More Arrogance, Less Evil
January 9th, 2008I was going to start this post, “Who wants to be the one reading me and asking, Can you believe the arrogance?” but I never predicted Hillary Clinton would lose, did I? I said on the fifth that I wouldn’t be surprised if she bounced back to win NH, added that I doubted she’d thump Obama (meaning it would be close), and then later criticized the way her campaign had been run, which I stand by victory or no as it’s been a conservative campaign characterized by complacency and caution. Still, I feel the need to apologize to myself and others if it appears as if I’ve been predicting doom and gloom; I haven’t. I was not sure what would happen in New Hampshire and am in hindsight disappointed in myself for not being more open with my doubts about the Obama campaign. I have focused more time to the Clinton campaign’s flaws than the Obama campaigns (greater) flaws.
Here is what happened: each candidate has won a state they are supposed to win. Iowa, dominated by organization, was a natural for Barack Obama due to his proximity and subsequent superiority in young caucusers driving native Iowans to “work,” so to speak. New Hampshire was a natural for Hillary Clinton as it is near her “home”state and is far less prone to rewarding idealism and youth for its own sake than Iowa. I am disappointed in myself for not explaining more forcefully that Iowa was supposed to be Obama’s and the victory wasn’t a surprise but the New Year and winter do that to me, sometimes. Looking back, I take back my hope that Hillary Clinton continues to lose (as I said after Iowa) — it was never anything personal. I sincerely believe she’s the best Democrat, politically and in policy (will you laugh at me when I start to write, “policycally”?), but I don’t like dynasties. I shouldn’t hold to that during this primary, however, as none of the other candidates “do it” for me. Sorry to have come off as being steadfast-forever-always against Clinton on some deep fundamental level — I’m not.
I attended a Clinton campaign vote-return party last night at Junior’s on Maxwell just outside the West Loop, yesterday, and met/became re-acquainted with fine people. All night, I was cautiously optimistic for the Clinton campaign and still am, though I wonder if she can win Nevada now that the culinary union has endorsed Obama. I am unwilling, and have told others, to predict anything in this race and I still worry whether or not Clinton will turn to a scorched Earth strategy in the coming weeks. If she does, without genuine provocation (”I was losing” doesn’t cut it) I will rescind my tentative endorsement, but I look forward to the coming weeks of this campaign.