Damned If You Do...

Dick Morris proposes a theory that it has been the Clinton strategy to lose South Carolina in a big way to the Black Vote. The Clinton's believe it will cause the White Vote to show up in later states to make sure the nomination process isn't decided by one race. Or something like that.

I don't normally put a lot of credence in Dick Morris' comments, but this one caught my attention. And sadly, I think he's right. Its politically genius but sadly pathetic.

By losing, the Clintons win. And if Hillary won, the Clintons win. The only one who can't win is Obama, who it appears actually did win.

If Barack wins South Carolina then the Clintons and the media will perpetuate the idea that South Carolina is a black state. Its a blip on the national radar in that it doesn't symbolize all of America... but more importantly it is a message to White America... come out and vote or you will let Black Americans hijack the process and control who your nominee is. Its insidious and you'll never hear the Clintons themselves say it... but listen to their surrogates on the cable news circuit... pay attention to the subext. Its sad.

If Barack were to lose South Carolina then the wheels have come off the campaign. If he couldn't even win with a majority black vote in South Carolina then how could he win nationally? How can you create a coalition of people crossing races, parties, and religions, when you can't even convince your own to vote your way?

The Clintons have created a scenario where Hillary can't lose in South Carolina. No matter what the outcome, by making race such an issue, they believe Hillary will be propelled into Super Tuesday. And either way, from here on out, this is a battle between the races in the Democratic Party... or that's what the Clintons hope.

But it could back fire. I often believe Americans don't pay attention and are blind... but they are not stupid. Try to manipulate the process too much and eventually the fascade will crack and Americans will start to see through. Could that happen to the Clintons? Could democrats finally start to see the Clinton desire for power and their nasty politics the way Republicans have for years? Is it possible that red-faced Bill has gone too far? I certainly hope so.

I'm no fan of Barack Obama, but the old motto of Anyone But Clinton holds true. Its not the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy America has to worry about, its the insidious politics and self-interested desire for power of a man named Bill... and his wife too.

Why We're Broken?

In the final stanza from Peggy Noonan's latest piece she says Rush stating a Huckabee or McCain nomination will destroy the Republican Party is nonsense, since its already been destroyed. Read it here:

On the pundit civil wars, Rush Limbaugh declared on the radio this week, "I'm here to tell you, if either of these two guys [Mr. McCain or Mike Huckabee] get the nomination, it's going to destroy the Republican Party. It's going to change it forever, be the end of it!"

This is absurd. George W. Bush destroyed the Republican Party, by which I mean he sundered it, broke its constituent pieces apart and set them against each other. He did this on spending, the size of government, war, the ability to prosecute war, immigration and other issues.

Were there other causes? Yes, of course. But there was an immediate and essential cause.

And this needs saying, because if you don't know what broke the elephant you can't put it together again. The party cannot re-find itself if it can't trace back the moment at which it became lost. It cannot heal an illness whose origin is kept obscure.

I believe that some of the ferocity of the pundit wars is due to a certain amount of self-censorship. It's not in human nature to enjoy self-censorship. The truth will out, like steam from a kettle. It hurts to say something you supported didn't work. I would know. But I would say of these men (why, in the continuing age of Bill Clinton, does the emoting come from the men?) who are fighting one another as they resist naming the cause for the fight: Sack up, get serious, define. That's the way to help.

She's also got some interesting insight to the potential effects of Bill Clinton's campaign for his wife, and what's going on with the elephants as well. As with everything penned by Ms. Noonan, the whole thing deserves a read.

Having a Dream.

You think Hillary is kicking Bill for this tonight??