Hillary's loss: The defeat of dynasticism

If we can briefly set aside the debate over Hillary Clinton's merits as a presidential candidate, it's worth noting the ways in which her loss represents a victory for our democracy.

First, two decades of Clinton/Bush dominance of the American political system will finally come to a close in January, preventing further entrenchment of the dynastic politics that I fear. (Similarly, on the Republican side, George W. Bush's massive unpopularity seems to have killed off any lingering enthusiasm for Jeb Bush as a presidential candidate.)

In addition, while it looked like the front-loaded primary calendar would result in the quick selection of early frontrunners, both parties ended up choosing nominees who were significant underdogs in late 2007.

It's always hard to accept the defeat of your preferred candidate, but these are signs that the American republic is alive and well.

Comments

[David]

Not only did Geprge W. Bush's unpopularity kill off any lingering enthusiasm for Jeb Bush as a presidential candidate, it also killed his chance of being a Veep candidate. Without the Bush name, as a popular, well-regarded ex-governor of a large state, Jeb would be an excellent choice for McCain.