HRC = KKT?
Nothing sends a chill up the spine of Maryland Democrats like the initials KKT – Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. For those who don’t recall, she is the Democrat who lost the Governor's race to Republican Bob Ehrlich in 2002, inflicting four bleak years of Republican stewardship on this great state.
I recently heard a savvy Maryland politician compare Hillary to Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, and the more I think about it, the more it makes sense.
BULLDOZER METHOD, EVERYBODY OUT OF MY WAY!!!
KKT had a machine, so does Hillary, and woe to anyone who dares get in its path. KKT was Lieutenant Governor under Parris Glendenning and seemed like a natural successor when his two terms were up. But there was resistance: Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (more about him later) pondered a run. But, oh no, KKT’s supporters would hear nothing of it: Don’t Mess With Kathleen was the message. She and her supporters bullied her way to the nomination. There was some resistance: In the primary, a totally unknown and unfunded Democrat named Robert Raymond Fustero got 20% of the vote, a "protest vote" according to the WaPo.
In the end, though, most Maryland Democrats bought into the "inevitability" message, and put her up for election. Some Democrats are doing the same with HRC – oh, she must be the one, after all, Bill’s her husband and everybody knows her.
DEMS CAN'T LOSE IN THIS STATE/IN THIS YEAR
Underestimating Republican Chances in a Democratic Environment can be fatal. Maryland Dems assumed that KKT couldn't lose in our heavily Democratic state. HRC supporters assume that any Dem can win against a weakened Republican party in 2008. But KKT wasn’t a very compelling or attractive candidate. Ehrlich had more charisma, more appeal as a person, and he won. HRC may be attractive to some Democratic stalwarts, but we know she's poison to a lot of the electorate. A moderately appealing Republican can take her out. If HRC is the nominee, Republicans will find religion and flock to the polls to put her down, independents will break against her. Democrats will lose again because they couldn’t see the big picture.
THE KENNEDY/CLINTON BRAND WILL HELP HER
Maybe, maybe not. Plenty of Marylanders weren't swayed (or were perhaps repelled) by the Kennedy name. Some people are sick to death of the Clinton name. And there is some resistance to dynasties, whether Kennedy, Clinton, or Bush. The name recognition certainly fuels Clinton's leads in the polls, but it can backfire, too.
WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO ELECT THE FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR/PRESIDENT???
Well yes it would, if it were someone else.
My HRC=KKT comparison doesn’t hold all the way. KKT ran a crummy campaign and was a lousy speaker. HRC can run a well-organized, disciplined campaign and she presents herself well in public. KKT was running to succeed a Democratic Governor whose popularity was low (due in part to an extramarital affair). Plus she made a lousy pick for Lt. Gov (ex-Republican retired Admiral Charles R. Larson) - but then again, she was trying to look tough, an Iron Lady, and HRC does that in her own way, too.
An aside on Martin O’Malley, now Governor. He endorsed HRC; I hear he owed the Clintons: Bill made ads for him and appeared in the state for him. He has been an HRC surrogate in New Hampshire, getting name recognition for his future run for President. Sadly, this week we learn that his Lieutenant Governor, Anthony Brown, caved in and is finally endorsing HRC. I had hopes for Anthony Brown, that as an African-American, Harvard Law-educated, up and coming politician he would secretly be an Obama supporter and would stay neutral while his boss sucked up to HRC, but it was not to be.
Surprise: I'm an Obama supporter. In Barack Obama we have a once-in-a-generation chance to pick a superior, inspiring candidate. Let's not blow it.