Kevin Sullivan

Obama Made the Pie Higher

Posted by Kevin Sullivan under Uncategorized

I’m not certain, were I Hillary Clinton, what I would do at this point.  I’m not hung up on the personal loan to her campaign, because she still has debts that will need to be paid regardless.  It’s difficult to figure out the rationale for her campaign from this point forward.  Todd Beeton sees the opportunity for some kind of “unity tour,” but that strikes me as a concessionary plan.  More like a farewell tour than a unity bid.

This race has been spliced a million times over by now, so I won’t add too much to the pile.  I think the big winner here is the emerging Democratic coalition.  The media harped on all of the identity politics surrounding Barack Obama’s candidacy, paying less attention to the shifting party coalitions that were in conflict during these primary contests.  Clinton’s post-Super Tuesday rationale became a retro act of sorts.  Her bid represented the last gasp of the “New Deal Coalition,” which had become synonymous with the Democratic Party itself (causing much consternation for my friend Dheeraj).  Obama has ostensibly reorganized the coalition, uniting black voters, young voters and college-educated whites behind his message.  It’s not clear yet if Clinton’s support base will return home to the party, but I think it’s safe to say that the Democrats need these new voters pulled in by Obama’s candidacy.   

In short, Barack Obama has made the pie higher. 

UPDATE: Just in case there’s any confusion, the title is a Bush joke. 

More at memeorandum