As the nomination race comes down to the wire, I keep hearing more and more rumblings about how the Democratic internecine warfare is likely to end up splitting the party and giving the election to McCain. Granted, there's still a lot of time and campaigning to go until November, but as both campaigns (though mostly Clinton's) keep slinging mud at each other, the Dems are facing going into the full blown election campaign with -- well -- a muddy candidate.

CNN at lunch was pointing to some opinion polls indicating not-insubstantial (probably election-swinging) minorities of Dems who say they'll vote for McCain if their favorite candidate doesn't get the nod. I think those numbers are exaggerated -- just as rhetoric about GOPers voting for Hillary if McCain got the nod was exaggerated -- but even if the votes don't shift, they may simply sit out, or at the least be tepid supporters ("guess I gotta hold my nose and vote for that Other Person"), neither of which will serve the Democratic nominee well.

Heck, I'll admit that even though I'll vote for Clinton before McCain in a heartbeat, I've seen too much of her not-very-nice side to do so with as few misgivings as I had at the caucuses back a few months. It will be more of a vote against (against GOP domination of the executive, against McCain's various flaws) than a vote for.

And, of course, those ill feelings and lack of enthusiasm will tend to spill over into Congressional races as well.

Ugh.

And, in many ways, the guilty party is primarily Clinton. The numbers make it highly unlilkely that she can catch Obama in delegates or popular vote count before the convention. The best she can hope for is for Obama to stumble, or to win an insiders fight over super-delegates at the Convention. Neither outcome helps the party, or the country, only her. (I'm discounting the conspiracy rumors that she's out to ruin Obama's chances against McCain, with an eye toward running herself again in 2012.)

Is she really that anxious to play spoiler, or to win a Pyrhhic battle but then lose the war? If so, that would seem an even greater indictment of her suitability to run the country.

Do the Clintons really want to risk becoming the Naders of 2008?
Shooting Herself in the Toe?
Democratic race over? Clinton doesn't think so
Is Al Gore the Answer? 

Filed under :: Elections 2008
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I was wondering myself what Hillary hoped to gain by staying in. And I was coming up short. McCain can essentially save all his dollars right now and just campaign for money as the Dems are doing all the work for him. Maybe this is what my friends meant when they stated, "How are the dems going to shoot themselves in the foot this election?"

It seems to be something they are particularly good at.

Or is that what the talking heads would like (better story or better outcome). If you say it often enough it gathers momentum and puts doubt in people’s minds. Remember all of the debate about the recession. If you talk about recession do you add to the likelihood a recession will occur?

To a certain degree, of course, you do. And you're right -- when it comes to politics -- and the memes and themes of the day -- discussion can influence reality.