Okay, I have to go and make my very first diary entry a rather gloomy one. Went to bed last night with very discouraged thoughts about the overall state of our democracy. I teach students government class and try to stay positive about the prospects for democracy flourishing once more in the great country of ours but I gotta get let loose with some of these nagging black clouds hanging around my head after Pennsylvania...
- The Punditocracy and Media: The incredible interpretations of last nights solid but unimpressive win by Clinton comes through the cracked mirror of our media as some "amazing and feisty comeback", as some kind of backlash against Obama, as some kind of confirmation that Hillary's scorched earth campaign tactics are somehow honorable because they achieved the results last night. Do these media-heads have any minds of their own or do they just shovel out delusion as fact because it will get ratings or get them in good with the Washington insiders they lust after??? I officially cannot watch MSNBC, CNN, or any other televised coverage from here until at least Denver because I get soooooooo frustrated with the lies and half-truths being shoveled out by the out of touch media. These are the people an informed citizenry are supposed to be relying on to make smart choices!?!?!?
- Hillary and the Clintonians: It has been said over and over again here but I am still amazed at the extreme selfishness of Hillary and her followers. Like lemmings rushing headlong towards the abyss they chant "Yes, she can!" as she plows the Democratic party bus off the road and into a telephone post. Character assassination learned from Rethuglicans is now seen as a smart campaign tactic to destroy the person who is going to be your own party's nominee? I just do not see how anything Hillary does on her current path will do anything positive for Democrats and how can the leaders of our party not see it and wrest the steering wheel away from her before it is (maybe already is) too late?
- Obama: Will your start doing a better job of FORCING the issue with the press and getting your story out there. Great speech about Rev. Wright and race but you have gotta start speaking out against Hillary's lies and if the media won't give you the microphone grab it outta their hands!!! Stop being nice and saying Hillary can run if she wants to....speak out boldly against her dirty tricks. I just feel like Obama has been playing catch up and react for the last month now and it makes him seem weak.
- Destruction of the Democratic Party: I just have this sick feeling in my gut that this is all gonna end badly....defections from Hillary's supporters to McCain......a superdelegate backstab....discouragement of all the young and independent voters who were attracted to Obama....none of these are good but all or at least many of them may very well happen. And all that means is that the country's last best hope to reverse the Republican destruction of our country is gone. Imagine John McCain's Supreme Court! We HAVE to win this election!!!!
All in all I yearn to return to my caucus night here in Iowa, oh so long ago, when I was a Edwards supporter but I was also thrilled by the enthusiasm of all participants, especially the amazing number of fresh faced Obama supporters. What a promising start....what a bitter finish!