David

Karki

Read David's bio and previous columns here

March 4, 2008

Hillary's Swan Song?

The Democratic primary process may reach its ultimate conclusion today, as the big states of Texas and Ohio (as well as Vermont and Rhode Island) go to the polls to weigh in on Barack Obama vs. Hillary Clinton. Sen. Clinton likely needs to win both Texas and Ohio to stay in the race, and preferably big, so as to close the current delegate gap.

There are three possible logical outcomes to today's primaries:

Hillary wins big. Presently, the polls don't suggest that this is particularly likely, but if it happens, it will be a major momentum shift toward Clinton, and will ensure a big-time fight all the way to the convention in Denver in September. And there would be no specter of Hillary “hijacking” the nomination, as she and Obama would be in essentially a flat-footed tie. While there would certainly be some hard feelings, the odds would favor reconciliation and unity heading into autumn versus Sen. McCain.

Hillary wins close. This seems the most likely outcome as of this writing. Hillary would stay alive and get a small momentum bump, but would stay fairly far behind in the delegate count. In other words, the status quo remains. Hillary's almost certain subsequent attempts to seat the previously banned Florida/Michigan delegates and sway superdelegates would largely be seen as a hijacking of the nomination, and spark outrage and perhaps fratricide within the Democratic rank-and-file. Were it to succeed, we could see a total party meltdown.

Hillary loses. Her campaign is done and finished, no matter how much in denial of it she's sure to be. Our long national nightmare that is the Clintons will be over, and they will finally be made to do the one thing they would never do of their own choosing: Go away. (Hopefully forever.)

Which outcome serves the conservative side the best? And given that the Republican nominating contest is all but over, should conservatives and independents cross over to affect the other contest? If so, for whom should a vote be cast?

First of all, we can't complain about our early primaries being manipulated, then do it right back, and claim to hold any moral high ground. Plus, as Gov. Mike Huckabee is as clueless as the Clintons when comes to knowing when to go away (just what is it about Arkansas politicians, anyway?), he could be used to send a message to the GOP about the base's dissatisfaction with McCain. So, for those more principled, you stay home and vote your conscience in the Republican contests.

As for those of us less principled and willing to engage in some revenge meddling, I think the proper vote is against Hillary. As tempting as it is to want to create maximum carnage at the Democrat convention, I don't think you allow her to get up off the mat. Finish her off while you have the chance, and be done with her. There is nothing saying that the carnage will definitely happen, and if she gets the nod and manages to get Obama to join the ticket as her VP (which she'll have to do to heal the rift), we'll have brought the ultimate disaster upon ourselves when it was entirely avoidable.

There are still eight long months until Election Day, and the cult-like Obama messiah stuff will get real old real fast once he is the sole focus of attention on the Democratic side of the aisle. If the GOP can't find a way to defeat a candidate that is all flash and little substance, and expose for all to see just how far off the deep left end his little substance is (which is why he hides it with flash in the first place), then they deserve to lose. And if America falls for this charlatan, we deserve the worse-than-Jimmy-Carter disaster he's certain to visit upon us.

So, come Tuesday, sit back and watch the results. With any luck, we'll be able to hum the lyrics of that munchkin song from The Wizard of Oz: Ding, dong, the witch is dead . . . which old witch? The wicked witch . . . ding, dong, the wicked witch is dead . . . Whoo!

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