Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Am I Missing Something?

This presidential election can't be over soon enough for me (well, assuming we win). More and more I find myself avoiding even talking about the candidates because it just gets me in a foul mood, which is both sad and ironic given the fact that we began the process with an embarrassment of riches -- and have winnowed it down to the two candidates I like best. But now the civil war has begun, and it's here that I find great disagreement -- not with my GOP adversaries, but with my fellow Dams.

My best friend back home in Washington is longtime supporter of the Clintons, but told me in an e-mail yesterday: "I love her but I'm voting for Obama tomorrow for 2 reasons, he can definitely beat McCain and he has a chance to change the entire dynamic and maybe tackle some of the big issues."

Bob Herbert wrote in his column today: "While they are not anxious to talk about it publicly, many Democrats still speak bitterly in private about the damage inflicted on the party during the tumultuous Clinton White House years, including the loss of the presidency to George W. Bush."

And then a blog reader sent me a message saying that he disagreed with my post about the media's sexist coverage of Hillary Clinton. After going back and forth about the topic, he finally wrote: "I didn't say sexism was gone and I didn't say we should move on from that like it's not important. I merely said it's time to move on from the 90s, the Clintons and their detractors. It's time to move on to someone new -- man, woman, gay, straight, black, white, brown -- I don't care."

To which I replied: Mmm, maybe that's what I'm not getting. A lot of people suddenly have these negative memories of the Clinton years. But I recall the economy being WONDERFUL, feeling so much hope for the future, and never being more proud to be an American. I would KILL to have Bill Clinton be our president again! (He didn't respond to that one.)

What I forgot to mention were President Clinton's noble efforts at peace in Northern Ireland and the Middle East, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the creation of AmeriCorps, the appointment of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer to the Supreme Court and that Clinton even managed to balance the federal budget for the first time in 30 years, erased the federal deficit, and left us with a $230 budget surplus in 2000. And that his economic policies helped push home ownership to an all-time high and the U.S. had among the lowest crime rates in history. And despite the vindictive partisan attempt to destroy him and our country with bullshit blow job hearings, Clinton still left the White House with the highest approval rating of any president since World War II.

And I told my friend Ken: Obama's fine but I think he's being hyped so much that it's going to be a HUGE fall when he inevitably disappoints people for the first time. He's marching into the White House with Bill Clinton's "I can let gays serve openly in the military" bravado and I think it's going to take him a good two years to figure out that it's doesn't work that way. I feel like Hillary already knows how the system works, but hey. Just my opinion. I'm happy with either."

You see, the thing I like about Obama -- his idealism -- is exactly what attracted me to Bill Clinton all those years ago. So don't try to tell me that the Clinton years were bad ones, because to me they exciting ones filled with hope -- AND the realization that in Washington, it takes a lot more than great ideas to get things done. (Are you reading this, Barack?) As I said, I think we'd be in good hands with either Democratic candidate we now have. But it was the Clintons who had the foresight to propose universal health care back when it wasn't in vogue. And it was the Clintons who proposed gays in the military before it was in vogue. Now that some of these ideas might actually be possible, I guess part of me would just like to see A Clinton finish the job that they started. And her name is Hillary.

26 comments:

Unknown said...

I think what you are missing is that a lot of folks who are on the left want to WIN this election and Hillary has too many negatives--deservedly or not--against her. When you can point out the Red States she can turn Blue in this election then maybe I would consider her. But I think Obama can turn many states Blue that would stay firmly Red if she were to run. Plus, in the general election, Independents will vote for McCain en masse over HRC any day. With Obama in the mix--Obama has the upper hand. It's the electoral college map mathematics for me and frankly Obama is the answer to that equation. I have other reasons too--why is her campaign out of money already? if she can't manage the money in her campaing how will she handle the economy?, her vote on the war, etc-- but the electoral map is my main reason for not voting for Hillary. I do hope that Obama chooses her for the Supreme Court though! But in retrospect, he should choose young liberal progressives to combat Alito/ Roberts over the next 30 years!

Anonymous said...

Well put Kenneth, and I agree with you 1000%. Either candidate would be a huge improvement over the moron we have now. Even McCain. But I think Hillary will do the best job. The challenge is that most Americans vote based upon personality and not intelligence or the issues. That's how we got stuck with Bush in the first place. Obama is perceived as more "likeable" which is why Hillary is falling behind.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for expressing what I have being feeling about the explosion of Obama. I am still hoping that Hillary can pull this out, for she is the best choice for President. Ideally, Obama would make a good VP choice for her (and this would let him gain 8 years of experience before running for President - thus giving the Democrats a 16 year long range plan for the country).

Anonymous said...

Amen Kenneth! I could not agree with you more.

Joey said...

The gooshy-gushing over Obama really is silly beyond belief, and (as you basically said) if he is elected, they will be very disappointed when there's not this glorious change in daily life that they're hoping for. Not that I think it would be a total disaster if Obama was elected, but I still think Hillary Clinton will be more formidable at getting actual results. She knows how Washington and international politics work. (As far as the one subject, the same-sex issues go, they both seem to be equally sorta weak).

Anonymous said...

Yes, yes, yes!!!!

Vince Graves said...

Thank you! I am so glad there is somebody else out there who feels the way I do. Obama definitely lacks the experience to navigate Washington's waters and I have a feeling a lot of people will be very disillusioned if he does win.

Anonymous said...

kenneth you could have not said it better. they say that obama is the only one that can beat mccain...hum, have trouble believing that, hill (i call that fo short) will bull doze the older man, who I hope makes it to the election (he could sleep thru it)

Anonymous said...

I completely agree with you. And the media doesn't help at all. They are always too hard on Hillary.

