Dee Dee Myers Is Awesome

Dee Dee (D - Awesome) is of course a former member of the So Called Democrats Party.

[Full disclosure: I've had - and continue to have - a major crush on Dee Dee, but that's not why I agree with her today, or fail to mention disagreeing with her other times.]

So when she writes something such as this, I wonder, what's the response of the So Calleds:

Democratic presidential primaries never really last this long. True, Bill Clinton didn't have enough delegates to "go over the top" until June of 1992. But as soon as Paul Tsongas, the last serious candidate, dropped out on March 20, Bill Clinton became the presumptive nominee. Similarly, when Bobby Kennedy was shot on his way out of the a victory celebration in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, and died the next day, the campaign was not quite three months old, and only 13 states had held primaries. In other words, that race was far from over.

So if Clinton wants to keep on keeping on, as she clearly does, she should argue that this race is unprecedented, that at no time in history have two candidates been in a virtual tie after 48 states have held primaries or caucuses, and some 35 million people have weighed in. Since it's come this far, she might say, she should be allowed to see it through, until "every vote is counted," including those in Florida and Michigan. It is, after all, historic.

Instead, she's arguing precedent. And the most analogous race is not 1992 or 1968, but 1984. In that race, the establishment candidate and presumptive nominee got surprised in the early contests by a virtual unknown promising new ideas and a new generation of leadership. The frontrunner's lead evaporated, and he had to battle the challenger through a long primary season which didn't end until the last contests in early June. When the dust had settled, the two had an almost equal number of pledged delegates and votes. But a series of gaffes by the less experienced candidate -- as well as the establishment candidate's support among superdelegates -- allowed the latter to claim the nomination.

And after Walter Mondale beat Gary Hart, he went on to lose 49 states in November.

Who and/or What will they blame this on?

Sexism? It's all MSNBC's fault (no, they've done other things I don't like)? Obama's fault? Or the painful truth?

The So Called Democrat had every right to stay in this race, jokes on anyone's part about Bosnia or anything else (including mine) aside, no matter what anyone else said. She even demonstrated her admirable ability to go after Republicans - at one point.

Gaffes become famous, gain a life of their own (see Obama's latest for illustration), and are excusable for most of us.

I thought enough of her before then to suggest Obama supporters (not his campaign) raise money for her debt, and whispered 'Supreme Court' (if not the "lesser" position of Secretary of Defense).

Then she crossed the line once too many times. No matter how you spin it - no matter how hard you try to wag that dog - she's outspent her good will, and her time. That's no one's fault but her own, and those who enabled her to do so.