Meredith Wilson’s, The Music Man, one of my favorite old-time musicals, crept up in my turntable brain yesterday and is now firmly stuck there. The incomparable late Robert Preston, who stars as “Confidence Man” Harold Hill in the 1962 movie, sings “Trouble, Right Here In River City.” Lest you think I’m calling names out of school, I’m not equating the the words in the song to Obama. However, the musical itself deals with a slick salesman who wins over a town with his high-gloss pitch. In listening to Obama’s Big Speeches that describe problems but offer no concrete solutions, I fear we’ve got trouble.
Change: It’s not just about big speeches for change. Obama did not win Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia. How can he cross the finish line in the general election? Obama lost some Kentucky precincts 77% to 17%.
Lady Boomer NYC 
Fascinating choice of metaphors (and quite a wonderful musical). Particularly as the River City Boys’ Band astonish their parents with the Minuet in G.
Nathan: I’m not getting the minuet joke, please explain. But they talk about a boy band in the musical, and you reminded me about the band before Obama played in Portland.
I was simply suggesting that slick salesmen someone time bring about very positive change (even to those dubious of their intentions). Sort of like Harold Hill actually bringing together the fine folks of River City.
In other news, Clinton gave a great speech today in Boca (thanks for your coverage). Do you see this playing out at the convention? What’s the Clinton end game vis-a-vis Michigan and Florida? Assuming the accuracy of most of the “conservative” estimates are right that Obama would only need 90 of the reaming 200 or so supers to make the delegates Clinton is asking for our of MI and Fl irrelevant to the overall race. If Clinton manages a superdelegate sweep does this not contradict her claims about the value of democracy and voting? Basically what i’m asking is how does any of this play out without setting the party on fire? (clearly, my perspective on this is skewed, but i am actually curious about what Clinton supporters feelings are on this subject).
Nathan: Oh, I see, you were being facetious, and what you point out is true.
You’re welcome re: the Boca post. I agree re: Hillary’s speech today. I’m grateful for the tech help from a fellow Hillary supporter in being able to make it available.
I’ll get back to you on the other questions soon. Writing all day, still working on one more post.
Nathan: My wish is that the system was one-person-one-vote. That’s how I look at it. As I’ve written, BO supporters were telling me it was over in February based on the numbers. Now I’m not a numbers gal, an historian, nor a poli sci wonkette; I’m a writer and citizen with an opinion, and you know what those are like. This whole caucus, delegate, SD, electoral college deal makes no sense to me although I learned it in school, and it’s written about profusely in this active campaign. However, if it were fair, as you point out, then Kennedy and Kerry and Byrd and God knows who else by now, would have had to pledge to the candidate that the voters in their state chose (HRC), but they didn’t. Likely there are examples on both sides.
For me, everything that I’ve written about since beginning this blog two months ago has arisen from what I’ve seen happening in the news and campaign events. It boils down to that I don’t think Obama is electable in the GE, and that he’s not qualified or ready as a candidate–in real, not hyped or branded, experience, ideas, plans, strength, maturity, and wisdom to represent the US here and abroad, and to handle the ginormous set of problems facing us.
I’m not alone; those of us who feel the same number in the millions and don’t plan to fade away invisibly. I expect a big protest turnout in DC at the May 31 DNC Rules Committee meeting, and we’ll see what happens. I don’t expect it to go “our way,” because of the rampant DNC Obama worship, and their concerted effort to push out rank and file Democrats from the party. But we’ll keep writing and voicing for our qualified candidate.