On hubris, and idiots

You'd think given the high unpredictability of this election so far (no one would have predicted McCain and Obama a year ago), people would quit with the "I just KNOW" statements. I mean, a lot of people are still pretty embarrassed that the sure-thing, practically-an-incumbent candidate Hillary Clinton seems to have no path to the nomination short of Obama dying or worshiping a golden calf in the streets. This is based on political fact and expert analysis, not my own version of what I want reality to be.

After so many people said for months now - despite the fact that Clinton's campaign has continued to crumble - that she would find a way to bounce back, that she ALWAYS does, that there's no way Obama will beat her, you'd think that these people would be sufficiently embarrassed by their pathetic analysis to give it a break. Admit that they were wrong, that Obama proved surprisingly strong and that Clinton made some major mistakes (not contesting caucus states, going too negative, lying, allowing Bill to speak), and agree to see where the election goes from here.

But instead, many of these same people who look like douches for giving snide smiles and saying, "oh, Hillary will win, don't you worry," have now moved, without blinking an eye, to "well there's no WAY Obama will win in November." Yes - your candidate lost, so there is no way on earth that the other candidate could possibly accomplish anything. You ignored facts and instead were motivated in your opinions only by your desires and made ridiculous predictions, and now are deciding to do the same thing again.

Obama does not have an easy road to the White House; both he and Clinton are somewhat to the left in a generally center-right country (though I would hesitate before calling Clinton a liberal). And McCain, for all his faults, is a decent candidate for the Republicans to field. So it was never going to be easy. But for people to continue to discount him after that same approach just proved them very wrong (and mirrors the attitude of the Clinton camp that actually lost the election)? That's just stupid.

Clinton was a force so strong that only her own hubris could undue her. And it did. And a lot of her supporters seem keen on following suit.