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Hillary Clinton's Nuclear Option
American Thinker ^ | May 09, 2008 | Ned Barnett

Posted on 05/09/2008 12:25:39 AM PDT by neverdem

Most pundits are telling Senator Hillary Clinton that it's all over but the shouting.  The math is against her.  However, the math is also currently against Senator Obama -- neither candidate can earn the needed majority in the remaining primaries.  The decision will be made by the Democrats' superdelegates, who are not obligated to decide whom they support until the convention. And they are empowered to change their allegiance at any time, based on their "read" of what's best for the party.

This means that until the first ballot in Denver in August, Hillary still has a chance.

Conventional wisdom among those who pretend to know why Senator Clinton is hanging in there say she's waiting -- and hoping for -- an Obama scandal that will make Reverend Wright look like a footnote.  Because Senator Obama is so little known among the public, they've got their fingers crossed that some scandal that's worse than Reverend Wright will surface, and surface soon enough to persuade the superdelegates that Obama can't win.

The "sitting and waiting" strategy is out of character for the politically-savvy Clintons. It's possible they may be shell-shocked from the primary campaign's insane roller coaster ride.  However, once they have caught their breath, they may decide that the prize is worth exercising Hillary's "nuclear option" -- in effect, using surrogates to nuke Senator Obama so thoroughly that they will create that Obama Can't Win scandal out of what is already out there.

In this option, Clinton surrogates -- those public figures who are obviously in the tank for the Clintons, such as Lanny Davis and Paul Begala, as well as those who are not so obviously affiliated with the Clinton campaign -- will carry out the "nuke Obama" strategy on Senator Clinton's behalf, leaving her hands clean and her reputation unsullied.

What constitutes the Nuclear Option?

Senator Obama has gotten such a near-universal pass on his background that there remain potentially troubling elements to his career and life-story.  Bringing these forward now and painting them in the worst possible light could have a "death by a thousand cuts" impact on the largely untried Senator from Illinois, who has already shown that he's not at his best in responding to harsh and unexpected criticism.  Keeping Senator Obama dodging and ducking and bobbling defenses creates two opportunities:

Both options are long shots, to be sure, but there may be enough out there with which to criticize Senator Obama to make the nuclear option at least plausible.  Some might even say that the nuclear option campaign has already begun with Paul Begala's public pronouncement that the Party Can't Win by relying on white eggheads and African-Americans, a bombshell he dropped on CNN in a "debate" with Democratic strategist Donna Brazile.

What are the issues that could be included in the Nuclear Option?  Here is a sampling:

- Comb the archives of Trinity Church for a DVD that shows both Reverend Wright making yet one more of his offensively over-the-top statements ... and showing Senator Obama in the congregation, listening to his preacher. Senator Obama skirted responsibility for Wright, in part, by claiming that "I never heard him say that." Prove this defense wrong and it will not only tie Obama to Wright, but will paint him as a lying politician, and one not particularly adept at lying.

- Comb sources for home video of a speech that Senator Obama gave in conjunction with unrepentant Weatherman domestic terrorist Bill Ayres, and in this way, tie Senator Obama more tightly to this radical who's helped to kill Americans on American soil. Senator Obama has persuaded the media that he and Ayres are just neighbors, but video that would show them sharing a platform as allies could shake that excuse -- and Obama's credibility. With such a thin track record, the hope he is offering the Party and the American voters rests on a thin reed of credibility.

- Assuming that Tony Rezko is found guilty in his fraud trial, find some way to pressure prosecutors to offer Tony Rezko a sentencing deal in exchange for offering incriminating testimony that will tie Senator Obama far more closely to this shady political fund-raiser (currently in the midst of a bribery trial). The Rezko story has been largely overlooked by the media. Few voters understand the nature of the Rezko/Obama connection. But this Chicago politics as usual story of sordid minor-league corruption will further shake the Senator's image of electability.

