Downward, Ho!

A standard, if historically inaccurate, scene in many western movies is the Indian attack on a wagon train. The brave, God-fearin' agents of civilization and progress would circle the wagons to form a temporary fort. The blood-thirsty heathens would then proceed to ride in circles around the laager in order to provide the settlers with as many opportunities to kill them as could be fit into a ten-minute scene.

It was largely bunk, of course, but "circling the wagons" is a handy metaphor for what is happening with the Democratic Party in the United States. The only difference is that the settlers tended to shoot out towards the menacing horsemen, whereas the Democrats seem to be intend on shooting into the laager.

Yesterday, the Party's rules committee issued a decision to resolve the contentious issue of delegates from Florida and Michigan. Both states moved their primaries to January earlier in the year in defiance of the Democratic National Committee, which in turn banned delegates from those states from sitting at the upcoming national convention. When this all happened, both Clinton and Obama agreed not to campaign in those states. Obama even went so far as to remove his name from the Michigan ballot.

In yesterday's decision, the rules committee decided to give each delegate from Florida and Michigan half a vote at the national convention, which seems like a generous concession considering that the states had been clearly informed that their delegates would have no votes. Obama's camp is content with the decision, but Clinton's team are furious and threaten to keep on fighting to the bitter end. Some Clinton partisans have even declared that if she does not win, they will leave the Democratic Party and will become Independents.

After 8 years of one of the most inept (Republican) administrations in history, John McCain will have to work hard to get elected. But if the Democrats keep circling the wagons and shooting in, his job will be a little bit easier.