How the democrats could lose

By Weekly Archive On Feb 5, 2008

If
you’re having trouble keeping up with all the twists and turns of
primary season 2008, you’re not alone.

At
one point in 2007, there were 16 candidates for president. Today
there are only four serious candidates left. The next president of
the United States will be Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John McCain
or Mitt Romney.

Republicans
are at a distinct disadvantage. They’re saddled with an unpopular
president and forced to defend his long, bloody war in Iraq. After
embarking on the biggest spending spree and racking up the biggest
budget deficits in history, they’ve lost any claim to fiscal
responsibility. And they begin 2008 with the economy teetering on the
brink of a recession.

That’s
a tough sell for any candidate, but especially tough for John McCain
and Mitt Romney, neither of whom have yet shown any real leadership
skills. McCain and Romney appear so attractive only because their
fellow Republican candidates looked so bad.

You
know Romney. He’s the persistent encyclopedia salesman. He looks
good. He sounds good. He promises you the moon. Yet you don’t believe
a word he says. He’s too slick and too quick to agree to whatever you
want. You’re "pro-life"? So’s Romney. You’re pro-choice?
So’s Romney. Where he stands depends on where you sit.

But
when it comes to flip-flops, John McCain’s no second-stringer. In
2000, McCain said George W. Bush was unqualified to be president.
Today, he’s Bush’s biggest supporter. He also attacked Bush for not
accepting rape or incest as valid exceptions to the GOP’s ban on
abortion. Today, McCain says he’s anti-abortion, without exception.
McCain twice voted against the Bush tax cuts. Today, he champions
making them permanent.

For
Republicans, the choice boils down to: Do they want to lose with
McCain or Romney? For Democrats, the choice is much more difficult:
Do they want to make history with the first woman president or the
first African-American president?

Unlike
poor Republicans, Democrats are blessed with two rock stars. Indeed,
given the times, the issues, the frustration, the desire for change,
and the contrast in candidates, many commentators insist there’s no
way Democrats can lose in November. They’re wrong.

Appearing
on MSNBC’s "Tucker" recently, I cautioned conservatives
Tucker Carlson and Pat Buchanan not to gloat over infighting among
Democrats. The differences between Obama and Clinton, I pointed out,
were nothing compared to differences between Democrats and
Republicans. I also assured them that Democrats would rally behind
whichever one became the nominee in order to win back the White
House: a statement I presumed to be both factual and
non-controversial.

Oh,
yeah? I’ve been buried in e-mails ever since from angry Obama
supporters. Like this one: "No, we won’t put this behind us and
reunite to put a Democrat in the White House. After the way Bill and
Hillary treated Obama, that’s not going to happen. What they’ve done
is much worse than eight more years of another Republican in the
White House." Hundreds of Obama supporters have told me they’ll
either stay home or vote for a Republican, rather than vote for
Clinton. (I’ve not received one such e-mail, by the way, from a
Clinton supporter.)

That’s
the Democratic prescription for disaster. It’s exciting to have such
a young, transformational candidate. Obama has inspired millions of
young people to get involved in politics. And he may well end up as
the party’s nominee. But if he doesn’t, it would be a huge mistake
for his supporters to stay home and sulk. They might as well cancel
the election and just hand the White House to the Republican Party.

Part
of the responsibility lies with the candidates. It’s important for
both Obama and Clinton to tone down the rhetoric, stick to the
issues, and tell us what they will do for the country, rather than to
each other. And both should remind their supporters that they share a
common goal and, come November, will work together toward taking back
the White House.

But
voters have a responsibility, too: to keep their eye on the big
picture. What’s best for the country is more important than
gratifying one’s own bruised political ego.

I
know. The first candidate I supported was Sen. Eugene McCarthy. When
he lost the nomination, my friends and I refused to vote for Hubert
Humphrey — and the nation got stuck with Richard Nixon. Young voters
today: Please don’t make the same dumb mistake!

Bill
Press is host of a nationally syndicated radio show and author of a
new book, "How
the Republicans Stole Religion."
You can hear "The Bill Press Show" at billpressshow.com.
His email address is: bill@billpress.com. His Web site is:
www.billpress.com.