Keep it up, Bill. Keep it up.

I never thought I'd find myself so happy to hear Bill Clinton prattle on. However, during this last week his big mouth has obviously begun to hurt the Democratic Party. He's quickly undoing all the goodwill he built during his eight years in the White House and in the eight years since he left. It's ironic that by turning the "identity politics" of his party against itself in support of his wife Bill is very likely ruining the party they'll need to mobilize against the GOP. One could almost say he's burning the village it takes to raise the candidate.

By employing a Southern Strategy all his own he's undermining his wife's ability to rely on the magic of the Clinton legacy. Any successes Hillary could otherwise claim as the hallmark of the Clinton Administration will be forced into stark contrast with the blatant way she and Bill waged their dirty fight to win the nomination.

Interestingly, the same sort of thing was happening in the Democratic Party about the time that Bill and Hillary became politically aware and active. In 1968, the candidacy of George Wallace destroyed the hopes of Hubert Humphrey and led to the Nixon presidency. Those who are interested in that bit of history should start with the Wikipedia article on Wallace.

I'm fairly certain Hillary sill is more favored for the nomination than is Barack, but she will be the standard-bearer of a ragtag bunch of demoralized Democrats. Her nomination itself will highlight that the party of the left is just as rife with establishmentarian overhang as is the Republican Party, and it will show that the all-consuming lust for power is the most bi-partisan force in American politics.

This is just fine with me. A hamstrung Hillary will have even more difficulty trouncing any Republican nominee in the Fall. A hamstrung Democratic Party will have difficulty claiming a grand mandate in Congressional races and may not gain the super majority it hopes for.

On a final note, my last post (lo those many months ago) was off the mark. I'm a little surprised that the Obama candidacy continues to have legs. I do however stand by my even earlier post on the nature of his candidacy. I still think it's sound and fury.