Last night, Barak Obama declared himself the Democratic presidential nominee-to-be. Finally, after what seems like a geologic epoch, citizens of all the states and territories had their chance to vote. They almost made a decision and the Super Amazing Delegates helped push Obama over the edge.
Clinton, popularly known as Hillary, said she “would not make any decisions tonight.” That is, she did not concede. As I listened to her non-concession speech, my internal conflicts over this race came to the emotional surface.
At no point along this national race have I supported Hillary. First, and perhaps most important to me, I just can’t condone a monarchy-like turn taking parade of presidents: Bush -> Clinton -> Clinton -> Bush -> Bush -> Clinton -> ........ I have been alive for only 6 years during which one of these royals was NOT ”my” president. (And the exception was during Regan!) Surely, in our nation of over 300 million people there must be one or two presidentially qualified persons with a different last name.
Second, when she speaks about the issues at hand, I hear either no difference from Obama, differences that will surely be erased in the course of bringing ideas into reality or differences that shock and astound me. My “she said WHAT!?” moments include her announcement of support for the (in)famous “gas tax holiday” and her claims that mountain top removal mining isn’t so bad since we can just reconstruct the mountain – good as new! If these ideas represent our best hopes for the environment, I will start supporting a lot more research dollars going toward developing human settlements on Mars and/or our lovely moon.
What else is important to me? Universal health insurance: both candidates support using private insurance companies to provide coverage. Is the goal to hand these companies millions more profit-providing customers rather than providing those customers – I mean citizens and humans - health care? That’s how it seems to me. The wars: they couldn’t be less distinctive on this. The economy: this “issue” is so enormous that no one can really address it in this mammoth form. The only solutions are local and regional, so all we really get from these national candidates are clever plays on words, tear-jerking personal stories like Al Gore used to tell and promises that are so broad they are impossible to evaluate, things on the order of, “I will turn this economy around!” So, although all these issues are near and dear to me, none really plays any role in my preferences between the two players.
The thing that gets me tangled up is probably the most important of them all: the gut. Anyone who has ever bought anything knows that when it comes to making decisions, all the consumer reports and peer reviews are nice, but when your emotions say “oooohh pretty” you buy it regardless. Obama is “pretty” to me. His speeches impress me and make me think. He seems to appreciate nuance. He’s not part of the old guard. He’s a fancy academic seeming kinda fellow, just like me (except for the fellow bit).
And there, you see, is the problem. Hillary is a gal, and so am I. When I hear interviews with 90 year old great grandmothers who are never going to see a woman become president, I cry. Her campaign has reminded me that not so long ago, women couldn’t even vote, which upsets and disgusts me. When I hear regular Johns and Janes call in to radio shows to say that she isn’t qualified because the misogynistic leaders of other countries will lose respect for the United States, it makes me mad. That other countries have had and currently have female leadership while the US population quakes at the thought, makes me feel ashamed.
So, when Hillary gave her non-concession speech tonight, I felt guilty for my support of Obama. Though, I think it is just wrong to choose a candidate based on something as arbitrary as gender, Hillary’s loss tugs at my heart. I would LOVE to see a woman become president. I would be joyful if a woman became my president. And unfortunately, the way things have gone so far, Hillary seems like the only lady in town. I hope fervently that it will not be another 25 years of my life before I see another viable female presidential hopeful make an attempt at the nomination.
And if I really dream, in my lifetime we will have a vibrant, intelligent, progressive, third party female president elect.
Snow! Blue Skies! Ah, the mountains...
Whatever happens, just please don't hang glide in the designated wilderness area.
Me, the shadowy hiker. OOooOOoohh
Snow! Blue Skies! Ah, the mountains...
Whatever happens, just please don't hang glide in the designated wilderness area.
Me, the shadowy hiker. OOooOOoohh
