I see a lot of saddened folks around here. That is to be understood. It seems as if we have taken one more step to the same old shit in the Democratic Party. It looks like the party is deciding to shoot itself in the foot again with an establishment candidate arguing for a return to the past. But folks, Barack Obama is facing a party establishment that has been entrenched in power for three decades. The Clintons have ruled this party with an iron fist for 20 years. Did you think it was going to be easy? Did you think taking on that power structure would be a walkin the park? JFK won the presidency by a razor thin margin. RFK was in a hard fought battle. Abe Lincoln was third on the first ballot of his party's convention.
Change is never easy. Transformation always has resistance as well it should. You must be shaped by the fire to ever be ready to lead.
Obama has always been the underdog. Most historians think RFK never had a chance even without his murder. If assaulting the establishment and replacing the power structure was easy it would be done more often. Howard Dean launched an attack on it and was turned on and destroyed by the establishment. Barack Obama has more money and a larger base than Dean, but this was never going to be easy.
2-1. That is the count. As for delegates won? They are in a dead-heat. Conventional Wisdumb in the summer was that Hillary would be dominating. The fact is that she isn't. She lost Iowa, admittedly never her strongest chance. She eeked out a victory in New Hampshire and Nevada. Both states she dominated with entrenched interests. If you had told Hillary in the summer that she would go down to the wire against Obama in Nevada and New Hampshire her campaign would've laughed.
What is the significance? Howard Dean raised money and fought the establishment but never made any ground electorally. Barack Obama is already showing that there is an opportunity for change if only we seize it. The establishment is not able to trounce him in the polls. And come South Carolina he could even up this race heading into Feb. 5 with all the money he needs to compete.
Going against the machine is tough. Did you think the Clintons were going to roll over after Iowa? They've been here before. They will sling whatever mud and use whatever tactics to win. They have the majority of the experienced grizzled voters. And yet Obama is still gaining on her. He is still right with her on money and votes.
It is remarkable that Obama is doing as well as he has done. It is still a very tough road for Obama to defeat the establishment. But there is no cause for pause or need to be downtrodden. This thing is far from over and Obama is in the driver's seat in South Carolina. So no need to give up or get down. This is no time for "Woe is me". This is a time for working. You have to outwork the Clintons not just out-hope them.
Obama has the message. Obama tapped the real key word of this campaign. Everyone has ripped him off including the Clintons. Now he just has to keep doing what he is doing and working as hard as he can along with all of us who want to take this party back.
Let's just keep working.