In response to yet another wrong front-page diary by dear Mister "Often Wrong" DHinMI, where on a daily basis he displays his powers of being often wrong far and wide at the mournful expense of others, this time suggesting (wrongly, and often) that the extended Democratic primary means trouble for our chances in November, which is a wrong he often makes on the front page (at the mournful expense of others), I should like to point out three facts that show just how wrong he, yet again, has managed to be.
- With McCain as the nominee while the Democratic contest remains undecided, our side can focus on McCain exclusively while the Republicans must continue to split their resources between Clinton and Obama. In effect, by remaining in the race even though she has little hope of winning, Clinton is drawing some of Obama's fire. This advantage is multiplied because the media have the same problem: They don't know which Democrat to attack, so they can't effectively attack either. The minute Clinton concedes, Obama is going to get bombarded on all sides.
- Every state in the Union has had, or will have, the chance to matter in this contest. This is remarkable, and truly democratic. In many states whose primary votes haven't mattered in ages, Obama, and to a lesser extent Clinton, have done more for Democratic organization than the Democratic Party itself has done in a generation. Our candidates have excited people in every corner of America, with a strong tilt in favor of the Democratic Party. And that's on top of the fact that our base was already excited, thanks to a wealth of good presidential candidates, a bitter resentment of the war, and an overwhelming desire to reverse this nation's plunge to the right, even as the Republicans were depressed by Bush fatigue, big-government conservatism, and the dearth of even a single Republican presidential candidate who could rally all of the dominant GOP factions like Bush did. So now, with McCain the GOP nominee, only the Democratic votes will continue to matter in the remaining contests, thus giving an even greater edge to Democratic involvement, activism, and organization. Anything that gets more people on our side excited about the political process, and eager to participate in it themselves, is good for our chances not only in November, but in the years beyond. For the most part, this talk of a civil war between Democratic factions applies only to the petty partisans who think their candidate is godlike while the other comes straight from the burning lake. Everybody else, myself included, will happily vote for either candidate this November. (A sad disclaimer: With things as bad as they are on Daily Kos right now, to the point that Clinton affiliation is seen as trolling and even un-Democratic, I feel I have to point out that I'm organizing for Obama and will even be voting for him in the upcoming Washington State county caucuses. It shouldn't matter who I'm supporting, but, sadly, it does.)
- Obama has a strong campaign, a good message, and a pile of money. He is well-suited to transform his nomination campaign into a general election campaign. All that he really needs now is campaign experience, and Clinton is giving that to him in spades. Given that Obama has never had to run against the Republican machine, the Clinton machine continues to provide him with an invaluable learning experience. Her campaign, in its ruthless pursuit of success, offers just a taste of the monstrous and hateful attacks that the Republicans will hurl at Obama in the months to come. The longer this fight continues between him and Clinton, the better he and his organizers will get at the tactics of campaigning. Remember what the GOP did to Gore and Kerry. They'll do the same to Obama, and Obama may as well hold that garbage off for as long as possible, while continuing to build his skills to deal with it when it eventually comes.
There you have it, Often Wrong. What say you now? I say, let Clinton stay in as long as she wants. Not only is it her right to do so, but it helps, not hurts, our chances in November. Those who suggest otherwise are, frankly, letting their irrational hatred of Clinton obscuring their strategic judgment.