Clinton was the candidate all the big money went to early on, and McCain is the mainstream media’s stud muffin, the guy they really, really want to have a beer with and then wake up in the morning in bed with a hangover and stale cigarette breath. So the corporate media and big money Democratic donors must be breathing a sigh of relief this morning.
As for me, I’m disappointed, particularly if this result knocks John Edwards out of the race. Obama and Clinton, despite all the “historic” talk, and all their rhetoric, have not shown themselves to be wedded to a particularly progressive agenda. Clinton, in my opinion, is beatable in a general election if McCain is the nominee. And even if she wins, it will be a narrower victory than any other Dem likely could achieve. Thus we would be back to all the things that destroyed the Democratic party in the 90’s. Triangulation and center right policies masquerading as liberal positions. The return of the vast right wing conspiracy machine with a vengeance, and endless media stories about Clintonian “scandals” regardless of their merits. The ugly mug and shrill voice of James Carville on television every night. The DLC and it’s own K Street strategy triumphant.
And we will see little if any gain for any progressive positions. Universal health care? Dead on arrival under HRC, except for a plan allowing health insurance companies and Big Pharma to suck up even more money than they do now. Iraq? A delayed or “deferred” withdrawal, leaving thousands of American soldiers stuck in a quagmire of neoconservative and neoliberal warhawk fantasies. A continued push by AIPAC and conservative Israeli politicians to involve America in a war against Iran. The continued downgrading of environmental issues, especially a response to global warming that promises any hope of real reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
And to be honest, despite all the happy talk from Obama about being the candidate of hope and change, I don’t know that an Obama presidency would be a whole lot different, with the possible exception of Iraq. He may be a secret progressive wrapped in moderate/centrist/bipartisan rhetoric, but I’m not convinced yet that he would actually engage in promoting any policies that would radically alter the status quo. His speeches have actually referenced Republican talking points on Social Security, forgawdsake. He is tied to as many “big money” corporate interests as Senator Clinton, and nothing I’ve seen from him so far in his senatorial career has made me believe he would cross those “special interests” if push came to shove. I hope I would be wrong about that, but that’s all it is — hope.
Which leaves us in a place only the punditocracy could love: endless discussions of the “horse race” aspect of the campaign, with little if any substantive discussion of issues and policy differences between the candidates of either party. And the promise of a future only slightly less blighted than the Bush years. In short, business as usual.
