Tuesday, March 04, 2008

There Will Be Blood?   [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

Do conservatives want Hillary Clinton to survive? I survey Ralph Reed, Whit Ayres, and others. And conclude:

will a mess at the Democratic convention really cure our political blues? Two-time Cabinet secretary and radio talk-show host Bill Bennett has argued that American political life might be best served by a final Clinton exit from presidential politics. (When Bill Clinton announced this weekend that “The country is groaning and moaning and screaming for change,” I was right there with the Republican Bill.) Wouldn’t a Clinton-free presidential campaign be a welcome change? Wouldn’t that be uplifting?

This campaign season has been one for surprises, and the most honest political analysis is to admit “I have no idea.” If even Michael Barone can’t predict where this race is going, I’ll make no predictions, advise no Texans, and refrain from the clever praying. The bottom line is: If the Democratic candidates are as unserious on wartime national security as their public statements indicate — Clinton has all but called General Petraeus a liar; and Obama promises to recklessly pull troops out of Iraq, and put them right back in if that doesn’t work — I’m O.K. with whomever the Democratic party decides to nominate, whenever they do.

03/04 10:18 AMShare