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23
Apr
08

How Does Obama Do It?

By baratunde
Categories: Election 2008 Tags: , , , , , , .

cross-posted to jack and jill politics and Daily Kos

There are superdelegates and supervoters. I am one of the latter, having sacrificed money, time, creativity and my health to volunteer for this campaign. The fact is Obama is still winning and is still the likely nominee, but I don’t feel so hot right now.

Much of that has to do with the fact that I’m very sick with a horrible cough, fever and sore throat. I must have come into contact with a Hillary supporter in PA and gotten cooties from her negative campaigning and vile Deathmarch to Denver. She is poison, and I fear I’ve been temporarily infected.

Some of it also has to do with frustration over her destructive tactics and the refusal or inability of the party and its voters to see it for what it is. Perhaps I lack patience, but it’s clear to me that Hillary Clinton is trying to destroy Barack Obama, and she does not care what the impact of that is. I’ve written before about how her attacks have certainly served the valuable goal of testing and toughening him up.

I think we crossed the threshold of the value of this strategy a few weeks ago, and I was worried that she would help destroy his appeal among independents and moderate Republicans by running a Republican campaign against him.

Now, I’m more worried that not only has she sabotaged him among those voters but is working to do so among the very Democrats who he and we will need in November. On Brian Lehrer this morning, I listened to an Obama supporter say she would reluctantly vote for Clinton in the general if she manages to snatch this nomination. She wouldn’t be happy, but she would do it.

Then I listened, dumbfounded, as a Hillary supporter said she would not vote at all or would vote McCain. Excuse me, but what on Earth did Obama do to these people? Are they so offended by his positive message and talk of hope and massive restraint in the face of withering GOP attacks from a member of his own party? Does the fact that he has not stooped to her level cause that much rage? Really? What would these people say if he actually did attack her?

Really, if this is how people react to calm, cool, collected Obama, I actually fear what an outburst from him would result in.

Today, I am angry, but it is not the inspirational anger of being “fired up!” and “ready to go!” No, this is the short-term, despondent anger of “do whatever you want” because this country probably doesn’t deserve Obama and clearly doesn’t know what to do with him.

Hillary Clinton ran fear-mongering ads with Osama bin Laden. No democrat has ever done that. She said we would “obliterate” Iran if they attacked Israel with a nuke. John McCain happily sings “Bomb, bomb Iran,” and I struggle to see the difference between them. What’s the point of electing a Democrat who talks and walks like a Republican?

Haven’t we already seen what happens when Democrats act like Republicans, especially over issues of “security?” We get an illegal war and warantless wiretapping. Why would Republicans vote for Hillary when McCain is the real deal?

I’m also bothered by Clinton’s message that “Obama can’t close the deal” with rural, white, gun-toting voters. That was proven true yesterday when she won 62 percent of households where a gun owner resides. So in the primary, at least in PA, these are her voters. Her message that Obama can’t win them, however, has a major silent assumption: that come November, she will do nothing to help win them to the democratic nominee!

She’s claiming these voters and plans to keep them, for what?

The point of all of this is that I’m tired of blogging about Hillary Clinton and her deathmarch campaign. I’m tired of pulling clips of her back-stabbin, Kamikaze tactics. I’m tired of Obama showing insane amounts of restraint (because he’s better than her) and being rewarded with more of the same bullshit, being told he can’t close the deal because he won’t show an ad implying he won’t let bin Laden walk into the country and kill little white babies silently in the night.

Hillary has to threaten Iran because she lacks the imagination and talent to envision another future. She has to stir up fears among gun-owners and religious people, because despite her priceless surname and early advantages, she’s been reduced to Politicking 101: scare the shit out of the voter.

So I’m taking a break from my intense blogging of this campaign. Everything that I could say has already been said. All the arguments are on the table. Hillary is willing to do anything, not just to win the nomination, but to destroy the nominee.

My continuing down this path only hurts me and my health right now, and I simply cannot watch any more cable news. That’s like turning to leeches and “bleeding” when society is in need of serious medical attention.

Besides, there are other things going on in the world that deserve my and our attention, so I’ll try to shift my focus to energy and food and other issues of interest to black folks and Americans that does not have to do with this silly, silly Democratic primary.

My final thought is this:

Having these feelings has also shown me just how strong both Barack and Michelle Obama are. They are full of more fight, more hope and more faith than I can muster right now, and I say more power to them. For those of you feeling down right now, take heart that our candidate has and continues to weather so much more.

