The PUMA Movement

[Party Unity, My Ass] – A political group whose defining characteristic is to see Hillary Clinton as a seminal (or ‘ovarial’ if you prefer) figure of the 21st century.

Hilllary Clinton’s ill-fated primary campaign spawned a movement in its dying days that, I believe, may prove to be a significant one for some time to come.  I do not believe this movement will be able to swing this coming election to John McCain – but like the Paultards inspired by Ron Paul – the PUMAs will be a force to reckon with until their agenda is coopted into one of the major parties.  The problem is that their agenda is not a matter of policy – on almost any position that might lead an activist to support Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama would be an acceptable substitute.  Yet, many PUMAs have declared their support for John McCain – an act which might have been written off as pique a month ago, but which now seems to have calcified into a determined position which might last until November.

It is hard to imagine which combination of issues might lead someone to support Hillary Clinton as their first choice and John McCain as their second choice with Obama somewhere below Newt Gingrich as one PUMA put it.

Of course, the PUMA movement was never about issues.  It was and is about a personal affection for Hillary Clinton and a reaction against the change that Barack Obama stands for.

If Barack Obama wins in November, expect to see some PUMAs elected to Congress in 2010, who will do their best to stick it to him.

And yes, I think the acronym is kind of dumb – given what it stands for.  But I think the way in which it suggests older women, Appalachia, and menace makes the term evocative.