I can't shake my intuition that there is something unhealthy in the Clinton's interactions with Obama. We read of their joint fund-raising efforts, but that some of Clinton's donors are looking for something back for their money, or that they are also wanting to meet with McCain.
I'm a bit troubled over the photographs at these events, the few I have seen. Hillary seems to be working for Hillary and Barrack usually looks left out and unimportant to the fundraiser.
There is the additional matter of neither Clinton mentioning Obama's name in personal conversations, or in fund-raising letters. It is as if they are trying to diminish him while getting full credit for helping him to the maximum. Here is what I think may be happening, and it does not seem helpful to Obama. It does, however, seem helpful to McCain:
Here is my theory:
I think the Clintons are trying to get McCain elected so that Hillary can run again in four years. McCain would be to old, no doubt, and Hillary would be able to step up and run against him and Bill and she could move back to the White House.
This could explain why Obama is never mentioned by name. All they would have to do is to make him seem lesser somehow, and keep it up. He takes the high road, which he must to be what he believes in, and she takes the other.
I even think he made a mistake by taking on some of her top staffers. He has not been as Inspiring or compelling in his speeches since the advent of the joined groups. If what I read is correct, he tends to listen to the opinions of the whole section of his staff on certain issues. Has he bought into her take-down of his speeches as just "whoop-de-do words?" Frank Rich's column on Sunday complained that Obama is not giving his good, original speeches that make people want to follow him.
The last issue is her debt: she ran up that campaign debt after every serious pollster said she had no chance of winning. So why should Obama pay her debt that forced him to run a primary a lot longer than he would have had to. He gives her a lot of credit for making him a better candidate. In my opinion, I think he was a better candidate before she and he went into the final flurries where she tried to take him down long after she knew she lost. It hurts to think that the Republicans intend to use her campaign words as talking points in attack ads against him.
But I may be wrong. I do speak as someone who was formerly a strong Clinton supporter. Then there came the praise of the two for McCain who I think would be very bad news for the country. Now I think she is continuing her campaign against Obama by other means: attempting to make him lose so McCain wins and then later, so does she.
Be gentle with me. These are just speculations or ruminations that bother my mind as I watch this campaign unfold.