In everyday life, If you kick someone while they’re down you usually generate labels like ’sadist’. But in politics, if you kick someone while they’re down you usually generate votes.
To wit, let’s look at Hillary’s latest commercial now running in Pennsylvania.
We’re entering a unique time in our national debate. The talking heads and pithy columnists floated the idea early on that the rancor created by the Clinton/Obama fight might cost the Dems the White House. I sincerely doubt that, but I will concede that the point they are making puts a more clear focus on this question: What is going to happen to the Democrats in 2008?
At some level, the voting public expects a free exchange of jabs between opponents. But the damage now being inflicted on Obama (the presumed front-runner and, in my opinion, the presumed nominee) will make this General Election race closer than it should have to be for the Dems.
After 8 years of George W. Bush and the easy linking of John McCain to the president’s failed foreign and domestic policies, the Democratic nominee can expect 9 innings of baseball with healthy servings of verbal pitches he (or she) can hit. However, the character assassination going on now in Pennsylvania will only help the GOP in developing clear contrasts to the Democrats and therefore score points with independent voters – especially if Obama or Clinton are cast as John Kerry-like elitists.
I still doubt the nomination will go to Hillary, but Pennsylvania might. And if Clinton and Obama strike a President/Vice President deal to be on the same ticket as a result, it may be even harder to avoid the wedge that the GOP will drive between them and independents.
The Keystone State might be a loss for Obama, but think about what it does if these two high value targets agree to be one large bull’s eye for the Republicans. It’s time to re-think what will happen to the Democratic Party in 2008.