Viewing 13 Comments

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    • v
    Exactly.
    • ^
    • v
    Someone with deep pockets now needs to make the Clintons a financial offer greater than that offered by the Republicans. If the money is right, they will back off, and the country can move on. They made $100 million last year. It needs to be substantial, it is their last big hit.
    • ^
    • v
    You have very clearly expressed what every person invested in the Obama campaign is feeling today. Please rest up, get better and take heart, just as you've advised us.
    • ^
    • v
    I think many of her supports are people who don't bother to look past whatever small means of identifying with her they first found... that's been my experience anyway, with people I know. Thinking, questioning and in particular, admitting that perhaps someone you expressed interest in at one time may NOT be a good person, let alone candidate... is where many Americans fall short. Involvement in the political process seems to become a passive activity for many Americans. It takes serious effort to research a candidate and then look objectively at them... and God-forbid, it may take people looking past themselves for a change. Voting for a candidate because they hold the most promise for our entire Nation, let alone the world, is too selfless to ask of most Americans, unfortunately... because again, we are talking about a population that won't pay attention to anything unless it is spoonfed to them or otherwise not an inconvenience... meaning sound bites and news clips (which breeds ignorance).

    The fact that Hillary's actions suggest a blatant disregard for her party, and her opposition (who does not play by her dirty game), is a blatantly clear indication that she has no qualms about putting her interests before those of others. That terrifies me. She has proven that she lacks ethics and will speak-to-please without any sign of genuine, personal agreement. To the contrary, I feel that my vote for Obama means I am voting for the issues and policies and perspectives he has, not the ones that may necessarily grant the most votes. I don't even agree with some of his publicly-stated positions, but at least I have faith that he means what he says and will not sacrifice integrity because he knows it will be overlooked and grab some votes.

    Anyway, it's just a sad time when someone so negative can attract so many people, many of which just don't seem to know any better or care to take the time to.
    • ^
    • v
    I get the distinct feeling that you have a mancrush on Obama. "this country probably doesn’t deserve Obama"? Vaguely reminds me of the youtube video of that kid sticking up for Brittney Spears. :P
    • ^
    • v
    I believe that knowing that she cannot get the nomination, she is going to damage him as much as possible so he will lose in November and she can run again in 4 years. Eight years will be too long for her to wait. And she also figures that all the trash will be forgotten by then.

    Reagan did the same thing in '76.

    It is the only explanation I can fathom as to what she is doing.
    • ^
    • v
    After the Pennsylvania primary, as I watched Hillary proclaim victory Tuesday night, I sensed a feeling best described as "anxious joy". Indeed, Clinton appeared relieved simply to hang-on for a few more contest or a few more weeks.

    The primary contest will soon end. Obama will eventually defeat Clinton with a victory in either Indiana or North Carolina, Hillary knows that. Pennsylvania whites are mainly conservative. However, the white men appear to harbor a stronger sexist bias in the mist of their apparent racial bias.
    The path to victory for Obama must be traveled in large measure by faith in the American people. Faith is only strengthen when challenged. Clearly, without a test there can be no testimony!

    Hillary provides the test for Obama's testimony. Indeed, because she refuses to quit, fights to win, will not give up, even if it means fighting dirty, she's putting all of our faith to the test. It's not about Hillary or what she does or does not do, rather its about knowing that Obama's progress comes only by struggle. I harbor an anxious joy because I know Obama's time has come. The only question is whether America can stand to be blessed.
    • ^
    • v
    B,

    Don't get down, man. You're fighting the good fight. Take a break, recharge, and eat some non-hippie food. You'll better and get back to kicking ass in no time.

    (Seriously. You + a hamburger = Hillary destroyer)
    • ^
    • v
    Take it easy, get better. Let's hope Obama can take the lessons of PA and use it to drive a stake through the heart of the Clinton campaign in Indiana.
    • ^
    • v
    You bring up some good points. Overall, thank you for keeping the faith and evangelizing about Obama. I've spoken to some people in NC, and I think he's going to win there and in Indiana.
    But get some rest, and maybe I'll see you soon in the Boston-area!
    • ^
    • v
    I really don't know how he does it. Maybe because he's many times better than most of us.

    I went back to Delaware County, PA, to get out the vote on election day. I met lots of Clinton supporters, but all of them said they liked Obama and would vote for him in November if he was the nominee. I tried to show restraint, and shouted down the demons in my head that wanted to ask: "Do you even understand the process? You really think that your loyalty to Clinton is worth beating up our almost-mathematically-clinched nominee?" Instead, I smiled and said "great to hear that, enjoy the rest of your evening."

    Turning off cable news is the best thing you can do. And please, please, please, please, do not read Paul Krugman's column in the New York Times today.
    • ^
    • v
    Excellent website and a good post.

    Just wanted to point out that a group made up of Democrats, including supporters of Dick Gephardt, ran an ad featuring OBL in Iowa in 2004 against Howard Dean. So this isn't the first time, but the difference this time, imo, is that there has been zero attempt to hide behond a front group. Instead it's clear as day who's running the ad. Not sure that's better or worse...

    Here's hoping Jim Clyburn has fired that shot heard round the world that will signal the end of this race, so we can get on with pummeling McCain.
    • ^
    • v
    AMen! Amen! Amen!


    This and more will be discussed on tomorrow's Elle Word.

    www.blogtalkradio.com/gabriellet

    or connect thru

    www.sheithirsty.blogspot.com

    Tune in! Call in! Weigh in!
 

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