Hillary’s ‘Rocky’ strategy
A few weeks ago, when Hillary Clinton was campaigning in Philadelphia, she began to compare herself to Rocky, the city’s patron saint. At first, I dismissed it as yet another ridiculous attempt to paint herself as a working class underdog rather than the delusional underachiever that she’s been this election season. Upon closer examination, however, I remembered something often forgotten about Rocky. Although he fought to the bloody end, the stubborn pugilist lost by split decision the first time around. To whom did he lose? That’s right, a cocky black guy. That’s when I realized that there’s probably more truth to this Rocky thing than I first considered.
Given all that’s going on this election season, as well as the growing rumblings from the judges (i.e., the superdelegates), I am convinced that Hillary Clinton does not expect to win the Democratic nomination. Rather, she is trying to soften up Barack Obama up for a sure-fire knockout at the hands of John McCain. Then, a la Rocky II, Hillary comes back around in 2012 and wins the big one against the geriatric warmonger. Why else would Hillary stay in a race when all reasonable signs say she’s going to lose? How else can we justify her pile-on attacks and unrepentant silence regarding flag pins, Jeremiah Wright, “bitter gate” and Bill Ayers? Based on her malevolent strategy, Hillary Clinton is not staying too late in 2008, she’s campaigning early for 2012.
The problem with Hillary’s Rocky strategy is that it hinges upon the internal destruction of the Democratic Party. The longer she hangs around to bloody Obama, the more work the DNC must ultimately do to repair an increasingly factionalized party. Unfortunately, such reconciliation work is inappropriate for this time of year, when each party’s nominee should be mounting an offensive strategy against their general election opponent. As we learned from the Kennedy/Carter debacle of 1980, where Ted Kennedy refused to concede obvious defeat and failed to fully embrace his Democratic opponent, these internal squabbles merely open the door for a Republican victory.
By not throwing in the towel, Hillary Clinton is greasing the path for a McCain presidency that would be scarcely different than the current Bush regime. While Hillary spends the next four years mapping strategy, millions of people will continue to die from war, poverty and deficient health care. As Hillary lives out her Rocky fantasy, the nation’s most vulnerable people will continue to catch a beating.
Marc Lamont Hill is assistant professor of urban education and American studies at Temple University.
