Now that Pennsylvanians have given Hillary Clinton their vote of confidence, the Democratic primary campaign plods on to the fields of Indiana and the hills of North Carolina. More weeks of nail-biting tallying of delegates – of both super and mortal varieties. In the end (meaning in November), there will only be: a) John McCain (R-AZ) and b) one of the above.
Which means that at least one of the remaining Democratic candidates will return to the Senate. Hillary Clinton has 4 years left in her current 6 year Senate term and Barack Obama has 3 years to go in his. Given their popularity, both should be able to count on many more years of representing their respective states in Washington, should they choose that route. So let’s try to imagine them back in the Senate, after a bruising Presidential race in 2008.
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April 2010, Washington:
“Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, appears to harbor little of the bitterness of the ill-fated 2008 Presidential campaign against her fellow Democrat, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). Their old rivalry for the Democratic nomination was seemingly forgotten as Senator Obama spoke before a rapt assembly today, castigating the McCain Administration for its failure to present a coherent plan for the drawdown of American troops from Syria.”
“Senator Obama, who has become the conscience and the voice of the Senate since the unexpected retirement of legendary orator Senator Robert Byrd in 2009, has done what few Senators in the 21st century would attempt: an extemporaneous filibuster, showing an almost verbatim recall of McCain’s promises when he first ordered the “short, sharp incursion” into Syria from Iraq’s Bandar Province in early 2009.”
"Senator Clinton, for her part, appears to be using her SASC Chairmanship to force McCain Administration figures (Defense Secretary David Petraeus and Secretary of State Joseph Lieberman) to testify in hearings on the alleged Israeli/US collusion in provoking the incursion into Syria. Vice President Rice, for her part, has accused the Democratic Clinton/Obama duo of “taking out their frustrations on the winner of the 2008 elections, showing an uncanny ability to work in tandem thanks to their greater dislike for the President than for each other.”
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A little bit of poli-sci fiction for this Friday afternoon. But I am not the only Democrat beginning to worry about the consequences of the debilitating internecine combat between Clinton and Obama. Forget the conventional wisdom about the inevitability of a Democratic win in November – this campaign has already lasted way too long, and more months of each side thinking up ways to hurt their opponent will only mean more months of McCain reaping the benefit. It is entirely possible that both Democratic candidates will be back in the Senate after the election – and not to give the State of the Union address, but to listen to another Republican president give his.
At least we have this as consolation: both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are strong Senators, and both should view the chance of being a voice for their party and its policies as a worthy career choice. Should either of them be “gaming” the 2008 race with a view to better positioning for the 2012 race, I might humbly suggest that s/he spare us the heartache and bow out now. That is, if they truly want a Democrat to win the White House in 2008. Otherwise, it’s back to the Senate for both of them.
Which means that at least one of the remaining Democratic candidates will return to the Senate. Hillary Clinton has 4 years left in her current 6 year Senate term and Barack Obama has 3 years to go in his. Given their popularity, both should be able to count on many more years of representing their respective states in Washington, should they choose that route. So let’s try to imagine them back in the Senate, after a bruising Presidential race in 2008.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
April 2010, Washington:
“Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Chairwoman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, appears to harbor little of the bitterness of the ill-fated 2008 Presidential campaign against her fellow Democrat, Senator Barack Obama (D-IL). Their old rivalry for the Democratic nomination was seemingly forgotten as Senator Obama spoke before a rapt assembly today, castigating the McCain Administration for its failure to present a coherent plan for the drawdown of American troops from Syria.”
“Senator Obama, who has become the conscience and the voice of the Senate since the unexpected retirement of legendary orator Senator Robert Byrd in 2009, has done what few Senators in the 21st century would attempt: an extemporaneous filibuster, showing an almost verbatim recall of McCain’s promises when he first ordered the “short, sharp incursion” into Syria from Iraq’s Bandar Province in early 2009.”
"Senator Clinton, for her part, appears to be using her SASC Chairmanship to force McCain Administration figures (Defense Secretary David Petraeus and Secretary of State Joseph Lieberman) to testify in hearings on the alleged Israeli/US collusion in provoking the incursion into Syria. Vice President Rice, for her part, has accused the Democratic Clinton/Obama duo of “taking out their frustrations on the winner of the 2008 elections, showing an uncanny ability to work in tandem thanks to their greater dislike for the President than for each other.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A little bit of poli-sci fiction for this Friday afternoon. But I am not the only Democrat beginning to worry about the consequences of the debilitating internecine combat between Clinton and Obama. Forget the conventional wisdom about the inevitability of a Democratic win in November – this campaign has already lasted way too long, and more months of each side thinking up ways to hurt their opponent will only mean more months of McCain reaping the benefit. It is entirely possible that both Democratic candidates will be back in the Senate after the election – and not to give the State of the Union address, but to listen to another Republican president give his.
At least we have this as consolation: both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are strong Senators, and both should view the chance of being a voice for their party and its policies as a worthy career choice. Should either of them be “gaming” the 2008 race with a view to better positioning for the 2012 race, I might humbly suggest that s/he spare us the heartache and bow out now. That is, if they truly want a Democrat to win the White House in 2008. Otherwise, it’s back to the Senate for both of them.