The toughest choice
I watched my daughter over breakfast, and tears came to my eyes. Putting down my spoon, I looked into her big sparkly eyes and told her what my mom had told me: "when you grow up, you can be anything you want to be, even president of the Unites States."
As a really little kid, I believed I could be anything. I remember when I was in first grade or so, and I realized that (as a Catholic) there had never been a woman who was a priest, and there had never been a woman who was president. It's not that my parents weren't telling the truth-- it took me till I was 19, but I met a female pastor, and by 25 I was one-- but there were limits that even as a little girl I understood. I could conceivably be President, but no woman had done it before.
Even if she doesn't win, Hillary has proven that a woman can be a serious candidate. And, that the pollsters should shut their yappers, to boot. Never tell my upsidedown NH friends what will or won't happen.
So it's yet again a proud day to be an American and a Democrat. The first ever Black/African American candidate to win a caucus and the first ever female candidate to win a primary occur in the space of one week. Both of them inspire record turnout-- In New Hampshire, Clinton and Obama together got 213,000 votes or so. The *entire* Republican field only got 228,000.
And can I just say that I want to know who Obama's speech writer is; the man puts me to shame as a public speaker!
I learned in Psych 101 that the hardest choice is not "the lesser of two evils" but the choice between two very good things, because either way you know something wonderful that you're missing out on (see my angst about whether this year's priority should be trying to get pregnant or trying to return to Ecuador-- two things that are wonderful in different ways). In the Democratic primary, I have at least two very good options, and I really don't want to see either Hillary or Obama out of the race. I want to see each of them in the Office at some point, because each of them embodies ideals and energy and inspiration and political will in different ways. Each of them makes me proud to be a Democrat, and dare I say, proud of my country, something I've not felt since the last time a Clinton sat in the Oval.
I suppose the best bet is a joint ticket, and I don't even care about the order (although as I said to Lissa, put eight years of executive experience under Obama's belt as VP and there'll be no stopping him as President; Hillary wouldn't benefit as much-- she's seen the Presidency from the sidelines before). But imagine the support the two of them together could rally (with Richardson as the Sec of State, right? Please?)! Imagine the change that the two of them together could empower! Imagine sixteen years of their vision of Democracy! Must give my Republican friends the shivers. It gives me shivers of a most pleasant sort. News commentators believe that Hillary will select Vilsac as her VP should she win the nomination (of course these are the same people who predicted a double-digit loss in NH for her), but I think she and Obama are fools if they don't sit down and run some numbers nationally and see how they can put together a ticket and the beginnings of a cabinet that gives Democrats and Independents hope and inspiration. I think it's time to start writing letters to urge them to do just that.
Maybe we can have one president in two bodies. Clintama. Obaton. She does dark deals with shady politicians, he gives speeches and rallies their massive base, and together they end a foolish war and create national healthcare.
As a really little kid, I believed I could be anything. I remember when I was in first grade or so, and I realized that (as a Catholic) there had never been a woman who was a priest, and there had never been a woman who was president. It's not that my parents weren't telling the truth-- it took me till I was 19, but I met a female pastor, and by 25 I was one-- but there were limits that even as a little girl I understood. I could conceivably be President, but no woman had done it before.
Even if she doesn't win, Hillary has proven that a woman can be a serious candidate. And, that the pollsters should shut their yappers, to boot. Never tell my upsidedown NH friends what will or won't happen.
So it's yet again a proud day to be an American and a Democrat. The first ever Black/African American candidate to win a caucus and the first ever female candidate to win a primary occur in the space of one week. Both of them inspire record turnout-- In New Hampshire, Clinton and Obama together got 213,000 votes or so. The *entire* Republican field only got 228,000.
And can I just say that I want to know who Obama's speech writer is; the man puts me to shame as a public speaker!
I learned in Psych 101 that the hardest choice is not "the lesser of two evils" but the choice between two very good things, because either way you know something wonderful that you're missing out on (see my angst about whether this year's priority should be trying to get pregnant or trying to return to Ecuador-- two things that are wonderful in different ways). In the Democratic primary, I have at least two very good options, and I really don't want to see either Hillary or Obama out of the race. I want to see each of them in the Office at some point, because each of them embodies ideals and energy and inspiration and political will in different ways. Each of them makes me proud to be a Democrat, and dare I say, proud of my country, something I've not felt since the last time a Clinton sat in the Oval.
I suppose the best bet is a joint ticket, and I don't even care about the order (although as I said to Lissa, put eight years of executive experience under Obama's belt as VP and there'll be no stopping him as President; Hillary wouldn't benefit as much-- she's seen the Presidency from the sidelines before). But imagine the support the two of them together could rally (with Richardson as the Sec of State, right? Please?)! Imagine the change that the two of them together could empower! Imagine sixteen years of their vision of Democracy! Must give my Republican friends the shivers. It gives me shivers of a most pleasant sort. News commentators believe that Hillary will select Vilsac as her VP should she win the nomination (of course these are the same people who predicted a double-digit loss in NH for her), but I think she and Obama are fools if they don't sit down and run some numbers nationally and see how they can put together a ticket and the beginnings of a cabinet that gives Democrats and Independents hope and inspiration. I think it's time to start writing letters to urge them to do just that.
Maybe we can have one president in two bodies. Clintama. Obaton. She does dark deals with shady politicians, he gives speeches and rallies their massive base, and together they end a foolish war and create national healthcare.