Friday, February 15, 2008

 

Considering Hillary

My residency in Vermont has given me a nice, long gestation period for a decision-in-the-making regarding the presidential primaries. We don't vote till the first Tuesday in March, also Town Meeting Day. That's when our good citizens repair to their various little temples of democracy to debate and vote on town and school budgets. Very sweet, and one of the most direct forms of participation in the nation.

On the national front, I usually feel irrelevant. Vermont has all of three electoral votes to add to a candidate's count. Big deal, I often say, though I never fail to vote. Showing up is half- to two thirds of living, depending on whose inspirational palaver you are reading or hearing.

When Hillary entered the race last year I balked at the idea of her having the nomination all sewn up. All those early endorsements made me nervous. I didn't like her telling donors that they should give to no candidate other than her. I especially liked Dennis Kucinich and John Edwards, and I didn't like the fat cats who were/are giving to Hillary's campaign.

However, even my intolerance has its limits. Perhaps it's just that my intolerance has been trumped by my disgust with the reportage of this campaign. I sure didn't like it when the press ignored the candidacy of John Edwards. Now I find myself bristling at the double-standard nastiness lobbed at Hillary by all the sniggering schoolboys and seventh grade girls of the mainstream media, and even the so-called alternative press.

I also find myself admiring Hillary's passion for study of the issues, her necessarily combative nature, and her familiarity with getting around in that toxic town we call the nation's capital. Take umbrage if you will at Hillary's claiming her first lady gig as job experience, but you know that she was privy to more arguments and discussions than our nation's little boys were comfortable with. Bill quickly learned that his two-for-the-price-of-one offer wasn't going to help his campaign, so he clammed up quickly, but he sure as hell didn't keep her out of the loop.

I don't think that Hillary is simply entitled to the presidency by virtue of that experience, or by any act of atonement implicit in her wandering spouse's advocacy of her campaign. I know that Barack gives better sound bites. He inspires people. He's written two best sellers, and they fly out of our library both in print and on audio on a regular basis. I liked The Audacity of Hope, though he sounded like a very bright student running for ASB president rather than the leader of a nation. I found myself thinking, what's not to like? But I'm wary of being too pleased by anyone in Obama's line of work.

With John and Dennis gone, I'm finding myself tired of yet another golden boy. I think that Hillary would probably hit the ground running. She would bring an astonishing level of preparation to the office, I think.

The nice thing about the March primary is that I still have time to do more reading and thinking. But if a McCain supporter wants to refer to Hillary as The Bitch, I am more than happy to stand with her in bitchitude. Don't mess with us, I say.

So there.

Comments:
I like Obama a lot, but I have a few issues with him on one single topic--gay rights.
As a Black man who belongs to a stringent Black church, he made the mistake of bringing an ex-gay man on his campaign bus. He quickly added a genuine gay man after the thunderous complaints he got.
That's pandering.
Gay issues have traditionally not been part of the Black agenda. We may march with them but they don't march with us and never will.
The Clintons have a good gay record, including an end run (DOMA)around the GOP's desire to add a constitutional amendment that would have guaranteed the right to perpetrate discrimination against us...
Furthermore, as a chronic blog surfer, I find the vitriol aimed toward Hillary by Obama fans to be disquieting.
Could it be that much of his base has the same shallowness the Bush supporters had when he was running?
Do his supporters know the issues, or are they merely captivated by his motivational speeches?
Though Obama has exhibited a very even temperament throughout this race, is that really what America needs right now?
Hillary has fire, and she is a fanatical student of detail. America needs a president who is willing to use diplomacy first, then is able to drop the hammer ferociously when diplomacy fails.
Her connectedness to the status quo in DC might facilitate finding a rapid consensus in Congress when rapidity is needed.
Like it or not, politicians have to possess an ability to wheel and deal with the Devil when the occasion calls for it.
I'd love a JFK-style return to Camelot, but Obama's not JFK and Michelle Obama is no Jackie Kennedy.
We need a realist in the Oval Office, not someone we'd like to sit next to at a hootnanny.
I don't want to have a beer with Hillary, I just want her to protect me like the Mama Lion she is. That's why she's my candidate.
 
I don't appreciate the bs foisted on Hillary that passes for news. No I do not.

I was a Kucinich then Edwards supporter. I am flummoxed as to who to support..if anyone now.

Obama has a gay agenda page here:

http://pride.barackobama.com/page/content/lgbthome

I haven't read it all yet..but then I have just started checking his shit out.

if that link is busted..here is a tiny url:

http://tinyurl.com/2efta5

Let me know what you ladies think of it please..
 
I can't get past Hillary's War Hawk position. She has also been a part of the spineless/lame democrat scene of late that has been rendered a majority in both the House and Senate, as useless. Hillary has always done the safe thing, and although I hear of folks speaking of her *fire*... I am thinking she fully deserves a spineless citation such as the Backbone Campaign people issue:
http://www.backbonecampaign.org/page.cfm?id=64

The other thing I dislike is the *dynasties* of both the Bush & Clinton families. If Hill is elected, that means we will have had the Bush family presiding over the country for 12 years, then Clintons for 12 years. 24 years of the same families running this country.
I also have reservations of more of the same (litigation de jour) with the Clinton duo & also feel Bill is a loose cannon. Do I really want him back in the white house with lots of spare time on his hands?

