Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Paris, 11:45 a.m., Super Tuesday
We await the Super Tuesday results with great anticipation. (In case you were wondering, one of the following is true: either (a) My Home Town is located in a state that is not holding a primary today or (b) I voted absentee. I wouldn't sit this one out for anything.)
Here's a little extra political plug I meant to put in my extremely influential endorsement of Obama the other day. Hilary Clinton's experience isn't particularly good experience because, I suspect, she was very wrapped up in the Clinton Administration's knack for learning the wrong lessons from political setbacks.
The lesson? I oversimplify a bit, but not much. It's this: never attempt anything that appears to be unpopular at the moment, no matter how good it is for the country in the medium or long run. Clinton was like a fairy-tale miser, forever accumulating and hoarding his political capital. And for what? So he could leave office with approval ratings over 60% in spite of his sex scandal and impeachment. That's why I say Clinton was such a disappointing president. Political capital is supposed to be spent -- on far-sighted policies, judicial appointments, and the like, that meet momentary resistance.
Bill Clinton was the biggest slave to the polls of any president in modern memory. And he's Hilary's political mentor, no matter how many pantsuits she wears in the White House.
So, 11:45 a.m. in Paris. At this very moment, millions of American voters are...
...still asleep, I guess.
The French understand who's in this race: "Obama against The Clintons."
Here's a little extra political plug I meant to put in my extremely influential endorsement of Obama the other day. Hilary Clinton's experience isn't particularly good experience because, I suspect, she was very wrapped up in the Clinton Administration's knack for learning the wrong lessons from political setbacks.
The lesson? I oversimplify a bit, but not much. It's this: never attempt anything that appears to be unpopular at the moment, no matter how good it is for the country in the medium or long run. Clinton was like a fairy-tale miser, forever accumulating and hoarding his political capital. And for what? So he could leave office with approval ratings over 60% in spite of his sex scandal and impeachment. That's why I say Clinton was such a disappointing president. Political capital is supposed to be spent -- on far-sighted policies, judicial appointments, and the like, that meet momentary resistance.
Bill Clinton was the biggest slave to the polls of any president in modern memory. And he's Hilary's political mentor, no matter how many pantsuits she wears in the White House.
So, 11:45 a.m. in Paris. At this very moment, millions of American voters are...
...still asleep, I guess.
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