Allahpundit, in commenting on the Jonathan Chait op-ed expressing disillusionment with the Clintons’ campaign tactics and character (discussed here earlier today) asks whether this disillusionment will have any lasting impact, and concludes that it will not:
All of this will be forgiven and forgotten once the general election campaign gets going, in an eyeblink.ÂÂ
Yet earlier in the same piece, Allahpundit asks different questions which may be less rhetorical than intended:
Can Chait really be so achingly innocent, though, as to find himself surprised at signs of flaws in the Clintons’ character? That’s roughly as precious and stupid as a conservative saying, “Gee, I never thought Karl Rove would try a dirty trick like that.†Or, “Wow, that Lee Atwater really plays hardball, doesn’t he?†I’d always assumed the left recognized the ogrish qualities in Billary but made peace with them for the greater good of advancing their agenda, but this has a weird “scales falling from the eyes†aspect to it. In which reality does the reality-based community exist where the Clintons trying to claw their way through an election with unfair attacks constitutes a departure from form?
The long answer is: this reality. The shorter answer is the reality in which Liberals are trying to push toward a particular version of Utopia, their political rivals are demonized as racists and religious zealots who fail to meet the high moral standards of the Left, and the far worse ideologies and actions of Islamic extremists are excused under a blanket that is equal parts condescension and multiculturalism.
Left-liberals like Chait do not recognize the standard knocks on the Clintons as legitimate because they viewed those criticisms as coming from the Right — moralizing about his sex life or attacking progressive policies. They dismissed (or were in denial about) what their defense of Bill Clinton implied about their supposed commitment to feminism because they believed the argument to be a clever, but insincere claim made by their political enemies.
The behavior that is disillusioning Left-liberals about the Clintons now is an entirely different beast to them. The Clinton strategy of marginalizing Obama as “the black candidate” and claiming that Obama was a Reagan supporter strikes at the very heart of the mulicultural vision, at the very heart of the Left-liberal identity.  It cannot be compartmentalized as a defense of progressive ideals or the progressive movement because there is no significant ideological difference between Sens. Clinton and Obama. Moreover, the Democrats’ success in 2006, combined with their belief that this will be a “change” election cycle, makes the environment much different from the 1990s, when the Clintons were seen as first arresting the advance of the Right, later as the only bulwark against a GOP-led Congress. Thus, the relentless, overweening ambition and narcissism of the Clintons and their resort to racial politics is so nakedly exposed that Left-liberals are unable to avert their eyes from it.
Of course, it remains possible — perhaps even probable — that Left-liberals would rally to the Clintons again, should she win the nomination and even the general election. But I would still suggest that at the margins, this campaign, in this political environment, has forced Left-liberals to see the Clintons in a way that erodes the intensity of support they enjoyed in the 1990s. The scales have fallen.
Update: Anonymous Liberal compares Bill Clinton to Colonel Nicholson, Alec Guinness’s memorable character in The Bridge On the River Kwai. I have my doubts that Bill will ever have that final epiphany.
You’re right, and Allahpundit’s wrong on this one, Karl.
The Clintons are done. The more they thrash, the worse it will get for them.
The thing is, they forgot that ‘experience’ cuts both ways.
There’s no question, if by some slim chance Senator Clinton actually won the nomination, they’d all fall in line behind her, forgetting every thing they said and criticized earlier. The press who’ve attacked the Clintons and supported other candidates will become suddenly silent on the horrors of the Clinton machine. They’ll make the decision because when faced with a choice between a Republican and anyone, no matter how repellant, lame, or treacherous, the non-Republican is always the choice. There’s really no choice involved when it comes down to it, they won’t support the Republican ever, no matter what.
I think Senator Clinton is the nominee already. Obama’s candidacy is her mandate for change. The media tipped their hand when they glorified her I’ll cry for you Argentina nonsense. If they had wanted Obama in pole position, that was a Dean Scream if ever there was.
The thing to remember is, Democrats don’t just want to win this election. They need to win it. Power is their opiate. They have long since accepted that it owns their souls.
Ah, but those uppity negroes may get in the way of the media’s sinister plans, ‘feets. Just like all those warmongering crackers did last time.
“All of this will be forgiven and forgotten once the general election campaign gets going, in an eyeblink.”
Especially if Obama keeps kicking that ass like he did tonight. I think that margin of a win in South Carolina is bigger than most people are realizing.
I dunno – a lot of them are invested in her from way back is what I figure, and Obama is so much more useful as a loser cause the country wasn’t ready and etc. The media of all people don’t want to live in a country where a black man can be elected president. It would really mess with their heads.
