Hey Hillary, It’s Midnight

Tuesday night’s election results signaled the beginning of the end of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign for the Democrat nomination for President.

The turn of events brings to mind sports clichés.

One pundit said game over. Another said the band has taken the field, indicating the end of the contest. I’ve taken it to another level.

The sports world lives and dies by the cliché and Hillary’s campaign strategy fits perfectly. There have been many vaunted sports strategies, some have become legend. The Dallas Cowboys of the 70’s were known for their Flex Defense; Bill Walsh made the West Coast Offense a staple of pro football. In college basketball, Dean Smith ruled with the Four Corners Offense.

Hillary has crafted the Moving Metric strategy. It works like this, whatever metric she is closest to becomes the most important factor in deciding the nomination. At one point it was popular vote, then it was elected delegates, next it was the super delegates. When she fell short on all of the above she trotted out the Electoral College strategy. She just can’t make up her mind. Fortunately the voters in North Carolina by a large margin and in Indiana by two points have decided for her.

The Moving Metric doesn’t work. It’s effective to help explain a momentary stumble, but it can’t head off inevitable movement that is Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has run out of excuses it’s time to do what smart teams do on third and forever, they punt.

Tony Mottley is the Producer of American Black Journal