Hillary Clinton 2008 - R.I.P.

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have taken the people of the U.S. on a roller coaster ride since the early 90s. Though Bill's tumultuous presidency was often rewarding, it was often disappointing. But always one hell of a ride. If you could stomach it.

Hillary was the ever supportive mate. At least that is the picture she took pains to convey in public. Many of us would give up much, temporarily at least, to be the proverbial fly on the wall as the two of them went at it over everything political to Bill's awful addiction to chasing every skirt that wasn't nailed shut.

It wasn't a secret of any kind, despite her denials, that she eventually would want to start her own political career. Winning a lop-sided victory for the US Senate in New York made it very clear that it was just a temporary victory. Hillary had her sights on something bigger - the US Presidency.

But one thing was clear to most of us. Hillary was committed to one goal - becoming President - at any cost. Even if it created a division within the Democratic party, a division that could possibly cost the general election the Dems "can't lose." That she would say anything, and do anything, to achieve this goal was written all over her face. After all, she learned at the seat of the grand master - Bill.

Considering that as late as January of this year Hillary was the presumptive Democratic nominee to where we now find her in what must be considered a very precarious position boggles the mind. Yes, there were all the gaffes, the poor planning, the in-fighting among her surrogates, Bill's screw-ups and need for attention, every week a different face, a different message, on and on and on. Through all of this drama Hillary and her supporters have managed to make it a very close primary race.

Last Friday Hillary uttered some very damaging words, words that will go down in political history as one of the most horrendous, hurtful, and outrageous comments ever. Said for the third time, but this time it grew legs so fast that it went around the world in minutes, Hillary said she was in the race until June because "things happen in June. Bill was nominated in June of '92. And Robert Kennedy was assassinated in June." Political suicide.

Her supporters are defending her, that Hillary was making a historical reference. If so, making any reference to an assassination of any kind, of anyone, successful or attempted, in a political race, and one so charged with passion from the outset is obscene.

"Things happen in June." So Hillary is staying in the race because "things happen in June?" And her opponent just happens to be Barack Obama, a "skinny black kid with a funny name," a black that many hateful Americans would prefer he not be around?

I am sorry but I refuse to think that Hillary just misspoke. This thought was on her mind, has been on her mind for a long time, and just lends credence to the now well earned "Hillary will say anything, will do anything."

Whether intended or not, it truly goes beyond the pale.

Hillary's "apology" was weak and lacked feeling. "If I offended anyone" is not an apology. Get real. And her "deer in the headlights" look as she spoke was not one of regret for any hurt she may have caused but a look of "oh shit, I have just screwed my political career, big time."

There is a bit of sunshine in all this mess. Hillary has just made some political decisions easier for many - voters, super delegates, and Obama. Hillary can forget the nomination. Hillary can forget being offered the vice-presidency as Obama's running mate.

The Clintons have taken us for a roller coaster ride for a long time. The ride is coming to an end.

Peace.

Larry

So, Hillary, What Now?

While Hillary Clinton's rout of Barack Obama in West "By God" Virginia's primary may seem like a steroid booster shot to her campaign, it is not considered to stop the inevitable road of Barack's nomination as the Democratic Party presidential candidate. Although she is expected to do well in the remaining primaries, unless each primary results in a 90% victory, it will do little to alter the math. Clinton's hopes rest on convincing the super delegates that only she can maintain the party's voters base and that Obama is "unelectable."

For Clinton to still remain in the race, despite all the missteps, gaffes, every week a different face, a different message, memory loss, turning the race into a race about race, Bill's constant need for attention, "dodging bullets in Bosnia," denials, and organizational screw-ups, etc., etc., etc., is it a testament to her fighting spirit and determination? Is it a sense of entitlement? A place in US history, the first woman president? Yes to all of the above.

Credit must also be given to her loyal supporters who are hoping to be a part of history.

So what to do now, Hillary? Continue on with the campaign? Continue your wooing of the super delegates? Get the rules committee to rule in Michigan and Florida that benefits you? Or do you come up with another way of moving the goal posts? Considering how many times the goal posts have been moved, it is amazing that the game itself is still recognizable.

