Clinton vs. Giuliani: Two Sinister Pols Could Face Off

Clinton vs. Giuliani: Two Sinister Pols Could Face Off
by Jonathan Nack

As Presidential primary season moves into high gear, current polling data reveals that neither the Republican nor Democratic races are close. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Senator Hillary Clinton hold solid leads in the respective primaries.

A national TNS poll released by The Washington Post and ABC News, November 6, 2007, found that Giuliani had the support of 33 percent of Republicans with his main competitors well behind (Senator John McCain 19%; former Senator Fred Thompson 16%, former Governor Mitt Romney 11%; and Congressman Ron Paul 3%). Meanwhile, Clinton enjoyed the support of 49 percent of Democrats polled, way ahead of her rivals (Senator Barak Obama 26%; former Senator John Edwards 12%; and Congressman Dennis Kucinich 2%).

Giuliani's and Clinton's leads could hold up. Both are seasoned politicians who are very intelligent, expert in oral argument, and accustomed to the spotlight- unlikely to commit major gaffs. Both are also fighters.

In the Republican primary, Giuliani has a lot going for him: he was elevated to super-patriot status by 9/11; he's a true hawk who defends the war in Iraq; he's well connected to Republican money; he's an authoritarian who will continue the Bush/Cheney efforts to build an imperial presidency; and while he brings with him those Republicans who are pro-choice, he can connect with the religious right on some issues as a stern Catholic patrician.

Clinton has a commanding lead. She has the money, endorsements, and political machine to win. She unites the right and center of the Democrats, and is posturing as a "progressive" for the primary to woo the Party's left. Clinton is positioned to draw support from all wings of the Democrats.

Obama has made a name for himself through his oration and by raising as much money as Clinton, but has failed to carve a cohesive base. He's been vague on key issues and Clinton has undercut his support among African Americans. Edwards hasn't shown he has the populist fire, and specific reform agenda, needed to catch up to Clinton, while Kucinich continues to be marginalized.

What casts both Clinton and Giuliani as sinister characters is their intelligence and competency, combined with their respective world views, and their shared allegiance to the corporate capitalist establishment.

Clinton is the quintessential centrist. She'll tap into the anti-war sentiment, but has vowed to continue the "War on Terrorism", and it's not even clear how much she'll withdraw from Iraq. She ultimately supports both corporate capitalist globalization and the military industrial complex, the twin pillars of U. S.. empire. She'll similarly tap sentiment for health care reform, but her proposals will leave people in the clutches of the private insurance companies currently fleecing them.

Clinton wants voters to believe she feels their pain and represents them, but her bottom-line allegiance is to their corporate masters - the ones causing the pain. That's sinister, and for genuine progressives, it's dangerous.

Giuliani's sinister nature is more obvious. That he's pro-business goes without saying. His authoritarian nature and zeal for an all-powerful executive would continue the militarization of U. S. society. He'd doubtless also continue Bush's lying and treasonous ways to make more war. Giuliani already demonstrated that he'll lie about anything, when he announced it was safe to return to lower Manhattan two weeks after 9/11, when in reality, it was a toxic nightmare.

Neither Clinton nor Giuliani are without weakness. Things could still happen to spare the nation a General Election featuring these two politicians and their respective corporate capitalist agendas. It's possible, but not likely.

With a failing war, an economic downturn looming, and civil liberties and social programs becoming privileges of the past, is it any wonder that our leading politicians are becoming ever more sinister?