The Day After!?


Today is the day to spin yesterday's results. For most of February Hillary Clinton spinned her losses as much ado about nothing, that those states didn't matter or that caucuses were unfair. Now, with three wins under belt, two of which are in substantial states, but one of which was razor thin, she's now claiming to be the rightful heir of the nomination. You don't have to win the most states, just the big ones. I hope Hillary remembers 2000. Al Gore won most of the big states, but not enough of the small ones and George Bush became President though he'd lost the popular vote.

At the end of the day, Barack Obama lost states we had hoped he could win, and had it not been for the mud thrown by the Clinton campaign and the preying on the fears of Americans, he likely would have won Texas and maybe even Ohio. The way forward is going to be difficult, for both candidates. The reality is, there is no way Hillary can pass him in pledged delegates. There are simply not enough left and the proportionality of the contests means that she'd have to win landslides, and even John McCain hasn't done that against Mike Huckabee. So, it would seem that Obama, who stands to do well in Wyoming, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, and Montana will wind up on top. Michigan and Florida are likely to do do-overs. They could alter things somewhat, but no one knows for sure. Pennsylvania should be the final stopping point. An Obama win would end things, as we'd hoped would happen last night. Much can happen in the intervening weeks.

From an admittedly pro-Obama position (a position I seem to share with most progressive clergy), I want to see him win. I also believe that a Democratic win is necessary to restore balance to our nation's environmental, military, economic, judicial policy, and many other elements of our government. Obama will have to tread the path carefully. He's going to have to respond to the negative ads and call into question Hillary's "experience" and push for more disclosure without looking as if its "politics as usual." He can't take her bait -- but that means she can be dirty and he can't, because if he becomes to aggressive she'll call foul and say he's just another "politician."

So, while I'd hoped for a quieter month ahead, that's not to be the case. So, I say, onward and upward!

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