Thinking Out Loud

Four random observations to counter the gloom that many of us are now feeling.

1) Even though we are witnessing a historically bitter and nasty and divisive fight for the Democratic nomination, both Clinton and Obama are currently competitive with McCain nationally. That has got to worry the GOP.

2) One explanation for the Clintons' suicidal behavior (apart from the fact that we have two sociopaths on our hands) is that they believe that the real struggle for the White House is now. They believe that the GOP is doomed this fall and so the prize really is worth risking the implosion of the Democratic party, and alienating an entire generation and most African-Americans for the foreseeable future.

3) I wonder if many in the Rove wing of the GOP (those who supported Romney and Giuliani earlier in this cycle and who want a kind of authoritarian, Christianist conservative politics that McCain actually resists) wouldn't actually prefer a Clinton presidency to a McCain White House. I mean: consider the two likeliest major legislative initiatives of McCain's first year: immigration reform on the Bush model and climate change legislation. Both will drive the Limbaugh-Hewitt base nuts. But a Clinton presidency allows the GOP to regroup around Clinton hatred (they'll get over their temporary love-affair once Obama is destroyed and she's back in power), and unify around an even more extremist platform. 

4) It's still very hard to see how Obama loses the nomination. In the end, the Clintons, with any luck, will both expose themselves for what they really are and thereby self-destruct. Know hope.