Op-Ed: Is McCain Outsmarting Obama on Hillary?

Barack Obama may have blown off John McCain in response to a variety of political issues, particularly Mr. McCain's '100 Years' pledge on Iraq. And conservative Republicans have been blowing him off in droves. Yet if you look closely at the political situation between Obama and McCain, the Arizona Senator may just be outsmarting Obama at his own game with regard to Hillary supporters, who will be a major factor come Election Day. Look at the numbers. In past polls, 25% of Hillary supporters have sworn that they would vote for either Hillary or McCain. While it is true that Hillary will endorse Obama and urge her supporters to do the same, and that many will, about 25% will most decidedly not. And though John McCain may take yet another hit at the polls vis-a-vis Hillary-despising conservatives, he may yet stand to gain a lot more currying favor with disenchanted Clinton supporters, a very significant segment of Hillary Nation. A recent Digital Journal article by Sue D. seems to bear this out, among others. From a conservative's point of view, it's not smart. He has enough liberal baggage already. But for a presidential candidate going into the general election, it's very smart politics. To understand this, you have to understand the magnitude of bad blood that has passed between Hillary and Obama supporters in their warlike primary over issues of sexism and racism. You could feel the hate in all the liberal blogs. All have to do is read the comment responses in ABC's report on the situation. Some of it's real Dark Side of the Force stuff. The war was everywhere. Daily KOS broke off with Hillary supporters in abrupt and hostile fashion, a rift of epic proportions if you understand liberal Democrat politics. By stepping in as a Hillary-friendly candidate, John McCain could rake in millions of much-needed votes, not only from Hillary supporters but from moderate and liberal Independents as well, who find much not to like about Obama's candidacy. You could also think of it the other way. What if John McCain, as a conservative, was being hostile to Hillary in the same fashion as Reagan was to Carter and Mondale? Would he win or lose political support overall in the American electorate? This is not 1980 or 1984. This is 2008, and in this conservative Republican DJ's humble opinion, the political situation in American national politics would not favor a conservative Republican like Reagan. There has been too much bad news under President Bush based on what are perceived conservative Republican policies, primarily the Iraq War. The mood is much different this time around, as 2006's national elections proved out by giving liberal Democrats control of the House and Senate. But for Republican John McCain in this electoral atmosphere to appear moderate, and perhaps even liberal in his domestic policies and friendship with Hillary, he gains himself a lot of ground by appearing to be the centrist moderate candidate against a very popular Democrat nominee, though whom for many carries a lot of baggage of his own. And don't forget the bad blood. Understanding all that, I as a dreaded Neo-Con am now leaning towards McCain. He may not be the candidate I wanted, but he ain't Obama either. Being there is yet another five months before our next president is elected, and anything can happen in the world to change the American political landscape for better or worse for either candidate, John McCain seems to be being very sly in his courting of Hillary as a longtime friend. He stands much to gain, and Obama can only lose. Unless, of course, Obama nominates Hillary as his VP candidate by the August convention. Any wagers on that one?