(Uh oh. Sprung a leak... - promoted by phillip anderson)
The "favorite son," or, in this case, "favorite daughter," effect has operated in full force here in New York this presidential election cycle. The Democratic party establishment in the state has been a united front in support of Hillary Clinton's White House race, for the most part. However, Tuesday's results may have finally started to change that. |
According to http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/... Congresswoman Louise Slaughter of Rochester is wondering out loud and on the record why Clinton is continuing her campaign, now that her window for catching up to Barack Obama in pledged delegates seems all but closed.Other Democrats say Clinton has no chance of winning. Representative Louise Slaughter of New York, a supporter, called the election results ``grim'' for the New York senator. ``If you look at all the math and what's out there, it's pretty unlikely'' she can win, said Slaughter.
Slaughter is a key Clinton supporter, not only as a powerful Congresswoman who is part of the House leadership as Rules Committee Chair, but also for who she is. Slaughter is a hard-working older woman (no criticism implied: I would kill to look as good as she does when I'm her age!) who embodies Clinton's key demographic. And when Slaughter speaks, we also tend to listen because she startles us with her different sound. Although she has been an upstate New Yorker for many years, Slaughter is originally a daughter of Appalachia, and her Kentucky accent reminds us of that every time we hear her speak. In many ways, Louise Slaughter is Senator Clinton's base.
Slaughter's gentle but firm assessment that the nomination race is over should send a message to Clinton, but it should also send a message to the rest of New York's Democratic establishment. All the party leaders and elected officials who reflexively endorsed Senator Clinton last year because she represents New York could send a very powerful and effective signal to Democrats all over the country that it's time to put the primary process behind us and unite to face our real opponent, John McCain. A third Bush term would be the worst possible outcome in November, so let's hope those who helped the Clinton bandwagon begin its journey on the Statehouse steps in Albany will now speak collectively again and say it's time to come home. They don't have to stage a photo op (or do it in public). But they should do it. This race is done. |
