Thursday, October 3, 2019

Breaking the Deal

One of the only things that kept many people sane during the horrors of the 2016 presidential campaign was the knowledge that though both of the major party candidates were awful, one of them was going to lose and go away, leaving us afflicted by just half of the awfulness of the campaign season itself. Even if you voted for a third party candidate (raises hand) you knew that only one of the pair of rough beasts slouching toward Pennsylvania Avenue could win and you would be relieved of the other.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has not lived up to her part of that agreement, insofar as she has not only not gone away, she has continued to tell the country that she really won in 2016. Or she would have except for factors beyond her control, such as that Wisconsin-shaped blind spot on her campaign map. Although she claims it was because she was too serious or something. While I have some sympathy -- I also would find it hard to believe that people would rather put up with Donald Trump than put up with me -- it's time she took her medicine and went away.

Some folks have suggested that this latest book tour is a way of dipping that toe in the 2020 waters to see if she could maybe give it a third try. I think even Hillary Clinton has enough political savvy to know that's not possible. Although by pretending she really won, she is positioning herself as an ideal running mate to the surging Elizabeth Warrren. We would have a presidential candidate who used to pretend she was Native American accompanied by a woman who still pretends she won the 2016 election.

No comments: