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Andrew O'Connnor~Daily Egyptian

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter had a great quote on the Clintons' relationship with power.

He stated that they view losing their power the same way "hardcore gun owners" do: "over their cold dead hands." Hillary's recent behavior, epitomized in her performance at Tuesday night's debate, only seemed to substantiate that.

Both Hillary and Bill have been career politicians. She sacrificed what looked like a successful career of her own in politics to support Bill's endeavors. In making this decision, it seems her intentions have always been to use her position with Bill as a way to further her own career.

She kept her name Rodham (at the behest of both of their mothers) so that according to her, they could "separate their personal lives." Her support helped Bill tremendously as both Arkansas' governor and as president, and he owes much of his success to her.

The Clintons suffered one of their first (and rare) losses: his re-election bid as Arkansas governor. Incumbent Bill was defeated, and after that she "made a few changes" during their next campaign. After all, it was the '80s by then, and that whole '70s feminist name-keeping thing, well, let's just say she pretty much dropped the Rodham for Mrs. Bill Clinton (even though she brought in more bacon from '78-'92).

But this was always phase one of the plan. Phase two has always been for Hillary to win the White House. Her entire carpetbag Senate career for New York was just a springboard to the White House.

Hillary is one of the most polarizing people in this country, someone who gets daily doses of vitriol from both the right and left. She is absolutely correct in saying that she has always been a target of "vicious" political attacks. She is very good at standing up to criticism, and the machine that the Clintons have built fights any Republican attack machine valiantly, almost like an episode of "Battle Bots."

Her entire presidential campaign was built on the "experience" of being able to withstand "unfair" attacks.

Why then did she use a poorly written and acted SNL skit as a means to cry victim? Comedy was never her strong point, and I do think people will refer to her "Should we ask him if he's comfortable and needs a pillow?" line as a Howard Dean moment. In this life and especially in politics, no one gets a free ride.

Imagine if Obama had lost more than 10 straight contests, raised less money and started going negative when he was down in the polls. The media would be pouncing on him the same if not harder. If anything, thanks in part to her campaign, Obama has wasted his time arguing ridiculous, thinly veiled racist attacks about his Christianity and condemnation of Farrakhan.

Clinton's attempt to try and paint Obama as somehow anti-Semitic by complaining he "denounced" when he should have "rejected" Farrakhan actually managed to backfire live in Obama's coffin-nailing response, "If the word 'reject' Senator Clinton feels is stronger than the word 'denounce,' then I'm happy to concede the point and I would reject and denounce."

I believe Hillary believes that her sacrifices were going to guarantee her the White House. She felt and was probably told if she was patient and followed the script, and she would have what she desired. This is why I almost feel bad for her.

Well, almost.

Her performance in the debate last night coupled with her attacks leveled at Obama in the past few days are utterly inexcusable. The New York Times described Hillary's new strategy as "the Kitchen Sink." She hasn't just thrown in the sink; she threw the microwave, toaster, blender, oven mitts … anything she could get her hands on.

Her mockery of Obama's speeches that have inspired new people into the Democratic Party would be funny if they weren't outright damaging to her party. She has decided to attempt a last ditch, scorched-earth policy, using John McCain's same attacks and surrogates like Bob "Black Exploitation Television" Johnson to paint him as a drugged up Muslim who wants to make sweet love to our enemies and bomb our allies.

So here it is Hillary. Stop. Do not pass go and do not collect another $200 of special interest money. When you lose next Tuesday (either Texas, Ohio or both), do the right thing and drop out. So you didn't get the Presidency that you compromised yourself to get.

Al Gore didn't either and life still worked out pretty well for him.

O'Connor is a junior studying political science.

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