Now that the three big preliminary speeches of the Democratic Convention in Denver are relegated to history, and right before tonight’s main event speech, perhaps it’s time, just for a moment, to take a step back and really listen to what was and what wasn’t said.
Let’s face it; after the current Katrina of an administration, the opposition party should be able to run just about anyone with a pulse and win hands-down. But, here we are, neck and neck with the Republican nominee; another idiot boy-king warmonger and wealth-worshipper. But, the longer this contest drags out, the closer to ”the center” our nominee’s policies move, and coincidentally(?) the better John McCain looks to the average voter.
Obama has taken drastic steps toward McCain’s policies in the recent past to the dismay of many of our core supporters. Obama himself has even written that one of these trespasses may be a “dealbreaker” for some of his supporters. But he did it just the same. He chose to support the retroactive immunity included in the new FISA Bill after saying in Dec. that he would filibuster anything that had any provision in it that provided that immunity to the telecoms. That promise was back when Obama was struggling in the primaries against truly populous candidates like Kucinich and Edwards. Tonight, on the AT&T stage, after supporting the immunity bill, Obama will accept the democratic nomination. And I can assure you that this kind of betrayal isn’t lost on the republican spin machine. And all the while, the “straight-talk express” keeps gaining in the polls.
But let’s put that aside of a moment, and take a look at the “Big Three” speeches that we heard these last few days. Let’s take a look at what the “dynamic-couple” and Joe Biden had to say about our new nominee for president.
Hillary Clinton has been the bane of our party for the past 4 months. Simple high school level math proved without any doubt that as early as May of 2008, she was incapable of winning the nomination. Yet, she pressed on none-the-less. Much to the dismay of many bloggers and ’progressive” sites through-out the blog-o-sphere. And they were angry with VERY good reason; because while she was doing this, she was also taking cheap shots at Obama, she was driving a permanent wedge down the center of the Party, and she was taking valuable time away from what could have been spent picking apart the republican nominee, who was already chosen and taking pot-shots at Obama while raising money for the campaign.
But what did I read yesterday after her speech? “Senator Clinton made me proud to be a Democrat.”. “I take back all (well most) of the nasty things I’ve said about her.”. And many many other glowing reviews of her speech on the floor of the convention.
But what did you expect? Did you expect her to cut her own political throat by getting up there and pouting? Did you expect her to call Obama some racist slur and defecate on stage?
Of course she got up there and graciously accepted her fate; what she should have done months ago, by your own admissions over the past 4 months. What she should have done was get up there and apologise for the distraction and the divisions she has caused in the primaries. There is even a group of dems out there who claim to have millions of members who will vote for McCain rather than Obama because they are still loyal… to Hillary.
Now, this is her legacy in the election of 2008: a story-line of division.
Every MSM outlet was sure to get coverage of this group on at least once a day. They even have a catchy little name that EVERYONE knows about now, just because of that. So, this is what Hillary has brought to the table for this election, and yet, thisis what we hear from dems across the blog-o-sphere:”This is the Hillary that I admired and liked before she went negative and nasty.”. While the severe damage she has caused (for her own purely selfish reasons) continues today, Hillary has redeemed herself in the eyes of the Party loyalists. Short memories.
But all of that aside, what did she talk about?
Did she talk about bringing our troops immediately; getting out of this illegal occupation of a foreign land? No. She mentioned, in one short line, the “responsible withdrawal plan” meaning we leave many troops there, on the ground to fight “the terrorists”.
Did she talk about holding this administration responsible for their crimes against the state? No. Not a word.
Did she talk about the permanent bases in Iraq? No.
Did she talk about real universal health-care? Single payer healthcare? No. She talked about making it “more affordable” and Obama’s plan to make coverage mandatory for all Americans.
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