No Martyball For Election 2008

1:21 am EST March 30th, 2007 | News | 5 Comments

The Democrats have played it safe for a generation. Both as the insider party and as the outcast party, through the 2004 election the Democrats played it safe with their presidential candidates. The last succesful Democratic candidate, Bill Clinton, was notable mostly for the fact that he governed from the center and while his legacy was good for America he did not bring his party any national success. Both Gore and Kerry were good guys (I have a significant amount of affection for Al Gore, but I have been a Gore fanboy since 1988 – I’m weird that way) but neither was the sort of game-changing pol like Kennedy, Reagan or Bush II. Of course, in the case of Reagan and Bush II, it’s clear that being a game-changer is not always for the best.

In 2008 Democrats see a very vulnerable post-Bush Republican party as well as a nation primed to vote in a new Democratic president. As E.J. Dionne points out, this has presented something of a predicament especially for Sen. Clinton. If we’re going to have a Democratic president, shouldn’t it be someone that won’t play safe like the ball-control offense of Marty Schottenheimer (Martyball) but instead someone who will air it out like Air Coryell or the Rams of ’99-01?

We played it safe for a long time, and sometimes it got the most votes (Clinton, Gore) and sometimes it didn’t (Kerry, Dukakis, Mondale). It’s almost like we’ve gotten the ball to the 1yd line, and sure we could kick the field goal on fourth down for a safe three points… but why not hand the ball to our ace running back and bust right through to the end zone?

ALSO: OMG, six months until football? Are you kidding me?

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5 Responses to “No Martyball For Election 2008”

  1. calling all toasters says:
    March 30, 2007 at 8:12 am

    So what you’re saying is…we should feel free to nominate Kucinich???

  2. SaveFarris says:
    March 30, 2007 at 8:43 am

    I’m so sick of football, it’s not even funny.

    Take, for example, yesterday’s 6PM SportsCenter. 2 Days before the Final 4, 3 Days before Opening Day, both the NBA and NHL are officially in playoff chase mode. And the top story on SportsCenter was …. what the Green Bay Packers need to do in minicamp. AAAARRRGH!!!!

  3. Terry says:
    March 30, 2007 at 11:30 am

    While I understand the sentiment, recall why Dumbya has left the GOP so vulnerable. While he and the GOP are out of touch with the vast middle in this country, they are vulnerable because of hubris and incompetence. More than anything, I want competence. If Carter a very bright guy and generally decent had been more able, we never would have had to put up with Reagan. I do not like Hillary, but I also have real doubts about Obama- not that he does not seem very bright and generally a decent guy. Now if Gore were to throw his hat in it would all be very easy. Only the competent can bring revolution.

  4. frameone says:
    March 30, 2007 at 5:50 pm

    “OMG, six months until football? Are you kidding me?”

    And in six more months everything will be just peachy keen in Iraq. Coincidence? I think not.

  5. Retired Catholic says:
    March 30, 2007 at 7:24 pm

    Well if you got that serious a football jones, I went surfing the other day and found a plethora of draftnik prognosticators, evaluators, entrail readers and rune tossers. What a range of taste, just like people and their dogs, everything from Newfs and wolfhounds as the apple of the eye to grotesque, hairless ankle biters. As motley collection of Broderesque drollery you’ll find in the gallaxy.