No Hillary, No

March 5, 2008

As this Democratic race continues to rage on between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton...sometimes I find myself asking...is Hillary seriously trying to lose?

Even after her victories in Ohio and Texas, and maybe a slight edge of a win on Super Tuesday just because she claimed California, Clinton's ability to take advantage of momentum is one of the worst I have ever seen in a political figure.

Trailing Obama in nearly every aspect recently (popularity, money, delegates), Clinton had a chance to take these wins (which really, in the scheme of delegate count don't mean much) and turn them into a true turnaround for her campaign.

Instead, she's drowning in them.

Maybe that offer is flawed but I just don't see how proclaiming the day after these wins that she would be open to the idea of a shared ticket with Obama...helps her chances of winning the nomination. Especially after much of her success in Ohio and Texas was arguably due to the fact she heightened her criticisms of Obama during her campaigns there.

Also, by bringing up the thorn in every Democrats side (thorns actually), Michigan and Florida, Clinton did nothing to increase her image of a candidate who had just landed a major victory. She appears as a candidate who is crying over spilled milk at this point, blaming her lack of delegates on two states that neither candidate even campaigned in.

At least...at least she finally succeeded in (what appears to be) getting under Obama's skin when he commented on the negative attitude her campaign has taken and that he has to start responding to some of these claims.

But that is a meaningless victory in the long run because in the end, Clinton's worst enemy remains herself. She is still losing, and (even worse) she's showing the entire country she is with her behavior.