Posted on 02/22/2008 5:46:14 PM PST by DWPittelli
Hillary Clinton hasn't publicly conceded the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama, of course. But I have seen a significant new piece of evidence indicating that she has given up, that her actions show she is no longer acting primarily to win the election, but rather to position herself better if she loses. (Psychologically, her closing speech last night has been widely discussed as possibly hinting at the same thing.)
What's the news? She has sent out invitations to Massachusetts supporters that she will be in Boston this Sunday (Feb 24), holding a fundraiser dinner (a $5,000 per table “Conversation with Hillary” that is “In Support of Hillary Clinton for President”). Now she could hold a fundraiser just as easily in a state that still has a primary to come. But she is instead in Massachusetts because whatever differential in cash she can get by being in Boston instead of in Texas or Ohio (or Rhode Island, where she will be earlier in the day) more than outweighs the advantage she could get in votes by showing up in a still-relevant state.
The other interpretation of this news is that she's so broke that she must maximize income even at the cost of not being in relevant states with upcoming primaries. This is different, but almost as good news for Hillary's opponents to right and left – and almost as disheartening to her supporters. It is at least as telling on this score as the news that she has recently loaned her campaign $5 million of her "personal" money.
Most likely, both things are true: Hillary is now more interested in getting her $5 million back than she is in maximizing her chances of winning. She is no longer fighting for the nomination.
These are some good suggestions to mull over.
However, this still doesn’t solve the basic problem that either there are not enough conservatives (as that term is used by many here), or conservatives are not active enough, to emerge a candidate.
If conservatives could not unite in the face of the Witch and Obama, and in the face of the clear and present fact that if they didn’t emerge a more conservative candidate (yes, there were several that were running) a less conservative candidate would be nominated, I don’t see what in the world will ever unite conservatives again.
The “my way or the highway” mentality has become too pervasive and too pernicious. Much like the continual sprouting of new religious denominations, this only leads to fractionalization in a situation where only a union-like mentality / enterprise has practical efficacy.
Proof: lately I have frequently been asking people if all the reforms they’d like to see made to the primary system were made-—including even a national primary day-—and John McCain still won the nomination, would they vote for him in the general election?
Many say “no.”
This is proof that the complaint is not with the process, but simply with the result. That being the case, no process reforms can “fix” the fact that people feel they have a right to “feel good” and warm and fuzzy about their vote.
Until people stop thinking of their vote as a personal statement that they approve of everything about the person they voted for, rather than as a hiring action that has to be done regardless of how stinky the applicants are, we will end up in the place we’re at now every time.
“He is a fool if he picks Hillary as his VP.”
I can’t help but speculate how she would pull off the coup.
Clever maneuvering at the convention? Too iffy.
Her safest approach is to eliminate BHO prior to the convention or post convention if she has a solid lock on the VP slot.
My money is on a useful idiot that can be branded as a right-wing Christian extremist but an Obama hating Islamist would be her second choice. I suspect that whoever it is is already being groomed. She could do it for way less than the 5 million she kicked in.
I’ll be very surprised if HRC isn’t our final president
Ft. Marcy Park beckons....
McCain was not my first or even second candidate but I’ll pull the lever as people have died for my right to do so.
All this carping about standing on the sidelines is senseless. Sorry, you have two Saul Alinsky socialists disciples on the other side, but sitting by and letting them take control of our nation is completely unacceptable.
I don’t care about sending any message to the Republican party. I care about the nation.
Nothing else matters.
Yeah, Gingrich and co. did some stuff to stem the damage. But it wasn't worth it.
(Plus you know how Gingrich & Co. got into positions of leadership? Because people like me and my family had to vote for RINOs in order to constitute a majority and allow true conservatives to have more power. So I find it pretty galling when I hear these pronouncements that it's "unprincipled" to vote for "x." There is more at stake in our vote than getting one man into office!)
If I'd been too "principled" to vote for a RINO congresscritter, Gingrich & Co. never would have happened! We will never get 100% conservative congresscritters.
Here's a thread I bookmarked a while ago and pull out from time to time when it seems relevant.
I’m encouraged!
As people start taking responsibility for this, then progress can be made.
