Search






Jeff's Amazon.com Wish List

Archive Calendar

November 2024
M T W T F S S
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
252627282930  

Archives

Dems 2008: Bill Kristol figures it out, more or less [Karl]

Bill Kristol is getting blog buzz for his latest column on Hillary Clinton, primarily this:

She is, of course, still behind in the race, and Obama will most likely be the nominee. His team has run the better campaign. In particular, it realized how important the caucus states could be: Obama’s delegate lead depends on his caucus victories.

But Hillary may well be the better candidate. After all, for all the talk of Obama’s extraordinary ability to draw voters to the polls, Clinton has defeated him in the big states, including California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio. Obama won his home state of Illinois, but she won Florida, where both were on the ballot but didn’t campaign.

Furthermore, if you add up the votes in all the primaries and caucuses — excluding Michigan (where only Hillary was on the ballot), and imputing the likely actual totals in the four caucus states, where only percentages were reported — Clinton now trails in overall votes by only about 300,000, or about 1 percent of the total. By the end of the nominating contest, she may well be ahead on this benchmark — one not entirely to be scorned in a democracy.

Wonkette and AMERICAblog view this only in terms of Kristol’s presumably nefarious motives, while HotAir takes a (deserved) victory lap for Allahpundit regarding Clinton’s tactical wisdom in seeking an unmoderated debate.

But regular pw readers know that from the outset of this cycle, I have criticized the establishment media’s focus on horse race polls, while downplaying the importance of the “ground game” of presidential politics.  About ten weeks ago, it was becoming clear that Obama was running a camapign of winning caucuses in normally Republican states to overcome the “inevitable” establishment candidacy of Hillary Clinton, much as McGovern did to Muskie in 1972.  Thus, it did not come as a shock when Obama’s campaign began to look more and more McGovernite in which voters it wins and loses.

Whatever Kristol’s motive may be, he is at least on the way to grasping the degree to which organization has shaped — and continues to shape — the outcome of the current Democratic campaign.

17 Replies to “Dems 2008: Bill Kristol figures it out, more or less [Karl]”

  1. nishizonoshinji says:

    no, she won’t be the better candidate.
    she’s old too.
    ;)

  2. happyfeet says:

    You forgot the little nose.

  3. nishizonoshinji says:

    :-)

  4. Karl says:

    brad pitt would take it in a walk
    some care only about age and looks
    lulz

  5. happyfeet says:

    Also that’s really cool that Kristol quoted AP I think. Me I’m not jaded to where that’s not a big deal cause it’s pretty neat I think. But I think that’s really weird how Wonkette pretends not to notice that Kristol was mostly talking about Baracky’s media harem. Buncha fat whores really if I can borrow Lisa’s word there.

  6. nishizonoshinji says:

    rawr!
    Obama is related to Brad Pitt, Karl.
    the genes will tell.
    ;)

  7. Rob Crawford says:

    WTF?

    It’s 6:30 and I’m still at the fucking office. Why the hell did I take this position? This is why I have no goddamned life; hell, I don’t even have time to email the Librarian.

    Pardon me while I’m bitter…

  8. Karl says:

    like i picked pitt by chance?

  9. thor says:

    I have criticized the establishment media’s focus on horse race polls

    The pot is calling the kettle a Black Liberation Theologist. Oy, Karl.

  10. Karl says:

    Some people have a problem distinguishing between process and substance, I suppose.

  11. nishizonoshinji says:

    hahaha
    well.
    they are both beautiful mans.

    i wonder when mccains medical reports are coming out……

  12. Carin- says:

    If you’re into the metrosexual look, nish.

  13. A Fairbanks-Morse in a time of EMDs says:

    Karl writes:

    “Thus, it did not come as a shock when Obama’s campaign began to look more and more McGovernite in which voters it wins and loses.”

    From your lips to God’s ears. Much as I don’t like McCain, I’m hoping November 2008 will look a lot like November 1972.

  14. McGehee says:

    Much as I don’t like McCain, I’m hoping November 2008 will look a lot like November 1972.

    <shudder> If it turns out that way, I can only hope 2009 and 2010 don’t end up looking like 1973 and 1974.

  15. Karl says:

    If you click the final link in the post, you will find me arguing that 2008 is likely not 1972.

  16. michelle says:

    Barack Obama for President.

    Hillary is desperate, a liar (Bosnia) and she feels entitled.

    BARACK OBAMA FOR CHANGE!

    BARACK OBAMA A UNIFER!

    BARACK OBAMA IS FOR ALL AMERICANS!

  17. McGehee says:

    If we start getting comments from lowercase “bill” and lowercase “cindy,” I’m gonna scream.

Comments are closed.