US Politics

August Nights & Obama Days

Clinton baggage hangs like a black albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party, disloyalty, lying, you name it. OK, I know there is no such thing as a rat albatross, but if there was, it would closely resemble a Billrat.

From the outset of the campaign the Clintons have behaved precisely to type. Hillary Clinton, as the Norma Desmond of politics, a weatherworn actress, a proven liar and a person obviously handicapped by multiple personality problems. I find it difficult to use such a description but anything else would be other than fact.

Video One — 3 mins

1950 The Sunset Boulevard  - Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond - 3 mins

Video Two — 2 mins 7 secs

An imagined Hillary Clinton as Norma Desmond

A re - enactment of the same scene from Sunset Boulevard. It suggests that Clinton’s self possessed behaviour and refusal to accept reality, is similar to that depicted by Gloria Swanson in the part of self possessed actress, Norma Desmond.

Giving Bill Clinton a speaking role has provided him with an ideal platform from which to damn Obama with faint praise. In effect to do a Mark Antony. Clinton with his gift for words (truth never gets in the way) could undermine Obama so surgically in the eyes of near recovering Hillary supporters and superdelegates as to suggest that having her name placed on the roll is evidence that the nomination process remains open.

He can remind the convention that Hillary’s delegates have not been released and that she has never conceded. In other words her candicacy has continued. He might also add that the term “presumptive nominee” is an assumption, not a fact, and is not conclusive. He can accurately remind the convention that there is nothing in the rules to prevent delegates from changing their minds. (All of this advice pouring out from the bully pulpit of a former President). If this happened Obama supporters would feel the Clinton dagger rent asunder their reassuring cloaks of hope and change. The world’s media would have a field day. It would be a modern political catastrophe of epic proportions.

The idea of such a direct attack by Bill Clinton is conjecture and purely hypothetical. Its not even subtle. However anything is possible. A more likely approach and when the real  danger could begin is following the Convention. For that reason it is vital that the Clintons, both of them, unequivocably and publicly support Obama all the way to November. They will need to be very convincing. If their support is seen to be less than enthusiastic then the Obama campaign could suffer badly, particularly now that he has reached out to them. In which case any Clinton ideas of returning to the White House could still be realised -albeit in 4 years time. Should Obama fail to defeat McCain in November then Hillary (people have short memories) may get another run in 2012.

Fortunately for the Obama campaign, the Clintons’ and their advisors have never got it right yet. Consider what America would be getting at the expense of someone like Barack Obama. Here is a woman supported by a so called smart husband who was so inept, she bankrupted her campaign to the tune of $20 million and still kept spending even when she knew she couldn’t win. ( typical Norma Desmond stuff) You have to wonder. Here is a woman who is so “smart” she couldn’t get her “story” about Bosnia and sniper fire right.

Clinton’s description of her arrival in war torn Bosnia Video - 1 min 15 secs.

According to her campaign manager Howard Wolfson (an unethical fool) she “misspoke”when speaking about arriving in Bosnia. Ain’t that cute. (In Wolfspeak cover up, that means she lied). She certainly did. (on at least three occasions on television). Thank heavens for ‘You Tube videos’. Gotcha. Any campaign manager, in this case Clinton’s campaign manager, who can look the media in the eye and concoct an excuse as ridiculous as that, obviously doesn’t have much respect for truth, the media or his candidate. Any candidate who would allow a campaign manager to claim that her downright lies are justified, clearly doesn’t respect the American people. That serious character flaw alone should make delegates think seriously about who they want in charge of their country.

With Michelle Obama scheduled to speak on the opening night, Hillary Clinton is due to deliver an Obama sanctioned prime-time address on the second night. Wednesday there is to be a delegate roll call, after which Bill Clinton is to speak in advance of an address by Barack Obama’s VP running mate. With Michelle Obama having a prime spot on the opening night, the 25th, and Barack down to deliver his nomination speech at Invesco field on the 28th, it has the look of a competition between the Clintons and the Obamas. A totally unnecessary distraction when the convention portents remain a little uncertain.  

Of course all of this could have been avoided had the Clintons not behaved like the Clintons. Well may you ask, how else could they behave? Good question. Fortunately most people handle winning and losing without resorting to corrupt behaviour to achieve their goals. Even Presidents don’t always get the result they seek. That as they say, is life  and politics. Why people compete when they are not prepared to face the possibility of loss beats me? It’s a fact that bad losers make weak and unpopular leaders. (think back to your own schooldays, I bet you can name them). How one wins and how a person copes with winning or losing is extremely important. It reveals much about them. First class leaders know how to respond in either situation. A lesson in life the Clintons obviously never learned.  

We must remember that being elected, does not a leader make, e.g. Clinton, Bush & McCain. Obama in the most extreme circumstances has already displayed leadership qualities of the highest standard. A leadership profile which sits comfortably with this  excerpt from Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem * IF
                                 
IF 
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!

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As the leader of the free world and facing many challenges, the United States of America needs and deserves an intelligent and decent man for the time. That man is Barack Obama. 

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