downdb.net

There has been no shortage of analysis of the barrage of attacks launched, both directly and indirectly, by the Clinton campaign against Barack Obama. The number and frequency of these attacks, as well as the resulting hubbub amongst the commentariat, has only increased over the last week.

A common argument heard in defense of the Clinton campaign is that should Obama win the primaries, the Republicans will throw everything and the kitchen sink at him. Thus, his campaign will have been well served by having survived the assaults mounted by Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, and their various surrogates.

There are two big problems with this line of reasoning.

First, the Clinton campaign doesn’t want Obama to be the Democratic nominee. It may very well be true that weathering these attacks during the primary season will serve to harden Obama against the mountain of slime that will be coming his way should he win the nomination.

Nevertheless, it is an utterly non-sensical argument when made by people who don’t believe in its premise. The Clinton campaign is calling Obama inexperienced and trying to identify him as “the black candidate” because they want him to win. Defending these tactics by saying they help Obama is beyond ridiculous.

Second, even if (again) these attacks end up strengthening Obama, this is hardly a defense of Hillary Clinton and her campaign. Stoking racial divisions, engaging in dubious electoral maneuvering, sending out the former President and de facto leader of the Democratic party to tear down a fellow Democrat—these tactics do not serve the long-term interests of the Democratic party. They encourage division and infighting, and while they certainly do mimic the strategy of the Republicans, this claim is hardly one of which Democrats should be proud.