Your vote for Hillary now is a vote for McCain later
Go, Hillary!
ThatÂ’s my battle cry.
Hillary Clinton needs to hit our Texas primary hard on March 4 — or kiss her campaign for the presidency goodbye. Barack Obama has taken the delegate lead, with some big states still ahead for forthcoming primaries.
At this point, the polling experts — who are starting to look like polling amateurs — expect Hillary to take Texas. If so, she will follow other women who have gained crucial political momentum in Texas, such as Ann Richards in recent times and Miriam “Ma” Ferguson in the 1920s.
And on the GOP side, the state has been charmed for years by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rep. Kay Granger. And of course, Dallas has had two women in the mayorÂ’s office during the last couple of decades, Annette Strauss and Laura Miller.
Texans love their women politicians.
The historic Battle of the Alamo may look tame by comparison after Clinton and Obama get done fighting it out in the Lone Star State. During the past week, Hillary took her fight to South Texas, probably looking for a sliver of hope like the men surrounded at that historic Texas fort. Where’s Jim Bowie when Clinton needs him? Another, more important need she has is to win this state and Ohio (also on March 4) — or Hillary might end up playing second fiddle again in a quest for the White House.
If she loses to Obama, and if he should condescend to choose her as a running mate, an Obama/Clinton team would be difficult to beat this fall.
If Hillary prevails to land the nomination, I do not believe Obama would settle for the vice presidentÂ’s job, although, according to Karl Rove, Obama is lazy. Historically, at least before Dick Cheney, the job required minor heavy lifting.
HillaryÂ’s lust for power, even if more perceived than real, would allow her to swallow her pride and accept the vice-presidential spot on the DemocratsÂ’ ticket.
My thinking may be far too complex here — and it may even be counterintuitive — but if Clinton wins Texas and the other key primaries, then I believe the candidate I like has a better chance of winning. That would be Sen. John McCain.
HereÂ’s why I am rooting for Hillary, even though I like Obama much better: If she wins, I do not believe the 46-year old Obama would want to be ClintonÂ’s vice president. So she would have to find someone else. Maybe she would choose John Edwards.
Clinton had a secret meeting with Edwards, presumably seeking his endorsement, after he had dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination. Maybe they made a deal. A Clinton making a secret deal behind closed doors is hardly breaking news.
Without Obama at her side, Clinton could not beat McCain. The fast-rising Obama has a better chance. ThatÂ’s why a vote for Hillary in the primary is actually a vote for McCain in the general election, at least in my book.
There will be a woman president in our lifetime. I just donÂ’t want it to be Hillary.
My impressions of Hillary began forming when Bill Clinton was first elected as president.
A major-network newsman of my acquaintance traveled with both Clintons on their campaign plane as they landed in Little Rock, Ark., on the day of the election as they came home to vote.
Because of polling, they knew before their plane landed that Bill Clinton had beaten the senior George Bush. My acquaintance was working on a post-election profile that had been planned if Clinton won. The reporter was able to see the couple as nervous seekers of the presidency, and then as victors — all on the same trip, on the same plane.
When the newsman landed, his first phone call was to a mutual friend who had served as a White House press secretary for a former first lady.
His words did not mention Bill, the newly-elected president. He wanted to describe the ordeal of traveling with Hillary. He wanted to sound a warning of what the nation was about to experience.
He said Hillary was a monster and described her in terms unprintable here.
The assessment presaged what we all began to see as she first attempted to take center-stage on her failed health care initiative and then proceeded to behave like an untamed shrew. She is cold and calculating — and just not presidential material.
SheÂ’s blind with ambition and generally just unlikable. ThatÂ’s why McCain will beat her, if given the chance.
I want your vote for Hillary. And I approve this message.
Contact Connor at rconnor@bizpress.net
