This is an open letter to that 30% of Hillary's supporters who are threatening to vote for McCain ONLY because Hillary didn't get the nomination
( Read more... )
Senator Clinton has been very vocal in that (a) she wants people to unify behind Obama, (b) she herself is voting for Obama, (c) She is (or has) formally released her Delegates to vote for Obama.
If the PUMAs defect to McCain because Hillary isn't the candidate, then it isn't her fault, and she won't be (at this point) rejected by the Dem party the way Nader was.
My mom has the theory that a large number of the Hillary Supporters who say they will not vote for McCain really had no intention of voting for Hillary in the actual election. Rather, they believed McCain (or any Republican) would have an easier time winning if Hillary was the candidate. The bigger noise they make, the better for their real cause. I'm not sure I'm as cynical as that, myself.
It's not her I'm railing against, but I would be *very* surprised if she had any chance in '12 of getting the nomination if it was her followers (I'm with you not buying your moms level of cynicism) that split the party and as such gave the republicans the white house again.
Her fault? No. But it would ABSOLUTELY color her future as a democratic politician.
(For the record, I can see some older women who might other wise have voted Republican coming over to the democratic side JUST for the idea of a woman in the white house, but it's not just nameless women on the street that are saying this stuff, it's actual democratic party delegates, and you don't get that status by being a republican spy, ya' know?)
Yeahhh.. Hillary isn't where my frustration lies,though I suspect it will be her political career that suffers as a result of her followers, but that 30% the press keeps talking about who are threatening to vote for McCain because Hillary didn't get the nomination.
I cannot see how anyone could have truly believed in the goals Hillary put forth and *still* be willing to even THINK about voting for McCain.
This story doesn't pass the smell test. I don't think that the majority Clinton's supporters are seriously suggesting they'll vote for McCain over Obama. As Clinton herself has implored her supporters to do, I think most Dems will vote for Obama in this election cycle.
Not saying there aren't some crazies out there, but I just don't believe it. I have yet to encounter an ardent Hillary supporter outside of the upper echelons of Hillary's Camp who has said such a thing. This story just strikes me as manufactured media drama.
From all accounts, the PUMAs are the unfortunate combination of [a] a few (very few) jilted Hilary fangirls, [b] the McCain camp trying to overinflate them into this year's "Swift Boat Veterans" and [c] the breathless reportage of a press corps desperate for anything resembling a sexy (rather than policy) story.
I recommend you visit http://www.dailykos.com and read some of the threads discussing the PUMAs. They are a myth that cooler heads need to stop propagating.
The thing is that I work with at least one who is an intelligent woman in her late 20s who is doing exactly this, it's not the majority of Hillary supporters, but neither is it a total myth.
Is the press blowing it out of proportion? Probably, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening.
But the proportion is the big question. If one-onehundredth of one percent of Hilary voters are doing it, it isn't a story.
And after last night's speech from Senator Clinton, anyone who claims to be a PUMA at this point is IMO likely either a Republican provacateur or a racist looking for a way to not support Obama.
Comments 19
If the PUMAs defect to McCain because Hillary isn't the candidate, then it isn't her fault, and she won't be (at this point) rejected by the Dem party the way Nader was.
My mom has the theory that a large number of the Hillary Supporters who say they will not vote for McCain really had no intention of voting for Hillary in the actual election. Rather, they believed McCain (or any Republican) would have an easier time winning if Hillary was the candidate. The bigger noise they make, the better for their real cause. I'm not sure I'm as cynical as that, myself.
Reply
Her fault? No. But it would ABSOLUTELY color her future as a democratic politician.
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
I cannot see how anyone could have truly believed in the goals Hillary put forth and *still* be willing to even THINK about voting for McCain.
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
I recommend you visit http://www.dailykos.com and read some of the threads discussing the PUMAs. They are a myth that cooler heads need to stop propagating.
Reply
Is the press blowing it out of proportion? Probably, but that doesn't mean it isn't happening.
Reply
And after last night's speech from Senator Clinton, anyone who claims to be a PUMA at this point is IMO likely either a Republican provacateur or a racist looking for a way to not support Obama.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment