I see that Robert Stein has beaten me to this post. But I’ll go ahead with my advice anyway.
Most pundits say that Hillary Clinton must emphatically show her support for Barack Obama. I certainly agree with that. But I think her task is much greater. She needs to become the biggest and most memorable attack dog of the convention. She must do to John McCain what Zell Miller did to John Kerry in 2004.
Hillary needs to call John McCain out as the most sexist politician to run for President in recent history.
She needs to blast McCain for selling out whatever maverick cred he might have had so he could win the favor of Karl Rove and George W. Bush.
She needs to attack John McCain’s honor, for lying about the kind of campaign he’d run.
She needs to call out John McCain for supporting the disastrous economic policies of George W. Bush, and she needs to do it in the most mocking tone possible.
She needs to show righteous indignation at the suggestion that her supporters would go to McCain (she gave a great hint of that with her “I do NOT approve of that message.”)
She needs to proclaim, LOUDLY, that John McCain is anti-abortion and that McCain is as reactionary on social issues as George W. Bush.
And she needs to blast McCain for his irresponsible warmongering.
Yes, Hillary Clinton needs to go on the attack tonight. She needs to fire up the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and remind them of why they hated her so much. She needs to cut all the GOP concern trolling out and show what frauds the PUMAs are. She needs to draw a line in the sand and say to her wavering supporters: “There are two choices in this election. Obama and Hillary Clinton or McCain and Bush.”
I think Hillary Clinton will do this, by the way. She is very aware of her stature in the party as well as the distrust many have for her. She also knows very well the cards she holds. By playing the attack dog, she lures the GOP into attacking her, which will rally her uncertain supporters to Obama (or at the very least away from McCain). She will also regain the trust of many who think she hasn’t done enough to support the Obama ticket.
Last night was the feel good night. It was great to introduce Michelle Obama and inspire the party with Ted Kennedy.
But tonight and tomorrow night the gloves come off. Nobody can rally the Democratic Party more effectively at this particular time than Hillary Clinton. And nobody, I might add, has the political acumen to pull it off as well as Hillary Clinton.