Let me make this really clear--Obama should not be primaried. This is already a notion past the functional "So don't even try!" point, but there are some dumbasses trying to recruit Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as a possible opponent.
Leaving aside for the moment the possibility that any buzz about this idea is GOP push-polling and election-trolling: why would anyone think that we want to try putting a different Democrat in the White House? Isn't that like saying there's a lack of faith in Obama's agenda, which kind of is our agenda? Are we pretending that Hillary Clinton is going to run to the right or the left of him? Because I've heard arguments that go either way. Yes, she is a great feminist whose points that women's rights are human rights, and that LGBT rights are also human rights, are both true and would be....
Well--would be what? I don't know why anyone thinks she would be able to do more than the president whose administration oversaw the end of DADT. I don't think she would get more out of ending DOMA than Justice under Holder not enforcing it--other than what I suspect a Democratic-leaning Congress might try to do if we gain seats in down-ticket elections in 2012 anyway: repeal it altogether. From the right--is she really more hawkish on foreign policy? And is that a winner with Obama's base? Please! Also, if she ran against Obama, she would piss off Obama supporters and make it appear that the Democratic party was having some kind of crisis and uck! Who think this is a good idea? It is not!
But then there are people who only surmise she might be better as a VP on the ticket, and then Biden could be Secretary of State, I love Robert Reich regarding his commentary on the economy to bits, but this is just dead wrong and dumb. Biden would make an outstanding Sec. of State, don't get me wrong, and there is nothing wrong with Clinton as VP. But actually having them switch would invite every hater in the world to talk about "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic" or some other such disaster analogy. It would imply that these two weren't in jobs that suited their strengths from the very beginning. It's just dumb. If Biden made way--it would be to retire. And ditto, Clinton. I think they are both in the best jobs for their talents.
Which brings us to the 3rd Party crap. Americans Elect seems to be about gaining the support of the middle because the GOP and the Dems are too far apart. This is also so very dumb. I resort to the title of one of Jim Hightower's books: There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos. I don't want blue dogs or moderate GOP-ers. I want a second-term Obama unleashed by not worrying about re-election. I want him decisively re-elected, and given the gift of a Democratic majority Congress. And no centrist is going to be as good as our Obama is, now.
I supported Barack Obama in 2008, and even if I don't always agree with his methods, I support him now. I think these attempts to undermine his 2012 candidacy are right-wing trolling, and stupid for any actual liberal to be thinking about. If you want a Democratic president in 2012, or one who will support liberal causes--Obama is still your guy. Don't be distracted by the false arguments. Obama is the president of the US, and the best ally progressives have right now.
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