Take A Memo, Candidates

a/k/a "Take My Advice--I'm Not Using It"

Memo to Senator John McCain: stop trying to smear Barack Obama with your perceived implications of his long-term relationship with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. For one thing, your "logic" isn't. I know plenty of people who regularly attend a church, which they consider to be their church, and who disagree (often vehemently) with official stands of that church on important matters of doctrine and history. Just because the Rev. Wright has said things odious to many of us doesn't mean Obama either agreed with him or is tainted by them. Or that his reluctance to throw the Rev. Wright "under the bus" is a fatal shortcoming on his part.

Furthermore, you, Sen. McCain, are on very shaky ground slinging such mud. You are either telling the truth or lying about your prior knowledge of Pastor Hagee's more disgusting beliefs. Remember, you actively sought Hagee's endorsement. So you and your staff either knew but didn't care about Hagee's venomous spewings, or didn't know and didn't bother to find out. That makes you and your staff either liars or incompetent. Either option disqualifies you to become president.

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Memo to Senator Hillary Clinton: your tenacity in your now quixotic pursuit of the Democratic Party's nomination is not as unabashedly admirable as you think. Tenacity is normally a value I applaud wholeheartedly, but even I recognize there comes a point where tenacity slips over the edge of sense and falls into the pit of stupidity. Blind tenacity does not speak well of your powers of observation and reasoning, let alone of your concept of reality. And to bring up Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in June of 1968 as another reason to keep up your fight (thus to lessen strife and uncertainty during the party's convention later in the summer) is beyond tone-deaf--especially in light of Sen. Edward Kennedy's malignant glioma diagnosis this past week. Even more so in light of your implication that Obama could be assassinated, too.

Give it up, girl! Pull on your big-girl panties and deal with it. You screwed up your campaign. You do not have any right to be the Democratic nominee, no matter how much it cost you personally to stay with Bill in light of his very public philandering while he was president. Concede graciously and soon so that you can turn your attention to mending the rifts you've caused in the party. After all, the ultimate goal is a Democrat in the White House. If you keep up this fight, you're going to tear the party in two and McCain will wind up winning in November. Maybe that's what you want, but in the real world, a Pyrrhic victory will help no one but the very, very, very rich right-wing.

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Memo to Senator Barack Obama: Be very, very circumspect and careful as your staff begins to vet potential vice presidential candidates. It doesn't belong to Hillary, and I would think she'd have no interest in taking it if offered, but her opinion about whom you should select must be given serious consideration. Your best bet for the future of the country is to get Hillary to realize that her most effective option is to stay in the Senate--with her increasing seniority and her admitted mastery of policy issues, her position on key committees (indeed, possible chairmanships) makes her an invaluable ally in getting your legislative agenda passed, should you become president. [After all, Senator Edward Kennedy may not be in a position to continue that role for long, given his present medical situation.--Ed.]

Whatever you do, keep it exceedingly low key until after Hillary has regained her senses and conceded the nomination to you. Being perceived as "jumping the gun" won't help you during the fall campaign at all, as it will alienate a large, vocal wing of the party--some members of which have already said if they can't vote for Hillary, they'd rather vote for McCain than for you. You need to win them over, and fast. If you do, you can point to your success as showing your skill and experience in diplomacy. If you don't, you may well lose in November.

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Here endeth the lesson. I have nothing to say to Ralph Nader (Green Party) and whomever the Libertarians nominate later today. Sadly or no, they are irrelevant.