The chief worry is that Clinton may carry her recent winning streak into Pennsylvania, Indiana, North Carolina and other states, leaving her with unquestioned momentum but fewer pledged delegates than Obama. Party leaders then would face a wrenching choice: Steer the nomination to a fading Obama, even as signs suggested Clinton could be the stronger candidate in November; or go with the surging Clinton and risk infuriating Obama's supporters, especially blacks, the Democratic Party's most loyal base.
Some anxious Democrats want party elders to step in now to generate more "superdelegate" support for Obama, effectively choking off Clinton's hopes before she can bolster them further. But many say that is unlikely, and they pray the final 10 contests will make the ultimate choice fairly obvious, not excruciating.
The worry is primarily that a group of voters, blacks, will be wronged if leaders help Clinton continue her “surge.” But, what about the worry that another group of voters, women, will be wronged if leaders help Obama finish off Clinton?
The Democrats, in avoiding the selection of real candidate that can address the issues and energize Democratic voters based on stances on the issues, have gotten themselves in a Catch-22. What began as a ground-breaking election with a woman and a black fighting for the nomination has become exactly what the Democrats wish they were not faced with at this point. (*It's also why calling a truce between Hillary and Barack and then nominating Gore as the presidential nominee is looking better and better each day to many Democrats in the party.)
Recent news suggests that this battle between Hillary and Barack is creating a “racial divide.” The news suggests a push for Hillary may happen so that white, working class voters are not alienated. White, working class are seeming more and more important than African-American voters. After all, white, working class voters don't become disenfranchised voters at the polls on Election Day.
As Wright’s wounded image continues to fester despite Moyers’ attempt to vindicate him through an interview and as Obama does his best to walk on a tight-rope and not show Wright’s remarks makes him think less of him even though he does not like what was said, it sure seems like a “divide” is spreading. If Obama does become the nominee, will he have to pay for not taking a stronger position for or against Wright later in the fall? It’s looking more and more like what he will be “swiftboated” on and you’ve got to wonder if he knows how to handle it despite the fact that he has done a decent job with media attacks.
Making history was what the Democratic Party intended from Day One of this election, and it was the line of “reason” that was going to be used to defeat whatever white Republican they were faced with. The Party did not intend to nominate a Democrat that could repudiate seven years of Bush, withdraw troops completely from Iraq, institute a comprehensive program to deal with poverty and the economy, develop a real solution that challenges Americans to take on the issue of global warming unwaveringly, etc.
Unexpectedly, the Party's impetus to make history is backfiring and it should make Republicans feel good. Worse, it should make progressives who supported Edwards, Richardson, Dodd, Kucinich, or Gravel cringe.
Progressives should cringe at the fact that the so-called party of the people chose to sacrifice the opportunity to nominate a true candidate of the people for an opportunity to nominate a weaker candidate whose skin color or gender could be exploited to the party's advantage and then carefully and thoughtfully choose a course of action to take that does not involve marching lockstep with the party or politics as usual.
That said, we have too many problems to look at the two that are left and get angry. We must apply pressure to their campaigns to become more populist and less corporate. We must ask that they stop taking corporate money. Or, we must shift to supporting third party or independent candidates for president. When they see the shift, they will fear not gaining power in November, and they’ll change if they want the job.
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