Sexism still exists! Look at what Chris Matthews and David Shuster did to the Clintons.

And I dare say, they let Obama run free.

This has become a battle of personalities and not policies which is so sad.

Random Thinker said...

I too have been a Clinton fan since 1992. And I remember how the economy improved, how there was hope, how there were real strides made in so many areas.

What I still have a problem with the Obama campaign is that there are three main focuses - (1) Hope; (2) Universal Health Care; and (3) His Position on Iraq.

Hope is just that, a hope, a dream. While it's a great position to take (Let's remember, Clinton used Hope as his cornerstone during the primaries), it takes action to make a difference. I just see Obama as naive to think that he can bring the parties together. He has not demonstrated any ability to do that in the Senate, and if he is nominated, he is going to have to attack McCain, and that will build resentment in Congress.

Universal Health Care? Obama again takes a page out of the Clinton playbook. No politician over the last 25 years has been more focused on health care insurance than Hillary Clinton. What is amazing is that the Obama campaign distilled the issue into a soundbite - health care coverage that is at leas as good as that for members of congress.

My biggest concern is the Iraq war. It is soooooo easy, and convenient for Obama to say he was opposed to the war. He never had to stand up and be counted. He was not presented with overwhelming evidience to support the vote many republicans and democrats had to make. We will never know whether he would have voted for the war or not - because he was not in a position of power to make that decision. It is a hollow argument, albeit convenient that Obama ever took the high road on the Iraq war. He wasn't even in the neighborhood.

WTWTG said...

AMEN! Now if I could just get my republican texas family to think like that!!!

Timmy said...

Kenneth...you stated that better than I ever could attempt to do. I'm going to copy and paste your link and send it to a few folks and will also put the link in my blog. Well done sir!

Matthew said...

Need to stop worrying and learn to love the 'Bam because he's got it. It's going to come down to Hillary conceding, probably after the March 3 contests. Maybe a deal would be struck, but there is no VP in her future because that would defeat the "out with the old" plurality. I like her and voted for her, knowing it would possibly be my last chance (as prez). I like Obama, but I'll always resent the easy ride he was given when compared to her. Hopefully, he'll soar.

Anonymous said...

Kenneth, My sister in Texas has told me that sexism is quite alive and well and without a doubt will sway voters to Obama there. As for what you're missing, I'm with you. Young voters unfortunately do not have the memory to recall the "ACTUAL" Clinton years and the media is suddenly telling them otherwise. Sad. GO HILLARY!

NATHANIEL R said...

thank you for this post. I support Hillary and the almost feverish cult like devotion to Barack just reminds me of so many presidents that disappointed. He never talks about the issues. so he's become this amorphous 'i'll fulfill your every dream' candidate

and i guess i prefer someone like Clinton who knows what they're going to do and how they're going to do it and understands that everbody just doesn't fall in line

which is what it sounds to me that Barack is always saying (as if the Republicans will suddenly join in helping him make all of these amorphous dreams come true)

Anonymous said...

I like Bill Clinton too, but he's not running for office Hillary is.

Anonymous said...

Kenneth, I agree with you 100%! The Clinton years were prosperous, proud ones for our country. And as much as I like Obama, I think Hillary knows how to maneuver through the government much better. Anyone expecting Obama to march in and change everything is naive; no one can do that - it's why we have a Congress in place. I voted for Hillary in the CA primary last week and will support her as far as she goes.

Anonymous said...

Bravo! I totally agree with you KW. I hear all this talk about Obama (just as I did with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick when he ran over a year ago and he hasn't done anything in the Bay State except redecorate his offices) but there's nothing behind it. Hillary is better suited to actually implement the changes she has in mind. She knows how to navigate the system because of her years as a senator and being in the White House. She'll know how to get things done. And she has a former president by her side to turn to for advice. I am not buying the whole Obama campaign. He conveys hope and change but anyone great talker can do that.

nojarama said...

I completely agree with you as well!

Anonymous said...

You're absolutely right about the Clinton presidency. I like Obama but he's selling HOPE to youth and disenchanted voters. If he survives the Republican barrage in the Fall, governing will be letdown for his supporters since 66% of Congress can stymie any president. I'm African American and got a lot of flack for voting for Hitlery.

Anonymous said...

It was also Clinton that brought us DOMA. I agree with Melissa Etheridge...the Clinton's wanted our support, but ultimately threw us under the bus in the end. It's time for change!

Anonymous said...

Your friend thinks Obama can beat McCain? He must be high on something.

Hillary 08' baby!

Anonymous said...

Oh and if someone can tell me what Obama has accomplished to deliver real change to America, that would be great. I'm talking policy here.

There's a cure to Obamaritous, it's called Hillary R. Clinton. YES, SHE CAN!

Anonymous said...

I don't know if American is ready for either a woman or black man as president, but I do think he lacks the "negative" baggage that stems from the Clinton era. Also I think being a man makes it easier to get votes, as a woman in power is often portrayed as pushy and a Beotch, which became a big part of Geraldine Ferraro's image problem.
Many progressive minded voters will feel that they are making history by getting a black man elected to what is traditionally a "man's world" position without the negative connotations of bring Hillary into the office. I admire Obama's idealism and energy and hope he has the ability to bring a change to fruition if elected, but I do feel Hillary has more experience and knows the workings of Congress and the White House. I don't see choosing Obama just becaue I think he can win over more red states than Hillary. I think Obama will bring the same disillusionment with a Democratic White that Jimmy Carter brought in the 70's, that swayed so may to Ronald Reagan.

Stenar said...

Barack is naive and the Dems, as usual, shoot themselves in the foot by nominating the non-electable idealist.

Hillary has the experience to really affect change.

Japultra said...

I agree with you 100%. I support Hillary all the way.