Whoopee-do! The ordeal is over.

by David Grand
June 18, 2008

True to my word, not to come out of my cave and comment on the race for the Democrat's nominee for president until a clear winner emerged, that blessed day finally arrived.

That Hillary and Barack have survived that grueling, nerve-wracking, protracted campaign without suffering from sleep depravation and fast-food diets is nothing short of miraculous and a tribute, not only to their stamina and stick-to-it-ness, but a remarkable demonstration of their gymnastic ability to weave and bob in fending off the endless barrage of brickbats thrown at one another.

The spotlight has now shifted to Barack's selection of a running mate, with Hillary the odds-on-favorite. But so, too,was Big Brown before the Belmont Stakes, who ended up finishing last.

Moreover, I can't picture her being willing to play second fiddle to Barack without getting him unstrung, nor for that matter do I expect him to ask her to be his second-in-command. For he's too savvy of a politician to take the risk of her running that office in the same independent, free-wheeling manner as VP Chaney has over the years, and voicing her opinion to the media on major policy issues that may differ from the official White House line. In short, she could prove to be as uncontrollable as a swift tide with a strong undertow.

However, the biggest liability to selecting her could be her ever-loving, if not always faithful husband. For would he be content to be like Prince Phillip, Queen Elizabeth spouse, with no official duties to perform? No, most likely he'd pick up where he left off, giving speeches at $1 million a clip, and devoting time gathering funds to support his foundation's humanitarian and poverty alleviation projects around the world.

But if Hillary does end up moving into the Executive Office Building, Barrack would be wise to require her to keep him on a tight leash and to inform the White House of his whereabouts at any given time, especially of his overseas trips. Bubba would resent that, but he'd learn to live with it for his wife's sake and her as yet unfulfilled ambition of moving across the street to the Oval Office one day.

To interject a little levity in the presidential race, here's an article published 50 years ago in the American Heritage magazine giving Davy Crockett's strategy for winning an election:

"When the day of election nears, visit your constituents far and wide...treat liberally, and drink freely, in order to rise in their estimation, though you fall in your own...True, you may be called a drunken dog by some of the clean shirt and silk stocking gentry, but the real rough necks will view you a jovial fellow, their votes are certain, and frequently count double...Promise all that is asked, and more if you can think of anything...Offer to build a bridge or a church, to divide a county, create a batch of new jobs, make new roads, or anything they like...Promises cost nothing...."

My, isn't it amazing how many of today's politicians have adopted that same or similar approach for winning.