Obama supporters should thank Sen. Clinton for the hard and dirty fight she's waging -- because when it comes to the general election, Republicans will fight 10 times dirtier, and he'd better be prepared.
I've seen plenty of Obama supporters griping and gnashing their teeth about Sen. Clinton's victories on Tuesday. I recommend you get some perspective and do it in a hurry.
First of all, her victories were squeakers at best. Your guy still seems to be in a strong position.
Secondly, your sense of entitlement is astonishing. Did you really think it was going to be a cakewalk? 'Cause I can promise you, the Republican campaign in the general election will be much dirtier than anything Clinton has done.
Excuse me if someone has written this same advice, as I don't read the Daily Kos as much as I used to. I supported Edwards in the primaries. After he dropped out, I decided I didn't want to support either Clinton or Obama. And frankly, some of Obama's supporters make the Daily Kos a tough place to be around. You want an example? I mean diaries like THIS.
However, my wife (a former ardent Edwards supporter) is an Obama supporter now. So, if for no other reason than marital harmony, I'd be happy if he won the nomination. And no matter who wins, I will support the Democratic nominee for President.
Still, channeled through her, I've been hearing a lot of complaints about the Clinton campaign, including ...
- That awful "phone call in the middle of the night ad"
- Other Rovian (or Rove-esque?) trickery and dishonesty
- Threats of court battles over votes in Texas
- Another threat of a legal fight to seat the Florida and Michigan delgations.
Let me tell you what I told my wife: Be glad that Clinton is attacking like a Sicilian knife fighter. Because if Obama doesn't learn to handle it now, the Republicans will eat him for lunch.
While Obama has responded somewhat to Hillary's attacks, I find his responses too tepid and high-minded. He's playing the "front-runner statesman" who doesn't get his hands dirty. There's a reason the Republicans (and Clinton) want him up on that high horse -- he's easier to pick off.
Obama better learn in a hurry to ignore the advice of the high-priced, wrong-headed consultants around him and start fighting like he means it. And he can win that battle.
After all, just look at her ad about the phone call in the middle of the night. Every argument that Clinton makes for herself in that ad is one that McCain can make 10 times over. She's so desperate she's getting crazy. It may be working in the short term, but I think if Obama combines desperation with smarts he can mop the floor with her.
And if Clinton's ads and other "dirty tricks" make you mad, just imagine what the Republicans will do in the general election. Heck, they painted a bona fide war hero (John Kerry) as a pacifist waffler and it stuck. What the heck do you think they're going to do to Barack Hussein Obama?
This is an opportunity for Obama to show he has true grit. He's going to need it down the road.