Dan,
I am not arguing that the Clintons are “done,” merely diminished. I would still expect for HRC to be the nominee. But I’ll be looking at why, and its ramifications, over the next couple of days.
I mean that before this election is over, one way or another, the Clintons will be broken in such a way that even the MSM won’t be able to airbrush them.
I think that the shirt of Nessus is on Bill. His next heart attack gives his devoted wife an excuse for bowing out when the writing’s on the wall.
If that’s true, Karl, the Democratic Party is in for a crackup that will make Peggy Noonan blush.
If that’s true, Karl, the Democratic Party is in for a crackup that will make Peggy Noonan blush.
Good Allah, my friend. Where have you been? We are getting ringside seats for it. When identity group politics collide …
I don’t know but I can tell you this- I’m a liberal Democrat and about as far left as it gets but if it comes down to Hillary Clinton and John McCain then I am going to vote for McCain. If it gets down to Clinton and Romney I am going to move to Canada. My personal opinion is that if we sent the Bush and Clinton families into exile not only would the Republican party and the Democratic party both win but the country could finally win.
I’m still hope Obama can make it some how and I will actually be able to vote for somebody I like in the general election. That will be a change enough for me.
I meant “I still hope” not “I’m still hope” which sounds like a cheesy slogan. I’m also kinda drunk though at an Obama victory party so I don’t really know.
Nick wrote, I’m still hope Obama can make it some how and I will actually be able to vote for somebody I like in the general election.
Policywise, I think Obabma would be every so bad for the country. However, in the long-term and Obama presidency would undercut a lot of anti-American stereo-types in the world. It could allow people of pallor to say, “Get your hand out of my pocket” to people of color with just a smidgen more ethos. It could do a lot of socially beneficial things, but also a lot of politically horrible things.
So basically I’m thinking I could support Obama on socially beneficial, affirmative action grounds. Um, Not.
Ah, Dan, but if we’re really lucky, the Clintons will pull the Democrats down with them. You know they think they could win that gamble.
Uh, Nick, I hate to break this to you, but if it’s Clinton/Romney moving to Canada is not your best option. Romney would make an exemplary Tory, and the Liberals have been Clintonesque since before there were any Clintons to obsess about. It’s not a case of out of the frying pan, into the fire; more one of off the drainboard, into the stock pot.
Regards,
Ric
The Bridge Over The River Kwai thing is just so much melodrama really. Bill Clinton is the Democratic Party, not just in his own mind, but for reals.
This what they are. This is what they do.
happyfeet, you are, as usual, indubitably correct.
Ah, but then you’ve forgotten Howard the Duck Dean.
This line from Allahpundit,
“This may be where the confusion lies  by definition, you can’t be unfair to conservatives because nothing’s really “unfair†in total war. Against St. Barack, though? Horrors.”
has in it one thing I believe is not understood by most conservatives and certainly not the Republican Party.
The left views politics as “total war” and wage it accordingly. We see some of the lies, deception and disinformation. What we are missing is the infiltration, double agents and blackmail that are sure to be happening and impose a friction to the conservative side.
Obama wins, Clintons done, Bill’s shirt of Nessus (had to look that one up, you rascal)… You guys. Spending all last night putting together a whole bunch of good news and comments just for me to read w/ my morning coffee.
You guys are the best!
… oh, and I think Allah is correct. Because it holds true to form and Chait stated as such, but also because no one ever went broke underestimating the power-hungry cynicism of the Democrats.
They aren’t finished at all. Chait still goes on to state the liberal hypocrisy that the women who accused Clinton were “trailor trash”, while women who accuse Republicans of such antics are heroic victims. Read the commentary on the Neiwert article attacking Jonah Goldberg’s book. Neiwert’s point is merely, “We can’t be fascists, we believe in science and intellectualism. WE’RE the GOOD GUYS!” The commenters on the left respond by calling Goldberg “Pantload”. They can’t be wrong, like the Inquisition, they are doing it all for the good of life.
If Hillary wins, this was all for the good of mankind that Bill had to point out some ugly truths, and liberals (both black and white) will fall back into line against the true evil: conservatives. Hopefully Karl, you are right that this will begin to open some eyes in the black community about the incredible contempt the Democrats really have for them.
It should be kept in mind that the LA Times endorsed (and embarrassingly supports) Senator Edwards.
One name: Juanita Broaddrick. There’s a cycle that goes on, where the media downplays or refuses to cover the worst aspects of liberal leaders, and if few people know about what’s going on, it becomes easier to put it out of one’s mind. Try reminding the average liberal/Clintonite of Juanita Broaddrick, and they’ll look at you without a clue.
Once the Democrats nominate someone, they’ll support whoever it is. The only thing they are good at is hating and they hate Republicans worse than each other.