Though I'm not a great Hilary fan, I personally agree with the author of this piece. Though she may never catch up with Obama, nearly splitting the vote down the middle gives her a more solid ground to take it all the way to the convention than Ted Kennedy's in 1980 (I still remember the rancor of that primary campaign).
At the end of the day, I think she is in this position not for lack of ideas but for fatal strategic flaws in the way she ran the campaign (which have already been enunciated ad-nauseum). And it's quite unbecoming the way she's being drummed off the stage by those who are more interested in dressing up the candidate for the fall campaign than listening to what the voters are saying. Denying her that space she has earned would be a travesty.
From philly.com
HILLARY SITUATION REMINDS ME OF 1980
By DANIEL A. CIRUCCI
INEVER THOUGHT I'd say this - but I've come to admire Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I've been inspired by the true grit that she's displayed during this presidential campaign. Her determination and willingness to fight on against all odds should be a model for others to follow.
Of course, I'm tempted to preface all this by saying "regardless of the outcome," but the aura of inevitability that Mrs. Clinton once possessed has passed on to someone else.
It sort of reminds me of the woman who toiled away at her husband's business helping to make him a success. She knew he wasn't perfect. She knew that in a lot of ways she was smarter than he was. She knew he often became way too full of himself.
She even knew that he wasn't able to control his libido. But she toiled away nonetheless and watched her husband become a much-revered ambassador for the business, an icon.
And just when her moment seemed to have arrived, a fresh young upstart moved onto the block. Tall and handsome, he flashed a big, sparkling smile and charmed everyone with his silver-tongued salesmanship.
She knew that he wasn't perfect and that he was inexperienced and that she was certainly more learned in the ways of the world. But it was too late. In short order, she had to take out a loan to keep the business afloat as customers dwindled and even her most loyal friends and associates abandoned her.
It's easy to be dazzled by a quick smile and a clever turn of the phrase. It happened to the Democratic Party in 1976 and 1980, when the party nominated the inexperienced and ill- equipped Jimmy Carter and then stuck with him hoping to continue the ruse of his failed presidency. I must admit, I fell for the sham once myself.
But in 1980, while still a Democrat, I supported Teddy Kennedy for the nomination. I stayed with Teddy through the convention. It wasn't easy.
In 1980, Kennedy came into the Democratic convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City with 1,225 delegates to President Carter's 1,981, with 122 delegates uncommitted.
Kennedy stood on principle and people admired him for the fighting the good fight.
If Kennedy could take it to the convention when he trailed by 756 delegates, why can't Hillary go to the convention trailing by far less? Would it be so awful?
Probably not. But the mainstream media and party elders (now including Kennedy) have other ideas. They want to stifle those who've been inspired by Hillary - those who believe she speaks for them.
Yet, there's still a way for the disaffected to be heard.
When my candidate lost at the convention in 1980, I decided I'd had enough. I was tired of being taken for granted.
I needed more than a quick smile, a catchphrase and a hopelessly naïve approach to the world. I wanted a mature, three-dimensional, steadfast leader.
So I left the Democrats and voted for the other party's candidate.
It was an easy choice, and one I've never regretted. *
Daniel A. Cirucci is a local public relations consultant. He blogs at dancirucci.blogspot.com.
At the end of the day, I think she is in this position not for lack of ideas but for fatal strategic flaws in the way she ran the campaign (which have already been enunciated ad-nauseum). And it's quite unbecoming the way she's being drummed off the stage by those who are more interested in dressing up the candidate for the fall campaign than listening to what the voters are saying. Denying her that space she has earned would be a travesty.
From philly.com
HILLARY SITUATION REMINDS ME OF 1980
By DANIEL A. CIRUCCI
INEVER THOUGHT I'd say this - but I've come to admire Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I've been inspired by the true grit that she's displayed during this presidential campaign. Her determination and willingness to fight on against all odds should be a model for others to follow.
Of course, I'm tempted to preface all this by saying "regardless of the outcome," but the aura of inevitability that Mrs. Clinton once possessed has passed on to someone else.
It sort of reminds me of the woman who toiled away at her husband's business helping to make him a success. She knew he wasn't perfect. She knew that in a lot of ways she was smarter than he was. She knew he often became way too full of himself.
She even knew that he wasn't able to control his libido. But she toiled away nonetheless and watched her husband become a much-revered ambassador for the business, an icon.
And just when her moment seemed to have arrived, a fresh young upstart moved onto the block. Tall and handsome, he flashed a big, sparkling smile and charmed everyone with his silver-tongued salesmanship.
She knew that he wasn't perfect and that he was inexperienced and that she was certainly more learned in the ways of the world. But it was too late. In short order, she had to take out a loan to keep the business afloat as customers dwindled and even her most loyal friends and associates abandoned her.
It's easy to be dazzled by a quick smile and a clever turn of the phrase. It happened to the Democratic Party in 1976 and 1980, when the party nominated the inexperienced and ill- equipped Jimmy Carter and then stuck with him hoping to continue the ruse of his failed presidency. I must admit, I fell for the sham once myself.
But in 1980, while still a Democrat, I supported Teddy Kennedy for the nomination. I stayed with Teddy through the convention. It wasn't easy.
In 1980, Kennedy came into the Democratic convention at Madison Square Garden in New York City with 1,225 delegates to President Carter's 1,981, with 122 delegates uncommitted.
Kennedy stood on principle and people admired him for the fighting the good fight.
If Kennedy could take it to the convention when he trailed by 756 delegates, why can't Hillary go to the convention trailing by far less? Would it be so awful?
Probably not. But the mainstream media and party elders (now including Kennedy) have other ideas. They want to stifle those who've been inspired by Hillary - those who believe she speaks for them.
Yet, there's still a way for the disaffected to be heard.
When my candidate lost at the convention in 1980, I decided I'd had enough. I was tired of being taken for granted.
I needed more than a quick smile, a catchphrase and a hopelessly naïve approach to the world. I wanted a mature, three-dimensional, steadfast leader.
So I left the Democrats and voted for the other party's candidate.
It was an easy choice, and one I've never regretted. *
Daniel A. Cirucci is a local public relations consultant. He blogs at dancirucci.blogspot.com.