Why Democrats Need A Brokered Convention

Politicos have scandalously short memories. In their rush to the left, both Hillary and Obama and their respective campaigns seem to be forgetting the lessons of Bill Clinton. President Clinton’s DLCification of the Democratic Party is largely responsible for the lock that Democrats now have on big states with large urban centers in presidential elections. Before 1992, states like California, Illinois, and New Jersey were actually competitive. Bill Clinton, by moderating the party on fiscal issues, made it safe for secular white collar professionals, who dominate the urban and suburban areas of what we now call blue states, to vote Democratic without worrying about the economic sky falling.

In attacking free trade, in showing little or no interest in balancing the budget, and in competing to see who can some up with the leftmost plan for tax hikes and universal health care, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are currently pissing away the Democratic gains made by the husband of the former over the past fifteen years. Democrats claim that such a message is necessary due to tough economic times and the strains of globalization. But again, 1992 refutes that claim. In 1992, Bill Clinton ran in a similar economic environment on a pro-trade, fiscally conservative platform that felt people’s pain but acknowledged that growth, not populism, was the way out of that pain. In so doing, Clinton bested both the hapless Bush 41, who seemed unable to feel anyone’s pain, and the apocalyptic prophet Ross Perot, who is the true precursor to the doom and gloom of Hillary and Barack. If either is nominated in Denver, the Democrats will have officially repudiated Clintonism for the first time since 1988.

Source: Race 4 2008

Commentary

It has been lovely to see Hillary Rodham Clinton (HRC) and Barack Hussein Obama (BHO) at each other's throats for the past few weeks.

This is, I believe, a side effect from the nutroots of the progressive blogosphere. Their influence is not rooted in reality...and HRC and BHO have been chasing the attentions of a scant portion of their party. The smart move would have been to the right of McCain.

I have Republican friends in Pennsylvania who look forward to voting for HRC just to prolong the battle in a "Rush the Vote" effort. Who knows, I may be able to do the same here in North Carolina. The last day to register to vote is April 11th. I may change my affiliation just to vote for her!

Just wow!