Hillary Clinton – DNC Lost Opportunity

ABC’s political blog is reporting on a comment made by Hillary Clinton regarding the inability of Barack Obama to win in the fall against McCain – and the fact that the race between her and the Illinois Senator is not yet over. What one can’t fail to notice is that the DNC, with Howard Dean at the helm, radio pundits, talk show hosts and analyst, and the media in general, have consistently called for an early end to this race – insisting that Obama has the nomination. They may get what they wish for – eventually – especially of note: those conservative personalities that dominate talk-radio. Barrack Obama has a clear following: college students, those who have never voted, and the upper middle class. He has won handily in states where a general election has never been decided. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, appeals to the old-model democrats, working-class, union voters who consistently show up at the polls. Additionally, she has won every single major battleground state in the primary field. The thinking that a disenfranchised group of democrats will automatically step in line behind the DNC nominee this year is a bit naive. With the media constantly calling any Republican candidate dead-in-the-water before an election (based on the losses of 3 congressional seats in special elections and the presidents approval rating), bolstering the Obama ticket, they are failing to see, in the big picture. The candidates, not the party, are who the public chooses to vote for, or, historically, vote against, or simply to not vote at all.

McCain faces the disenfranchised conservatives and those value voters who place their votes with a mind towards who will best lead the country in a fiscally responsible, moral manner. One thing about conservatives is that they have a tendency to forgive a less than conservative candidate – in favor of the important issue of judicial appointments. Failure by the media to note that George W. Bush was re-elected to a second term, after failing miserably to deliver on those issues held dear by value voters, is a mistake. Additionally, the fact that McCain is looked upon favorably by Independents and blue collar democrats who might not connect with Barrack Obama should be a factor. Hillary Clinton gets it. She has the support of those Blue Collar workers who stream to the polls, she also has the support of those older-baby-boomer women, who never miss an election, and she has also won every battleground state necessary to succeed in the general.

Although congressional and senate seats may be lost by Republicans due to their failure to try and reach across the aisle, while maintaining conservative credentials, John McCain, who is aptly described as independent minded, may appear to have an uphill battle in winning the Whitehouse, but appearances can be deceiving. Historically speaking, there have been races where the Democratic ticket should have handily beat the Republican ticket (McGovern, Dukakis - both abandonned at the polls), and vice-versa (Dole), based on media accounts at the time – however, the outcome, although shocking to some, was somewhat predictable. Prediction: After the DNC convention, should Obama win the nomination, the Vegas line, will move to the right along with the rest of the country. Hillary Clinton will then be in a position to lead the party towards 2012. Should the outcome of the DNC convention be different, then the odds will move within points and the race will be tight – with the possibility of a Clinton presidency.

McCain-Huckabee Speculation

Clinton Wins All-Important West Virginia

The Arkansas News Service is reporting on the U.S. New and World Report blog that floated a Mike Huckabee as Vice President piece earlier in the week – additional speculation from Novak, floating a “credible religious right type” informer who made the claim that Mike Huckabee would see Obama as a president that America “deserved” – a statement that was flatly denied by a very credible Mike Huckabee, finishes the article. U.S. News and World Report has a follow-up here: Responses from those on the “right” to the idea of a McCain-Huckabee ticket.

All pundits involved (with the exception of Novak, who should try a actual reporting for a change - “credible religious right type” (note: smears two entities in one stroke of the pen, Christian conservatives and Mike Huckabee – a two-fer!), are speculating based on the fact that McCain needs help in certain areas and Mike Huckabee fills that bill. They point to the south, as well as blue-collar working class individuals who, they note, Mike Huckabee identifies with. Here’s a thought, given the map of the GOP race to date, Mike Huckabee has done very well, including states that have voted since he announced an end to his candidacy. Protest votes send a clear message; unfortunately, pundits and the GOP and possibly John McCain may miss the message.

It is not true that Mike Huckabee appeals to only the “Evangelical, Southern, working class” that the media and pundits continually point to in an attempt to explain his appeal away vis a vis their elite mentality. One look at the HuckPac blog roll shows a stunning array of non-typical Huckabee supporters.

Conversation with mother-in-law, an 85 year old, sharp as a tack, Yankee, Catholic, non-nonsense, kind of lady – I don’t like that Obama, he has no experience, and change, what kind of change? I like Hillary, but it’s looking like she doesn’t have a chance, (she reads the actual newspaper, watches CNN, FOX and MSNBC), I don’t like McCain, he’s too old (seriously, this was said, but there is an explanation) – I don’t know if I’m going to vote. Except, it would depend a lot on who McCain chose as V.P., (here comes the age factor), I’m not crazy about Mitt Romney, given his record in Massachusetts, we had enough of him, but, I’d vote for McCain if he chose Mike Huckabee. – So, I had to ask, why Mike Huckabee? Because he’s honest, and he has a plan, I watched him a lot on CNN in the beginning and I know they told us that he couldn’t make it because he didn’t have enough money, but they liked him, and so did I. He’s a compassionate leader and he cares about the country and the people. (For the record, she has voted both sides of the Aisle, and considers herself to be Independent). McCain can now add Senior Citizens to the list of those who would vote for him, only if he had a younger running mate! Preferably one who was bolstered in the beginning of the primary cycle by CNN and MSNBC! (How ironic is this?)

From a geographic -demographic perspective, a McCain –Huckabee ticket makes sense in any wise, Mike did well in the south and the Midwest, and of course, West Virginia. He’s known, and although, not well liked by neo-conservative groups (that should be a bell-ringer as to why he’s electable); it’s a smart-choice on a GOP ticket.

That said all of the above is mere speculation. McCain has the choice to make, and there are many qualified candidates for the VP slot – short list, long list, top of the list, at this point, that list is subject to change. Although personally a Mike Huckabee supporter who would love to see him on the ticket, I prefer a “wait and see”, actual announcement to wild speculation.



On another note, a very positive note: Hillary Clinton took the state of West Virginia last night in what can only be seen as a stunning defeat for Barrack Obama and a huge boost to the Clinton Campaign. It was an across the board, across demographics victory that should send a clear message to those Super Delegates who have yet to commit that perhaps Obama is not the right choice at this particular moment in time. The Base, again, that all important Base, which, although as fragmented as the RNC base, has that big block of working-class voters who identify with Hillary Clinton, along with women, (it might be worth noting that this particular minority is actually a huge majority), who are critical to a win in November. Just as the RNC has relied heavily on values voters (or those who are also Christian conservatives, those who prefer less tax, those who prefer less government), in the past to push G.W. Bush in to the White House for two terms, neither party can, at this point, afford to ignore the candidates (or potential v.p.’s) that will bring these voters home.