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Edited on Sun Mar-23-08 04:11 AM by Political Heretic
I would like to ask those here who value critical thinking and reasoned argumentation to bear with me. Due to the incredibly volatile nature of the boards lately, its necessary for me to spell out the logic-chain in extreme detail.
Premise Number One: until we have a nominee and stop this cycle of infighting between democrats we can expect general election poll numbers against the already established republican nominee to only get worse for both Obama and Clinton. Rationale:McCain right now is enjoying next to no media scrutiny, while the media is exhaustively covering every dirty, dark, nasty detail of this completely self-destructive and pointless (because Obama has already got the nomination locked up) "race" on the democratic side.
Every week it goes on, you're going to see negatives for both Clinton and Obama rise. Every week it goes on, you're going to see both Clinton and Obama drop against McCain. Sometimes one more. Sometimes the other one more. But both. Every week. Until this is over.
When this is over, the DNC and the nominee can begin to spend its money against McCain, pressure the media for attention to McCain, and start making the case effectively against McCain - and he has LOTS AND LOTS of material to draw from.
Which leads me to my next premise:
Premise Number Two: there is no rational scenario in which continuing the primary contest on the democratic side helps us put a democrat in the white house or helps the Democratic Party.
Rationale: Think with me carefully here. Set aside arguments about whether a candidate has the right to continue. Just focus on the simple fact that there's no way to spin what is happening right now as beneficial to the Democratic Party. None. At the very best, stretching rationality almost to the breaking point, you might be able barely try to defend a claim that it is simply neutral, and has no positive or negative effect. But polling would not seem to support that claim - for either candidate. One sided media attention on the negatives of a democratic house fight would seem not to support that claim.
If the democratic primary process continues on to Pennsylvania, still a month away, how does that help the Democratic Party or the eventual nominee? It doesn't. There's nothing about this process going on that is a benefit. Maybe its necessary, but that's a separate argument, so hold that thought. Just agree that even if it is necessary, its unfortunate, because there's nothing about it continuing on that is helping the Democratic Party, or either candidate, against the republican nominee who has already been chosen, is already raising general election money and organizing his general election team, already has the full support of the RNC, and is enjoying almost a complete Media pass because all media is fixated on the bare-knuckles Democratic chaos.
If it goes beyond that, it doesn't get better, it only gets worse. In fact every single day this goes on is a day of wasted time, wasted opportunity, lost resources, lost money, lost preparation, lost organizational time, lost message delivery, etc.
Try to think about this from the perspective of someone equally committed to either candidate (i.e. neutral) - this doesn't help the party. It only hurts it. I repeat, even if it is necessary, let's just all accept the fact that it doesn't help us. It isn't like anyone can say (with a straight face), "wow thank god we don't have this nomination locked up, because its really helping us in the general!"
Ok then, these premises lead me to my conclusion:
Conclusion based on the premises: one candidate needs to put the interests of the party first and drop out right now - today - and throw his or her support behind the nominee, allow that nominee to have the full resource of the DNC, begin work to heal the pains and bitterness that this record-long campaign process has caused among democrats, start organizing AS ONE PARTY against the republican nominee.
Take off your Obama hat. Put down your Clinton banner. Think as a DEMOCRAT. The best thing that could happen to the democratic party right now is for one candidate to see that this process does nothing to help Democrats and drop out right now. Forget about whether you think it should be Obama or Clinton for the moment. Just accept the fact that there is nothing positive for the Democratic PARTY about continuing this infighting, and the best thing for the PARTY would be for us to have an nominee TODAY.
Based on that conclusion, which candidate is the one who should most appropriately be expected to step aside for the good of the party?
Should it be the candidate who: - has the most pledged delegates - has the popular vote - has the most states one - has raised the most money
Or should it be the candidate who: - has failed to win the most delegates - has failed to win the popular vote - has failed to win the most states - has failed to raise the most money - lost twelve contests in a row - despite name recognition, "experience" and having one of the most popular presidents in modern history campaigning by her side has still failed in every one of these categories
As a democrat, who puts the best interests of the party ahead of personal ambition and individual ego, who should rightfully be pressured to / expected to step down today for the good of the party, so that we can stop erroding our changes of a general election victory and start focusing on the Republican nominee?
Who?
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