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Published May 4, 2008 by Marin Independent Journal.
In these stormy times for Democrats, some unpleasant gusts from national crosswinds are blowing through Marin. Most people in this largely progressive area remain eager to evict Republicans from the White House--while the extended battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama is generating a cascade of worries.
This is Obama country. Marin's primary voters went for him over Clinton by 56 percent to 38 percent - his widest margin of any county in the state. At the same time, many solid Democrats who strongly support Clinton can be found throughout the county.
As an elected Obama delegate to the Democratic National Convention from the 6th Congressional District, I've been unhappy about the deteriorating tenor of the campaign during April. In an editorial after the Pennsylvania primary, the New York Times wisely urged Clinton "to acknowledge that the negativity, for which she is mostly responsible, does nothing but harm to her, her opponent, her party and the 2008 election."
The primary campaign trail ahead, winding from North Carolina to Oregon and perhaps beyond, may not become any more elevated. And maybe we can't do much to affect the slant of the all-too-often Foxified media. But here at home, Democrats have an opportunity to focus on substance and move ahead with the tasks at hand for the next six months.
California may be a steep climb for Sen. John McCain come November, but ascending the peak of the state's 55 electoral votes is not out of
view. Heavily Democratic areas such as Marin will need to rack up big margins to help overcome the returns from some other parts of the state. It's not too soon to relaunch voter-registration drives for the contest ahead.
And we have the opportunity to remind ourselves about what's at stake--and the importance of keeping our eyes on the presidential prize. For the most part, whatever the ruffled feathers or bad feelings, this too shall pass. The latest political season will fade into memory--a transitory phase compared to the four years of a new presidency that will begin on Jan. 20.
In years to come, I doubt that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will be inclined to invite each other over for drinks of whisky and beer. Nor are they likely to bowl a few frames together just for the pleasure of each other's company.
And I doubt that antagonisms toward those two candidates will ever entirely heal among some Democrats in the county, whether they live in Sausalito, San Rafael, Fairfax or Novato. More than most areas, this is a county with deeply held political views. Whatever Dr. Phil might say, we'll have to settle for something at least a little bit shy of complete closure and reconciliation.
But the local situation seems reasonably positive now. Greg Brockbank, the chairman of Marin's Democratic Central Committee (and an Obama alternate to the national convention), tells me that he hs seen "no hard feelings" between active volunteers for Obama and Clinton in the county.
There are bound to be exceptions, but I haven't heard animosity voiced by Obama or Clinton supporters toward each other. Overall, even avid and hard-working campaign volunteers in the county seem to respect their counterparts on "the other side."
I put the phrase in quotes because--less than four months from now, when the acceptance speech comes, the balloons drop and the national convention turns into history - the two sides will suddenly become the same side.
Of course, McCain's supporters--including many pro-GOP pundits and talk-show hosts who are already laboring at the task--can be counted on to throw salt at Democratic wounds. That's their agenda. In Marin, and across the country, those who want a different future for America will have a very different agenda.
Norman Solomon, an author and activist who lives in Marin, is the founder and coordinator of North Bay Healthcare Not Warfare and a PDA board member.
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