What I Can Do For America

When I watched and listened to Senator Clinton's emotional response to the question about how she prepares for each day on the grueling campaign trail, it wasn't the tears that struck me, because good lord it has to be exhausting. What struck me was her words (from WSJ):

Mrs. Clinton said she has helpers. And then she got emotional. "It's not easy. It's not easy," an exhausted-looking Sen. Clinton said, shaking her head. Her eyes began to get watery as she finished answering the question: "I couldn't do it if I didn't just passionately believe it was the right thing to do," she said, her voice cracking. "I have so many ideas for this country, and I just don't want to see us fall backwards as a nation. This is very personal for me."

Those last two sentences are just loaded, and I think represent the problem with the Clinton campaign. It isn't and shouldn't be all about her. Now I'm sure that she would agree that it is about America, a fight for the soul of the country. But the change isn't going to come because she wants it, it will happen because the people will it. The Clinton campaign must fear that is exactly what Obama has tapped. He is not the inevitable candidate, all Obama represents is the force of hope and change.

Update:

Kos notices the whining coming from the Clinton camp:

I see Clinton's surrogates complaining about the unfairness of the media coverage, about how Obama is getting a free pass.

Does this sort of whining ever work? It sure didn't in 2004 as us Deaniacs complained about the governor's shitty media coverage. It looks particularly petty for a former president of the United States to join the whining.

And come on, the Clinton campaign has had surrogates like Begala and Carville embedded in the punditry promoting her campaign from within! Who else had such advantages?

Regardless, the media is unfair. I think we can stipulate that without argument. It sucks. But the Clintons have had every advantage in the world -- just about the entire party establishment. The fact that $100 million, the best campaign team in the (Democratic Party) universe, the bulk of the party establishment, well-placed pundit allies, and a fragmented field haven't been enough to put this thing away for Hillary points to her flaws as a candidate.

It's not the media's fault that people are sick of the Clinton machine and want change. The only reason she has even been competitive is that the "change" forces never coalesced around a single candidate. But even in a fragmented field, Hillary is in serious trouble. God help her if she only faced a single serious candidate. She'd be crushed.

Whining about the media doesn't change that cold, stark reality.

Update II:

At the risk of exposing my softer side, from the other day, my defense of Hillary against unfair press.