It just gets harder and harder to take Bill Clinton seriously. The Trail quotes Clinton:
“If we were under the Republican system, which is more like the Electoral College, she’d have a 300-delegate lead here,” he said. “I mean, Senator McCain is already the nominee because they chose a system to produce that result, and we don’t have a nominee here, because the Democrats chose a system that prevents that result.”
This system which the Democrats chose just happens to be the one which allowed Bill Clinton to win the nomination in 1992. What Clinton is really singing here is, “If Only I Were a Republican.” He’s also singing, “If I Only Had a Brain.” Intelligence in running the campaign is what has really made the difference. Barack Obama figured out how to win based upon the rules in existence. If there were different rules, there’s no reason to think that Clinton would have won as Obama would have based his strategy upon whatever rules there were. The Clintons failed to plan for a candidate surviving after Super Tuesday and would have been in trouble regardless of the rules.
It is also amusing how the criteria changes. Early in the race, when Hillary Clinton had the lead due to superdelegates who committed to her early, the claim was that this was a race about delegates. When Obama took the lead in delegates the Clintons claimed it was about the popular vote. With Obama winning more delegates, more states, and more of the popular vote, Clinton now claims that the nomination should have been settled by an entirely different set of rules.
Exactly right. Now it’s the “electability” argument even though Obama fares better or no worse than Clinton in head-to-head matchups in polls. Or, the apples to oranges comparison of “winning big states” theory. Illinois is a big state. Hillary’s home state.
Bilious Billary’s the most Machievellian (sp?) campaign except for possibly Bush-Rove and Nixon-Haldeman.
Their big state theory is also flawed. There have been a number of polls showing that Obama does better than McCain in some of the big states which Clinton has won. If Clinton wins Pennsylvania as expected, this doesn’t help back up the big state argument because there have also been polls showing that Obama does better than Clinton in Pennsylvania in the general election.
Ron, this morning, news breaking that an Obama Aide attacked “libertarians” as Terrorists. David Frum of On The Corner at National Review has the full story.
This is going to really drive a wedge between the libertarian movement and liberal-libertarians, some of whom are supporting Obama.
Eric,
As usual, your attacks don’t hold up factually.
If anything, Frum’s rather bizarre attempt to attack Obama would help and not hurt him as it demonstrates the wide variety of opinions Obama considers, including libertarians.
Anyone who doubt that the Obama Aide called libertarians “Terrorists” should go to National Review today. David Frum has the story.
In fact, it was Richard Epstein, the Judge who the Aide was referring too. Said something really condescending, that Obama “regularly plays basketball with a libertarian… who has rather far-out views.” The word Terrorist was used.
Eric,
First of all, the quote is from a law professor who backs Obama, not an aide. Secondly, the words terrorist and far-out were not used if you look at the actual quote:
Frum misrepresented what Sunstein said, and even if he hadn’t this doesn’t mean Obama has insulted libertarians.
Ron, I did not say that Obama insulted libertarians, I said he called libertarians “terrorists.” Big difference there.
I don’t mind being insulted. But I do mind being called a “terrorist” just because I support limited government, property rights and tax cuts.
Eric,
Regardless, he didn’t say libertarians were terrorists. This is just Frum’s bizarre twist to try to make something out of nothing.