My first diary yesterday the Clintoncrats posed a question - what should Obama supporters do if Hillary steals the nomination? How could she do it? If Obama leads in pledged delegates at the end of the race and Hillary does not concede persisting with her argument that she has the popular vote and the superdelegates (the supreme court of the DNC apparently) award her the nomination concluding that she is more electable than there should be a well thought out response prepared a head of time to avoid the chaos and confusion that would take place.
Bill and Hillary don't get a free pass for smearing the next generation and members of their own party the way they have. Come on, William Ayers swiftboat style attacks are bullshit and painfully hypocritical of the Clintons. Their whole argument about Obama being unelectable stinks of a sense that Obama needs to stay in his place. Remember the ludicrous attempt at smearing Obama with the photo from a trip to Kenya? That is why so many of us have a negative opinion of Bill and Hillary and what alienates many of us who finally believe we have a candidate who will lead this country with a measure of integrity.
I think an Obama party would actually be a party of values. Honestly. I have never heard a presidential candidate tackle the abortion debate with such sincerity and logic. So if Obama is the winner in pledged delegates and Hillary wrangles the nomination from his hands through some back door channels via long standing Clinton allegiances that's a major problem for Democrats and all Americans. Clearly it makes a difference. If we had fought harder in defense of Al Gore odds are we would not have four thousand soldiers sacrificed in Iraq and many more with serious physical and mental wounds.
If Hillary has learned to adopt Rovian style politics (a fudging shame) than she has no qualms about carrying out a Bush style election strategy. The purpose of yesterday's diary was to ask what should be done if Hillary performs a coup because I'll be damned if I'll associate myself with a party that supports such 'unAmerican' and undemocratic politics. And opps, yes many African American will leave the fold. The party of Lincoln still has draw for many black voters. Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Michael Steele doesn't exist in a vacuum.
Comments about the Clintoncrats:
The time is certainly ripe for a new party
But not this election cycle. If Clinton grabs the nomination, Obama would be wise to concede, work to get her in office, and wait until after the election. Then I definitely think the time would be right to start a new party. The Pragmatic Party. Or the Pragmatist Party. Something like that. Bloomberg, Gore, Obama. Some disaffected Republicans. Some Greens. Tenets of the new party:
*Civil liberties. This would include equal rights for gays, the right to an abortion, and the right not to be spied upon.
*Fiscal discipline. A slow and measured balancing of the budget, policies pushing for a more healthy middle class.
*Green economy/energy independence. A major tenet would be the use and allocation of natural resources. Push for localized grids, self-sufficiency and local efficiency.
*Foreign diplomacy and partnerships, less military intervention. Aggressive push to partner with other countries to rebuild and protect failing countries.
*Early education and increased math/science standards.
And so on...
And,
i think HRC has proven her unforgiveable
shortsightedness by using racebaiting as her pre-eminent campaign technique. i think you're calling the wrong person petty and shortsighted.
i don't think a lot of people are going to rec this diary, or agree with this person here (we'll see) but i can guarantee, a lot of us are thinking it and saying it to each other.
the flipside is actually not comparable; as obama hasn't threatened to steal the nomination from the base. HRC's threats has to do with the wholesale disenfranchisement of the base, and that action would deserve a response that doesn't include, "oh well - so what."
I like Obama's style of politics and its overt rejection of dogma as in Dems are always true blue and republicans are shameful grubby opportunists. He's not afraid to take the fight to the faux news audience and has expressed his willingness to work with leopards of all stripes. I'm interested in this election for Barack Obama more than I am here for the Democratic party. There are many Independents, Libertarians, Greens and undefined voters who've come on board because they feel the same. We're a little bitter, sick and tired of being told to pick between Coke, Pepsi and Doctor Pepper as if that's a real f'ing choice and believe that it is this candidate, Barack Obama, that is going to change the political landscape. We're not here to perpetuate the Bush-Clinton oligarchy or the McSame old sh*t. Obama would never abandon the Dems to build his own party but if there were ever a candidate with such a committed group of supporters to accomplish such a feat Obama would be the one. If you have an issue with me discussing this that's your right. However of the 98 people who answered the poll the majority, when considering how to respond to a Clinton coup, voted this way:
Should Obama supporters form our own party if Hillary steals the nomination?
No, vote for Hillary in the GE with our tail between our legs 20 votes - 20 %
Yes, contest the results and continue to back Obama for President 57 votes - 58 %
No, don't vote at all or vote for McSame 21 votes - 21 %
The point is not to freak anybody out, like OMG you're destroying the party with this petty talk. Shame on you. Stop it. No, the point is to discuss a response to the possibility that the Clintons are so hell bent on getting back in the White House that they are ready and waiting to knee-cap Barack Obama Tanya Harding style. If that happens I'm not ok with it and I want to figure out how to get that point across to the superdelegates and the rest of the party.