Do Democrats Fear Winning?

CBS's Dick Meyer Examines The Party's Latest Brand Of Self-Defeating Tactics

(CBS)  This commentary was written by CBSNews.com's Dick Meyer.

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The Democratic Party is choking.

Facing nothing but open field ahead, the team can’t get the ball in the end zone. The incumbent Republican president’s unpopularity is historically high. The country is opposed to the Iraq war and worried about the recession. Gas prices are heading toward $4 a gallon. John McCain, the Republican nominee, is the oldest presidential nominee in history.

But the Democrats can’t score. They’re not even on the field yet. They’re still stuck in the locker room of the primaries, bickering.

The veteran offensive line, the Clintonistas, won’t block for the young players at the skill positions, the Obamists. They have the ball and are perfectly poised to fumble.

In sports, there are always “gimme the ball” players, the super-confident stars who want the ball with three seconds left in the game. Clinton and Obama want the ball, alright, but the rest of the team doesn’t really want to win or know how to win. They’re choking.

This is pretty much the natural order of modern politics.

When I first started covering national politics for CBS News 23 years ago, the Democrats were coming off an especially inept performance in the 1984 campaign. The “Atari Democrat,” Gary Hart, was the man of new ideas and a disposition inclined against the party’s interest group establishment. Walter Mondale was the establishment. They bled each other through a long primary season and establishment managed to keep Hart down. The voters kept Mondale way down in November.

Since then, the party has continued to create rules (proportional representation) that encourage long, bloody primaries.

What’s very different about 2008 is that the Democrats in 1984 really never had a prayer against Ronald Reagan. In 2008, conditions are perfect for a Democratic victory. Only the hapless Democrats could blow this lead.

The primary campaign is now guaranteed to run for a few more months. Considering that the campaign basically began full-time in late November 2004, this has been by far the longest nominee selection marathon in history. It is a race that will likely sap the strength and enthusiasm of a once excited and bloodthirsty electorate of Democrats and independents. Despite the fact that there is not an especially wide policy gulf between the two candidates, the party could be divided when the primaries are over. Certainly the winner will be bloody against a healthy John McCain.

One obvious, but politically incorrect and cynical point is that it was always a very high-risk proposition for the party to nominate a woman or a black. As historically significant and uplifting as it is to shatter an old and embarrassing barrier, it is a risky way for a political party to seize power. No one has a clue what will happen with a white woman or a black man at the top of the ticket. But sending an unknown brand of warrior into battle against a uniquely weak enemy doesn’t make sense if you’ve been losing a long war.

Nor does carrying on with a flawed, Byzantine nomination process that encourages divineness, manipulation and tediousness.

The Democrats seem to have either a political death-wish or a dire fear of success. Don’t give us the ball, please. We’re happy to be the opposition party.

This begs a question: is there something about contemporary Democratism that is simply unsuited to governance? Is the party semi-dysfunctional because it lacks a philosophic core that is simple, sensible and attractive? Or is it just something about the personality of Democrats?

The country obviously wants an alternative to Bushism. It might well settle for McCainism.

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This will be my last "Against the Grain" column. After 23 years at CBS News, I am moving my computer to National Public Radio. I hope to resume a column at NPR.org after I settle in and it may even reappear here eventually. If you would like to receive an e-mail when I start back up, send a note to Against the Grain. It has been a great privilege to write in this space for so many years, thank you.

[joecoolswat]

He was contained ? Thats what un-informed peacenick non-military democrats say, when they can stomach the battle. If Sadam did not agree with the cease fire agreements from the gulf-war 1, then guess what, war is back on again. Oh, by the way. sorry but the war is now WON in Iraq, DEMS lost. The Surge worked perfectly. We now have Mid-east bases in Iraq, and no more no-fly zones, dictators who don''t listen when we tell them, do what we say or be gone. Just sit back and be hit again? I think not.

[jackfrost99]

"No one has a clue what will happen with a white woman or a black man at the top of the ticket."

Really??? The American people (democrats) had a choice of many more candidates and who are the last two standing? With record levels of voter participation at that.
The people wants these two - loud and clear - and I think we have a very clear idea of what will happen with either or both on the ticket: THEY''LL WIN!

Now, if they could just get their act together and come up with a joint ticket before we head into a gruesome battle of negative campaigning, super delegate voting and having to figure out the FL,MI mess.

[ioweign]

For how many years were you planning on "containing" him?

Posted by AJMarine1 at 10:18 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Until the Iraqis themselves had the ballz to put him down. All Bush has created is the grand daddy of a welfare state in Iraq.

[rowdytexan2]

Boy, this guy''s against the grain column really helps!

[rowdytexan2]

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Posted by ike-3 at 03:40 AM : Mar 07, 2008

Mr. Obama spent eleven months trying to tear Hillary down, without making a plan, articulating a plan, or a straight answer to a question. And now he''s come out and just flat lied over sending his wink wink message to Candada about NAFTA! He''s said he will withdraw the troops, and then has turned around and said he may not withdraw the troops. He''s had to sacrifice every friend he had because they were all crooks! He''s said he was for nuclear energy, then turned around and said he wasn''t. He doesn''t even have a stance that Hillary didn''t write down for him and put it up on a teleprompter for him to read, because otherwise he couldn''t articulate it.

This is the American Idol candidate promoted to you by the Neocons as being the new Messiah! For God''s sakes, wake up America! If we put an incompetent president in the White House who can''t bring about all this HOPE and CHANGE, that means they''ll get a fresh run at it in four years!

[mrmazerati]

This is useless speculation. The Democrats are still favored to win, the president and the war are still hugely unpopular and the economy is still in trouble. The primaries will finish, the nominee will be selected and there will be a spirited election. As usual.

