In Focus: Clinton Endorses McCain Again
Hillary Clinton's doing the bulk of John McCain's work for him, says Michael Weiss. As the Democrats devour each other, Republicans rejoice.
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Does anyone now doubt that Hillary Clinton is an artist of the clawing and desperate campaign tactic? One half expected her to issue a statement yesterday responding to the minor bombing at Times Square by asking if anyone knew of Michelle Obama’s whereabouts lately. And if she does finally release her tax returns, would this event be accompanied by her piloting an F-16 onto a U.S. aircraft carrier to prove her “readiness” for the Oval Office?
It seems that Clinton’s alarmist “red phone” ad did play well in Texas and Ohio. Her argument that Barack Obama’s a babe in the woods when it comes to national security was not helped by the fact that Obama’s own senior adviser Susan Rice declared both Democratic candidates “not ready to have that 3 a.m. phone call.” (Obama’s team, from Austan Goolbee to Samantha Power, is suffering from a nasty case of foot-in-mouth disease.)
Which only leaves this wondrous remark from Clinton herself, proving that if she loses the nomination, nothing she says in Obama’s favor thenceforth will seem the least bit persuasive or plausible:
“I think that since we now know Sen. (John) McCain will be the nominee for the Republican Party, national security will be front and center in this election. We all know that. And I think it’s imperative that each of us be able to demonstrate we can cross the commander-in-chief threshold,” the New York senator told reporters crowded into an infant’s bedroom-sized hotel conference room in Washington.
“I believe that I’ve done that. Certainly, Sen. McCain has done that and you’ll have to ask Sen. Obama with respect to his candidacy,” she said.
She went on to call McCain a friend and praise and his service to his country; at least she knows how to wage someone’s campaign effectively.
This is what the Democrats mean by a self-cannibalizing presidential race brokered on the somewhat paradoxical fact that, as the pundits say, the party “likes” both Barack and Hillary.
There were plenty of Clinton-loathing Republicans who rejoiced over her twin victories Tuesday, knowing that the other side’s prolonged agonies only give them more breathing space to run in a general election uncontested for months.
The Democrats are now ensnared in a sideshow of petty squabbles and fuzzy math over delegates. What can this mean to so many swing voters but that the GOP is both serious and “ready” to fight two wars and rescue the economy?
The Moderate Voice smacks its forehead at Hillary’s stupidity: “By conceding John McCain’s acumen as Commander in Chief, she has no ability to attack him on those grounds. It’s one thing to recognize his experience. It’s another to say he’s crossed the threshold into acceptance. Imagine, for a moment, if John McCain conceded the economy or health care to Hillary Clinton.”
Greg Sargent at TPM Election Central writes: “But pumping up McCain to this extent risks provoking a backlash from rank-and-file Dems. The question I have is whether Obama will be able to capitalize on this, perhaps by using it to further his efforts to tie Hillary to McCain and to present himself as the only real candidate capable of drawing a clear contrast with him.”
AMERICABlog isn’t happy either: “On the most important foreign policy decision of this decade, on the biggest foreign policy disaster in recent American history, Hillary Clinton and John McCain made the wrong call - both sided with George Bush and voted for the Iraq war. If this is the judgment they would bring to the threshold of the Oval Office, if these are the decisions Hillary and McCain are going to be making when the phone rings at 3AM, who needs either one of them.”
Michael Weiss is the New York Editor of Pajamas Media. His blog is Snarksmith.
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16 Comments
1. t.dubya:“On the most important foreign policy decision of this decade, on the biggest foreign policy disaster in recent American history, Hillary Clinton and John McCain made the wrong call - both sided with George Bush and voted for the Iraq war.” You are making a HUGE assumption here that is not based on fact. It was not the wrong call, and it was not a foreign policy disaster. Perhaps you think that by repeating that falsehood often enough it becomes true. Some scholars read sources, others read others. I cringe when I try to imagine where our nation would be if President Bush had not had the intestinal fortitude to directly address the terrorist threat.
Mar 7, 2008 - 10:53 am 2. AJ:she’s a crafty politician, who, for all her myriad faults, knows Hussein Obama is an empty suit who is a clear and present danger to America.
Mar 7, 2008 - 10:56 am 3. joe:AJ–Exactly–Obama is very dangerous to our security and other values. Did you see the laptop seizure-terrorist-Chavez article where Obama is currently in terrorist chatter.
Mar 7, 2008 - 11:22 am 4. Steve:Exactly, t.dubya - we took it to Iraq after Sadaam Hussein - oops, I mean Bin Laden - arranged for those Iraqis to commandeer those planes and attack America - oops, I mean Saudis - and took out all of those terrorist training camps in Iraq - oops, I mean Pakistan. Hey, wait a minute…..
Mar 7, 2008 - 11:42 am 5. AJ:Obama’s danger is so obvious that only his insouciant supporters are blind to it. Sadly, they’ll get us all killed before they wake up. Having a rock star as president is all that matters to them. If the voting age were 21 or 23, Obama would be out of the race already.
