I’ve Got You Babe (McCain & Hillary)
My My, This Is Fun (SNL)
7:30 p.m. Buck-eye time/ 6:30 p.m. Lone-Star Time
Election 08 has been billed as the most important presidential election of a generation, a lifetime, etc. In my lifetime, I don’t think its really any more crucial than was 1968 or 1980. Those were crucial times, crossroads, if you will. I submit it is debatable whether this year is more important or significant than others. HOWEVER, I WILL DEBATE ANYONE ANYWHERE WHO SAYS THERE HAS EVER BEEN A MORE FUN ELECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a grand, great, wild ride its been—AND WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Here are some updated thoughts and putting to rest some rumors that have been swirling about the ProConPundit.
On the Republican side...
The ProConPundit has been getting reports today from Republican friends in Ohio and Texas who are voting for Hillary Clinton. One said, "I took an air sickness bag with me," while another, a thoughtful Catholic, voted for Hillary Clinton while muttering, "Father, forgive me for I have sinned." We’ll see if there is any impact by anti-Clinton folks voting for her as the preferred person for McCain to run against in the fall.
Making Peace With the Right. I was in traffic for some time yesterday and one day last week and had a chance to listen to Rush Limbaugh, something I rarely have the opportunity to do. Rumors of his opposition to McCain are over dramatized. He is up front about his disagreements with McCain. He is totally committed to electing him over Clinton or Obama and beating Hillary, whatever the cost. Rush does not embrace the idea that Hillary should be nominated because she would be easier to beat in the fall. Rushbo and the ProConPundit agree that she needs to get beat–the sooner, the better.
I also came to a greater appreciation, if not agreement, with the position of the far right. Limbaugh well articulates that unity is not a goal, purity of the conservative movement and agenda is more important that compromise or unity. I appreciated the cogence of the message and respect those who feel that way. I don’t. I also think more Americans would prefer someone who can bring people together from the center (center-right, but center) than someone on the far-left or far-right.
Huckabee’s Last Stand. I think Huckabee wants to win more delegates than Romney. To date, Romney has 293 and Huckabee has 248. There are 137 Republican delegates at stake in Texas and Texas is a rare state, among Republican primaries, in that it allocates delegates proportionally. Huckabee could pick up enough delegates tonight to eclipse Romney. In Huckabee’s mind, among other places, being the second place runner up to McCain will give Huckabee a little more gravitas in terms of a convention speech, future presidential aspirations, more speeches in the Cayman Islands, etc. I believe Huckabee gets it that he will NEVER be asked to be McCain’s running mate. I embrace the buzz that Huckadoo will have a cable show in six months.
On the Democratic side...
People keep asking me if I think Obama can really be beaten by McCain in the fall. Another way of saying that is whether the ole maverick will thwart the movement, the momentum that is the Obama candidacy. Yes, I do. Our national economic problems and national security vulnerabilities all work to McCain’s advantage. I like Obama and I admire what he has accomplished as a candidate, especially his ability to beat the Clinton’s by fighting in a way they have never been able to get a handle on. His ten year career in the Illinois Senate was without distinction other than voting present 100 times. Remember, he wasn’t absent. He can’t argue that he was busy tending to his constituents. His opponents can’t argue that he wasn’t tending to his duties in Springfield. He was present. He was there. He was aware. He just wouldn’t take a stand–100 times. Even a flip-flopper has to flip once in a while.
The real dilemma and FUN in the fall should Obama face McCain is this: they both won their primaries winning states their party doesn’t normally carry in the general election. McCain won the Republican primary in a lot of states the Republicans won’t win in the fall: New Jersey, Illinois, New York, California. Obama won a lot of states that Democrats won’t win in the fall: South Carolina, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Nebraska.
Here’s an opportunity for McCain. John Kerry narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2004 (along with Minnesota and Wisconsin). If Hillary Clinton does not get out of the race and protracts the Democratic primary process another 7 weeks for a blood bath in Pennsylvania, that will surely embitter Obama fans vs. Hillary fans. Don’t forget, the term "Reagan Democrats" came into being in 1980 because of Democrats in places like Philadelphia, Pittsburgh (and Chicago, incidentally) who were disgusted with the Democratic Party. A Democratic primary blood bath in Pennsylvania will help McCain in the fall, as will the very popular former governor and Homeland Security Czar, Tom Ridge.
What about Hillary? She’s done. She was finished in and by Wisconsin. If she wins Ohio, she can make the case to stay in until Pennsylvania. If she wins Pennsylvania, in fact, if she wins Pennsylvania (and Texas, Vermont and Rhode Island tonight), she will still be behind Obama in delegates. Her only chance would be a contentious convention where she tries to do some fuzzy math with Florida and Michigan and tries to hustle the Super Delegates. It won’t happen. Howard Dean or some other hapless fool will play John the Baptist and get their head cut off delivering the bad news to her that its time to go.
That said, Dennis Miller, said today that Hillary Clinton needs to be treated like Glenn Close in the bathtub scene in Fatal Attraction. In that movie, the hero held Glenn Close’s head under water long enough to think she was dead and then breathed a short sigh of relief only to find Glenn Close come surging out of the water with a butcher knife in her hand. Miller’s take: make sure she is really down and dead and drown before we breath a sigh of relief. Mind you, I don’t want the Hillster to be murdered just not the president!
One of the most fun parts of this race has been that the Clinton’s have been doing what they have always done: fought hard, fought down and dirty and have never allowed the truth to get in the way of their agenda and have never hesitated to change the goal post when it has suited them. Here are the two differences this time around: the media bias is no longer with them, it has routinely called them out and is in the tank with Obama. The other huge and humorous shift is the legion of former Clinton supporters (i.e., Bill Daley, David Wilhelm, Robert Reich, etc.) that are with Obama this time. Reich was Clinton’s Labor Secretary, Daley was his Commerce Secretary, Wilhelm was his campaign manager. Its amazing to see this folks with their support against Clinton.
It would be a welcome and unfamiliar turn to the high ground if Hillary gets out of the race Wednesday morning, not withstanding Dennis Miller’s concern that she could still pull out a win, and endorse Obama. On the other hand, the longer it goes on, the more fun it is for me and the more likely McCain will beat the Democratic nominee in the Fall.
Now, for some rumors buzzing about the ProConPundit...
1. Was I really in Texas on business two weeks ago.
Yes, I was, on behalf of my day job.
2. Why have you not had a post since the Wisconsin primary?
I have been busy with my day job, but I must admit I have been involved in a couple of controversial, and possibly illegal activities.
3. Controversial? You?
Yes, after leaving Texas, I went on to meet with Ralph Nader. I convinced him to make the run again this year for president. Ralph helped me out in 2000 by running and the votes he garnered in Florida deprived Al Gore of the presidency. I was hoping he might go to the dance again this year and take a few lefties away from Obama.
4. Illegal? Really?
Well, yes, I went to Cuba and met with Fidel Castro without State Department approval. Obama has reached out to Castro to be his running mate and Fidel so interested in moving to the Naval Observatory in DC that he stepped down as Dictator of Cuba. He figured if Obama doesn’t have to pledge allegiance to the American flag, Castro would be safe. He was having second thoughts because he heard that Obama was a Muslim. I went to Cuba to assuage Castro’s concerns. I told him that I don’t believe Obama is a Muslim. I was a little surprised that the far left would be concerned about that. At the same time, Castro was disappointed when I told him that I also didn’t believe that Obama refuses to pledge allegiance to the flag. He’s a cooky guy.
