Does he think that he can just say whatever he wants because it’s being read outside of the US or does he just not get American politics? Mario Vargas Llosa wrote a passable summary of the Democratic Primary in “Obama en los infiernos” in Sunday’s El Pais, EXCEPT for his conclusion about the Clinton campaign:
“El candidato demócrata se enfrenta a la guerra sucia desatada por Hillary Clinton. La senadora prefiere que gane el republicano McCain, para así tener ella una nueva oportunidad en 2012”
Translated: “The Democratic candidate faces a dirty war unleashed by Hillary Clinton. The Senator prefers that Republican John McCain wins, so that she can have another opportunity in 20012.”
That’s a slanderous statement that I absolutely disagree with.
To be fair, I’m not happy with al of her campaign’s recent tactics, however, accusing her of wanting McCain to win is just plain slander. Unfortunately, Mr. Vargas Llosa failed to note the following indications that Clinton’s campaign values the ultimate goal of putting a Democrat in the Whitehouse this November:
The Washington Post recently reported that top fundraisers from the Obama and Clinton campaigns have met to discuss merging the campaigns behind the winning candidate. Fundraising is the most important indicator of the health and direction of a campaign.
Clinton’s hiring of Geoff Garin as a chief strategist after the departure of Mark Penn in early April. Garin’s background with “deep ties” to the party was seen as an indication of her desire to not to destroy the party nor her own legacy. Mara Liasson’s report on NPR is a good analysis.
Or how about Clinton’s comments on ABC’s This Week television program on :
“Well, first of all, I think both Sen. Obama and I have made it very clear that we will have a unified Democratic Party, going into the fall elections. I have said that I will work my heart out for him…”
Certainly, Clinton is in the last days of her campaign doing her best to pull off a win—so of course, she’s going to compete like the fighter she is. But to say that she wants McCain to win in November is just going too far.