Hail to Victims!

The crisis over a "do-over" Democratic primary in Michigan badly exposes a Democratic party tied to victimology over ideology. Three specific forms of this error led to this comical collision that may yet end with a mid-November political cartoon of two skeletons in a pit -- Clinton and Obama -- with hands grasped around one another's throats.

It is astonishing to realize that a party that could shake itself of just one of the following would have avoided this problem entirely...

1. THE PROPORTIONAL DELEGATE SYSTEM

How long would the Republican primaries have raged on if so many states had not been "winner take all," allowing McCain to walk away with boatloads of delegates in several important states while not winning a majority of the vote? Crafted so that a niche candidate with a small following (read: Jesse Jackson) can "win" lots of delegates without actually winning any states, the far different Democrat system made this "Battle of Stalingrad" primary between nearly equally matched opponents a train wreck waiting to happen.

2. WOMEN VS. AFRICAN AMERICANS

If a GOP Presidential Primary boiled down to Colin Powell v. Candice Miller, it would not divide along factions of older women Republicans vs. minority Republicans. Even a primary with decidedly religious right candidate, and those who were not, couldn't -- in the end -- fracture the Republicans.

Not so with Democrats, whose tribal-coalition politics virtually assured that this profoundly unlikely battle between nearly equally matched black and female candidates would devolve to a circus act whereby has-been identity politicians from yesteryear such as Geraldine Ferraro could seize a moment in the center ring and further force the clowns to choose up sides.

3. THE EARLY PRIMARY GANGSTERS

Every four years, like mafia dons, Iowa and New Hampshire have coerced the candidates in both parties to kiss the rings of their "first in the nation" monopoly on kicking off the presidential selection process. This year, Nevada and South Carolina joined the collusion and got both parties to sign off on a silly "nobody else goes before Feb. 5" rule.

By stripping "cheaters" like Michigan and Florida of only half of their delegates, the RNC assured that both states would get real campaigns from the major competitors and thus little reason for griping from losers. It was a clear wink and nod to all involved that Iowa and New Hampshire were being listened to, but that their childish demands were not respected in any meaningful way.

Not so with Democrats. The slavish surrender to identity politics that created the porportional delegate system, and made the women voters v. black voters schism possible, also drove them to fall completely on their swords when the "Early Primary Mafia" demanded its own form of tribute.

A perfect storm entirely of their own making, derived exclusively from the victim politics that holds the party together.

Bush Will Not Seek Third Term!

What if you spent eighteen months of a presidential campaign running against an opponent who wasn't going to be on the ballot? I've had that thought burrowing through my brain as I've watched the Democratic presidential candidate primary debates and rhetoric over the last year. It was George Bush messed up this, and messed up that, and it takes a Clinton to clean up after a Bush, and we need change, and ... etc...

But with still no certain Democratic nominee, and less than eight months to the election, the hyper-Lefties over at the American Prospect have veered dangerously close to the startling realization that George Bush may in fact NOT be on the ballot when they need him...

As much as Democrats love their two candidates, the really animating issue is getting rid of Bush, and they are completely open on how, and evenly divided on with whom. Without Bush-loathing as the organizing principle of their unity, Democrats could find themselves on shaky ground: the party's old personality disorders may begin to resurface.

It's been 40 years since neither a sitting President, nor his VP, was on the ballot. And even then, the Democrats were tearing themselves apart running against the guy who wasn't running -- in that case one of their own, President Lyndon Johnson.

More Honorable Democrats?

This morning's Detroit News brings word that some Detroit City Councilmembers are going to take a tough stand against the mayor following the text message scandal...

Last week, the city council decided to postpone a decision asking the mayor to resign. The mayor will give his state of the city address on Tuesday, and several council members said they will shun the mayor by refusing to sit behind him on stage in Orchestra Hall when he gives his speech.

Compare to another Democratic politician who got caught in a sex scandal, which led to perjury, and then to calls for his removal from office, and then him using the powers of his office to trash the reputations of innocent people caught up in the scandals of his making.

I don't recall the Democrats of the day standing up to the situation and shunning the bad boy. Maybe Detroit politicians are just that much more honorable.

No Governors Need Apply...

Consider this...

Bush 2 (Gov)
Clinton (Gov)
Bush 1 (former Veep)
Reagan (Gov)
Carter (Gov)
Ford (former Veep)
Nixon (former Veep)
Johnson (former Veep)
Kennedy -- Senator
Eisenhower (military)
Truman (former Veep)
F.D. Roosevelt (Gov)
Hoover (Commerce Secy)
Coolidge (Gov)
Harding -- Senator
Wilson (Gov)
Taft (Secy of War)


Versues this...

Obama -- Senator
Clinton -- Senator
McCain -- Senator
Romney (Gov)

Barring a comeback for Romney (or an altering of the laws of the known universe for Huckabee or Ron Paul), the nominees of both major parties and thus the likely next President will have "United States Senator" as his or her primary political resume line for the first time since 1963 and only the third time in the last century.

That's quite a long dark period for the world's most exclusive country club.

NOW they tell us...

So the National Organization for Women thinks Ted Kennedy has shafted them with the "ultimate betrayal" over his decision to endorse a man (Obama) over a woman (Clinton):

The head of the New York state chapter of NOW — Marcia Pappas — called Kennedy's move — "the ultimate betrayal." She says women have forgiven, stuck up for and stood by Kennedy despite his being late in his support of issues such as Title Nine and the Equal Rights Amendment — and now are being repaid with what she calls "his abandonment."

Those are some sharp gals over at NOW. Almost 40 years after Chappaquiddick, they have come to the startling realization that ole Teddy puts his own political hide ahead of any woman who gets in the way.

It's funny, though. If NOW was really so concerned about Democratic males damaging Hillary's political dreams by betraying NOW's principles, then they might have spoken out a bit more about the Clinton White House's internship program.

The Coming Democratic Primaries

Here is the future of the Democratic race:

The old Corleone... er.... Clinton habits will spring to the center, now. If Obama has ever so much as been in a room with pot smokers, expect to hear background rumors that he's the second coming of Pablo Escobar. If he's so much as flirted with a pretty girl or been professionally -- but not romantically -- close to an attractive female co-worker, prepare for rumors of five-in-a-bed nights with hookers. If he's ever made a nickel in the stock market, he gets accused of Enron values.

Remember every woman who tried to tell her story of bad moments with Bill, and the respose from the Clinton protectors: massive campaigns of personal destruction. Cattle futures, Whitewater... People with as many ethical blind spots as these assume that everyone is as dirty as them, and fight accordingly. WINNING and POWER are all that matters, not for any ideological reason, but because power is all that matters to Clintons.

And now, they are looking into the dark abyss of being washed from the stage forever. That might yet happen, but it won't be with a whimper. Even if she loses NH, she is flush with money and isn't going away soon.

The Earth will be scorched. The Sopranos spoof with Hillary and Bill was unintentionally revealing of their default strategic mode as "political" actors. That's how they do.