Well the Democratic Primary is behind us here in Massachusetts. There were some successors and some failures, my own attempt to secure a position in the State committee met with an unkind fate as the candidate from the largest voting block in the district rolled up a lead that proved impossible to overcome. But the real reason I am commenting today is on the Presidential results. I have tried to remain neutral, not out of dislike of any candidate, no I like them all. I think the real reason isI am being swallowed up by the fear of repeating 04 where we felt certain the country was ready for change and John Kerry was that change and we would sweep into office on the slogan anyone but Bush. Unfortunately we know all to well how that went.
So what did Feb 5 do or not do for us well it left both frontrunners relatively intact but certainly poorer. It left the future uncertain as to who will carry the mantel forward for us and hopefully win in November. It certainly lends credibility to my feeling this last month that McCain / Huckabee is coming at us like a freight train in a long tunnel and that scares me. To many of us seem to be walking the tracks with our heads down and not focusing on the fact that we are in a tunnel and sharing the space with Trains one behind us pushing but one in front stalking us down. We may have some indication in this game of Chicken on who has the stronger case to proceed, in the fact, that we have seen record turn out in most if not all Democratic contests far exceeding the Republican turn out thus far. Yet I have a concern (ok so you knew that was coming) first that the extended race will burn people out we are already seeing this to a small extent, second money. The leading candidates have burned through very impressive war chests in the hope of success but where does that put the well. I think very shallow with the possibility of leaving us cash strapped going into a final election against the party that has never been short funds.
A Republican Party and administration, which in my opinion is going to react like a wounded animal cornered. Willing to pull out all the stops. Lets look at what we know, how about Vice President Chaney’s secret Energy meetings, how about the lying at all levels of the administration about what really led to IRAQ, how about the AG’s office, now lets throw in some of the signing statements on Bills, failure of no child left behind, and a host of other issues I could spend days listing. You know them and I know them so let me save the space. Are any of these issues that charges could follow? I think so as a matter of fact I am sure they do, and trust me they do as well, so are we facing a fight in November count on it. A dirty fight, count on it. An expensive fight yes I am sure of it.
Now I have lead you down this path, your saying ok get on with it, what is the solution.
Well it is a solution that 50% will say your wrong, your crazy your no longer a friend of mine over and some will say your right, keep saying it, make it happen. Yet I think if you take a step back put your heart in your chest not on your sleeve and think about the future not just of today you may, just may, see some logic. I think it is time for Hillary Clinton to take a step back and here are my reasons. First Money she has had to loan her campaign 5 Million in January. Now not a huge sum but significant all the same and at a point when she was thought to be the front runner and poised to throw a knock out on Feb 5, which she did not. This is not a good sign of things to come, She will have to step up fundraising mkeing the corporate interests we want out of washington all that more entrenched. Next she did fail to hold off the charge by Obama although she won key states and held the women’s vote certainly a credit to women who far to often have been a bane to Democratic Politics because they are not consistent in there support. My last reason is Bill lets face it many of us especially me have said time and time again I would support him for President again, I came to the realization that I said that so freely because I knew it could never happen, so I was safe saying it. True the baggage is Bill's not Hillary’s yet it is clearly guilt by association (Think Goore 2000) but all the same he will be come a target as will she and we will have to fight the old fight again and the new fight of defending her record as well. The Republicans are drooling about the very thought of pulling out and dusting off the playbook Labeled Clinton and trotting out what they never got the chance to use against Bill, here you go another shot. Those are the negatives how about the flip side of the coin. I talked about the high turnouts, look who is contributing to these records. Young people and minorities are voting in record numbers. As democrats we ask, hope, and we pray, election after election, for this group to show up, because we know they are critical to our base. Well Barack Obama has struck a nerve with this crowd just the way Democrats were attracting this group back in the 60’s. I can’t tell you how many groups I heard about of young Democrats who ruled local Politics in the 60’s, All as a result of a champion who touched them and empowered them to step forward and take a chance and follow and lead. At 51 years old I now realize the true meaning of the movement of Jack, Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King and how they motivated the young to join with them to make meaning full change and lets admit it if not for the real evils of our society cheating us out of that full potential wouldn’t the last 20 so years have been different. Unless you’re lying to yourself I see a vastly different world if Jack had served 8 years and LBJ 8 and Bobby 8 (1984) wow wouldn’t we have had the opportunity to change the world.
While your day dreaming as I have about those possibilities think about the generation that has rallied to Barack and the message they are sending us. They want the same chance as we did 40 years ago. We missed it because we could not, would not, believe it could be snatched away so easily. No I say to Hillary step aside lets give the kids a chance and lets work hard to make there dreams come true. Face it we thought we were right, and just, and deserving in the 60's so do they today it is their time. It is ours to make sure they get to see it fulfilled unlike ours. Yes I have changed, a week ago I wanted to see us break through another glass ceiling for my wife and my daughter, you know what, electing Barack can do that for them and so much more.
As usual just my opinions
But before you think I am nuts look deep and then tell me what you think
Ed Quinn
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)