I think everybody is missing the real point when Hillary Clinton repeatedly and demonstrably exclaims her “35 years of experience”. Conspiracy theorist that I am, I realize that she isn’t talking to us, the electorate. Mrs. Clinton has known for quite some time now that neither she nor Senator Barak Obama can or will get enough pledged delegates to secure the nomination. No, Senator Clinton is speaking directly to the almost 800 superdelegates who will make up their minds on their own time through backroom deals and decide, regardless of who a majority of primary voters choose, who they think will best represent the Democratic Party in the November presidential election.

That experience she is talking about is the 35 years since marrying Bill that she has been a water-carrier and political operative for the Democratic Party. She is citing her 35 years of loyal party service to those superdelegates and reminding them that after all she’s done for the party these many decades they had better vote for her because she is owed this.

Hillary is basically practicing the same dynamic that George W. Bush uses all the time. Every time “G-Dub” spews any of his Orwellian Authoritarian drivel — which is all the time — he isn’t speaking to a majority of us. He is speaking to the 24% hardcore constituency who still supports him and is either too stupid or too scared not to buy into his load of manure. Like “G-Dub”, Hillary knows exactly whom she is talking to when she talks about her experience — and it ain’t you or me or us or anybody who she appears to be speaking to at the moment, be it the media or an arena full of supporters.

Senator Clinton is basically telling those superdelegates, “After all I’ve done my adult life for you people, I’ve waited in line all this time. It’s finally my time to reap the rewards of all my loyal support to you and to be the nominee. You all owe this to me, and no upstart who has the temerity not to wait his turn had better cut in line ahead of me and take what’s mine.”

– daveydoug