the futility of hope

It's coming from wingnut 'zines and John Kerry alike, this word that the Clinton campaign is actively swiftboating Barack Obama.

Rumor has it the Clinton campaign is promoting the notion that Barack Obama is Muslim. (Texas Liberal-- as ever, the voice of reason-- reminds us that Obama should just say SFW-if-I-were to this rumor. He hasn't)

I'd love to consider the souse on this one. I'd love to, in fact, close my eyes, cover my ears and scream la-la-lala-freaking-la.

The Clinton campaign claims to have dismissed volunteers who were forwarding e-mails propagating the notion. It seems as if the Clinton campaign is dismissing a lot of operatives. There are also recordings of push-polls (mp3) in Nevada that stressed Obama's middle name, Hussein. I'd like to believe the Clinton camp wouldn't stoop so low, but are we to believe that Rudy Freaking Giuliani or Fred Freaking Thompson or Mike Freaking Huckabee commissioned these polls?

(Why are people so afraid of Senator Obama's middle name when the middle name of all of the Republicans is "Freaking"? Except Mitt Romney, that is. His middle name is "Mitt".)

Clinton had become my second choice after Obama supporters started demanding that we Edwards supporters get in line and tap the touchscreen for their guy.

But this is far, far worse.

If this is what it looks like, and at this point sorrytosay I'd bet on it, I don't overstate to say that Clinton's campaign is engaging in Karl Rovian politics. This is every bit as bad as sending out mailers in South Carolina (conservatives in 2000 apparently didn't use e-mail) that claimed John McCain had fathered a black baby.

I don't want to say what I have to say now, and, yes, I know the freaking stakes.

I want like hell to vote for the Democratic candidate, whichever one it may be.

But there may be no Democrat in the race. If Clinton walks like a Republican and quacks like a Republican...

If this is what it looks like, I will never vote for Hillary Clinton. Even in the general.



spacedark