Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barack Obama. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Do Democrats Have Too Much Pride?
See how happy they look? Why can't we learn the value of good comradeship like these two? *sigh*
Democrats are... Defectors?
Now, I'm a Democrat and am probably going to catch all kinds of crap for this.
Let me begin with saying that I'm a Hillary supporter. Yep, I felt the sting last Tuesday when I watched her campaign chances all but dwindle down to zero. I'm still donating on my recurring campaign automated schedule and I'm behind her as long as she's in it (and today, it sounds like she is definitely in it to stay). But, I'm not in complete denial that pending a miracle, she's about done.
Okay, fine. So, it sucks... but we don't always get what we want. When/if she’s counted out, I'll give myself a couple weeks to sulk, then I'll start buying Obama buttons.
A significant number of us seem to disagree. I felt a wave of genuine nausea last Tuesday at a polling statistic touted by MSNBC. Only 48% of Indiana and North Carolina Hillary supporters would support Obama in the election should she lose. Less than half?!
If Obama wins, nationally, 28% of Hillary supporters will vote... McCain?! Obama supporters are a little better at 19%.
Today, that number is up to almost 50%, with only 34% of West Virginian Hillary supporters willing to support Obama in the national election should he win the nomination.
What’s the deal? This is beyond Obama's image getting muddied over Hillary throwing a little dirt.
And it’s bigger than a demographic.
I am so tired of hearing that Hillary supporters are uneducated racists. I’m a college graduate, twenty-something minority female engineer. I’m sure that Hillary has a few bigots in her clan, probably as many sexists that have flocked to Obama. But I digress.
It's a Simple Question of Policy, Right?
When it comes down to policy, it’s a struggle to find any two serious candidate contenders more aligned than Hillary and Barack.
We’re saying (and by we, I mean Democrats), that after our self-professed general political alignment with the Democratic ideals, if we lose Hillary, we’d opt to prolong/send more the war and make Bush’s tax cuts for the wealthy permanent?!
Either, we haven’t been paying close attention to what Hillary plans to do in the White House, or something else is going on.
I’m going with door #2… and I think it’s pride.
We Need to Swallow It Down
We can all take a lesson from Alanis on this one. Why? Because we absolutely can lose this Presidential election if we don't get it together.
Some of us have been very invested in the campaigns and have listened to all the speeches. We think Obama is just great, (really, we think he's a nice guy). But we just aren’t convinced he would make as strong of a President compared with Hillary. Over time, that perception of him as “motivational,” “great” and all-round nice guy has become tainted. It’s probably not even Obama’s fault.
It’s the same reaction that happens when we see an evangelist on the street corner holding up a sign reading: “Jesus loves you.” Even fellow Christians cringe and cross the street.
See, no one likes to be preached to (in fact, by now, you're probably already growing sick of my rant), and there are a lot of Obama (and yes, I know, Hillary) zealots out there touting their candidate as the holy messiah to save us from all things unhappy.
I've felt it, too.
But, at the end of the day, I hope I can take a deep breath and realize that it’s the reason this dang nomination is dragging out so long: it’s hard for us to choose between two strong candidates.
And, our country needs a Democrat to clean up our current mess/disaster that Republicans seem to be in denial about. If Hillary doesn’t make it, Obama can and will be an excellent choice. The nominee is going to need our support.
So, if it’s pride (and I think it is), how do we fix it by November?
Comments? Leave them below.
On to other stuff...
I Was Dugg, Yay!
It's not a significant accomplishment compared with any serious blogger (I got a whopping 10 and 4 for two articles here). And it'll probably never happen again, but I was excited enough to add the Digg widgets to my blog.
So, now, I can be more easily mocked when I all my subsequent post diggs sit at zero :)
Donate, today to HillaryClinton.com
Friday, February 08, 2008
Why Thia is for Hillary
I'm convinced in my mind that Hillary is the right candidate for the Presidency of the United States.
It's time for change on women's issues.
That picture up there is of me. From a person from African-American heritage *and* a woman, I will put before you my opinion from experience that our country has progressed much (*much*) further in our battles with racism than discrimination based on gender. I'm not saying racism is gone; that there is admittedly some work that needs to be done here. I can say that I believe we have much more pressing battle to fight.
Let's not mistake the urgency of the moment. Hillary makes our country face our own sexism. Oh, it's there; and it's very unpopular to mention. We live in a time when women who argue for equal pay are seen as radicals and sexist rhetoric is accepted as mainstream.
My husband put it well yesterday when he commented on his experience reading political blogs and comments. He observed not a single person called Barack Obama the infamous n-* word. No, how could they? They would be censored off respectable message boards in an instant and labeled a racist.
On the other hand, it's difficult to find a forum absent of the b-* word referring to Hillary.
... And we're used to it. It's almost a subconscious acceptance that ambitious, aggressive women will be hated among their peers and counterparts. I wish I could have the piece of mind to believe that the criticism Hillary draws is even 50% due to her perceived political unworthiness, rather than our overall discomfort with seeing a woman pursuing a role of public leadership.
I can think of nothing better to address this than to elect not only the best candidate, but an intelligent, capable and effective woman to the White House office.
I did my research
Almost top to bottom, I agree with Hillary's political stances. From the environment, to the war, to education and health care she is absolutely spot on. In fact, for all that Hillary stands superior to Obama, he has only one worthy of her rebuttal: he has admitedly more charisma. This quality is an admirable one, and admitedly has value. But it's not enough for me to overlook the qualifications in which he doesn't measure up. Obama can put together a very inspirational speech, but I'm underwhelmed with my confidence he can do the kind of hard-lifting it will take in the next administration to get things done.
In a nutshell
It's time for change. America doesn't need just any woman President. In fact, I think it's reasonable to assert that the first one will need to be exceptional. No, I believe instead that it's time for the *right* woman President - and that nominee is here. It's time for Hillary.
Please donate to Hillary's campaign by clicking here.
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