The Elections Monster (4)

I don't remember New York ever being a contested primary state before this election.

Clinton won handily, and so did Al Gore, whatever that means. But my memories of the 2008 Democratic primaries are not well defined. In the car last week, on my way back to the city from a reading upstate, I was sure that Barack Obama had taken New York. It was one of those things I was so sure about that I immediately had to confirm it on Wikipedia. I was wrong. It was a Hillary state. But I was right about it being an easy win: there wasn't a contest here. The state was more or less ceded to her without a fight.

So: not at all like this election.

2008 was won and loss without lifelong injury done to any of the candidates by other candidates. John Edwards died from self-inflicted wounds. Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are going to bleed to death by the end of this primary. There might be enough blood left between the two of them to save one of their bodies. Or body parts enough to stitch together one viable national candidate. Hillary's head on Sanders' shoulders, her hips and his knees: a monster capable of swallowing Trump without chewing.

Gather the villagers. Start handing out the torches.