Overconfidence

They haven't decided whose won the nomination yet, but the one thing I'm starting to hear is the don't count your chickens before they hatch speeches on the edge of the discussions. Electability has been and issue from the start on both sides of the aisle. McCain looks like he's cruising to a win for the Republicans. His job is to bring the factions of his party together and in his case, this is no easy matter. The insanity of the extreme right has reasoned that John, war hero, defender of Bush's War and fiscally conservative senate voter is not conservative enough. He is evidently not pure on the loony issues, fags, flags and fetuses.

Republican conservatives don't want to hear that he is popular among independent voters, that group that ultimately will decide the election. They don't want to hear that he and he alone may be the only candidate that can beat Hillary Clinton. They want to believe, evidently, anyone can beat Hillary because...well because..goll darn it she's wrong and we're right, don't ya know. That is what passes for policy in a party that is so splintered that the demographics probably look like phone book with each person believing themselves to be a power broker. These are the folks that still can't believe after all the energy and money they invested in trying to bring down Bill Clinton, that he's still kicking their ass.

But they do love their cheerleaders. Remember, if Rush Limbaugh didn't exist, some one would invent him. His constant campaign to bring down McCain will only bring down the party as it will further drive a wedge between the party faithful to the point they will not vote and give up the field of battle. This is a lesson the Democrats learned post McGovern and Clinton. Maybe.

The Democrats are posed on the edge of new era in American Politics. It appears they will nominate the first woman or the first black man to become President of the United States. This is no small thing. It is suppose to be the Democrats office to take. It's generally conceded, they have to lose the election. Anti Republican feelings are running high in the country. Most experts feel that they have to take their act out of town polish it and come back another day.

Or do they? Two things can happen that could be bad for the Democrats. The Obama-Clinton fight could get so vicious as to split the party. Not only would they squander the advantage they apparently have, but they would turn the country back to a revitalized Republican Party for yet another round of disastrous leadership. Secondly, they will have destroyed the chances of two very talented and important politicians. I for one am uneasy about this slam-dunk victory for the Democrats. Given the malevolence the Republicans will bring to the general election, after all if they will sacrifice their own, what do expect they will do to the competition, I think we have a right to worry.