At the risk of straying into an area that I don’t much about, political strategy that is, I’d like to present my version of the speech that Barack Obama should give right now.  Here it is:

In the past few weeks, the tenor of the race for Presidential nominee of the Democratic Party has turned pretty ugly.  It is an ugliness that I do not appreciate and that I do not like.  A few days ago, I asked a prized and trusted aide, a woman of enormous intellect and skill, Samantha Power, to resign from this campaign after she made a disparaging remark about Senator Clinton, and that will be my policy with any member of my campaign who makes such remarks.  I also encourage all of my supporters to refrain from such comments.  Our campaign is based upon my pledge to bring change in policies and change in approaches in this country.  I intend to uphold that pledge in all aspects of my campaign.

I do not wish to get into how or when the comments began, but I believe there is ample evidence to show that Senator Clinton’s campaign believes that it benefits from such comments.  There are those who ask or expect that I should answer increasingly rancorous and divisive comments by Senator Clinton, her campaign workers, and her supporters with in kind comments.  I will do no such thing.  Senator Clinton and her campaign are not threatening me physically, which would indeed call for me to defend myself, they are instead throwing verbal punches that are weak, wild, poorly developed, and most of all, missing any target whatsoever.  The appropriate response to such attacks, as any trained boxer or martial artist knows, is to simply step to the side and let the poor puncher punch herself out.  Voters themselves will have to decide who is more Presidential, a flailing, throw the “kitchen sink” candidate, or one who strives to uphold the dignity of the Presidency.

I am willing to give up many things to gain the Presidency.  Among those is daily, regular, precious time with my two little daughters, who like all little girls are better off when their father comes home from work each day.  Unfortunately, that is not possible right now, and may not be possible for a long time.  Nevertheless, I have made the decision to run, and we are winning, and my family is doing the best it can to allow me to be both a father and a candidate.  I have sacrificed many things to run.  But one thing I will not sacrifice is my integrity.  And by responding in kind to comments from Senator Clinton, her aides, or others, comments that are exaggerations, distortions, distractions, or even lies and innuendoes, I will sacrifice the integrity that I have worked all my life to build.

I do not know if it is worth it to Senator Clinton to gain the Presidency while losing her integrity.  It was apparently worth it to her husband, former President Clinton, to fight to keep the Presidency despite losing much integrity in a White House sex scandal.  Only Mr. & Mrs. Clinton can know the length to which they are willing to go to regain the office of the Presidency.  It’s my hope that they too have now come to place their integrity above the office, and that they will so instruct their aides and supporters for the remainder of this campaign, however long it may go.

Our campaign leads in delegates elected in primaries and caucuses across the nation.  The lead is such that Senator Clinton has no chance to catch up in the remaining primaries and caucuses to come.  Let me say that again so that everyone is clear: no chance.  Senator Clinton could gracefully recognize this fact, put our party first before herself, and withdraw from a campaign that she cannot win.  Nevertheless, she shows no intention of taking this step, and we therefore intend to campaign as vigorously as ever in the remaining contests and at the end of them  - we will continue to lead in delegates.  Vigorous campaigning does not mean disingenuous, dishonest, uncivil, or angry campaigning.  Vigorous campaigning means hopeful, positive, energetic, inspirational and substantive campaigning.  In order for Senator Clinton to gain a nomination that she may hold more dearly than her own integrity, she will try to engage in tactics outside the main primary and caucus proceedings.  If she decides to pursue such tactics, let me assure everyone that we will meet her with strength and force, and her efforts too will fail.  We are energized by this battle, we are winning, and I will be the Democratic Party’s nominee for President.

I am willing to put my faith in the American people.  I believe that now, as it has developed, our country faces a choice between policies and between politicians.  Between policians who would lose their integrity, or who have already lost their integrity, and those who intend to keep their integrity.  I believe that the American people understand that we can have a civil politics practiced by civil politicians who have civil aides and civil supporters.  Since we began our campaign, the American people have shown that they want these things, and have responded by putting our campaign in the lead.  In the next weeks, we will go to Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, and other states.  I ask the people, of all religions, gender, persuasions, and ethnicities of those states to join with the others who have already convened at polls and caucuses in other states, and I ask for your support.

I’m Leo Gold.  This is the New Capital Show.