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• Monday, May 12, 2008 07:35 AM

  it's not really about clinton, it's about november

  It seems obvious that the larger point here is that 49% of the democrats in the primaries have supported a candidate other than Obama in a very contentious battle that's left a lot of hard feelings on either side. It seems just as obvious that to win in November, Obama has to have the active support of all these democrats.

  And sure, tasting the victory at last, some of his supporters and advisors (I think it's really obvious how much Kennedy is relishing getting the upper hand on the Clintons), want to turn these last moments into a "give it up! you lost! you suck!" exultation. It's humanly understandable. But it's enormously stupid. None of this end game is about Clinton. It's about the people standing behind her, whose feelings and beliefs are not negated - in their eyes - by coming a few precentage points short.

  It's not in Obama's (or, more importantly, the planet's) interest to turn Clinton supporters either away (though I think few will really end up voting against him or staying home) or simply off, into grudging, nose-holding voters who won't work for Obama's campaign the way they might. That seems like a very good recipe for following in the footsteps of Kerry.

  Not that I think Obama himself is doing this. His supporters, however, need to stop thinking of Clinton as an enemy, and damned quick. Winning in November actually depends on it.

  —lacquer Read lacquer's other letters
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