Well, I did.
And for once, I felt like my vote in Texas mattered.
I'd struggled greatly with my decision, but when it came time to mark the little box, I filled in Hillary Clinton.
Not that I don't think Barack Obama would not make a great Democratic presidential candidate.
Not that I don't think John McCain would invite compromise between Republicans and Democrats if he was elected president.
I just felt that it was too soon to vote against Clinton and end her campaign relatively early.
I watched the past few debates as the primary election date neared, and fundamentally, I didn't see any huge difference between the democratic candidates in terms of policy platforms. I did see differences in experience, however. And I felt that Obama, while a great speaker and motivator, seemed shorter on concrete proposals than Ms. Clinton. That's not to say that Mr. Obama wouldn't that much better with a bit more experience--he'd be a helluva asset to the ticket, should Clinton gain the nomination and tap him as a running mate. But I don't see it the other way around. Obama, I feel, needs a bit more seasoning before I can commit to his candidacy (I find it ironic that while Democrats in 1988 savaged Bush 41 for choosing Dan Quayle as his running mate, at the time Quayle had far more experience in national politics than Obama has today). And I fear that the idealistic supporters of Mr. Obama, especially those who are young and have no real exposure to the bloody-knuckle style of United States politics, may well become disenchanted with the process if Mr. Obama does indeed become president and is unable to massage the lawmaking process into enacting his "change."
I do have a few misgivings about Ms. Clinton as well. The "phone call at three a.m.?" Well, Hillary, you answered the phone with your vote on the Iraq war--and made the wrong decision. But that's in the past, and we've got to move forward.
Early in the primary cycle, I vowed that I'd vote for John McCain--a guy I've always admired as a true hero and straight-shooting maverick moderate republican--before I'd vote for Hillary. But when the real possibility presents itself that this MAY indeed be the choice I will have to make, I'll choose Ms. Clinton. But, I've got to say that I like how McCain has pissed off the Christian conservative wing of the Republican party. If you can get Rush Limbaugh and Ann "Horse Face/Man Hands" Coulter to endorse a Democrat, you must be doing something right!
The primaries are over, and it still ain't over yet. It will continue to be an interesting spring as we head towards the national Democratic convention in Denver this summer. We're fortunate to have two great Democratic choices and a Republican candidate that is palatable as well.
7 comments:
Can't say I agree with your vote for Clinton, but it still is a free country. I think my vote up here in Washington may be for naught, as Ron Paul doesn't seem to be doing as well as the creepy Republican candidates. I think too many people are scared off by Paul's mantra of fixing our country.
Dan
I felt very unhip voting for Clinton. Not part of the cool crowd. But I was undecided right up until yesterday morning, the first time I can remember making the choice so late.
In the end I think Hillary is committed to universal health care and has the expertise and alliances in Congress to achieve it. On other issues I think it's a wash; I like them both.
I agree that she knows what sort of SOBs she's up against and Obama has no idea. Doesn't mean he couldn't learn, or outmaneuver them once he did, but she's already formed relationships in the Senate that could serve her agenda.
Then there's the problem of the zombie army coming to life when they see Clinton's name in the bright light of the general election.
Dan,
I've been aware of and a fan of Ron Paul since he was a Libertarian darling from South Texas back in 1988, back when I read Reason magazine and felt every highway and public school should be privatized. And I still admire him for his stand on issues (particularly the Iraq war) and how his ideals and beliefs truly define who he is. But I feel this election is too important to throw away a vote on a candidate that doesn't have a chance. . . and even if Mr. Paul WERE elected, his chances of making ANYTHING happen on Capitol Hill would be next to nil. Sorry to say that's the case, but we've gotten beyond the point in this country where an outsider with radical ideas--no matter how well-meaning--can get a foot in the door of the entrenched Washington system. I'm not scared off by Paul's mantra, I just think that it is unrealistic given the point in our political history we've reached. And to go truly whole-hog on Paul's platform is a bit of a large, scary leap into the void. Short of a popular revolution against the government,it ain't going to happen.
Amos,
I too was dismayed to be lumped into the "older" demographic by voting for Clinton. But my logic for my Clinton vote is very similar to yours. . .perhaps she will win the nomination and Obama will become the veep choice, which would be a PLATNUIM ticket, and if they win, Obama will have 8 years to lead the senate as Vice President and grow as a leader. I do hope the young will keep their interest and idealism in politics alive if they don't win the nomination, but as we saw in 1972 with the McGovern youth, they drifted off to other things, namely becoming money-grubbing yuppies, finding that more interesting that working within the system to make the changes needed.
BEK,
Thanks for the definition of how you feel about Paul. I have to agree with you. Does seem like he has a snowball's chance in Hell. Figure you would know a lot more about him than I do, being a Texan and all.
McCain is quite the fence sitter and speaks out both sides of his mouth. Huckabee has a few good ideas, but to try to win voters on the fact that he claims to be religious.
My problem with Clinton is I still see her as a carpetbagger from Arkansas to a New York Senator. How in the heck did she pull that off? Wasn't she from Arkansas? Or at least reside there for the time ole Bill was running that state? I may have missed some information about her somewhere.
Obama does seem a bit young, but his chances of dying in office are a lot less than McCains'.
Dan,
the history of Senators in this country is filled with Carpet bagging, and it seems that New York is a popular place to go when you seek higher office--you might recall Robert Kennedy, after leaving Johnson's administration, moved to New York and filed to run for the Senate, even though he'd lived there for only a couple of months. After a few years in Washington, though, it really doesn't matter where one is from--when was the last time Dick Cheney lived in Wyoming? Back when, how about Tom Foley and Scoop Jackson?
What's really creepy is that Hillary was once on the board of directors of Wal-Mart. Talk about a corporation that's doing all it can to ship jobs overseas. . . .
Aaaah yes, Hillary "Don't Worry I'll Get Someone Else to Take the Fall for Whitewater" Clinton...the same Hillary Clinton that for a number of years was the source of the old saying in sale barns across the country.."She's the only one who's made money in the beef business." (A little insider trading scam she ran on beef futures...long before Martha even knew what the term meant....) She's smart, ruthless, power hungry, dominating, you know, a typical woman of a certain age. God I'm living with one, why would I put another one in the White House?
Still, I actually would like to see a Hillary/McCain shoot-out for prez. Look at what's happening right now. The damned Republicans are already concentrating their efforts in fund raising on one candidate. Meanwhile, back at the ranch the poor ol' donkeys are trying to divide the spoils, taking no prisoners and taking turns kicking the you-know-what out of each other instead of the competition.
Still, it's American politics at its best.
Martin Burwash
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