Your assessment is a good one, particularly the last thought.
And I have a feeling that your money is safe.
In my opinion, only a complete fool and idiot would count Hillary out, particurly in something she has schemed, planned, and plotted, and again in my opinion probably murdered to obtain, simply because her opponet got more votes than she did.
The Clinton crime cartel has not yet went to work on him.
Again - no logic from you - just wishful drivel.
Thank you as well for your civil manner. I respect your reasoning and your decision.
I simply disagree that the means you have chosen will do anything to effect your goals.
I have given much thought to the same arguments you make previously. And, yes, it is not easy. However, I felt like I had a near-death experience by considering voting for Perot, and I never want to make that mistake again. I don’t know how I would have stood the burden (in my view) of the ‘Toon years without knowing that at least I cast my vote AGAINST him.
So, I guess I’m asking you to keep your options open, too. It’s a long time ‘til Election Day. There may be things we all find out about the candidates that change the very ground on which we are standing.
I’ve posted elsewhere, but just want to mention this to you as well: As part of my grappling with this issue back in ‘92, I also went through an excruciating thought process re how to vote in my congressional elections.
Eventually, I held my nose big-time and voted for a total RINO. I did so because I wanted to do my part to help constitute a R majority in Congress, especially in the likely event that Bubba became the president.
You don’t know how I felt when later the impeachment came up and I realized I hadn’t even thought the half of it-—that by voting for that RINO, I HAD helped constitute a majority, and I HAD helped put people such as Gingrich and Henry Hyde (a terrific pro-life man) in positions of national and consequential leadership.
I vowed then and there that I would never again view my vote as only a vote “for” the person for whom I voted. Rather, I would view it as having comprehensive effects on our entire government.
Imagine if the reasoning people are using here to refuse to vote for McCain were applied across the board-—we would NEVER, EVER constitute a majority in Congress.
Again, I believe it is a moral imperative to do what one is able to do to STOP a greater evil. I voted for a RINO congresscritter so that Henry Hyde, not some pro-abortion hack, could become Chairman of the Judiciary Committee. I will do so again.
See my tagline.
If so, you might have a point, but if not, your argument, to the effect that it's a signal that she's giving up, is not very sound.
Nothing else matters.
Amen and thank you, brother!
Whatever. Thanks for keeping it civil, born-again Christian. LOL
Please forget about write-ins, at least for now. More important to get half a loaf - including a better job on national security - by voting for McCain as opposed to getting zilch by helping a ‘Rat return to the WH.
Aside from that, you should also consider the disastrous government repression of outspoken conservatives which would likely ensue with a Marxist radical in the WH. This could take many forms, some of which could be uglier than anything seen before in the history of the US.
Yeah Fred’s out, Romney’s out, McCain is in. Put the nation first!
McCain over the two Saul Alinsky marxist-lenninist disciples. Enough with the bellyaching. We’re all adults. Choose the “far” lesser of two evils.
Then build the coalition, again! Thanks for your comment, brother.
IMO, regardless of who wins the election, the border between Mexico and the United States will be wide open, there will be amnesty to all. The border between Texas and Mexico is huge. The Republican Governor wants it open and the senior Senator who is also a Republican wants it open. I don’t see that there is anything we can do about it, short of civil war!
I usually do. You are most welcome! Have a nice day.
His own success in this primary race is due largely to disgust with the Clintons. Most of the moderates who went with Hussein would very likely go with McCain just to get rid of the Clinton machine.
I’m thinking of a write-in. But if Hillary is the Veep, I’ll definitely vote against her and for McCain, as much as McCain disgusts me.
Thanks for the link! It is sure worth reading to realize just how much one’s vote counts!
To all those thinking about sitting out the November election or helping DEMS get in office, please consider reading at the link below.
Hold your nose or cut it off?
I was the same, I raged pretty good against McCain but I'll vote for him; he won't cut the military off at the knees.
Like Bush and Bush I, Reagan and Nixon I'll rage at some of the things he'll do, question his sanity and parentage but despite the things he'll do that I know will drive me nuts I think he'll be a warrior.
We're at war. Failure is not an option and electing a rat is guarenteed failure.
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