[mcvet]

For how many years were you planning on "containing" him?


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Posted by AJMarine1 at 10:18 PM : Mar 06, 2008
+ report abuse

I''d say he could have waited until AFTER those who attacked us were done away with don''t you? I''d also, suggest that IF we decided to go after him the PEOPLE, you do remember that part of the Constitution about WE the PEOPLE don''t you? Anyway I''d say the PEOPLE deserved to be told the TRUHT about it. We were LIED to a total of 935 times in a two year period by that piece of human trash you still call a President. That is NOT what we as a nation should stand for no matter the objective. Sieg Heil Bush!!

[ike-3]

Obama thinks by keeping quiet when Hillary goes amok on him will help him. He has to be told in a pointed manner by those who still believe in him that he is in a live boxing ring with Hillary and refusal on his part to tow her line in throwing punches would only result in more bruises on his face. Very soon someone from his campaign would throw in the white flag when the blood continues to flow from his face since he, apparently, is interested in watching and defending himself while Clinton and mchain continue there ferocious punches on him. Clinton is ready to do anything to destroy Obama politically and the earliar he gets that in his skull the better for him and his supporters.

[dgwooster]

"So Dems, just keep fighting amongst yourselves, and don%u2019t worry. We the GOP can take care of things for you."
-Jackie

The question is Jackie, can the country afford to let the GOP keep running things?

[jamurphy4]

I don''t think Hillary will be in fear, as she re-enters the White House as the President.. She will be ready to go on day one, and all the Republicans will get to see a real President again.. After all it''s been over 7 years since we''ve had a President that can complete a sentence..

[ajmarine1]

Gee - Saddam was contained

Posted by IOWEIGN at 08:14 PM : Mar 06, 2008


For how many years were you planning on "containing" him?

[adastra8]

Republicans rely on government techniques that have been around since the Medici (and long before) - brutish, but well-developed and understood. Democrats are trying to push the envelope with techniques that should ultimately be more effective, but the science isn''t as advanced. Yet. The Democrats'' fundraising success this year is a shot across the Republicans'' bow. As the Republicans'' own grass-roots is in a state of revolt and flux, the Democrats are starting to get in harmony with theirs. Upshot? Hold onto your hats. The world is changing.

[jackie0428]

*** Meyer did a great job here of articulating what millions of us are thinking but perhaps some feel is too "non-PC" to say. As a proud Republican, I need to let you Dems in on a secret: this divisiveness and wrangling, bickering and unfocused approach of the Democrats does NOT come as a surprise to historically informed Republicans. Not at all. Rather, it is what we have been expecting and waiting for months to occur. It was just a matter of time before the Dem leaders and shakers started tearing themselves apart and imploded. Only the Democrats could figure out how to pull defeat from the jaws of an almost-sure victory in a year like this. Heck, McCain may be able to stop campaigning for a few months and go golfing instead, and he''ll still likely win. This is about as humorous as it gets, folks. So Dems, just keep fighting amongst yourselves, and don%u2019t worry. We the GOP can take care of things for you.

[ioweign]

Does it matter how the Dems act at this point? Their "Byzantine" primaries invariably produce nominees between Left and Far Left--way out of the American mainstream, and only the insular lefties don''''t see it. They actually believe they''''re a majority!

Posted by Maxbert at 08:27 PM : Mar 06, 2008

And this coming from spend and charge it. They can''t figure anything out and want to "stay the course" down a dead end. Ah yes and then there is the famous "Mission Accomplished" announced on May 1, 2003 - that was 2003. For a group that complain about the Democratic welfare state, Iraq is the grand daddy of them all.

The right-wing anti-Clinton rhetoric is so vicious but right-wingers are that way! They learned to hate Hillary at Limbaugh''s knee. When Republicans actually come in contact with her in the Congress, they find out how diplomatic and friendly she is in reality and have publicly said so.

[idlepugilist]

*** Meyer is reaching on this one. Democrats are extremely energized to pick the best candidate, showing up in record numbers for primaries. Democrats know who the opposition is, so it will either be Hillary or Barack, and this leads to little or no confusion. Next.

[ioweign]

Gee, and I thought it was those 17 U.N. resolutions Saddam ignored, or maybe the violation of the cease fire from the first Gulf War, or maybe shooting at our planes in the no-fly zone, or maybe the millions of deaths he was responsible for or maybe the entire world being duped by him into thinking he had WMD. Good riddance. The world IS a safer place without him.

Posted by mbcsmith at 04:27 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Then why the 935 "false statements" to justify it. Just a habit by now and he doesn''t know how to tell the truth!

You forgot to mention that he threated the shrub''s daddy too.

Gee - Saddam was contained and al-Quaeda was non-existent in Iraq before Bush''s Choice Conflict.

[maxbert-2009]

Does it matter how the Dems act at this point? Their "Byzantine" primaries invariably produce nominees between Left and Far Left--way out of the American mainstream, and only the insular lefties don''t see it. They actually believe they''re a majority!

[ioweign]

Do democrats fear winning? My opinion ? yes. at least the people who vote democrat fear them winning... i mean if a liberal democrat is president, who are the whiny libs going to blame for their pathetic lives?

Posted by jwind11 at 06:42 PM : Mar 06, 2008

It will be the dimwit that is in there now and has this place so messed up.

[ioweign]

Fortunately, the Democrats aren''t buying Crist''s intervention as anything other than "show and tell"designed to get him on McCain''''s ticket.

Posted by Brazil42 at 07:27 PM : Mar 06, 2008

Yeah - Crist and his Florida Republicans messed up big time. It appears he didn''t bother to check with either party about moving the primaries up. To me this is meddling - he copying Chavez...