Partisan Fratricide
By Geoff Metcalf (06/02/08)
Sedition: Organized opposition intended to change or overthrow existing authority. See Resist.
Cancel the Kumbaya sing along and hand holding in Denver. Harold Ickes has sounded the alarm. Presidential wannabe Hillary Clinton ‘may’ appeal the recent decision by the Democratic National Committee to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida. THAT dog ain’t gonna hunt…at least not without getting shot at…
Party unity and ‘greater good’ will be overshadowed by treason, sedition, and disloyalty. Words like treachery, subversion, betrayal and duplicity (along with several unprintables) will dominate the democrat primary endgame. Throw in sanctimonious, self righteous, holier-than-thou, smug and pious and we have the makings of a perfect storm for the Cheshire Cat GOP.
Both Michigan and Florida had been stripped of their convention delegates for having violated party rules. However, apparently for democrats, rules where meant to be broken, reinterpreted, revised and amended. However, after the D.C. sit down, about all the dueling parties could agree on…was to disagree.
“There’s been a lot of talk about party unity, let’s all come together and put our arms around each other,” Clinton advisor Harold Ickes said. “I submit to you, ladies and gentlemen, hijacking four delegates is not a good way to start down the path of party unity.”
Both Obama and Clinton will get Florida delegates. Clinton backs that decision, but her camp is torqued the D.N.C. is giving four Michigan delegates to Obama. They wanted him to have none -- because his name was not on the Michigan ballot.
"This decision violates the bedrock principles of our democracy and our party," the Clinton campaign said.
Meanwhile, Obama will eventually win the nomination. Hillary may or may not appeal the delegate decision in Denver but eventually (begrudgingly) she will create the fiction of party unity (wink-wink-nudge-nudge)…
However, regardless of whatever thinly veiled fiction Hillary may manufacture, her surrogates and rabid supporters will not help Obama. The consolation prize of a cabinet post ain’t gonna cut it. Rather, it is entirely within the realm of probability they will work with and for McCain (very sub rosa) to undermine any and all Obama traction while maintaining plausible deniability.
There is an excellent Breitbart link explaining how Obama used the party rules to put the kibosh to the woman who would be King. http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D91018RO0&show_article=1
Saturday's party meeting did strengthen one of Clinton's key arguments for keeping on in the fight. Party leaders tacitly acknowledged her popular vote dominance with the seating of Michigan and Florida.
Obama's campaign mastered some of the most arcane and strategic rules in politics, and then used them to full advantage.
"Without a doubt, their understanding of the nominating process was one of the keys to their success," said Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist. "They understood the nuances of it and approached it at a strategic level that the Clinton campaign did not."
Obama exploited a nominating system that emerged from the 1970s and '80s, when the party struggled to find a balance between party insiders and its rank-and-file voters.
Prior to the 1970s, the nominating process was controlled by the elite party leaders. The disaster of the 1968 convention in Chicago, where police fought anti-war protesters in the streets, sparked calls for a more inclusive process. Then Superdelegates were created and first seated at the 1984 convention.
"The Obama campaign was very good at targeting districts in areas where they could do well," said former DNC Chairman Don Fowler, a Clinton superdelegate from South Carolina. "They were very conscious and aware of these nuances."
However, Fowler added, the best strategy in the world would have failed without the right candidate.
"If that same strategy and that same effort had been used with a different candidate, a less charismatic candidate, a less attractive candidate, it wouldn't have worked," Fowler said. "The reason they look so good is because Obama was so good."
Meanwhile, notwithstanding protestations to the contrary, Senate Leader Harry Reid said he had talked with both Pelosi and Dean. "We agree there won't be a fight at the convention. ... We're going to urge folks to make a decision quickly — next week."
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says, “And one way or another ... we have to come together." She also threatened to "step in" if necessary to prevent a fight at the convention in late August.
"The American people have to know the Democratic Party can run its own delegate selection process ... if they want to govern America," Pelosi said.
Then again, Bill and Hill may have something to add to the mix…
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