Sean Wilentz is an exceedingly clever and erudite man

08Apr08

who has lapsed into self-parody.

by Josh

When I read this article an involuntary spasm of derision issued from my mouth that sounded like Nelson Muntz. My coworkers turned their heads in alarm.

Not only will Hillary stoop to any debasement to cling a second longer to the electoral stage, but it seems her supporters too will weave any thundering, spectacular mistruth in defense of her indefensible candidacy. Professor Wilentz, you are best leveraging what little national influence your Princeton history chair carries helping appraisers identify authentic 19th-century craft cabinetry on Antiques Roadshow.

Sean Wilentz, you are a logical man. Surely you realize your argument claiming legitimacy for elitist winner-take-all primary allotments, such as those instituted by the Republican National Committee (paragons of direct democracy), based solely on their precedent in history is comical and misleading. After all, proportional rules have a venerable, 20-year history as well. After the gross discounting of Jackson votes and torpid national campaign of Dukakis in 1988, the system was in need of a shakeup (as it had been in 1936, 1968, 1980, and many other occasions throughout history). Because we have had long traditions of primogeniture (or child abuse, or casual racism, or whatever you like) doesn’t mean we should look disfavorably on new, fairer ways of doing business.

Yes, Dr. Wilentz, you are right that Hillary would be winning if we practiced winner-take-all state allotments. But, then, why not go further, and have a national, popular vote winner-take-all contest? Nothing could be more equitable. (Obama wins, by the way, 50%-47%). Or, we could allow a national revote, and give all the Edwards, Richardson, Dodd, Kucinich, and Biden voters a chance to recast their ballots for one of the two remaining contenders. Anyone care to guess how that would turn out?

No, Dr. Wilentz, the rules are set up as they are, and we must play by them, Clinton dirty tricks notwithstanding. Kansas just beat Memphis for the national title in men’s college basketball. But Memphis’ high scorer Chris Douglas-Roberts poured in 22 points, while Kansas’ Darrell Arthur managed only 20. If you had dictated from your Ivory Tower that, on second thought, Memphis wins by virtue of having the game’s high scorer, what do you think would happen? I’ll tell you: a riot, starting with Darrell Arthur kicking your skinny white ass.

And no, Dr. Wilentz, your argument that Hillary has won the Democratic bastions is transparently disingenuous. Sure Obama has triumphed in right wing cauldrons of incest and banjo-pluckin’ like Wyoming, but he is also putting in play Virginia, Colorado, Iowa, North Carolina, and several other states that have a better chance of annexing themselves to Iceland than voting Clinton in the fall. That calculus backfires for your side, I’m afraid, and the superdelegates are paying attention.

Proportional primaries are a reality and they are fair. This article makes a far more sensible argument than I have here. Tricky math and what-if fantasy scenarios are not going to change the reality that Obama has won, and will win in August.

It’s cynical and intellectually dishonest to define democracy as that which disenfranchises the most supporters of your opponent. You, Howard Wolfson, and the entire campaign are grasping at straws, and the effort smacks of desperation. Your buddies were in the White House for 8 years. I hope for the sake of the country that Hillary’s sexagenarian base can swallow its bitterness and unite with the rest of us to fix the economy, provide health care for the uninsured, end our costly adventure in Iraq, and reduce greenhouse emissions. Because you’ve already fucked us over enough.

<— Sean Wilentz looking cheeky at Bubba’s impeachment hearing

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