A strange thing has happened this spring: Republicans have fallen in love with Hillary Clinton. Rush Limbaugh is exhorting his audience to vote for her in Democratic primaries. And The Weekly Standard this week pontificated on Clinton's appeal to the right.
Lately, however, a strange thing has happened: A tactical hope to see her campaign flourish--to keep the brawl going and knock dents in Obama--has changed to, at least in some cases, a grudging respect for the lady herself. Actually, they may not have changed quite so much as she has (who knows, perhaps merely changed in her image and tactics), but the Hillary of May 2008 is radically different from the Hillary of two months ago, much less the one of last year, or of eight years back. And this one (at least till the nomination is settled) has some traits the right wing can love.
What's going on? Listen to Ben and Joel's discussion.
Thoughts
Fine podcast. I pretty much
Submitted on May 6th, 2008 by John 2000Fine podcast. I pretty much agree with both of you in your views and insights on this topic.
I have thought since day 1 of 'operation chaos' that it was a stupid, unseemly, and dangerous game to be selling. But it was after all a natural thing to try and promote. There will never be an empirical true measure of the impact of the deviousness. These tricks historically have cut both ways. I pretty much turned my back on Rush several years ago.
The point made about politicians springing from the grounds where they can seize the opportunity that will feed them is a fine and accurate observation. A truly talented and good debater has to be capable of debating both sides equally well. But, in a given debate or political landscape they do have to make their stand.
I don't see how anyone, having watched Hillary over the course of the past few weeks cannot help to be strongly impressed by the sheer will and endurance of that woman, HRC. Hell, if her positions were different and I had any suspicion that she could be trusted, she would have my vote.
But, in the course of this having become drawn out, we have learned a lot about the underlying essence of both Democrats, and in view of long term results, it has been a good thing to be exposed to both candidates.
To have jumped on the Obama stuff so 'early' when Democrats seemed so content to be blind to it, when strategically August would have been the time to go with it ... It's not that this stuff was not already out there. It could turn out to being analogous to Germany invading Poland in '39 rather than waiting until '42. I hope not.
Time will tell, but what will it tell?