There are moments in time when you see a slow-motion disaster unfolding before you, and you can only yell out and hope those around you notice in time. Now is such a moment for Democrats, and "in time" means before the Super Duper primaries this Tuesday across the nation.-John Pearce and Kathy Cramer, of the Huffington Post, on the cliff Democrats will drive themselves over if they nominate Hillary Clinton.
...If Clinton is our candidate, the Republican base will come out in numbers that have nothing to do with John McCain and everything to do with Hillary and Bill Clinton...
Here, then, is the Clinton disaster scenario. Even in a year when Democrats are in great position to win in November, if Hillary unifies the Republicans, loses independents, and loses the progressive left, her chances of winning the general election are slim indeed.
Let look at the alternative. Barack Obama inspires Americans across the political spectrum, with his greatest strengths supplanting Hillary's greatest weaknesses. He unites independents, the young, minorities, and progressives alike. He will not unify the GOP, and indeed will take Republican votes. That same Time magazine poll shows that among those who have an opinion, he has astounding 70% positives. Yet 51% of voters don't yet know him enough to even have formed an opinion. With his power of ideas and remarkable personal charisma yet to be fully seen, his upside is enormous.
It really is quite simple. Nominate someone who has the best chance of winning, or someone who has the best chance at losing.
Against McCain, Hillary could very well lose in a landslide. It is absolutely possible that we'll see a blood red electoral map on Election Day in November.
I would predict it to look something like this:
McCain 366Clinton 172
Food for thought heading into Super Tuesday.
