Many Dems are too caught up in the heat of the moment to appreciate how destructive Hillary Clinton's presidential run has been, and so it's instructive to use a hypothetical to help define the issue. What would have happened if Bess Truman had decided to run for president eight years after her husband, Harry Truman, left office?
We all know what really happened in 1960; John F. Kennedy, the nation's most beloved president, squeaked out a victory over the forces of evil and went on to capture the hearts of a country desperate for a new direction. His aspirational message and captivating speeches inspired an entire generation, and he remains the standard bearer for the Democratic Party. Imagine if Bess Truman had positioned herself as the alternative to JFK and had used Harry Truman's political machine to push her message and push Kennedy off his.
Harry Truman knew how the game was played and had plenty of allies in the media. He could have easily lined-up Democratic leaders across the country who owed their positions and livelihoods to him. Even Democrats completely opposed to the idea of Bess' candidacy would have been reluctant to speak their minds for fear of offending the titular head of the party. You can imagine the pressure they would have been under if the Trumans were as vindicative as the Clintons.
Bess would have claimed that she was the one with the experience. She'd invoke the memories of "Give 'em Hell Harry" and all his successes and claim them for her own. She'd ask, "Weren't they pretty good times?" and play on the nostalgic links to the past. Unlike the inexperienced young senator from Massachusetts, the Trumans were ready on day one to lead the country.
Imagine Harry Truman roaming through small town America denigrating the elitist Kennedy. He would have drawn huge crowds to hear his plain speak addresses to the common man. It's doubtful that Harry would have brought Kennedy's religious background to the political trail, but if he did, it would have been a potent cocktail in the Appalachian states.
The Trumans would have been able to use the chits they'd accumulated over the years. Their old handlers and pols would have been reinvigorated to fight the good fight one last time. Pity the fool that stood in their way.
And Guess what? JFK was not a perfect candidate, there is no such thing. If Bess Truman had HRC's operation research team, she might have used it to tear down the young prince. It would have been unthinkable of course, but if Bess had no character, she could have justified it by claiming that if she didn't do it, the Republicans would.
Bess Truman would have been showered with attention by the media, annoited the odds on favorite by the pundits, consolidated a base with sympathetic women and older voters, and thrown the Democratic Party into chaos. JFK's magic would have been swallowed up by her ego.
Worst of all, Bess Truman would have lost. Even though the Democrats were desperate for victory after eight years of Republican rule, the country had moved on. Bess Truman would have just tarnished her husband's legacy, crippled the heir apparent, and thrown the election to Richard Nixon. Bess Truman would never have done such a thing.
Hillary Clinton's selfish ambition has shown how easy it is for a president's spouse to make a run for the highest office in the land. With $100 million paydays for the families of former presidents and a media that can't get enough celebrity and gossip, it will be increasingly easy to recycle the same old political families over and over again.
Democrats eager to see HRC return to the White House should keep this in mind; what's to stop Laura Bush from doing the same thing? If the current First Lady wants to be the next senator from Texas, do you really think George Bush would have trouble making that happen? In eight years, Laura Bush could claim to have all the experience, and with the Bush machinery behind her, who would deny her the Republican nomination? Do you really want Laura Bush back in the White House? It's a ridiculous thought, it would be a disaster on so many levels, but how is Hillary's campaign any different?
It's comfortable to resist change and hold on to the past, but those who do, risk more than they can know. The world is a better place because John F. Kennedy was allowed to rise and bloom without the interference of old political hacks who don't know when to step aside.
Like Kennedy, Barack Obama will be able to open up a world of possibilities for America that Hillary Clinton cannot even imagine. With her selfish campaign of destruction, Hillary Clinton has done a disservice to us all. She should immediately apologize to all Democrats, remove herself from the race, and throw her support behind Barack Obama. It is Obama who holds the key to the future.