There was a time, long, long ago, when the two ‘toughest’ kids on the block or playground or in the neighbourhood would inevitably square off in a challenge for supremacy. Usually these combatants were relatively young and well-grounded in the community.
After a brief struggle of the participants, whether boxing or wrestling, or more usually a combination of the two, one would submit to the superiority of the other, and the codeword was ‘Uncle’. You could hear a shout of one, as the opponent was hopelessly pinned, demanding of the other, "Say Uncle!" You see, the utterance of that one word, ‘Uncle’, established the pecking order (at least for that day) on the playground or in the neighbourhood. It might well be challenged tomorrow, but for the time being, there was a ‘peace’ in the neighbourhood, on the baseball field, or wherever as one established his or her dominance. It might be reversed tomorrow, depending on the resolve of the combatants, but there it was for the day.
And that is exactly what this Democratic candidate contest has devolved to be... who can make who cry ‘Uncle’, no matter the cost.
Notice the word ‘devolved’, rather than ‘evolved’, for evolution would have demanded that the candidates focus on the issues, stating their positions and why each in particular could offer solutions to the American people, positions and solutions superior to that offered by an opponent. That has not happened; positions have been proffered, but there has largely been no honest and open debate on ideas, no basis for objectively debated comparison. The race has even devolved into the tacit acknowledgement that it is about ‘electability’ and money as much as anything else, and it has further slid to the basest contest of ideas and stereotypes... gender and race.
If you, or either of the Democratic primary candidates, or anyone with an ounce of concern for progressive ideas, or liberal ideas, or the Bill of Rights, or basic concepts of fairness, or concern for the future of the Republic, believe a Democrat executive would be better for the nation than a Republicon, please raise your hands! (For the first time, I include a poll.)
Assuming that you will vote for the Democratic candidate in the general election (thought that seems in grave doubt for some), how do you assess those things when they do not squarely face them and address them... not in vague terms but in terms of specific beliefs... a test for John McCain and Obama and Clinton? And if no specifics are ever given, ever debated openly and honestly, how are they, the candidates, to be held accountable by the electorate... a holy grail of non-accountability always sought by the Republicons?
What is presented to you instead? To be absolutely candid, we are pictured with two kids on the playing field, struggling for supremacy, grappling, wrestling, scrapping, each trying to make the other cry ‘Uncle’... McCain looking on smilingly! It is that, and little more than that, at this point in time. Meanwhile, the softball teams or backers of each are largely relegated to the sidelines, cheers for respective favorites, but little more.
Who is the winner and who is the loser? Well, either Obama or Clinton will be the temporary winner. The American people are the losers, because the game is suspended while they grapple in the dirt. The Republicons are the winner, because the scrappers and their supporters are doing the dirty work for them, giving plenty of dirt and openings for attack at a later time, opening wounds that are largely self-inflicted, ready for infection.
I had a presidential preference, but he is no longer in the race. I STILL have a presidential preference... a Democrat! I am not so concerned if it is a white-she, or a black-he. Either way, I know that it will be unique moment in the nation’s history, based on race or gender. WHAT I CANNOT ABIDE IS another white-he, specifically McCain, for I know that such a choice will simply be four more years of the last almost-eight disastrous ones, years of little hope for most Americans, years of increasing income inequality, years of both monetary and fiscal disaster, years of continuing economic decline, years of continued war with no end in sight, years of absolute foreign policy ineptitude, years of continued government estrangement from the people, years of step-after-step backwards.
The bottom line is, no matter the ‘winner’... IT IS PAST TIME FOR THIS PRIMARY TO END!!! The contest has become to some extent one of gender vs. race, as opposed to the longer view of Democrat vs. Republicon. Not only that, it is so divisive that elements backing each, Obama and Clinton, have declared that they will not vote for the other, should that person win... which means voting for McCain or not voting. Is this what we want? In the face of that, how can the Democratic Party possibly hold? Sure, there will be some who will relent, reconsider... but enough? Why GIVE aid to the Republicons, or even give them the election?
Obama has pride, rightfully so, and he has a bit of hubris, too. Clinton has pride, rightfully so, and perhaps a misplaced sense of entitlement... and a bit of hubris, too. But, they cannot BOTH be the candidate. What they CAN do is exactly what they are doing, continue to dissect the Democratic-leaning electorate into such polarized factions that it will, if not assure, go a long way toward facilitating a McCain victory in November.
This was set to be a year of, if not sweeping, at least substantial victories for the Democrats... the presidency, and probably significant gains in both the House and the Senate. Frankly, no matter what the primary candidates may say, or the DNC, or DLC, or any of the other D-alphabet organizations may say, thus far, it seems McCain is the only benefactor of the primary, and with that, the coattails of either Democratic primary candidate may not be so sweeping in the general. Not only, as this acrimonious contest draws out, are the chances of a Democratic presidency becoming less likely, but so are the changes of hoped-for Democratic gains in the Congress.
I cannot speak for you, and you may not agree with a word I have written. But, I can speak for me, "Hillary, Barak... it is time to end it. You are hurting yourselves and the party. You are hurting more candidates and people than you know. It is time to get it over with, not in six weeks, but NOW! It is time for one of you to cry ‘UNCLE’."
I know that as far as this primary goes, I have already cried ‘Uncle’. It is beyond the pale. And worse, it is counterproductive for the Democratic Party, both in the coming general election and in the long term.