Friday, January 11, 2008

Why I Read Scalzi

Scalzi unloads with both barrels on the current political situation. My favorite bit:

These are reasons that I can’t help but think the GOP would rather face Obama than Clinton in the general election: because I doubt she’s as unpopular as some folks want to believe, and also, when it comes right down to wallowing in the pig shit and going after your opponent with a splintery baseball bat, no one does it better than the Clintons, and the GOP is out of practice dealing with an opponent who not only hits back but is out to break your fucking skull. Obama’s already been marked as someone who wants to take the high road, which is to say, he’s a sitting duck for a smearing, and we all know how the GOP loves a soft target. The Clinton’s aren’t going to put up with that crap. The first 527 to try to Swift Boat Clinton is likely to get its collective ass handed to it.

If Hillary would actually campaign on a platform of "I will break their fucking skulls if they get in my way", I might actually feel inclined to vote for her. But she (and Bill too) has shown time and again that she's willing -- eager -- to triangulate when she doesn't even need to (e.g. co-sponsoring flag burning amendments or voting to call Iran's Revolutionary Guard (Iran's Army) a "terrorist organization"). Sure, the Clintons will pull out the knives to get elected -- but will they do so to fight for an actual policy agenda once elected?

3 comments:

Kevin said...

Well said!

Kevin said...

And I should mention I'm referring to what you wrote. That sums up my concerns quite well.

Also, Obama is a veteran of Chicago politics. I think he knows how to crush skulls - and he probably smiles while he does it.

And hey, he'll need to if he wants to beat Hillary.

rantingnerd said...

If Obama shows he's willing to crush skulls, I'll feel a lot better about him. As it is, he's been using Republican talking points (Social Security in crisis, etc.) to attack Clinton and Edwards, which is Not Good.