Backfire
There's a house song that was hot a couple of years ago by Masters At Work called "Backfire," (download it by clicking on the link, and selecting "Save As...") in which the lead singer, India, laments over her lover's infelicitous behavior, and tells him smartly that his behavior has backfired and she no longer needs him. "You See You Played Yourself," she exclaims to her (former) lover.
"This Time It Backfired."
Well perhaps I should play that song for the Clinton campaign on this Sunday after the South Carolina primaries. After weeks of strident, nasty, derisive attacks on Mr. Obama, the voters of the state of South Carolina gave her some strong repudiation.
"I Claim The Vctory."
Barack Obama handed the former First Lady a serious drubbing, doubling up on Hillary, and carrying most of the key demographics in South Carolina. It was a nearly complete victory; had this been a game of "Mortal Combat," the in-game commentator would have been saying "Finish Her!"
Obama won going away, winning South Carolina's wealthiest county, its poorest county, voters under 30 years old, taking 4 of every 5 African-American votes. Though he did much better than polls predicted, his support among white voters might well have been much higher if John Edwards weren't in the campaign. Edwards did well among his home-state white voters, nearly bouncing the first lady back to third place. Back to Obama though. The Illinois senator also had very strong support among whites males -- he won nearly as many white men as Clinton. Now that's saying something!
"I Wanna Set You Free."
While black voters loved Bill Clinton, I think all people of rational thought were of the opinion that the former President was a bit too brolic with his advocacy for his wife, and it simply backfired, it went too far. The attempts to misconstrue Obama's voting record and to smear him by linking him with a Chicago slumlord plain didn't work. And in the same blow, I think it turned a lot of voters off, in essence driving them to Obama. His victory was a rejection -- a real kick in the ass -- of the old "politics of personal destruction," a term that I believe Bill Clinton coined back during his term.
Race doesn't matter!
And in what had to be one of the most inspiring displays in the history of American politics, thousands of South Carolinians white and black alike, stood chanting "Race Doesn't Matter!" at the Obama victory celebration. That's a scary site for some, including many a Clinton supporter because hope, even amorphous, undefined hope, is infectious.
All we know right now is that this campaign will not be over anytime soon, and the outcome might just be way different than what most everyone expected. It'll be real hard to marginalize Obama's victory on Saturday, and the momentum has certainly shifted.
Backfire.
"This Time It Backfired."
Well perhaps I should play that song for the Clinton campaign on this Sunday after the South Carolina primaries. After weeks of strident, nasty, derisive attacks on Mr. Obama, the voters of the state of South Carolina gave her some strong repudiation.
"I Claim The Vctory."
Barack Obama handed the former First Lady a serious drubbing, doubling up on Hillary, and carrying most of the key demographics in South Carolina. It was a nearly complete victory; had this been a game of "Mortal Combat," the in-game commentator would have been saying "Finish Her!"
Obama won going away, winning South Carolina's wealthiest county, its poorest county, voters under 30 years old, taking 4 of every 5 African-American votes. Though he did much better than polls predicted, his support among white voters might well have been much higher if John Edwards weren't in the campaign. Edwards did well among his home-state white voters, nearly bouncing the first lady back to third place. Back to Obama though. The Illinois senator also had very strong support among whites males -- he won nearly as many white men as Clinton. Now that's saying something!
"I Wanna Set You Free."
While black voters loved Bill Clinton, I think all people of rational thought were of the opinion that the former President was a bit too brolic with his advocacy for his wife, and it simply backfired, it went too far. The attempts to misconstrue Obama's voting record and to smear him by linking him with a Chicago slumlord plain didn't work. And in the same blow, I think it turned a lot of voters off, in essence driving them to Obama. His victory was a rejection -- a real kick in the ass -- of the old "politics of personal destruction," a term that I believe Bill Clinton coined back during his term.
Race doesn't matter!
And in what had to be one of the most inspiring displays in the history of American politics, thousands of South Carolinians white and black alike, stood chanting "Race Doesn't Matter!" at the Obama victory celebration. That's a scary site for some, including many a Clinton supporter because hope, even amorphous, undefined hope, is infectious.
All we know right now is that this campaign will not be over anytime soon, and the outcome might just be way different than what most everyone expected. It'll be real hard to marginalize Obama's victory on Saturday, and the momentum has certainly shifted.
Backfire.
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Tony, as always, an excellent post. I for one was thrilled to learn of Obama's victory in South Carolina. Others may disagree with me, but think a clear mandate was set in this primary. People are tired of politics as usual, and I think that Clinton's strategy of unleashing Brotha Bill and the slew of lies and innuendos on the fine folks of South Carolina was short-sighted at best and downright stupid at worse. What were they thinking?? Makes me 'shamed dat I voted for Big Bill (twice)!
Oh well, let's prepare for Super Tuesday!
you're ashamed that you voted for bill clinton? wow, so all those years of prosperity under him mean nothing now huh.
you're ashamed that you voted for bill clinton? wow, so all those years of prosperity under him mean nothing now huh.
Not at all, LG. I thank God that Bill was president. I will maintain that he'll be seen as one of the great presidents of our republic, once the history is written, and in spite of the impeachment.
That said, his behavior, and that of his wife, and their surrogates went too far, and I think that people were turned off by it.
I certainly was.
I mean, Bob Johnson insinuating that Obama was a junkie, and the First Lady and Prez stood by and didn't even attempt to lessen the gravity of that statement? Come on.
Even Clinton supporters in South Carolina told them to back off, as they were treading on very shaky ground.
But in the attempt to marginalize Mr. Obama, the Clinton campaign overplayed their hand. They were sitting nicely, holding two kings in the pocket (her close wins in NH and Nevada), compared to Obama's Ace (his Iowa win) and Queen off-suit. The Clinton's got overly aggressive, pushed too much into the pot (with the strident tone and surrogates), and got busted because they didn't expect another Ace (people's disgust) at the turn.
They simply overplayed. But enough of the poker analogies. :)
Back to Bill. Ashamed? No.
I think the Clinton's were the right thing for America then, and I believe they will continue to do immense good for the nation in the future. But I was disappointed at the antics leading up to S.C., and I'm glad to see that an overwhelming majority of people -- of all races and classes -- in the Palmetto state were too.
But be careful that you don't mistake disappointment with regret.