Christmas is crashing down on me like an unstoppable wave, but I couldn’t pass this up: after it became known that the Clinton campaign registered two new domain names (votingpresent.com or somesuch) with the presumed intent of launching a political attack site denouncing Obama’s record of voting "present" in the Illinois State Legislature, I couldn’t pass this opportunity up.
The idea, it seems, is that Clinton is going to hammer him on "waffleliness" or some other lightweight charge (the drug dealing Islamic madrassa thing didn’t stick, apparently) because he used a common procedural tactic in the conduct of his tenure as a representative. The stats are elsewhere and I don’t have time to dig ‘em up, but the gist is he voted "present" about 3% of the time. The funny thing is, this does nothing but good for Obama: it draws attention to his record as a state legislator, working within the party and the state congress to achieve important local and state-wide legislation. It also draws attention to the fact that Hillary (ta-da!) has no record as a state representative. Or any other state office, for that matter. More on the flip.
Indeed, it emphasizes the point that she’s a carpetbagger with an even thinner record of official public service than what she accuses Obama. That hasn’t occurred to the rank-and-file Democrats in a lot of cases, yet, because she looks so darn smart and Senatorial. But as we inch closer to the real primaries, and people get over the holiday rush and start seriously looking at politics, it’s going to be a (minor but important) issue.
State representative isn’t a particularly glamorous office; but it’s a necessary office and most politically sensitive Americans see it as an important stepping-stone for higher office. It weeds out many of the political losers and vets candidates as they seek more powerful positions. It proves that a candidate can look after the needs of a small constituency and provides a clear voting record on relatively small matters. As one post sneered, it’s "pothole politics" that most people don’t associate with being Presidential.
Only, it does. It’s paying dues, and learning the process, and learning how to deal and make compromises and learning when not to make compromises. It’s getting the goods for the folks back home and keeping them from getting hammered by your collegues. It’s a proving ground for the ambitious. And Obama’s record in the Illinois legislature is not too shabby.
What does Hillary’s state level voting record look like? Anyone? Anyone?
Once again, the Clinton campaign has chosen the wrong weapon in their war on Obama. After Bill’s suspect admission that he didn’t "really" support the war his wife voted for, and the Islamic madrassa flap, and the racially-charged hinting that Obama was a drug dealer, and all the other attempts to take out that nice young black man before he ruins EVERYTHING, this little tidbit is just gravy.
Sure, call attention to his state voting record, Hillary. And then show us yours.
Once again, they have proven that they are the Gang Who Couldn’t Spin Straight.