- Push forward another story that has been largely ignored by the media: Senator Obama's radically permissive position favoring "birth control abortions," on-demand, for minors, and his related view that babies, including his own future grandchildren, are "punishments." As explained in American Thinker - one of the very few political media which even noted this statement  - in late March, Senator Obama said:

"Look, I got two daughters - nine years old and six years old. I am going to teach them first about values and morals, but if they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby." 
This is a position that would prove widely unpopular among moderate "values" Democrats and most independents in a general election with a pro-life candidate, this issue could be a political deal-breaker.
- Comb Senator Obama's voting record in the Senate and in the Illinois legislature and find every issue he's voted for (or against) that - if the vote were known - would make moderate Democrats and Independents uncomfortable with the Senator. Where possible, find video showing Senator Obama advocating these politically extreme or unpopular positions, making it hard for the Senator to deny that he was "in the pew" when those issues came up for consideration.


These five possibilites, along other issues that cast a bad light on Senator Obama, constitute Senator Clinton's "nuclear option."  These issues have been largely ignored, minimized or "put to bed" by the national mainstream political media, including media opinion leaders ranging from the New York Times to CNN, MSNBC and the broadcast news networks.  However, these same issues can be advanced by Clinton surrogates in a way that will force the media to take another look ... and force the super delegates to re-think their ultimate choice. 

That is Senator Clinton's last chance.  She has the opportunity, she has the strategy, and she and her advisors have the savvy to see how to raise these (and other) issues without leaving finger prints.  Independently, these individual issues are unlikely to be deal-killers,  but taken together, they might give Democratic Party superdelegates reason to reconsider Senator Obama, and favor Senator Clinton.

Senator Obama may declare victory on May 20th, but he may not have an easy three months until the Democratic National Convention in Denver.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: clinton; hillaryclinton; obama; yobama
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To: cajungirl
"Hill wants her campaign debts paid, 11 million bucks and counting. That is why she is in this."

No doubt, but she wants the PRESIDENCY. The perks. The power. And the MONEY.

Think of all the money she could rake in during and after the Presidency as the first woman President et al. Think of all the money she and Bill have raked in after his Presidency. Think of the power she could accumulate.

Compared to all that, 11 million bucks is chicken feed.

It all boggles the mind--and to Hillary it's all irresistable!

She wants it. She'll fight for it. And the Clintons know how to get what they want.

This is not to say that they are invincible. But it is to say that they are determined!

41 posted on 05/09/2008 6:40:42 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("History is not just cruel. It is witty." ~Charles Krauthammer)
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To: Fresh Wind
"And they are empowered to change their allegiance at any time, based on their "read" of what's best for the party."

"Bullcrap. They are "empowered" to sell their vote to the highest bidder."

Yes. NEVER attribute anything even remotely akin to high-minded principle or motivation to a Democrat politician.

42 posted on 05/09/2008 6:44:04 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("History is not just cruel. It is witty." ~Charles Krauthammer)
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To: fieldmarshaldj
"How badly does she want it right now ? That is the million dollar question. I think it will be too late for her in 2012."

She wants it VERY badly and right now.

Four years is a long time when she could be raking in the money and accumulating power. The sooner she can get started with the mega-bucks and mega-power, the better.

On the other hand, if it must be postponed, it must. Obama's ambitions must be torpedoed, and plenty of preparation can be done in four years.

It won't be too late in 2012. But she will have to make up for lost time, and that will intensify efforts in the meantime.

43 posted on 05/09/2008 6:54:17 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("History is not just cruel. It is witty." ~Charles Krauthammer)
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To: puroresu
You know how they can take a video and dub in words so skillfully that fakery is hard to detect?

Maybe the Clintons could fake a video of Obama saying he opposes abortion and same-sex marriage.

Or that he intends to abolish the capital gains tax, the death tax, and corporate taxes and send the U.S. economy booming and soaring! Lifting everyone out of poverty! Abolishing the need for big government! Increasing federal revenues and decreasing taxes at the same time!

Or maybe a video of Obama singing "God Bless America"!

You're right! If Clinton operatives read these posts, we could be giving them the ultimate nuclear option.

44 posted on 05/09/2008 7:09:11 AM PDT by Savage Beast ("History is not just cruel. It is witty." ~Charles Krauthammer)
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To: neverdem

Every time Hillary has attacked Obama from the right, she has scored - and moved up in the polls.

That assuredly means defense and national security - and that is indeed a viable nuclear option vis-a-vis Obama.

