Cynicism and prejudice won tonight.
I grieve for my country.
Yes, it is About Race
Over 20% of white voters in Ohio (MSNBC - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/... say that race was an important factor in voting and they went 3-to-1 for Clinton. That's the margin of difference. This has been a consistent result in exit polling for the last dozen contests (MSNBC, CNN, Pew). Pew Research found that 25% of Clinton supporters will vote for McCain over Obama (Meanwhile, only 10% of Obama voters will vote for McCain). Now what else could that possibly mean than it is not about policy or qualifications for these people, it is about race plain and simple.
So yes, it is about race, but it is also about who is willing to move into the future. Polls consistently also show that while 18-35 year olds vote for Obama by a 2-to-1 margin, people over age 60 vote for Clinton 2-to-1. It is about whether you can embrace change or are still stuck in the paradigms of a century gone.
Winning by Rove/Bush Politics
Lies, innuendo, playground name-calling, Willie Horton style attack ads (though more morbid and sinister at 3am). Clinton has campaigned using Karl Rove's playbook (though even Rove recently said Clinton had gone "too far"). No, America, we aren't smart enough to not be fooled. When Dubya won twice, we consoled ourselves by saying it was because of ignorant right-wingers - they'd fall for Rove's tactics. Well, apparently Democrats will be fooled by Rove's tactics too. Because, the Clinton's used them, the media (as always) reported the spin rather than the facts, and once again the politics of slander and innuendo won. This is what the Democratic Party is now?
The Cruelest Cut
But what grieves me the most though is that if Clinton wins the nomination it will set back the Democratic Party and the United States for decades. Rash statement? Well, consider this: we have seen millions of new voter registrations, millions of new voters, voting Democratic. Millions of people who had never voted before or hadn't voted for years started to believe in the political process again. New turnout records being set in nearly every single primary and caucus, many states doubling and even tripling normal. Where turnout was highest, Obama won and often won by landslides.
If Clinton does "win" the nomination using Rove/Bush tactics what do you think all of those millions will do? If Change is defeated and suppressed by trickery, dishonesty, and Old Politics, why should any of those millions stay engaged in politics. Some will, to be sure, but not many. I suspect that for most of those people who got excited about politics, started to believe that people could make a difference, if Clinton's Rove/Bush tactics prove triumphant, they will turn off and tune out. I doubt they will return any time soon. And why should they? If Clinton is going to campaign as just another Bush, then why should they be motivated to turn out if the choice is Hillary Bush versus John McBush? President McBush Here We Come.
Denoument
I grieve for my country. There is still too much racism for honesty to win. Too many would rather go backwards than forwards. Too many people still believe it is better to vote for a liar and a cheat than a half-black man. This country is still not ready to move into the 21st Century. Hope may have to wait.
UPDATE
Many of you have kindly pointed out that the race is not over and Obama (not to mention democracy and truth) can still win. I acknowledge that. But that is not really the point. The point is that tonight, this night, we saw something deeply unsettling. That will linger. It also serves as a warning. McBush & Co. is out there, he is paying attention, and he is learning.
UPDATE 2
I find the responses by Clinton supporters/Obama haters revealing. The response is always a personal attack on me - no big deal and hardly a surprise. What is truly interesting is they attack me on the race issue, which is only one of the points I bring up in the diary. The other issue they do not respond to at all: the Rove/Bush tactics. Are they conceding the point and trying to change the subject with a strawman argument on race?
It is the tactics and strategy Clinton has used that is the most deeply disturbing here. yes, she has played the race card repeatedly, but that is not the sole issue, it is the fact that she has run a cynical campaign that IS the Karl Rove playbook and Democrats fell for it. THAT, my friends, is the issue.