You don't have to be president

[readerc54]

Confession: I was among the multitudes who believed there way no way that Hillary could lose. How could I, a proud and confident political junkie, have misread the tea leaves? Have got be be the stupidest of the electorate. But suddenly a veteran politician seems determined to claim that title: enter Barbara Boxer, the junior senator from California.

Boxer entered the House of Representatives in 1983 and the Senate a decade later so this isn't her first rodeo. However, that didn't keep her from making the following comments in recent exit interview:

Q. This is a time of crisis, though, for the Democratic Party. I mean there's lots of talk about whether the party should do more to reach out to white working-class voters, voters who...

BOXER: Yeah, I don't think we're in crisis at all. This is my view. I think what we need to do is marry the Bernie wing of the party with the Hillary wing, the standing together and stronger together wing with the populist wing, and we'll be fine.

Q. How does that work? I mean first of all, who's the person who could do that?

BOXER: Barack Obama. Joe Biden. Michelle Obama. I think Barack Obama on the national stage - and he's going to be very important because he has a legacy to protect.

Q. OK. But, yeah, he's somebody who's leaving the presidency.

BOXER: You don't have to be the president.

Q. The first lady is leaving the presidency, the vice president is leaving. You're leaving. Everybody's leaving office. I mean that looks - sounds like it's looking back.

BOXER: No. Here's the thing I don't think you get. You are almost a better leader when you're outside of the confines of holding public office. You're - I'm going to be uncensored. I'm going to be unfiltered.

What she's telling us is that all the Dems have to do is hold the course and make all possible speed into the abyss. I couldn't quite believe my good fortune. I am definitely not the dumbest member of the electorate. As I pondered my new status, I read that President Obama is convinced that he would have beaten Trump had he been on the card. His rationale is that he could have mobilized more of the electorate than Hillary. Many thought he actually was running because he appeared in the surrogate role so often.

But coming out with this statement with just a little more than three weeks before the transfer of power seems iffy timing. Maybe it would have been better saved for that great memoir that will be making its appearance soon enough.

So here's a brief history of time--as measured from Nov. 8 onward: Bernie Sanders says he thinks he could have beaten Trump; Barbara Boxer says the Dems are doing the right thing but just not enough of it; Barack Obama says he would have won.

I feel a lot better now.

If you want to abuse yourself further, here's the link to the complete Boxer interview:
http://www.npr.org/2016/12/21/506483910 ... -democrats

[Gaybutton]

How could I, a proud and confident political junkie, have misread the tea leaves?

You didn't. The tea leaves themselves were defective. You read what they wrote.

[readerc54]

The tea leaves themselves were defective. You read what they wrote.

You may be right but the cool aide tasted so good. How could a guy resist?

Thought it noteworthy that Boxer is looking forward to being unshackled by her release from the restrictions of office. "I'm going to be uncensored. I'm going to be unfiltered." Doesn't that sound like the modus operandi of someone who'll soon be in office?

[Rogie]

How could I, a proud and confident political junkie, have misread the tea leaves?

You didn't. The tea leaves themselves were defective. You read what they wrote.

If the entire population of the US were junkies of a political persuasion the tea leaves would've been a lot more readable.

On the other hand the state, or the media or just one's neighbours or friends on Facebook wanting to know what everyone else is thinking and maybe planning to do isn't healthy.