Posting a little less often than anticipated but hope to change that this week.
[note -major keyboard problems especially on space bar and B but am not sure when I will order replacement...Politics].
The topic is Clark as the Bush of 2004. I see Bush as a stopgap put up by the money people behind the GOP establishment in 1999 to make sure that neither Forbes nor Bauer got the nomination. Winning the White House was a bonus but in fact the K Street boys had lived with Clinton. Gore would be more difficult but they could manage. Forbes was a libertarian economic true believer. Bauer was a social issue true believer. Our glorious shrub was a predictable stuffed shirt from a family of them. He turned out better than that but there was nothing in his prior political or business record to show that. Just a personable if somewhat incoherent governor of a large state with good small group people skills and high name recognition.
Dean and Gephardt scare the Wall Street money that backs the Democrats. Dean also scares the trial lawyers [most doctors don't like the sharks for some reason] and the unions [AFL-CIO likes people they already have a history with, someone who stays bought]. Kerry,Edwards and Graham aren't happening. No one except Lieberman takes Lieberman seriously anymore. So the money boys hijacked a small boomlet for what they felt was a mediagenic ex-general. He's safe on globalization, corporate issues, fealty to the bond market. They would have preferred Hillary but our Saint is sitting out the primaries. That is not to say she might not let herself be drafted late as an anybody but dean show stopper for a few late primaries [she can always use the delegate slate of a drop-out]. However I think her strategy this year is to wait on the convention. If Dean sweeps the primaries let the party commit suicide. If there is no clear majority she can look at the polls and decide if she will allow a desperate convention to draft her. Bill and Rubin will guarantee that she is safe for the bond boys and Hollywood loves the Clintons.
So Clark is there to derail Dean IMO. If he actually gets the nod, fine and dandy. If he derails the Dean Express he will be paid off in lecture fees and board slots later.
Scott
posted by scott 10:28 AM