Live from the Democratic National Convention: Obama vs. Billary and the Generational Divide

DENVER, CO-

Sitting in another Starbucks on Day Three of the Democratic National Convention. A bit fried, but ready for another round of politics as game show. The headliners tonight are Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. I'm gonna be interested to see how much attacking is done, how aggressive these guys are in going after the Republicans. I imagine that Biden will come out swinging. Lots of call-and-response. And of course it will be interesting to see how emphatic President Clinton is in his support of Barack.

Much has been made of the contentious relationship between Hillary and Obama, but the one who's really smarting is Bill. You can go back through the primary season and pick your moments, trying to find the many causes of the lingering hard feelings. The attack ads on Hillary. The race card that Bill feels was played against him in South Carolina.

But in the end, the real reason for Bill's disgruntlement would seem to be twofold:


1.) Obama beat his wife in a squeaker.

2.) Obama has assumed leadership of the Democratic party, wresting it away from the Clintons, who have held the title for more than fifteen years. (This may turn out to be temporary.)

 


There are a good many angry Clintonites here in town, the majority of whom are older Democrats, establishment Dems who have been involved for years. I can verify that. I've seen it. I've talked to it. I've listened to it. Sometimes the anger is overt. More often the anger is subtle.

Understandably, they are disappointed. Their preferred candidate lost an incredibly close race. Gut-wrenching. Historic. And then, to add salt to the wound, she didn't get the nod for V.P. She didn't even get vetted. It seems she was barely considered at all. This offends them, perhaps rightfully so.

The more moderate among Clintonites---which is to say, most of them---are still going to vote for Barack in November. I've heard this repeatedly throughout the week. And after Hillary's speech last night, one would think that the herd would continue to rally around the larger cause.

Yes, we're disappointed. Yes, we would prefer Hillary. But it is what it is, and of course we're going to support Obama.

And then, of course, there is the small minority of Clinton supporters who are truly livid and deeply, irreversibly bitter. They really dislike Obama and wouldn't even think of supporting him in November. These folks are getting a lot of air time, of course, but they are really only a small part of the story. The radical fringe.

I find them fascinating. Most people do, it seems. They have blinders on, these people. Such is their love for their candidate. It's not that they're wrong in all respects---Barack Obama did throw some sharp elbows at the Clintons throughout the primary season, and his campaign staff hasn't done a great job of reaching out to Hillary supporters in the wake of her defeat.

But to my mind, there is nothing that Barack Obama did that hasn't been done a million times over by every presidential candidate in history---including the Clintons, most certainly.

And yet these diehard Clinton people don't see that. Or won't see that.

Rose-colored glasses.

The media was against Hillary.

(A statement that holds more than a grain of truth.)

Obama was against Hillary and played dirty.

(Yes, but Hillary played every bit as dirty, as did Bill.)

 


To be fair: Plenty of Obama supporters see their candidate through rose-colored glasses and believe that both he and his campaign staff have conducted themselves with absolute integrity.

And naturally this, too, is utter bullshit.

Obama can play ugly just like any of them. One of his great skills is doing so while maintaining a dignified calm.

Ruthlessness would appear to be a fixture (and a necessity?) of presidential politics.

 


Increasingly, I am coming to see this election as generational in nature. Generational among Democrats, with the younger half of the party being far more comfortable with Obama than the older, more entrenched half. And generational on the national level, where, say, the Baby Boomers have a hard time "feeling comfortable" with Obama and his "exotic background," while their offspring have no trouble at all.

Speaking generally:

The older half of the American electorate seems overwhelmingly White Male in its orientation. And if not White Male, then White Female (as long as it's Hillary).

The younger half, less so.

Looking ahead to November, it would seem that the election will be determined by young voters and new voters in the under-forty set. College kids casting their first ballot. Minorities feeling compelled to vote for the very first time. Nobody really knows what kind of impact these voters will have. It's a hard thing to measure or predict.

You talk to older voters in both parties, and the sense is that Obama has a steep uphill climb ahead of him. They're not entirely enthused. They're not entirely optimistic.

"Yes, he's a very impressive young man, but I just don't know if he has the experience. I just don't know if America is ready for that."

You talk to younger voters, and the opposite is often true. Not only is the country ready for it, it's in dire need of it.

Time will tell which side wins out.


 


Running on fumes,
BL



Brad Listi is in Denver all week. You can track him at www.BradListi.com.