This 'n that

A couple of comments from readers: Anonymous corrects me that Brad Wall is premier of Saskatchewan, not Brian Wall. Point taken - the least I can do is get the guy's name right. And Marc's nose is out of joint because I referred to the Saskatchewan Party as PCs. They are called the Saskatchewan Party because the three Liberals in the Saskatchewan Party were outvoted when it came time to choose a nom de plume for the "PC -Party- that-is-known-as-the-Saskatchewan-Party." A rose by any other name ...

The American primaries are still going strong in the US and Hillary Clinton still trails Barack Obama by about 120 delegates. Now that her chief advisor has stepped down, Hillary may have a shot at narrowing the gap and making the race even more interesting. When the story of this primary race is written, Mark Penn will rightfully take a shit kicking as one of the worst strategists ever to parade on a national stage. His whole strategy dictated that Clinton leave the field wide open to Barack in all the small but hugely important states - think Iowa, Wyoming, Rhode Island, North Dakota et al. They were important because of the delegates they delivered to Obama and because, in the proportional allotment of voting delegates, he outpaced Clinton and slowly but surely built a lead by much better on-the-ground organizing and a recognition that every delegate is important. Penn also believed that personality was almost irrelevant in the primary and that voters would judge Clinton on her experience and ignore personality issues. That this left her vulnerable when Obama began shaping and putting forward his vision is clear as glass and the price she probably will pay is the loss of the nomination to Obama. If there has been a bigger screw up, a bigger fuck up than Mark Penn in a campaign, I can't think of one. The closest comparison would be Michael Dukakis, the hapless governor of Massachusetts and Democratic nominee who was buried by Dubbya's father in 1988.

As an aside, it will be interesting to read the analysis in books two or three years down the road about the vicious, unconscionable slagging Clinton has taken over almost everything during this campaign. She has refused to drop out and media baboons and political whores are slagging her for not putting the Party first. No one would have the gall to make a similar suggestion to a male candidate and if they did they'd be told to fuck off faster that McCain can drop economic clangors.

She has been pilloried for sticking with Bill. She has been raked over the coals for riding on his coattails when she has clearly won her spurs in the Senate and has more credentials in that regard than does Obama. And she is the target of one of the worst books ever printed, a collection of bitchy, pathetic essays published this winter that all attack some personal aspect of Hillary. Every woman who contributed to it should be ashamed of herself for playing to every stereotype ever mouthed about women. These "contributors" are bitchy, trivial women who are unable to see the big picture and are unable to analyze issues. The result is they focus on non essentials and they remind one of 13 year old girls just entering puberty who spend all their time giggling and hoping boys will approve of them. They are a disgrace to all the women in all walks of life who have worked to overcome the stereotypical thinking about women in leadership positions. Not one of these Barbies is fit to carry Clinton's garbage out to the curb.

I like Obama and I think he'll be a good president but Clinton has been a punching bag for every half wit in America. She has carried herself with courage and dignity and that she has not lashed out in anger at the unfairness of the coverage is to her everlasting credit. I think she would have been a good president, one of the best the Americans would have had in several decades. Obama will be a 5 million percent improvement over Bush and he's a decent guy, smart and determined to do a good job but the unfairness to Clinton in this primary marathon will leave an ugly smell in American politics for decades. The first woman to be a genuinely serious candidate for president deserved so much more. So did the American people. They are big losers, and after 8 years of Bush they have no room for any more losses.