Letters to the Editor
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Robert Parry on why Obama, not Clinton:
Robert Parry fleshes out the history of the Clinton's triangulation and then concludes with the following.
Now, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign seeks a reaffirmation of those strategies from the 1990s, more maneuvering to the right as a way to buy some protection from the right-wing machine, more acceptance of the Republican frame of debate while counting on poll-tested phrases to finesse GOP attacks, more promises that some nice government programs might somehow transcend the need to stand up for principle.
By contrast, Obama’s appeal for a new paradigm that relies on the enthusiasm of young voters and the patriotism of rank-and-file Americans to leap past the stale politics of the Clinton and Bush years makes some sense.
Given Obama’s relatively thin résumé, his candidacy may require a leap of faith. But it is at least a leap toward something new and untested, rather than something old and failed.
If his campaign continues to gain momentum, Obama might be wise, too, to reach back to that earlier generation of Democrats who dared to challenge the deceptions of the Reagan-Bush years.
Rather than dip into the pool of accommodating careerists who now dominate Official Washington, Obama might look for experienced Democratic hands who suffered for their commitment to principle.
Along with bringing in newcomers from around the country, Obama also might consider former officials from the CIA, State Department and other federal agencies who sacrificed their careers rather than play along with policies that were either dishonest or harmful to the nation.
In short, the gamble of “Obama-mania” may be the Democrats’ safest bet.
http://tinyurl.com/2m4hf7
Reading all of the article is not so much an explanation as to how we got where we are, but a nightmarish reminder of how we got where we are and how we could continue to fall even farther down that rathole.
I'm not enthusiastic about Obama. But I've not underestimated how what a puny improvement Hillary Clinton would be if she were to win the White House.
Even so, the Republicans are out of the running. They shouldn't even be in the race. If I had my druthers the election should be between Edwards and Obama. The Republican field can spend their time helping Fred Thompson stay awake, and helping poor Rudy recover from his 9/11 turrets syndrome.