Political Ennui

The endorsement by Hamas is the last thing that Sen. Obama needed right now. This is one political hot potato flying through the media outlets right now. Much of the attention given to this issue is because of the recent reverse in Sen. Obama’s position on the subject of Hamas. The debate is about what an appropriate relationship looks and sounds like between a freely elected political party called Hamas or arakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya and the President of the United States. Hamas won the elections just ask ex-president Jimmy Carter. Nevertheless, this same group is considered a terrorist group and Sen. Obama has a long history of wanting to engage in direct negotiations without preconditions with this political party.

Sen. Obama has reversed his opinion, only recently, and has decided that Hamas must not only be “condemned” now but has also reinforced the idea that this political party is a “terrorist organization” and must comply with, you guessed it, preconditions. “…the use of military force if you need it, but to try and avoid that option if you can by engaging in robust diplomacy. That’s what Barack Obama is talking about,” Dodd told “FOX News Sunday.” So, according to Sen. Obama Iran, Cuba or Venezuela should not have to comply with preconditions but Hamas should be the exception. This last bit of information on Sen. Obama comes from an interview the senator had with Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic according to Joe Klein who writes for TIME in a section called “In the Arena.” (May 26, 2008 issue page 23) To some folks including Joe Klein, this is more than a reversal of opinions it is a failure of leadership and a “sad abandonment of principles” on the part of Sen. Obama and Senator John McCain.

Speaking of abandoning principles and misconceptions Peter Beinart (senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations) titled his last work “The Trailblazers” (Time magazine May 26, 2008 page 35) and the article reveals his current state of ennui over the current popular perceptions of who the Clintons are and what they mean to our country. Read the article yourself because its well written and his thoughts describe the feeling of many voting Americans. Mr. Beinart wrote “If Bill Clinton weren’t the person they revile [Supporters of Sen. Obama], Barack couldn’t be the person they love.”

The ennui or sadness Mr. Beinart feels is more of a silent rage to many supporter of Sen. Clinton yet others are being very vocal. Only today Fox News interviewed a supporters of Sen. Clinton, that has threatened to either not vote or vote for John McCain. Another supporter, Cynthia Ruccia, co-founder of “Clinton Supporters Count, Too” says her group will campaign against Obama, vote for McCain if her candidate is shut out. This negative reaction to the nomination of Sen. Barack Obama is growing daily and what has the DNC worried is that rank and file Democrats are not listening to the calls of mainstream media and popular political web pages that the nomination process is over and Hillary should drop out or that it's now poinless to go on. The DNC nor Sen. Clinton can control the momentum that she has created. Sen. Clinton can call for a “healing” process to begin amongst party members but this sounds condescending to her supporters who consider this "healing process" to be more of a pacification process. In other words, get in line, hold your nose, vote Democrat or for Obama and Shut-Up is what many Clinton voters are hearing.

Clintons supporters upset with this election process and who are considering voting for McCain reason that abandoning the Democrats lets the Republicans clean up their own mess. The second reason I here or read about is that the Democratic party has lost face with many of its members.

What I am not sure about is when did Democrats turn into Reaganites?



A. So, congratulations Sen. Clinton on winning Kentucky and holding your own in Oregon.
B. Sorry, that members of our own party Swift Boated your campaign.
C. Congratulations Sen. Obama you won because “a rule is a rule.” This reminds me of winning a game of Eight-ball because your opponent knocked the eight ball into the pocket after the break.
D. If Obama wins the Oval Office, we have to help President Obama have a good four years so that he gets a second four years in office to continue the good work. What this means is that Senator Clinton will not have her chance at becoming President of the United States in four years.
E. Hillary Clinton promised New Yorkers that she would not run for President her first term in Office in order to “honor” her promise to get things done for their state.

I respected Sen. Clinton for making and keeping that promise but now I think she should have taken her chances then because honor has no place in politics: not this election season.

Rafael Buelna