She cannot get to the left of him on social issues and Iraq. He has the left and far left locked up.

But she will probably not exercise the nuclear-option, prefering to subtly not support him in the election - and then go for 2012.


45 posted on 05/09/2008 7:10:19 AM PDT by mtntop3
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To: CharlesWayneCT
the Republicans have to start doing it at some point.

McCain won't permit it.

46 posted on 05/09/2008 7:13:31 AM PDT by arthurus
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To: neverdem
Pa. congressman, a superdelegate, backs Clinton

47 posted on 05/09/2008 7:15:00 AM PDT by evets (I have a crush on Hillary.)
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To: Jacquerie
And here at FR, there are many who equate The Beast with John McCain.

He's not the beast, he's just a useful idiot, just like Democrat voters.

48 posted on 05/09/2008 7:23:41 AM PDT by Just another Joe (Warning: FReeping can be addictive and helpful to your mental health)
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To: neverdem
until the first ballot in Denver in August, Hillary still has a chance

She ain't dead yet, folks...

49 posted on 05/09/2008 9:01:42 AM PDT by T. Buzzard Trueblood ("a wee bit silly." -Lord Trimble on Hillary Clinton's claim of foreign policy "experience".)
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To: neverdem

“And they are empowered to change their allegiance at any time, based on their “read” of what’s best for the party.”

Oh that would be fun to watch ...

“You People” are simply not smart enough yet to decide what’s best for you, so the owners of the party are going to send you back to your homes and TELL you how it’s going to be.


50 posted on 05/09/2008 1:50:56 PM PDT by RS ("I took the drugs because I liked them and I found excuses to take them, so I'm not weaseling.")
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Works with any 3 rats.

51 posted on 05/09/2008 5:00:12 PM PDT by Impy (Obama, you are stupid and I don't like you.)
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To: fieldmarshaldj

Murphy.


52 posted on 05/09/2008 6:26:34 PM PDT by Fresh Wind (Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.)
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To: neverdem
I'm sure Hillary has the dirt on Obama. Her minions started digging into his past as soon as he gave the speech at the convention, if not before. The Clintons leave nothing to chance. The bomb will drop at the time of her choosing, either immediately after a lopsided primary win or just before the convention with enough time to lobby the superdelegates but not enough time for Obama to recover.

Otherwise she wouldn't be staying in at this point. It doesn't make sense unless she's sure Obama is going to be torpedoed. Right now she's spending too much political capital to be going after a lost cause. If she didn't have something up her sleeve she'd concede to protect her rep and covertly undermine Obama in the general, positioning herself for the nomination in 2012.

53 posted on 05/09/2008 7:12:01 PM PDT by HundredDollars
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To: Savage Beast

What I’m saying, too, is that if it appears she fires the fatal torpedo at Obama’s fall candidacy, the party will never forgive her for that and a run in 2012 would be DOA.


54 posted on 05/09/2008 8:00:49 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: Steve Van Doorn
did she actually say that?

Heard it m'self!

55 posted on 05/09/2008 8:04:07 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (You're gonna cry 96 Tears on my Pillow!)
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To: Fresh Wind

Bleh, my condolences. We probably have the best shots at ousting Altmire and Carney first, with Murphy and Sestak less so, but who knows ? Might luck out. Might bounce Kanjorski out, too, which would be even better. Best of all would be those 5 getting booted and the scum EX-Marine Murtha.


56 posted on 05/09/2008 8:08:04 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (~"This is what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps !"~~)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
the math is also currently against Senator Obama -- neither candidate can earn the needed majority in the remaining primaries.  The decision will be made by the Democrats' superdelegates, who are not obligated to decide whom they support until the convention. And they are empowered to change their allegiance at any time, based on their "read" of what's best for the party. This means that until the first ballot in Denver in August, Hillary still has a chance... some scandal that's worse than Reverend Wright will surface, and surface soon enough to persuade the superdelegates that Obama can't win. The "sitting and waiting" strategy is out of character for the politically-savvy Clintons... using surrogates to nuke Senator Obama so thoroughly that they will create that Obama Can't Win scandal out of what is already out there.
thanks neverdem.
57 posted on 05/09/2008 10:20:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Profile updated Monday, April 28, 2008)
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