Is Clinton's change of tune this past week a "victory lap" to thank her supporters for their continued belief in her? Might she be playing "nice" so that if she ultimately loses she will ask Obama to pay off her $20 million and counting campaign debt? With her and Bill earning $107 million in 6 years and her campaign is financially running out of money? Is this any way to be fiscally responsible? And we are to entrust her with over seeing a multi-trillion dollar government? And after she has called into question Obama's experience and electabilty she now may be asking Obama to bail her out? What nerve.

What many Democratic Party leaders and voters are hoping for is that she take a big step towards healing the party and gracefully bow out of the primary race.

Or might Hillary be warming up to the possibility of becoming the vice-presidential candidate?

Talk about a disaster waiting to happen. Can you picture Hillary playing second fiddle to Obama after she has claimed him to be "inexperienced, unelectable," etc.? I can't.

Can you see Obama being comfortable with Hillary? And with the oversized blowhard Bill in the background looking over both their shoulders? I can't.

Let me propose a scenario that absolutely blows my mind that would be the "ultimate blood bath":

• Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton versus John McCain and Condoleezza Rice
• Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann versus Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity

A media dream come true. The voters can't wait to get to the voting booth. Lock up the china.

A historic race in every sense of the word.

Peace.

Larry

John McCain: A Disaster Waiting to Happen

The sooner the Democratic Party nominates their presidential hopeful, the sooner, we the people, three very powerful words indeed, can truly begin the countdown to the November election. For, standing in the wings, and having a free run, and no doubt enjoying the machinations of the Democrats and thanking them for all sorts of material to use against them, is Senator John McCain: war hero, politically and personally courageous, maverick, cantankerous, unpredictable.

In the past several months, McCain has made some comments, misspeaks, and has declared positions that have not been fully challenged. This is due in large part to the media circus that has surrounded the Democratic primary with such important issues as Senator Hillary Clinton showing us she is "one of us" by downing shots and beer (what, no darts or pool?), and the Senator Barack Obama - Reverend Jeremiah Wright saga, a media love-fest not seen since the Clinton years of the '90s.

The question of McCain's knowledge, or lack of, concerning who is fighting who, and where, among the Iraqis, Iranians, Taliban, al Qaeda, et al, was discomforting to say the least. It became very serious when it was repeated three times, despite the efforts of Senator Joe Lieberman to help out his buddy. But this flap passed by as quickly as it arose.

Then there was McCain's admission to not having much expertise regarding economics, despite the US confronting its most serious economic problems since the great depression of the 1930s. Again this passed by very quietly.

There were other missteps and misspeaks, one which I thought was serious in its own way: that he would or should nominate someone young as a vice-president since he was "old." Honest statement? Depends how "old" is "old." Uh oh. We're in trouble.

But the media did us a disservice two weeks ago when they largely ignored a McCain policy speech in which he proposed to re-initiate the cold war by expelling Russia and excluding China from the group of advanced industrialized nations, the G8, and proposing a League of Democracies, and the nations that were not democracies would be excluded, including Russia and China. If you polled a thousand people, it would be surprising to find if there are ten who know about this. But you can bet the other 990 know who is battling it out on American Idol.

His latest flap is a beauty. So that I don't appear to be twisting his words to benefit this posting, here are McCain's own words: "My friends, I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about, which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will - that will then prevent us - that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East."

I have read this statement over and over and I can only come to one conclusion, in my own mind and interpretation: the genie is out of the bottle. Or the cat is out of the bag. Or whatever group of words you want to use. McCain is admitting, publicly, what I have known and suspected, along with millions of others, that Georgie, Rottweiler, Rummy, and company left Afghanistan unfinished, ignored Osama bin Laden, and went into Iraq for OIL. Committed the lives of our young men and women for OIL. And McCain is pledging that we won't have to go into the Middle East again for OIL. It was all about OIL. It has always been about OIL.

But "we will have to stay there for a hundred years," another McCain declaration.

The cost of a barrel of oil when the US illegally and unjustifiably invaded Iraq was $26. The cost of a regular gallon of gas averaged $1.25.

But the biggest cost of all: 4,071 lives of young US men and women, and counting, and untold tens of thousands of Iraqis, and counting.

Hurry up Democrats. There is something wrong with this movie. If McCain is the next president, it does not have a happy ending. It does not have an ending.

Peace.
Larry