Democratic Musings

I know that I rarely comment about the Democratic race, but there have been 3 things recently that caught my eye.

The 1st is something Camille Paglia had to say about Hillary Clinton. Ms Paglia has been, rightly so, called a firebrand. She recently came out with a scathing criticism of Hillary declaring she cannot win. & shouldn't win either. This is from an interview with Canada’s Globe and Mail:

“I listen to conservative talk radio, because the callers really do give one a sense of where popular sentiment is at the moment. And I just don't see how any of the Democratic candidates is going to be able to present the national-security credentials that will be crucial in this election."

“The Republicans have [Mitt] Romney, [Rudy] Giuliani, [Fred] Thompson, even [Mike] Huckabee - a series of candidates who would be way more credible than Hillary, if only because of the projection of strength they give.”

“She has a powerful machine. But many, many other candidates will be draining off support … The Democrats around me don’t want to go backward into the Clinton years.”

“There's an over-clever, over-conceptualized political personality there who has trouble being an ordinary person."

For someone with so much international exposure, she's not great on the stage. She's well prepared with her sound bites. But when she has to play outside her sphere of preparation, she seems taken by surprise… "

“She's essentially a policy wonk. She has no vision. "

“Then there's the sense of her espousing feminist ideals on the one hand, but also tolerating gross exploitation and insult from her womanizing husband.” (Writer Paglia: Hillary Can't Win)

Ms Paglia has gotten it exactly right. These are are solid reasons why Hillary shouldn't be elected let alone even nominated. The fact that she is a Democrat who voted for Bill Clinton & a feminist lends creedance to her words as they can't be written off as merely a partisan attack. Let's hope that the Dems have the sense to see the sense in what Ms. Paglia has to say. I predict Hillary's camp won't. In fact, look for them to get the long knives out.

Next, A bit about some of Barak Obama's potential family ties:

"Vice President Cheney is related to Sen. Barack Obama.

At least that was the stunning announcement made yesterday by Lynne Cheney, who said that the very white vice president from Wyoming is in fact the eighth cousin of Obama, the Senate's only African American member. She said she discovered the link, traced back to a Huguenot who figured prominently in Maryland history, while researching her latest book.

"Obviously, Dick Cheney is the black sheep of the family," Obama spokesman Bill Burton said." (Obama and Cheney, Making Connections)

I love the spokesman's "play on words" comment. My question: "Where did Barak go wrong?" Meanwhile, I highly doubt that a family reunion will soon be in the works between the 2 branches of the famiglia.

Finally there is this news item from Sen. Chris Dodd's camp:

"Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd doesn't quite qualify as an Iowa resident, but his wife and kids will soon be able to claim that title — at least until the caucuses.

Jackie Dodd, scheduled to appear tonight at a Polk County Democrats' dinner in Des Moines, will announce that she and their two daughters — Grace, 6, and Christina, 2 — will move to Iowa until the January caucuses.

"We have decided as a family to spend the remainder of the campaign here in Iowa with our children," Jackie Dodd said in a statement released by the campaign today. "We want our family to be together as we talk to as many caucusgoers across Iowa as possible – to talk about why Chris is running for president and what separates him from the field.

Campaign aides said the family has rented a house in Des Moines." (Dodd's family moving to Iowa)

"Democratic presidential candidate Chris Dodd will have a new pitch to Iowans: Vote for a neighbor.

"They've rented a house in Des Moines and the girls will be coming out as well," campaign spokeswoman Taylor West said Friday. "It's one more piece of strengthening our operation in Iowa. We are committed to the state."

The Dodds are arranging to enroll Grace in kindergarten." (Play of the Day: Dodd moves to Iowa )

For the 1st time in decades, Iowa has a Democratic Senator who actually lives in Iowa. Unlike Harken who represents Iowa but doesn't really live here. Harkin's real home is the place he owns in The Bahamas. He has a mailing address in Iowa to maintain his residency (technically). But he isn't an Iowa resident any more than Hillary Clinton is a New Yorker. (Notice a pattern here with Democratic Senators?)

Welcome to Iowa Se. Dodd, only please take Harkin with you when you leave!