I Pushed #2 and I’m Proud of It -- Here's Why

Alright, friends, I have been mostly silent to this point. But something happened yesterday that causes me to speak, finally. I was minding my own business late afternoon, when the talking caller ID on my home phone announced a number I didn’t recognize. Intrigued and in the mood to spar with a telemarketer, I answered.

“This is the Hillary Clinton Campaign for President,” it said, and it wanted me to participate in a poll.

“If the primary were held today, who would you vote for? Press 1 for Hillary Clinton, press 2 for Barack Obama, press 3 for John Edwards.” Excitedly and still in the mood to spar (you know how I get), I pushed 2 (because it’s true) and waited for the “Why” question, because certainly they'd want to know why I didn't say Hillary, right? Wrong. I got nothing other than a resounding CLICK as the line disconnected. No “thank you for playing”, no “thank you for your time and attention.” Nothing. And after the last 2 weeks of observing the Clinton campaign’s antics, I’m not surprised. But I still felt a bit deflated.

You see, I think Hillary should know that until very recently, I would have been fine with her winning the nomination, despite the fact that I am an Obama supporter, since she’d done a fine job of retooling her image and wiping all the skeletons in her closet that I tended to overlook in the late 90s right out of my memory. But with her contrived tears, purposeful twisting of facts, Bill’s newly acquired inability to act like an adult instead of a raving 14-year old and rumors that they’ve (obviously) hired Karl Rove as a consultant to this campaign, I had to draw the line. If you need to play that way to win, against someone in your own party, you’re not what I think America needs to get over the last 8 years of George W’s Reign of Terror.

We need a uniter, as contrived as it sounds. Someone who can not only bring blacks and whites, men and women, Republicans and Democrats to the table, but also someone who knows the meaning of the word Respect. This person has to be someone we can be proud to tell the rest of the world THIS IS OUR PRESIDENT. Aren’t you fed up with going to Europe and having people laugh at you because you’re stuck under a monkey regime? That your currency has about as much spending power as Monopoly money? That you live in a country in which you can’t trust the Executive Branch to truthfully tell you the time of day? If you are, why would you even think that a return to the Clinton years is a good thing? They are of the same ilk, lying, hiding and owing to so many connections over dozens of years of service, how can they see what is best for this country clearly? Barack may not have years of experience, but honestly, if you look at what “years of experience” has gotten us into lately, is that really a worthy prerequisite anymore?

We were the most powerful and respected country in the world. That reputation has been damaged. And after the last two weeks, I’m not sure that a Clinton Co-Presidency (since it’s obvious that is what it will become) is the answer. Let’s start fresh and see what Respect, Decency and a United States of America can do with it.

Vote Obama on February 5th.

Spare me...

I’m not going to say that crying is weak, or that I care that a Presidential candidate cries. Really, I don’t care about that. I really think it's fine that Hillary cried and gave us a rare peek at her real (read: human) self. That’s great.

What I am going to whine about is the timing of the whole thing. With the polls predicting a trouncing and her campaign grasping for life after the Iowa caucuses, doesn’t it seem just a bit strange to you the timing of the tears? I mean, about 20 hours before voters head to the polls, but still in time to make the news at 6:00 and 11:00. She lost the female vote in Iowa, but it wouldn’t happen in New Hampshire.

Color me jaded, but we never saw hide nor hair of a tear through any number of other crises that, I would think, would similarly wear Hillary down. Do you recall any tears when discussing Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky, Gennifer Flowers, Ken Starr or even when she, as Senator of the State of New York, was visiting Ground Zero in New York City? So, I’m supposed to believe these tears aren’t contrived now...why?

People are saying that Hillary was ganged up on over the weekend, by the media, by Obama and Edwards on the trail and at the debate, and this was just a natural reaction to wear and tear. Fine, but don’t paint her as the victim. Hillary dishes out plenty of the same torture on her own.

Fortunately, she can only play the tears card once, and in my book that’s been done. We’ll see what she pulls out to get herself through the next month.

Hope

Today, I think, is a happy day for the United States of America. You have to admit, it’s been a long time since we can say that, but after Round One of this election year’s primary season, it looks like the citizens of the US of A finally have it figured out. They got it. Or at least 250,000 Iowans got it. (And if Iowa gets it, I have to think that some of the smarter states will too…no offense to Iowa intended)

To me, Barack Obama’s virtual landslide victory in the Iowa caucus last night tells me that Americans are sick of the status quo. We’ve had enough of the fear mongering, the unintelligible Commander in Chief, the smirking and untrustworthy DeerHunter and all the rest of the current crew. We’re ready to do away with national security threat elevations created as distractions. We’re sick of waiting in long security lines in airports and giving up our water bottles pre-security. Enough of the “we’ll fight them there” and not being able to properly honor our fallen troops as a result of “fighting them there”. We’ve had it up to here with $4.00 for a gallon of gas and currency exchange rates that make the US dollar as valuable as my Monopoly money. Enough is enough is enough. And Hillary and John, you’re being lumped in with all of them. You’re not enough fresh air for us. And Obama is.

Obama said last night that hope isn’t just wishful thinking, it’s knowing that a better world exists and working toward it. All of us, together. Not just business and commerce, not just Red States or Blue States. Everyone. And I think now we’re believing.

Putting aside the fact that that whole caucus thing was like a square dance on a Quaalude high, (which, by the way, how embarrassing is that to explain to a foreigner? But probably expected from a country that still uses the Electoral College!) I think we can walk away from Iowa with our heads held high and look toward the future. For eight years, we’ve put up with our country being driven into the ground...here, abroad and worldwide. Maybe we’re about to get our respect back. Maybe for once, finally, better days do lie ahead. And at least now, we get it.