And The Blame Goes To Hillary Clinton
Ken Hughes
April 26, 2008
Traditionally a presidential candidate who loses finds someone to blame, a campaign manager a vice presidential running mate. Unfair media coverage is always a scapegoat regardless how friendly they were. Losing candidates never seem to understand it wasnīt them, [everyone else] it was the candidate themselves who didnīt connect with the voters. By the time a campaign season has passed and the candidates have been told 24 / 7 how great they are, itīs hard for them to look in a mirror and see an honest person and even harder to see a looser.
There are a number of similarities between the 2000 and the 2008 elections when George Bush and Al Gore did battle. George Bush looked at the tea leaves and knew he had a chance. Hillary Clintonīs been reading the tea leaves for several weeks now. Like her or not Hillary Clinton is an experienced politician. If it hadnīt been for Hillaryīs presence Bill Clinton may not have survived his eighth year in the Oval office.
Like it or not the women behind presidents have often made the difference between successful and a mediocre presidents. In many cases First Ladies have been more popular than their president husbands. Hillary Clinton is the first woman to step into the presidential ring to seriously do battle, in what up till now whatīs been the sole privilege of men.
Surprisingly Hillary Clinton isnīt being judged on her gender, sheīs being judges on her likeability, her honesty and win-ability. These are all the same things male candidates are judged on. Hillaryīs transcended the male vs. female perception of capabilities. Sheīs faced the Lyons in the past and in most cases stared them down. Hillary has the testosterone for the job thereīs no question of that.
Neither Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama are my choice for president. I have no interest in who wins and who looses this primary fight. I have an interest in where America is going in the future.
If the next president is a Democrat I would prefer its one who has some creditability in congress, Barack Obama with all his grandiose plans for a new America doesnīt seem to be taking into consideration the other 535 man and women who have an equal say in how this country moves and what direction it moves in. I have yet to hear Obama say "With the Consent of Congress" in any of his speeches. Obama may have spent too much time in Chicago where follow the leader is a way politics works.
The deciding factor how and if America will change isnīt who will be the next president, rather who will control both or either house of congress after the coming general elections. Presidents have no constitutional powers to dictate legislative actions it all comes through horse trades. A presidentīs authority above the approval of congress is very limited. What little they do have is limited to administrative issues. Very few of the things these candidates are promising on the campaign trail will ever see the light of day.
Congress controls the nations check book. Congress is required to go before the public every two years, [senators every six years] and explain the decisions theyīve made and those they intend to make in the coming two years. Getting elected and reelected to congress isnīt the cake walk it once was. The voters are better informed than in the past, the internet via the blogesphere answer the questions politicians try to avoid. The internet answers the character challenges politicians try to hide. Congress is beginning to gat the message, it isnīt their government anymore to do with as they like.
For as disorganized as the Democratic primary seems to be it has a purpose. The two candidates who are asking for the voters support getting them to the Oval office are being required to explain the dark areas of their pasts they would prefer to avoid. When an advisor to one of the candidates says something is personal and shouldnīt become an issue in the campaign thatīs wrong. Everything becomes an issue in the campaign. There was nothing too personal that Clinton and Bush werenīt required to answer for, even sins neither man committed became issues.
Somewhere in the near future congress will get together and place some limits on what is and what isnīt fair game in political campaigns. Then the restrictions being put on free speech will go on to the Supreme Court for validation. The constitution wonīt play much of a part in the courts decision. Only the guidelines of fairness as they see them will matter. This is what American politics has come to and we just as well accept it for what it is,
"Is modern politics a serious violation of our constitutional rights."
There are a number of similarities between the 2000 and the 2008 elections when George Bush and Al Gore did battle. George Bush looked at the tea leaves and knew he had a chance. Hillary Clintonīs been reading the tea leaves for several weeks now. Like her or not Hillary Clinton is an experienced politician. If it hadnīt been for Hillaryīs presence Bill Clinton may not have survived his eighth year in the Oval office.
Like it or not the women behind presidents have often made the difference between successful and a mediocre presidents. In many cases First Ladies have been more popular than their president husbands. Hillary Clinton is the first woman to step into the presidential ring to seriously do battle, in what up till now whatīs been the sole privilege of men.
Surprisingly Hillary Clinton isnīt being judged on her gender, sheīs being judges on her likeability, her honesty and win-ability. These are all the same things male candidates are judged on. Hillaryīs transcended the male vs. female perception of capabilities. Sheīs faced the Lyons in the past and in most cases stared them down. Hillary has the testosterone for the job thereīs no question of that.
Neither Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama are my choice for president. I have no interest in who wins and who looses this primary fight. I have an interest in where America is going in the future.
If the next president is a Democrat I would prefer its one who has some creditability in congress, Barack Obama with all his grandiose plans for a new America doesnīt seem to be taking into consideration the other 535 man and women who have an equal say in how this country moves and what direction it moves in. I have yet to hear Obama say "With the Consent of Congress" in any of his speeches. Obama may have spent too much time in Chicago where follow the leader is a way politics works.
The deciding factor how and if America will change isnīt who will be the next president, rather who will control both or either house of congress after the coming general elections. Presidents have no constitutional powers to dictate legislative actions it all comes through horse trades. A presidentīs authority above the approval of congress is very limited. What little they do have is limited to administrative issues. Very few of the things these candidates are promising on the campaign trail will ever see the light of day.
Congress controls the nations check book. Congress is required to go before the public every two years, [senators every six years] and explain the decisions theyīve made and those they intend to make in the coming two years. Getting elected and reelected to congress isnīt the cake walk it once was. The voters are better informed than in the past, the internet via the blogesphere answer the questions politicians try to avoid. The internet answers the character challenges politicians try to hide. Congress is beginning to gat the message, it isnīt their government anymore to do with as they like.
For as disorganized as the Democratic primary seems to be it has a purpose. The two candidates who are asking for the voters support getting them to the Oval office are being required to explain the dark areas of their pasts they would prefer to avoid. When an advisor to one of the candidates says something is personal and shouldnīt become an issue in the campaign thatīs wrong. Everything becomes an issue in the campaign. There was nothing too personal that Clinton and Bush werenīt required to answer for, even sins neither man committed became issues.
Somewhere in the near future congress will get together and place some limits on what is and what isnīt fair game in political campaigns. Then the restrictions being put on free speech will go on to the Supreme Court for validation. The constitution wonīt play much of a part in the courts decision. Only the guidelines of fairness as they see them will matter. This is what American politics has come to and we just as well accept it for what it is,
"Is modern politics a serious violation of our constitutional rights."