Let's Get to Work

Barack Obama's speech last night, after he clinched the Democratic Presidential nomination, was about America. It was not about himself or about being mixed-race or about having arisen from nowhere to knock off the front runner. He had conciliatory and complimentary things to say about Hillary Clinton and fighting words for John McCain. It was the speech we wanted to hear.

Hillary Clinton's speech, after she realized she had lost the nomination, was all about her, about her mission and how hard she and her campaign had worked. She had a few perfunctory things to say about Obama and then asked her supporters to email her and tell her what to do next. The Great Plotnik hopes many say: "OK, Senator Clinton, we love you, you're our shining example, you're great. But you came in second. It's time to get on the bus or get off the bus."

Plottie believes an Obama-Clinton ticket would be unbeatable. But he is afraid an Obama-Clinton administration would be unworkable, with Bill Clinton the fat fly in the ointment, tossing his divisive statements into the ring every chance he got. They're going to have to work that out before she can ever come on board. The idea of making Bill Clinton Ambassador to Antarctica is not a bad one.

Hillary may prefer to stay off the bus. She may prefer to stand on the sidelines and snipe. She may prefer to stay silent during this election and wait for 2012.

Or not. What Hillary will do is her business. What The Great Plotnik knows for certain is that there has not been an American politician in his lifetime as skilled as Barack Obama in giving inspiration to those in this country who wish to unite to become stronger. Plottie was not born during FDR's time, but Obama is probably the closest thing to him.

Ideology is dead. Liberals and Conservatives all share parts of each other's traditional terrain. What everyone wants is to stop squabbling about flag pins and where conception begins and begin solving the problems that have come to define us: Immigration. Universal Health Care. Racism and Education Reform. Election Reform.

That last one might be a good place to start. This election has gone on a year too long already. Will it come down to who has the most money to spend on inane TV commercials? Is this what we are about as a country?

Barck Obama may turn out to be a great president or a lousy president, you never know. It's a long time until November, and Junior stays in power until January, no matter what happens. Dick Cheney might yet talk DimBulbya into another war.

Can't do anything about that one. But we can put our efforts where they have a chance to pay off. The Great Plotnik is on the bus. It's time to get to work.