Damned if we do, damned if we...do the other thing?

[More Than A Feeling]

Since style has taken over as the most talked about characteristic of our two remaining presidential candidates, its important to remember the reason that Hillary is considered polarizing. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but Bill and Hillary Clinton didn't go into the White House planning to turn half the country against them. That is what they were left with after Republicans, out of desperation to remain relevant, jumped into the gutter and dragged Bill and Hillary in after them. Bill Clinton was trying to undermine the whole Reagan conservative critique of government as inherently unworkable for the average person, and they couldn't have that. Remember the Bill Kristol memo warning that if Democrats got national healthcare, they'd be the natural governing party for another generation?

Now comes Barack Obama, building a reputation of being a uniter, able to create high youth turnouts in a single bound. It's been really impressive watching him attain that particular political holy grail. Seriously, damned impressive. Even Republicans are falling in love. If Obama wins, he's going to make the government a lot more liberal/progressive than the conservative Mecca it's been under Bush. You have to admit that, even if you think he's a complete centrist. At what point will the conservative survival instinct kick in? It has to, you know, or the conservative movement will die. They cannot let Obama get the credit for saving the country from this conservative-created quagmire. They have two alternatives: they can try to destroy him, or cooperate and claim he was a conservative after the fact. The second one is the better option, but of course, we can't allow them to claim him either.

Here's the question: Which is more likely, in your opinion? That they try to destroy him, or they let him succeed then claim him as one of their own? If they try the first option, Obama may end up as polarizing as Clinton.

[Armstead]

1. I honestly wish he'd come out of the liberal closet and defend Liberalism

The conservatives are not ashamed of calling themselves conservatives.

IMO if Obama or Clinton were to embrace the label of liberal, and defend it, that would be a way around the dilemma you posed here.

[eleny]

2. As long as Rove has a breath in his lungs, he'll work to polarize the nation

It's one of the ways they've twisted our country into knots. It's up to us not to turn our backs on what we know is right. Given the momentum, the economy and the occupation, it's ours to lose and continue losing.