Politics: June 2008 Archives

Smoke crack, much?

Hillary Clinton officially suspended her campaign and endorsed Barack Obama. Now that this thing is done and it's officially Obama vs. McCain (and boy do I feel sorry for McCain... well maybe not THAT sorry...) I'm reflecting a little more on Hillary's campaign and her supporters. For the last eight years, I've gotten used to the sensation that the country lives in two completely different realities: the "reality-based" community and the Bush-worshipping one. I got sick of funhouse conversations. I still simply cannot see the straight-talking principled leader that many Republicans seem to. With Hillary, there was a little of the same thing. It seemed so obvious to me that half the country really didn't like her, that she had some major liabilities (like her vote for the war that she took too long to repent, and Bill's erratic behavior), and that Obama just seemed like the better candidate for this time. The Clintons' moment has passed. But to Hillary supporters, she was so obviously the better choice, and Obama was kind of annoying. I still don't quite get it. But I do hear the feelings of loss from some women, that one of us had a shot at the White House and lost it. It's tempting to blame it on sexism. And there was plenty of sexism going around. On the other hand, maybe the problem is that she was the only woman running, and that it's still a rare event when a woman is a candidate for the highest office in the land (or any political office, sadly). Not every man who runs is going to be the right one for the job, so the chances that the one woman who runs is going to be are pretty slim. So I still really believe that Clinton's problem is that she just wasn't the right candidate at the right time. I believe Obama IS that candidate. But I do have to pay her respect for being a trailblazer, and I hope one day soon, a woman will be president. (But please G-d, not Condi Rice or Elizabeth Dole or anybody like that...)

Needless to say, we're very, very pleased in our household...