Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday

McCain may have won the presidency yesterday.

Clinton won by playing the reactionary card, the "red phone" being the metaphor for "I voted for the war and I'll bomb their asses if they don't tow our line."  Obama mishandled the Goolesbee situation, and should have fired Goolesbee immediately, but the real difference was Clinton's appeal to the Republican mindset.

Clinton, by her actions, has shown that she'd rather McCain won the election than Obama, so that she can run against him in 2012.  She knows that the only way she can win the nomination is for the superdelegates to override the voters, and that probably won't happen.  If Obama wins, her quest is over.  She is counting on McCain to drag the country down further, and maybe even kill a woman's right to choose at the Supreme Court, to give her issues for 2012.

Her appeal is right wing, which is reflected in the Clinton supporter comments on this blog that they would actually vote for McCain if Obama wins the nomination.

In any case, at this point Obama has to move right to win the nomination.  Basically, no matter what happens this election, progressive politics have lost in 2008.

Viva DLC!



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Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 1)

You have failed to make any sense to me, and I don't mean to be snide.  What are you saying?


by ejintx on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 11:10:52 AM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

I'm saying that progressive politics took a major hit yesterday.  No matter who wins the nomination, the DLC has a lock on the party, and the Republicans will probably win in November.  And the only way Obama can win in November is to be a Republican himself, something the Clintons have done in the past so it's no big deal now.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:07:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 2)

The idea that Hillary secretly wants a Republican to win in November is tinfoil stuff.  Now, I have no illusions that I will actually be able to persuade the sort of online Obama supporters who believe that Hillary intentionally makes Obama look blacker in her campaign ads, but I'm just saying.

While I understand the instinct to label every defeat for one's candidate as a defeat for truth, justice, and the American way, one of the reasons we have primaries is to find out what messages actually work.  And if, in fact, Obama's problem is that he wasn't able to deflect a rather mild attack on national security from Hillary Clinton, of all people, even before the friendly audience of a Democratic primary, then his message certainly would have stood no chance in a general election against the typical "vote for the Democrat and we'll all die" message from the GOP.

Personally, I do not believe "I have the experience to keep you safe" is an anti-progressive argument.  I think what you don't like about it is that it's an anti-Obama argument.


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 11:15:33 AM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

It's not the fact of the win.  It's how she won.  She's all but wrapped up the election for McCain in a pretty package.  With the damage she's done, she would even lose in November at this point.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:04:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 2)

Dude, if you really believe Republican attacks on the national security issue wouldn't have left a mark on Obama but for the fact that Hillary chose to go there first, you're living in a fantasy world the likes of which I cannot even comprehend.

Tell me, were you complaining when Obama decided to make it a theme of his campaign that Hillary will "say anything and do anything" to become President?  Did it bother you in the least that attacks on Hillary's honesty and character could hurt her in the general election?  Or does the rule that "how dare you attack another Democrat" only work in one direction?


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:12:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

It's different when it comes from within the party.  You know that.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 02:38:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 2)

I have two problems with you commentary.

1) First Obama himself said in a debate that ``keeping America safe'' is no 1. job of the President. Is that not national security? And is that not right wing?

2) Obama throughout the campaign has said that he appeals to Republicans. This claim sounds hollow if just one ad will push Republicans over to Hillary. Wonder, how will be able to hold onto Republicans in November when there will be a slew of national security ads from McCain.

Finally, I think that NAFTA-gate is what compromised him yesterday. It basically hurt his ``new politics'' slogan at its very core.  


by ann0nymous on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 11:41:04 AM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

Obama appeals to moderate Republicans who are tired of the right wing control over their party.  This is different.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:05:41 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Not really (none / 0)

Especially when you consider that these purported moderate Republicans tend to be further to the right of even the DLC types. DLC types drive people on here to apoplexy, but its all well and good to seek the support of those even further to the right.


by Mayor McCheese on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:23:30 PM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 2)

What?
Clinton won hands down when you only include Democrats in the mix, He advanced by apealing to Republicans specifically pointing out in calls to Ohio voters that "everybody can vote in the Democratic primary"

by rolnitzky on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 12:34:04 PM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

He appealed to independents and Republicans who oppose the war.  That's why they weren't inclined to vote Republican.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 02:38:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 1)

The idea on the blogosphere that Obama, if he wins the nomination, wouldn't have to move right was flawed to begin with.  While progressive politics have shown much advances in the past few years, the reality is, as of now, it's the middle that's going to decide this election.

Here's the intriguing thing about this primary season for me.  Clinton is the one that leads amongst registered Democrats, and she's also the one that's shown the best ability to win the middle.  It's an odd dynamic to say the least, considering that she's trailing right now.


by toonsterwu on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 01:17:16 PM EST

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

He would have, but not so soon.  And not so profoundly.

Pretty much, health care is off the table now.  If he has to start promising to beef up the military for more wars, there's no money.


by Drummond on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 02:35:43 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (2.00 / 1)

"Health care is off the table?"

Tell me, since you're so ready to declare that Hillary's ad was the end of the world, do you think this ad was good for progressive politics?


"Another problem we have...is that in election years we behave somewhat as primitive peoples do at the time of the full moon." --Harry Truman
by Steve M on Wed Mar 05, 2008 at 03:06:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Progressive politics lost for 2008 yesterday (none / 0)

No I don't actually.  It hurt the health care cause.  Clinton just put the last nails in the coffin by reorienting the frame to what will inevitably be more military spending.


by Drummond on Thu Mar 06, 2008 at 01:00:56 AM EST
[ Parent ]


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