keep voicing your dissent. You don't have to vote; that in itself makes a statement. You can blog or write or yell into a megaphone your opinions and someone, somewhere will more likely as not hear you. And of those that hear you, one or more might take heed and pass along your message. In this case, you are right to want more of our candidates and their political parties. Don't be silent; don't give up.
Maybe not, Julia. After winning Ohio, R.I., and Texas (probably), she's opened up the race for debate at least.
Sad that the Democrats that were anti-invade Iran did not step up and endorse Senator Obama. Clinton's smear campaign is working on unsuspecting voters. Kucinich and Gravel, I know for sure were against invading Iran. Yet they stand silent as Clinton does her dirty work. I give up on both Parties. How can the DNC allow her to run, unless they are as corrupt as the Clintons. I give up.
Time for Hillary to step down !! Good reporting.