I came accross with Arianna Huffington's piece today entitled "A Historic Triumph Out Of Defeat."A Historic Triumph Out Of Defeat It reads well, even wonderful, civil in its tone, and inspirational for the readers.
Nevertheless, I couldn' help but wondering about its efficacy for Obama's continuing campaign. Arianna has painfully tried to paint Hillary's struggle has resulted in a new politics, particularly as far as women and their struggles for political rights in the country are concerned. In fairness, I can share with most of her arguments. Certainly, Hillary has brought about new phase in American political history in which women's candidacy for the top job in Government would no longer a mere political accessory.
Take a look, for example, one of Arriana's reading of Hillary:
But the greatest triumph of Clinton's campaign -- a complete triumph -- is the example she has set for the next generation. And not just for young women; her dedication, perseverance, and indefatigable drive make her a role model for young men as well.
Much has been made of the generational divide in the Clinton-Obama battle, with older women rallying to Clinton and younger women drawn to Obama. But the impact of her candidacy transcends this division. I've seen this very clearly in the reaction of my oldest daughter.
Certainly I'd love to say the same thing for my 17 year old daughter. Alas she's been rooting for Obama in Cambridge, MA, rather than following Hillary's path. Clearly my daughter and many kids her age could have been inspired by Clinton and her campaign, but there's something beyond Hillary's personal appeal that has made her go for Obama.
Chief among them is that Hillary has made the young generation feeling so alienated from politics, namely the lack of honesty and urgency for change that the new generation has expected from their leaders. The kind of politics of entitlement that unfolds in Hillary's campaign has contributed for the ever widening gap beteen her messages and the young people's perception of reality and, thus, their aspiration.
Arianna's probably right that Hillary has left a legacy for the next generation of women in politics that an invisible block has been lifted and will not be hindering anymore in their pursuits of power in the future. And yet, Hillary has also left a not so great legacy in the form of her Machiavellian ends justify the means kind of method. Her "perseverance, and indefatigable drive," in Arianna's reading of Hillary, could also be negatively understood as what's wrong in American politics today, in that personal vanity has reigned supreme in it disregarding ethical and, yes, rational consideration. What Hillary has demonstrated through her "indefatigable drive" is the kind of political desperation whose impact could be devastating for the higher agenda of replacing the esxisting status quo that has clearly failed to give American people what they deserve in the past eight years.
Hillary's tenacity to continue her campaign, despite such a clear fact that Obama is the winning camp, has affeted the Dems' unity in facing McCain will have a great price, indeed. Her claim of winning the popular vote is so pathetic it doesn't deserve any thoughtful comment. Unfortunately, the damage has been done. For there's no guarantee that even if Obama will be nominated in August the party would be able to consolidate itself fastly and mobilize support from its voters to defeat McCain. What is certain is that Obama and the Dems in general would need to heal the wound left by the long, procrastinated campaign and Hillary obtusseness.
Arianna's article may be intended to give a concilliatory and graceful exit for Hillary. To me, however, it sounds like an eulogy for her already dead campaign. I could only hope that my reading would be shared by Clinton and her advisers so they will wrap the campaign up as soon as possible and get ready for the next struggle.
God Bless Obama!!