Posted Mon, Jun 09 2008

See You in November

Elizabeth Ross ~

It is one month to the day since I originally said that it was time for Clinton to concede. She's finally done it, but now the question is whether or not she can keep on campaigning. The media is buzzing about the probable shortcomings of Obama in women's eyes, and wrap-ups of the Clinton campaign. Personally, I'm thinking the real story lies somewhere in between.

I am no proponent of Obama choosing Clinton as a running mate, but that's rooted in my basic belief that voters can easily turn sour toward a candidate who chooses a vicious foe of the past for the VP position. It's a credibility issue - how can voters be expected to have great faith in a VP choice that was only weeks earlier being smeared at every turn by the candidate - and vice versa? But I suppose that could be a small detail for a voting populace that gave the nod to a former CIA director just months after declaring the CIA the least trustworthy department of the U.S. government (think George H. W. Bush on that one.)

As for Clinton today, the big question is whether or not she will deliver the goods. She has pledged to support Obama in November, and it is a fair assumption that he would want her on the campaign trail reinforcing that message. Working class white women could end up being a major problem for Obama, but maybe Clinton could help out a bit in that demographic. She has proven herself to be a "take nothing from anybody" sort of woman, and that is definitely a quality that these women admire. Obama's personal history would be useful as well, but that's only if he chooses to emphasize it in stump speeches to working class audiences.

There is a party line to be towed this November, and it can only be hoped that Clinton has enough class to do just that. Without her standing as loud and as proud for the party (and Obama) as she did for herself, there is a very good chance that there will be too many defectors to the McCain camp (or avoiding the polls altogether) to ensure a Dem victory. Let's hope that she really doesn't want to be compared with Nader.

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10
Jun
2008

groetzinger

We can only hope that people will vote with their head's and not their heart's.This is no time to let hurt feeling's get in the way!

#543 [ Reply to this comment | Flag ]

10
Jun
2008

Elizabeth Ross responds:

Too true. Honestly, I'm worried more about voter apathy than turn-coats. Seriously, I doubt that women who supported Clinton could justify supporting McCain - he's reared his ugly head with misogynist comments, not the least of which being the whole Clinton was a b**** thing.

#544 [ Flag ]

10
Jun
2008

leftylucy

I'm not sure Clinton as VP would be the best strategic move for Obama, since she doesn't play well with many, many voters across the spectrum. I'm sure we'll see a second backlash from the Clinton die-hards when Obama picks someone else.

In the end, though, I can't imagine a feminist voting for someone who represents the polar opposite of many of the issues she cares about - just because she's mad. And if she does, it will be an exercise in self-loathing and self-defeat for the feminist movement.

#545 [ Reply to this comment | Flag ]

10
Jun
2008

Elizabeth Ross responds:

Unfortunately, self-loathing is not foreign to many in the feminist movement if any of the tirades I've seen over the past month or so are any indication. Clinton would probably do more harm than good as VP, but as an Obama supporter, she could probably help. The real question is whether or not she'll go that far in her support of him.

#546 [ Flag ]

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