Hillary's Scorched Earth Policy

It's all over for Hillary. Support for Clinton Wanes as Obama Sees Finish Line.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton struck a publicly defiant posture on Wednesday about continuing her presidential bid despite waning support from Democratic officials and donors. Some of her advisers acknowledged privately that they remained unsure about the future of her candidacy.

In West Virginia on Wednesday afternoon, Mrs. Clinton said that it was “still early” — even though 50 of 56 nominating contests have concluded — and that the “dynamic electoral environment” could still swing the nomination her way. “I’m staying in this race until there is a nominee, and obviously I’m going to work as hard as I can to become that nominee,” Mrs. Clinton said after an event in Shepherdstown, W.Va.

Political pressure on Mrs. Clinton to withdraw is growing. A widely known supporter of Mrs. Clinton, former Senator George McGovern of South Dakota, the 1972 Democratic nominee, announced on Wednesday that he had switched his endorsement to Mr. Obama and believed that Mrs. Clinton should drop out because it was mathematically impossible for her to win the nomination.

The Obama campaign also announced four new superdelegate endorsements, those of Jerry Meek, chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party; Jeanette Council, a member of the Democratic National Committee from North Carolina; Inola Henry, a member of the national committee from California; and Jennifer McClellan of the Virginia House of Delegates. Ms. McClellan also switched from Mrs. Clinton’s camp.

Still Early?

Any idea that it's "still early" with 50 of 56 nominating contests concluded or that the "dynamic electoral environment could still swing the nomination her way" are preposterous.

Furthermore, you know that, I know that, and most importantly Hillary knows that. This is far beyond hoping for a miracle. There are no miracles to be had. The situation is so dire that even George McGovern knows it.

So what's Hillary's Plan? The answer is simple...

Scorched Earth

Hillary cannot possibly win in 2008. However, the economy is so weak, and will likely remain so weak that the next president could easily be a one term president. If Obama wins the presidency, Hillary has zero chance of winning the nomination in 2012. Obama will be the next Democratic nominee if he wins the presidency. It is as simple as that.

On the other hand, if McCain wins the presidency, Hillary does have a chance of being the nominee in 2012. Beyond that she will be a washed up has been.

Hillary is not demented. Her continuing an impossible race is all about trashing Obama as much as possible so that she does not have to run against a Democratic incumbent in 2012. At some point she will moderate her attack a bit, so as not to make it completely obvious. But she will stay in this race as long as she can, with any excuses that she can muster.

Coming up is a primary in West Virginia. She is likely to win that by a big margin. If she does, she will get to trash Obama for 2 more weeks, with no more hope of winning than she has now: zero.

What amazes me is how obvious this is but no one is saying it.

History Rhymes

Her plan is not without precedent. Ronald Reagan lost the nomination to Gerald Ford and Reagan did absolute nothing to help Ford win. Carter won, became a one term president, and Reagan won the Republican nomination and went on to serve two terms.

This is not an exact historical repeat. Reagan stepped aside, but Hillary's attacks are intended to do damage.

Hillary would rather see McCain as president than Obama. It's readily apparent. However, she is deluding herself. Her power base is crumbling before her, and only her blatant arrogance leads here to believe she has a shot either now or in 2012.

Economics Of The Election

Every time I do a post like this one I get two dozen if not more emails asking what my post has to do with the economy. After all, this is an economic blog not political roundhouse.

The answer then as now is the same: economically speaking, this country simply cannot take four more years of wasting money in an economic hellhole. The US dollar has been collapsing, and the biggest reason is funding a war in Iraq that that US cannot afford.

In addition, the country cannot afford four more years of stubborn arrogance, from either party. This is my political as well as economic opinion. And let's face the facts. When it comes to being stubborn mules, Hillary, Bush, and McCain are three of a kind.

None of them will admit mistakes no matter how blatantly obvious they are. Hillary cannot apologize for dreaming she was under fire while touring Bosnia. Hillary will not even admit her vote to support the war in Iraq was a mistake. Yet somehow we are supposed to believe she will get us out of Iraq. McCain is willing to keep troops in Iraq for 100 years even though it is obvious troops should never have been sent there in the first place.

The country does not need another warmonger or another stubborn mule. McCain is clearly both, and anyone who who will not admit a mistake in voting for the war is arguably both. We need someone who is willing to talk to Iran as opposed to someone who is willing to bomb now and ask questions later.

I supported Ron Paul and a fantasy ticket for me at this point is a cross party ticket (the first in US history), of Obama/Paul. The results would be electrifying and go far to healing the nation, politically and economically.

It's time to put Hillary and McCain out to pasture, where all stubborn mules belong.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com
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