As for the quote from “America blog,” that’s a left wing blog. They don’t read the facts, so they don’t understand why the Iraq War was NOT a mistake. It is the essential conflict of our lives, but if you don’t read or think, you don’t understand. These are the same people who think, even with near $4 per gallon gas, that we went to war for oil, that there were no WMDs, the Katrina is proof GWB is racist and forget, most importantly, that there was NO treaty ending Gulf War 1—just a cease fire—so President Bush did not need a permission slip or votes to go into Iraq and depose of the fascist tyrant.
Mar 7, 2008 - 11:45 am 6. David Thomson:Hillary Clinton subconsciously wants John McCain to win. She suspects that he will be a one term president because of his age. In the meantime, Hillary plans to remain on the front pages by constantly attacking the McCain administration from day one. A “Barry” Obama victory would keep her out until 2016—and that would likely be too late for her. Nope, it’s better for her to subtly help McCain in the here and now.
I am convinced that the majority of American voters are settling on McCain for a four year term. The Democrats are self destructing and making total fools of themselves. It will take them minimally four years to regroup.
Mar 7, 2008 - 12:26 pm 7. jacksmith:Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama:
Dear Madam, and Sir,
A Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama ticket is what we want. And that is what we need to take back the Whitehouse. We want a smart, tough, idealistic, seasoned veteran of many battles fighting for the American people (Hillary Clinton). With a young, passionate, smart, open-minded, hard-working idealist fighting for the American people (Barrack Obama). The DREAM TEAM!
You are both fabulous candidates. And we, the American people are very fortunate to have each of you. Taking back the Whitehouse is critical for the American people, and the world at this time. And I think the American people have been saying loudly, and clearly that a Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama ticket is the best way to do this.
I think the American people have made it very clear that they feel Hillary Clinton is the one best able to lead the ticket against John McCain at this critical, and desperate time in America, and around the world. These dramatic comebacks are testament to Hillary Clinton’s skill, and experience as a fighter for the American people. They are also a testament to the strong desire of the American people to have both of you fighting for the American people at this time of midnight in America.
Typical of the Clinton’s is an uncanny ability to see and understand what the American people want. And then to try and get it for them. Even if they have to go through three political near death experiences to try and get it for the American people. This is classic Clinton’s. They are the best I have ever seen.
We are desperate out here. Millions of us are suffering greatly. And tens of thousands of us are dying needlessly every year. Men, women, children, and babies. We need help! As Hillary Clinton said “It’s not a game”. We need the two of you together on our side fighting for us, and for the American dream for all. Not fighting against each other anymore.
It’s time for you Senator Obama to join forces with Hillary Clinton as her running mate so that we can all focus our energies, and resources on taking back America for the American people.
Sincerely
Jacksmith…
Mar 7, 2008 - 2:38 pm 8. njcommuter:F16’s don’t land on carriers, nor do they take off from them. They can’t; they have neither a tailhook nor the nosegear catapult attachment, nor the structural reinforcement to be fitted with either.
But it is the sort of mistake Hill might make …
Mar 7, 2008 - 3:10 pm 9. Matthew:When Sen. Obama talks about his judgement not to go to war in Iraq, what does he base that on? Every major intel. orginization in the world agreed. Pres. Bush, former Pres. Clinton, Former VP Gore all saw it. So despite all the evidence going the other way does not show good JUDGEMENT. Obama just got lucky with Saddam Hussain (sp?) We all got lucky.
Mar 7, 2008 - 6:13 pm 10. JoeM:I agree with JackSmith, it would be a dream team, a NIGHTMARE dream. We would then have an unholy trinity of Bill, Hillary and Barack. Zounds, how could it get worse. Yeah, Yeah, let’s add Kennedy to the mix, with Biden on the side to cheer them on. Get a life JackSmith!!
Mar 7, 2008 - 7:07 pm 11. smita:Hilarious discussion between Hillary and obama. Must watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7150u9sfCo
Mar 7, 2008 - 7:09 pm 12. JJ:“artist of clawing..??” implying cat related..?? What kind of arrogance and hatred towards women of this country, and an insult to at least half of the real voters who supported Hillary and wish her to go on. You are the one who is desperate to get rid of her and try to deny there is a voice in the country who likes and supports the Clintons. For the record, I am independent.
Mar 7, 2008 - 11:28 pm 13. Mark:LIGHTEN UP, JJ….
Mar 8, 2008 - 4:35 am 14. Jason:Hillary is turning into a joke.
Tuesday changed nothing, and now it’s even harder for her to win the pledged delegates than before. If superdelegates choose her over Obama then they deserve to lose.
The Michigan and Florida fiasco will likely end her campaign. She is demanding that we change the rules near the end of the game since it would retroactively benefit her. She is demanding that her votes be counted and Obama gets nothing because his name wasn’t even on the ballot. This is the most disgusting form of election fraud, done in plain view, daring the voters to challenge her.
If the Democrats cave in to her on MI and FL, I will never vote for her. Never. No way in hell. I don’t want that in my White House.
I will vote for McCain and she will lose to him since she has already selfishly endorsed him in an attempt to damage Obama.
Mar 8, 2008 - 7:26 am 15. MoneyBlog:Hilarious discussion between Hillary and obama. Must watch.
[www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7150u9s...]
************NICE
Mar 10, 2008 - 12:24 pm 16. John the Dennis Miller Libertarian:boy, that’s some thin skin, JJ. You must be a blast at cocktail parties.
Mar 10, 2008 - 2:17 pm