Still Confused

At this stage, the Clinton campaign baffles me. As far as I can see, her only path to the nomination is through re-doing the Florida and Michigan primaries (which they've already rejected), getting 2/3 or more of the remaining super-delegates to vote for her, or waiting for Obama to implode a la Muskie in 1968. Or a combination of them all. All this in combination with a scorched-Earth campaign to make Obama unelectable.

Is it just me, or is this complete insanity?

Over and over, I've said two things: that Hillary would make a fine President (although her campaign's recent [i.e., in the last month and a half or so] behavior is giving me serious cause to reconsider), and that she can't possibly win the general election. And I've seen nothing in this campaign that causes me to reassess the latter opinion. Consider:

• Hillary's negatives are remarkably consistent, between 45-55%.


• A Hillary candidacy will bring out the wing-nuts in droves. Right now they're apathetic. (Do the Hillary people want to wake that slumbering giant?)


• Hillary's current option--a scorched-Earth campaign followed by an overturn of the "regular" delegates by the "super" delegates--is almost guaranteed to alienate a lot of the new people who voted in the primary. How many will stay home? (In my view: a lot.)


• With the Clinton's there's always something for opponents to shoot at. Her Bosnia thing. Her "peace in Northern Ireland" thing. Bill's stupid statements.
  Something. And that's without the Right rehashing all the past stuff to invoke Clinton fatigue.

This is not sexism; this is not Hillary Hate; this is just a gimlet-eyed view of the current situation. I'm sure Clinton has pollsters and strategists and position papers up the wazoo showing how she can overcome all that, if she does all the right things. For one, I don't believe it. For another, hasn't her campaign shown so far that she can't do all the right things? (No campaign can, durn it!)

So why is she continuing? I can think of a few reasons, but none of them are very flattering, honestly. And speaking personally, I just wish she'd friggin' quit!