Post-Nevada Reflections

First off, congratulations to all the Hillary Clinton supporters out there. I will support the Democratic nominee even if she should be Sen. Clinton. I don't think Clinton should be the nominee, but even she is lightyears ahead of any of the GOP presidential candidates.

Second, please John Edwards, drop out, now. True, even with your 4% of the vote, Obama would still have narrowly lost Nevada to Clinton. But it is clear, now, that you cannot win, cannot keep racking up delegates to play king or queen maker at the convention, and can only keep splitting the "left of Clinton" vote. Drop out and work for Obama in SC. Since, as I reported yesterday, he seems to be having trouble with white Democratic males in some polls, work to shore up his chances with them--unless you want Clinton, whom you rightly have called part of the status quo (at least, of the Democratic status quo, which is not as bad the GOP version, but still not very progressive), to win!

Third, while it is too late for this election cycle, clearly caucuses have too many problems to trust. Secret ballot is essential for democracy. I realize that Nevada, like many states, went to the caucus system in order to move their "primary" forward in time, but there has to be another solution. Even in Iowa too many voters who work evenings are disenfranchised. In Nevada this was compounded by holding them on Saturday, considered the Sabbath by Jews, during worship time! In a land dedicated to religious liberty, no one should have to choose between participation in the democratic process and fulfilling one's religious obligations. (Yes, I would also oppose holding such a process on Friday evening which begins the Sabbath for Orthodox Jews and is also a time of worship for Muslims. We are becoming ever more pluralistic in this nation and must make adjustments.)

Finally, while I stand by my congratulations to the Clintons and their supporters, after NH and now Nevada, I have to ask, "Is Bill Clinton going to throw a temper tantrum the night before every primary?" When Hillary said she "found her voice" in NH, many of us hoped that meant she was going shut Bill up! I mean it's in very bad taste, to say the least, to agree to certain caucus or primary rules, then sue to have them changed when a key union endorses a rival, then charge voter suppression and lowball expectations ("Obama has a 5 point advantage!"--something no poll supported), and then engage in voter intimidation by visiting caucus sites on the day of voting! And this is to give the Clinton campaign the benefit of the doubt and say that they weren't behind the anti-Obama robo-calls! Such behavior might win the nomination for Sen. Clinton--and may do such harm to the party in the process that we lose the general election in November. It will certainly remind many independents and moderate Republicans of everything they DON'T want to return to about the Clinton years! (I doubt seriously that Bill Clinton will follow up on his plans to investigate supposed voter suppression in Nevada now that Hillary won!! Hypocrite.) John McCain may well become the GOP nominee--and he is the one GOP candidate that many polls show beating Hillary. Do we want to get only 49% of the country--or become so close that the GOP dirty tricks squad can steal another election! If we want to win decisively in November then the nominee must be a uniting rather than dividing figure. I think that's ALREADY a longshot for Sen. Clinton--but it will be impossible if Bill Clinton doesn't shut up his fat mouth, already!!

I am worried about the apparent split between Latino/a and African-American voters. The Clintons' tactics are exacerbating such a split.

Sen. Obama, I hope you are rested and refreshed. It will be a long week in SC. And if Bill Clinton is going door to door throughout African-American neighborhoods, as he promised, you must, too. Bring every African-American supporter--and hopefully, John Edwards and others will help you with poor whites. You need some help with Southern white women, too. Roll out everything you've got--this is the big one. Without a clear win in SC, you won't survive Tsunami Tuesday, sir.

Meanwhile, I hope you get more Latino/a endorsements in the West.

Young people: Your numbers were incredibly impressive in Iowa and good in NH, but not in Nevada. Let's go! If you want real change, big change, and your voices to count, you MUST TURN OUT IN DROVES!