TPM: A longtime Clinton defender and Dem Party fundraiser registers his disgust

[BeyondGeography]

...I agree with your posts from about a month ago about how irrational it is for a Democratic voter supporting the losing primary candidate to defect to McCain in November, since Clinton and Obama are so close on the issues compared to McCain. But I have to say, as someone who was marching in New Hampshire in 1991 for Bill Clinton, who ran the campus Democrats for his '92 campaign, who interned in his White House, who argued against impeachment at every turn, who even defended the pardons, who has been an enormous and unwavering admirer, and who has been disgusted with his own parents for their seemingly irrational hatred of Hillary Clinton, there is something about the way she has run this campaign. From having people on her campaign raise Obama's drug use, to her jumping on the bandwagon for every right-wing cheap shot, to her new populist, "got no truck with economists" stance, its been craven. More craven than I could possibly imagine.

If somehow against all odds she got nominated, I'd vote for her, but I'd do so utterly unconvinced that the quality of her leadership wouldn't bring about disastrous results no less than the disastrous results that McCain's wrongheaded policies and own cravenness would bring about. Yes, her policy positions would be much better than McCain's. But if she's this divisive, this self-preserving, this craven, I think the results can still be horrible, even with policy positions that are much closer to mine. At this point I feel like it would be the hardest vote for a Democrat I'd ever cast.

Now, I'm a Democratic fundraiser. And as detailed above, a very long time Clinton supporter. If I'm this repulsed, if it seems this craven to me, and I'm this pessimistic about her leadership, can I be alone? That doesn't even factor in the breach with younger voters, netroots activists, and African-American voters a Clinton nomination would bring about at this point.

Had to get that off my chest.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[Triana]

1. My sentiments exactly...

..."utterly unconvinced that the quality of her leadership wouldn't bring about disastrous results no less than the disastrous results that McCain's wrongheaded policies and own cravenness would bring about. Yes, her policy positions would be much better than McCain's. But if she's this divisive, this self-preserving, this craven, I think the results can still be horrible, even with policy positions that are much closer to mine."

Except I will NOT vote for this woman.

[MindMatter]

11. Let's just make sure you don't have to face that decision

[DMorgan]

12. As long as Obama has won the nomination by sheer votes

I will have no problem voting for the nominee. Hillary, I will hold my nose and mark the ballot.

[Pisces]

2. I also would rather lose with Obama than stand with HIllary.

[Scriptor Ignotus]

17. hell yes - nt

[judasdisney]

24. I agree

[FrenchieCat]

3. I will not belong to a party whose nominee promoted racial divisions

in order to get to the nom. Period.

[Brundle_Fly]

4. Agreed

I am not a republican, never will be.

[EFerrari]

5. Yep. n/t

[City Lights]

7. Same here. nt

[Big Blue Marble]

8. I feel exactly as you do Frenchie.

Exactly.

[RainDog]

6. Finally!

someone who can acknowledge how repulsive Hillary has become to life-long democrats - because of her own actions. I hope this person, as an insider, can communicate to others that if she takes the low road to nomination (not that she hasn't already, but I mean the "nuke Americans" option) that she will cause a massive defection from the democratic party.

[TheDoorbellRang]

9. She will not get my vote

Enough.

Just...enough.

[DMorgan]

13. I don't think you have to worry about that, my friend! Just don't EVER vote for McCain! eom

[TheDoorbellRang]

20. No fear of THAT ever happening

Can't vote for McSame.

I think I need to just stop worrying about her stealing it. Just trying to wait and see is pretty darn tough, tho.

[L0oniX]

10. K&R

[anigbrowl]

14. Her rejection of economists as 'elites' makes me mad

Not just because I think economics is an important subject and we'd be far better off as a country if more people lerned a bit about it, but because of the 'education? who needs it' tone of her remarks. It's easy to portray economists as part of the problem just because a lot of banks etc. employ them, but so do charities, NGOs, and government. A great many economists enter the profession because they are serious about developing policies to reduce poverty and increase human wellbeing. Economics is no more and less than the science of deciding how best to allocate limited resources.

[flpoljunkie]

15. "More craven than I could possible imagine." KInda says it all.

[Voice for Peace]

16. "strong as train smoke" - wtf is that?

from the link in the OP

[Kurovski]

22. "Acrid?"

It is very acrid, train smoke is.

[democracy1st]

18. K & R

[BlooInBloo]

19. There's only so long Clnton can hold us hostage with her vote-for-me-or-else-republican thing...

... I succumbed to the extortion for a long time - now I'm just about done with it.

[judasdisney]

25. DLCers have been playing this game for years. Hostage-taking.

[JAbuchan08]

27. They run right in the primaries then say

"who else you gonna to vote for?"

whomever I damn well please.

[WA98296]

21. K&R

[cliffordu]

23. Precisely!!! Kicked and rec'd

[McCamy Taylor]

26. Obama better not turn his back on these "longtime Clinton allies" who are jumping ship

because he is now ahead and getting more money. They will jump right back at the first opportunity.