Hillary Clinton’s resounding win of the New York Democratic Presidential Primary yesterday, while expected, was a proud moment for the campaign and for all of us. Concentrating on intimate events and local outreach, Hillary’s retail politics echoed her “listening tour” back in 2000 when she first became Senator of the state. Her victory speech was presidential in its inclusivity, gracious in her mention of Bernie Sanders and his supporters and strong in her resolve to fight against the Trump/Cruz demagoguery that seems to have eaten today’s Republican Party. Hillary hit it out of the park.
Sadly, there have been not so proud moments. On a self-imposed hiatus these past three weeks owing to health issues, I’ve reluctantly watched from the sidelines as her opponent Senator Sanders, along with his surrogates, continued to besmirch Hillary’s character and misrepresent her policies and record while his senior campaign team Weaver and Devine fundraise by pretending that Senator Sanders still has a path to the nomination. That is unlikely to say the least. That stated, he should stay in the race as long as he wishes, but to continue his character assassination of Hillary Clinton is a slash and burn course I hope he will choose to abandon going forward.
First, his negative advertising has backfired and is damaging his brand. Second, if he truly cares to achieve the reform he claims to desire, his only hope of attaining those goals is to eventually urge his passionate supporters to unite behind Hillary, who as Senator, voted with him 93% of the time. Washington Post just reported that Sanders burned through $46 million in March alone and despite outspending Hillary Clinton in many contests, she leads him by a staggering 2.7 million votes and 277 pledged delegates. Clearly, the people are speaking loud and clear – in every region. This is not even to mention her 502 super delegates.
But as she has done thus far in the contest, I believe Hillary Clinton will focus most of her fire on Republicans and continue to make her case to the American people. Hillary today also made clear that she is willing to consider an all woman ticket.
Here’s hoping everyone who purports to be on the same side remembers who the real good and bad guys are here.
