|
All
Things Reconsidered
December
12, 2002
by
Alexander Washburn
Dean
Wins New Hampshire
Outside of the liberal power sectors of Boston, NY, LA
and DC, I can't imagine the rest of America getting excited
about John Kerry's forming an exploratory committee
to run for President. Kerry's irrelevance in "fly
over" country is a problem because he'll need to
convince those Americans that even with his liberal voting
record he is the best guy to steer the nation in these
uncertain times.
Not
sure how Kerry's candidacy helps fill the void in leadership
the party is facing but at least the guys in Vegas now
have some names to throw around. Kerry joins former Minority
Leader Richard Gephardt, perennial loser Al
Gore, Vermont Governor Dr. Howard Dean and
North Carolina Senator John Edwards on the list
of potential 2004 Bush-whackers.
Pretty pathetic, isn't it? Kind of resembles a Hall of
Fame ballot full of geezers in their last year of eligibility
and a couple guys nobody ever heard of. If Kerry, Gore
and Gephardt ever want to become President they better
do it in 2004 – they'll never get another chance.
Dean and Edwards may be nobodies, but at least there's
some potential there.
Expect
Gore to take his shot, no matter what's in the New
York Post, which has reported that Al might opt out
of running in 2004. According to the Paper of Record,
the sagging sales of Gore's book and Bush's ever-growing
popularity among Jewish voters in Florida could kill a
Gore campaign before it starts. I don't believe it for
a second. This is just one of those stories that the Paper
of Record excels at – casting a tiny shadow of doubt
on Gore's willingness and desire to actually lead. The
truth is he's unable to lead and it has nothing to do
with weak-ass book sales. But Gore is way too much of
an egomaniac not to try for the presidency for a LaRouchesque
third time. If 2004 comes around and I don't have the
opportunity to see Al Gore either lose the nomination
or the election again, it'll be as disappointing as 'Standing
in the Shadows of Motown' (if you haven't seen this
over-hyped documentary about the Funk Brothers, the music
behind the Motown sound, count your blessings – and
your eight bucks).
Kerry would at least give the Democrats another heavyweight
in the ring. Even with his Massachusetts-liberal baggage,
the respected senator is a giant compared to Howard Dean
of Vermont. Nevertheless Dr. Dean, considered a lightweight
because he doesn't reside anywhere near the Beltway and
doesn't take policy advice from the New York Times, will
win the 2004 New Hampshire Primary – you heard
it here first. With the constant threat of biological
and chemical warfare, and not to mention our never solved
health care troubles: rising insurance rates, no drug
benefit for older Americans, children without health coverage,
men and women in places like Orford, New Hampshire might
feel its best for a doctor to be our nations chief executive.
As
for John Edwards, anyone who feels serious political discussions
should take place in the pages of GQ Magazine is clearly
not ready to be President. This month's issue of that
magazine bills Edwards as the second coming of Clinton:
young, smart, moderate and Southern. This guy, GQ wants
us to believe, is the 'Next Bubba.'
Is that a good thing? While the David-Yurman-watch crowd
was buzzing over GQ's Edwards hype, the original Bubba
was addressing that crowd at the Democratic Leadership
Council meeting in New York. The former President took
Democrats to task for the midterm election failure, saying
the party had been among other things 'missing in action'
on the national security front. Hey, if everything Bill
Clinton touched in the 2002 elections hadn't turned to
shit – remember Janet Reno for Governor? Erskine
Bowles for Senate? – maybe he'd have something to
bitch about. But given that this guy is wholly responsible
for the centrist-shift that led to the identity crisis
Democrats are now stuck with, I say Bubba is best left
to the lecture circuit.
The exclamation point on Clinton's post-President demise
will come when Terry McAullife finally reads the writing
on the wall and exits stage right as chairman of the Democratic
National Committee. Two years ago Clinton and other
spineless party bigshots backed the checkbook-first McAullife
over the more policy-and-grassroots focused Maynard
Jackson, the former mayor of Atlanta. Now the party
stands lifeless with no reason for being and not a single
issue or solution to call their own. Why are they surprised?
(Alexander Washburn is a volunteer staff writer for 2 Walls Webzine.)
|
