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With 10 Consecutive Defeats, Will Hillary Clinton Turn the Tide to Win the Democratic Nomination

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Published: Thursday, February 21, 2008

Looks like Hillary would be hard-pressed to bounce back from the setback in Wisconsin last Tuesday, when yet again, the maverick rival Obama has seemed to gain an edge over the seasoned politician. With the party nomination looming ever closer, the cards are stacked on Clinton, to her disadvantage; one wrong move could all but ruin her nomination, and if she ever hopes of allaying the build-up of supporters behind Obama's back, she has no recourse now but to take a critical risk.

It's quite telling of a person's demeanor when he or she (in this case, it's a she) resorts to low brow tactics just to put a dent on another's credibility. This is accepted, if not natural, in American politics; and Clinton is slowly taking full advantage of such privilege. Although her camp denies the allegation that the plagiarism accusations on the Illinois senator came from their side, there is no one else to gain benefit should the seed of doubt takes its root. Aides from the Clinton camp recently charged Obama with plagiarism for a speech he delivered which was touted to contain words and phrasing initially used by his friend, the Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick. The semantic ploy is one which is rather tired and tested in American politics, as Clinton herself took a line or two from her rival, and Obama never seemed to take the slightest offense from it.

At this point in the race, it is safe to say that Clinton's support base is dwindling, and is being siphoned off to the other side. Most of the delegates within the demographics previously held by Clinton are now doing the switcheroo, and the senator's prospects look dismal indeed. Unless Obama fumbles, or there are filthy skeletons in his closet which are known to his rival, there is little which Clinton can do to stop the ebb of support from her shore.

But if politics have taught anything, it is that upsets are very much possible, and practical in this case. This fact is proven by the Gore-Bush elections. And Clinton has an ace in her sleeve; the reliability of experience. Even though Obama seems promising and looks clean cut to induce a significant change upon assuming the No. 1 American's seat, the fact that he's still a rookie may set him at a disadvantage, if he is compared to Hillary and her long-standing record for tenacity. She has faced odds with a resolve that could rival Jackie O. herself, and if poised to the top spot, she would undeniably be a competent person to fill the responsibility. The whole situation seems very much like a prize fight: the contender up, against the waning champion.

Whichever way the tide turns come nomination time, one of them is sure to place more than a mere footnote to American history. Obama seems a breath of fresh air, while Clinton seems to be the embodiment of hard-nosed, reluctantly reliable politics. The outcome at present appears to be conclusive, but the debates are still up. Who knows if Obama makes a major blunder, and puts Clinton at the seat of mercy? It would take a quirk of fate for Obama to lose the nomination, but quirks are possible, especially in this unpredictable arena.

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