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Cocco's CaaCaa: No Sexism in 2008 Democrat Race

by John F. Tamburo, Editor in Chief, Publisher
Originally Posted: 4/1/2008 1:13:32 PM

Marie Cocco has written a column where she states that those who are asking Hillary Clinton to leave the Democrat race for the Presidential nomination "share a certain anatomical attribute."  Ms. Cocco has concluded that those who are "Trying to shove Hillary Aside" are sexist male chauvinist pigs who "are just being boys again."  Read the article here.  Ms. Cocco’s conclusions are CaaCaa, as my kids would have said at age three.  The reason that people are asking Mrs. Clinton to withdraw are: (i) She cannot amass enough delegates to win the nomination, even if she wins 70% of the vote in all remaining primary states; (ii) She would have to win all remaining states by grossly unrealistic percentages to eclipse Barack Obama’s popular vote lead; and (iii) Her intransigence is effectively gifting the White House to John McCain in 2008.

While Mr. McCain leisurely interviews Vice Presidential hopefuls and stakes out a position, Mrs. Clinton is engaging Mr. Obama in a bloody knife-fight.  Mr. McCain gets to stay above the fray, bloodless and Presidential.  Is this Operation Chaos bearing fruit?  Of course it is, but Operation Chaos would not work against anyone less intransigent and self-interested as a Clinton.  Hillary Clinton would happily destroy the Democrat party for a four year stint at 1600 Pennsylvania.  That’s the problem, not sexism.  The leaders of the Democrat party, that is, those leaders who are not being privately threatened and harassed for public pro-Obama positions like Nancy Pelosi, are furious that Mrs. Clinton’s plan is to fight on into the convention, with the hope of superdelegates overturning the will of the voters.  The fury of the Democrat leaders is well founded, not on sexism, but on political reality.  On the other hand, judging by Clinton campaign remarks, their opposition to Obama is founded on: (i) An insatiable lust for power; and/or (ii) Blatant racism.

Ms. Cocco’s article dares Mr. Obama to "win it like a man."  However, that is exactly wht Mr. Obama is doing -- winning it.  Not like a "Man," but like a winning candidate.  Mr. Obama is not trying to squelch the female vote.  Therefore, Mrs. Cocco’s statement that females make up "54 percent" of the voting populace, while a true fact, is irrelevant.  If Mr. Obama, who leads in both delegates and popular votes, wins, the Democrat female vote is not disenfranchised.  However, if Mrs. Clinton’s skullduggery works, and Mr. Obama’s nomination is stolen from him while he leads either delegates or popular votes (he is ensured of leading the former, and the latter lead is also very likely), Mr. Obama’s majority of voters will have been cruelly disenfranchised.

There is no "glass ceiling" that Democrat males are fighting to protect; Ms. Coccos’ assertion that one exists flies into the face of both parties’ behavior.  Just ask Nancy Pelosi.  Ms. Cocco’s charges that sexism drives the Democrats to ask for her to step aside are patently ridiculous.  The Democrats, both male and FEMALE, who are asking Mrs. Clinton to step aside are trying to save the party’s chances in 2008.  There is nothing more to it.  The candidates’ bases are polarizing, with increasing percentages of each one’s supporters stating in polls that they will stay home or vote for Mr. McCain if their candidate is not nominated.  This is troubling for Democrats on so many levels, because those who stay home do not vote for Senators or Congressmen.  Those who vote for Mr. McCain are more likely to vote for his party-mates for Congress.  This is what motivates the calls for Hillary to recognize that she cannot catch Mr. Obama in delegates, to acknowledge that she is unlikely to take the popular vote lead and to get the heck out of the way before 2008 is a lost cause.  Ms. Cocco fails to realize that Mrs. Clinton does not give a whit about the Democrat party.  If Hillary Clinton is not the nominee, she would rather take Mr. Obama and the party to the bottom of the sea, in order to wag her "see I told you so" finger at them in 2012, and try one more time to get the Presidency, what she believes is hers by right and destiny.

If I wanted an easy win, I’d throw in with Rush and support Hillary for the nomination. I cannot imagine anything that would fire up conservatives to go to the polls than to defeat a Clinton!  McCain would have a real chance at a 40-plus state landslide, with coattails long enough to bring us the Congress.  But, I want our message to be honed well, and Mr. Obama presents us with the tougher job of explaining our position on the issues.  We’ll be healthier after such a strenuous workout.  For now, I support Operation Chaos, because Rush is Right and Obama needs to be bloodies up before we get in there and have to deal with false racism charges.

Mrs. Cocco’s article is ludicrous.  Mrs. Clinton is killing the Democrat party with her intransigence.  She failed to convince enough people that she was the superior nominee to win a majority of delegates or voters.  She’s losing, fair and square, and whining about it, not like a little girl, but like a Clinton.  Ms. Cocco’s premise is CaaCaa.