I fear Hillary has learned nothing from the Iraq disaster, as she was qick to approve Lieberman;s Kly- Lieberman bill to vote yes for a war with Iran. One would think that any legislator would scrutinize any call for war very closely before voting yes.... which I find very disturbing.

I would be compelled to vote against a spineless war hawk regardless of what other positives they may have.The experience Hillary really has is more of the same status quo.

No thanks!
 
Alas, Hillary has had to adopt this hawkish mantel to seem "man enough" for the job.
She wants the troops out, though, she says that all the time.
True, the Democrats in office have been weaker than anyone would like, but reaching a majority vote with such a small divide between the D's and R's numbers-wise, then reaching a 60% majority to bust a a veto is daunting.
To mention "dynasties" to me is like comparing apples and apes.
Bill Clinton did a fine job as president, unlike either Bush.
He would have handily been re-elected had the laws provided for a third term.
As for Bill having time on his hands, we all know by now he's a philander. What he does with his dick is between him and Hillary, not the tabloid news.
I have no control over what anyone does in their marraige, and I'd consider myself without boundaries if I thought I did.
Hillary's gender has stirred up a lot of resentment,often cloaked in parroted phrases designed not to seem misogynistic.

If it's any consolation, I was at a large birthday party last night and found myself standing next to Congressman Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX)during the slide show. I sidled up to him and asked who he was supporting for President. "Obama," he said.

:/
 
make that "philanderer."
 
Granted Hillary has been held to a double standard-- is she tough enough or if too tough, a bitch.
As for dynasties- 12 years of each family rule is kind of redundant, you have to admit.
Bill had some questionalble doings- litigation de jour problems throughout, and the white housr affair lying about it. I just was sick of more backpeddaling and all the mess we had to endure. Clinton did do some good in his 2 terms in office (I voted for him twice). I did not vote for Bush or his Daddy- ever.
But I have to disagree about if a 3rd term were possible Clinton could have been reelected "handily". Many folks, myself included were sick of the legal problem sideshows, and this slippery slope of "ethics".
Although nobody died for Clinton's lies-- it was still really disappointing to thin what he might have accomplished if he devoted his attention to the job of leading the country, than getting himself into an impeachment hearing for blow jobs. He was not just an unfortunate victim-- he created his own problems with his actions.

That being said.... if Congress could gather together to go to trial to Impeach for a semen stain on a dress, yet can't impeach for the long list of high crimes & misdemeanors under the current administration gross human rights abuses, and mass murder of over 1 million people, incenses me.

It is the Clinton's business how they choose to tolerate infidelity. But if they want to be in the highest office in the land, then I have the right to decide if I think their ethics are worthy or welcome in the white house. Do I potentially want more of the same? Have several things come up as skirting the edge of being ethical?
Is there a better candidate?

These are questions we all have to ask ourselves.
 
Yes, we do have to ask ourselves questions like that.
In the news today, the question of Obama plagiarizing phrases for his moving speeches has come up.
I think it's pretty commonplace for politicians to borrow from other sources, but when a candidate is so well known for his Kennedy-esque oratorial skills, it was disappointing to find some of his original thinking was not at all original.
Does that make him a crook? No, but his shining armor has definitely been chinked.
I think we'd all like for the politicians we back to be ethical in all things, but at this level of politics it's just no longer possible.
When it takes hundreds of millions of dollars to be elected, the devil just has to be French kissed at some point.
As for Bill Clinton being distracted, I don't think having frequent blowjobs are distracting.
The GOP decided to distract themselves with his persecution and dragged him in in the process, but that's on them.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi decided that attempting to impeach Bush would distract the Congress from doing the important work they needed to get done. Alas, I think impeaching him was far more important than anything else the Congress needed to consider, but hey, I'm not in charge, she is.
With the Democrats having two good choices in the race, I'll be happy with either one.
I just wish the Obamanistas could be as optimistic and stop rattling their swords so zealously against Hillary.
Unless they plan to vote for McCain if Hillary wins the nomination, they should keep their powder dry and accept the will of the party.
 
As far as running a nasty campaign..I think Hillary wins that mantle. She is now nit-picking in my opinion, about the plagiarism thang.

The guy Obama stole from is a good friend of his..so it's not like he used someone's stuff he doesn't know.
 
It's not who he stole it from Dusty, it's that he's considered a brilliant speechmaker who failed to inform his fans that some of his brilliant ideas and thoughts are not his own.
And the latest news is that Hillary admitted it wasn't that big a thing.
It's just that Mr. Perfect has yet to be nailed on anything until now.
It's just a tiny nail though, so relax.
 
The Austin debate last night really made me kind of sick.
When Hillary lightly touched on Obama's plagiarizing problem with a zinger about Xeroxing, some of Obama's Claymates in the audience actually booed like fuckin' babies.
Then Obama got visibly pissed at her and started muttering.
If he's that thin skinned, I worry that the GOP will reduce him to jelly if he gets into the general election.
If he had to put up with some of the hateful, mysogynistic shit Hillary has had piled on her since this all began, I don't think he could have survived it without freaking out.
He needs to Man-Up right quick if he expects to beat the GOP slime machine.
I'm starting to think he's a total wuss, and I was so hoping to support him with a full heart if he wins the Democratic nod.
 
I'm more bothered by Hillary Clinton's homophobic husband than a single homophobic supporter of Obama.
 
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