Hatchet In A Haystack

The powerful pictures of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in Unity made a believer out of me. They had the look, with relaxed, friendly, body language, and even a warmth of touch. Yes, they can. Yes, they are the Democratic Party’s Dream Ticket. Some 6,000 people gathered in an open field in Unity, a town of 1,700, which cast 107 votes each for Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama in the New Hampshire Primary last January.

Bill Clinton was missing from the Unity photos. He did not want to upstage his spouse in her hour of power. He was an ocean away, in London to celebrate the 90th birthday of international icon Nelson Mandela, remembering the good old days, back in a prior decade, a previous century.

Also not visible in the Unity pictures is the pile of campaign cash, high as a haystack, in which they buried the hatchet. New York Senator Hillary Clinton, who, shall we say, reluctantly conceded the Democratic nomination for President to Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, has spent about at least $20 million or so more on her campaign than her fund raising collected. She even had to lend her own campaign money from the Bill and Hillary personal joint-checking account, reportedly amounts in the tens of millions, but who’s counting? It’s only the Mother’s Milk of Politics. Obama’s innovative fund raising has mined a new lode via the internet from $10, $15, $25, and $50 donations. He has raised so much money that he has opted out of the public campaign financing system. So now, as a matter of party unity, Obama has called on his more traditional sources to pitch in and help retire the Clinton campaign debts. My fungible fundraisers will call your fundraisers. Maybe Hillary and Bill will get some of their own money back before the legal deadline, which is when the Democrats officially nominate Barack Obama as their candidate. Presumtive Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain of Arizona loudly criticized presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Obama for going back on his pledge to accept public campaign funds, along with their limitations. Candidate Obama will take his lumps and go for the unlimited funds. He will not shoot himself in both feet and tie both arms behind his back. Clearly Sen. Obama does not want to just run for President. He wants to win. Bring on the American flag lapel pins. There are voters who care. Deeply. There is no point in disrespecting them. Obama wants to be their President. Bring on the Clintons.

In Unity, New Hampshire, Sen. Obama paid homage to the Clintons. “We need them. We need them badly. Not just my campaign, but the American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom in the months and years to come, because that’s how we’re going to bring about unity in the Democratic Party. And that’s how we’re going to bring about unity in America.” For her part, Sen. Clinton said, “To anyone who voted for me and is now considering not voting, or voting for Sen. McCain, I strongly urge you to reconsider.” She asked her supporters to join with Obama’s “to create an unstoppable force for change we can all believe in.”

In Unity, N. H., Senators Obama and Clinton did not raise their arms together in the classic pose. Maybe they wanted to save something for the Denver convention.

Copyright 2008 by William C. Cotter