Well, Bill Clinton's just the gift that keeps on giving.
"I think it would be just as much a change, some people think more, to have the first woman president than to have the first African-American president," the former President and spousal surrogate said Tuesday. Now, this is a stupid argument to make and anyone who votes for either candidate based on their race or gender is -- well, racist or sexist, but last time I checked, America never fought a civil war over gender equality. It's sort of insulting to hear this comparison made by a former President of the United States, and also typical that he rhetorically shields himself from blame by saying "some people".
I'm beginning to get a little frustrated with the myopic Democratic base that continues to support Hillary. You have a candidate who regularly gets compared to JFK, MLK and Ronald Reagan, who is wildly intelligent, dynamic and appealing to a broad base of the country, from all political persuasions. On the other hand, you have a candidate who is unlikeable, rallies the fractured Republican base and who raises serious moral issues about her character at every turn. And you think she's the most electable one.
The most common argument I get is, "it's her turn, let Barack wait". This is naive. Politics doesn't wait for turns. The Democrats have a unique window-- one that will not come again in my lifetime, I'm certain, to reshape not only their party, but American politics. The confluence of events that have brought us to this point aren't going to be repeated. The Republican party will reshape itself, quickly if Hillary is the nominee. You won't have a wide open election like this again. Hell, even the writer's strike has forced Americans to tune in to politicians in a way I've never seen. This window will close. Electing Hillary will continue the status quo: closely contested elections, a firm belief that the other side is "the enemy", a division that prevents either side from acting with authority and stagnation, ruinous stagnation.
I'll call it now: If Hillary Clinton gets the
Republican Democratic nomination, the partywill once again lose. The biggest fairy tale I've ever heard is the idea that this country would elect this woman President. I get it. Dems think this is some sort of karmic payback; the ultimate repudiation of the Bush years. But put it this way; I am a 28 year old gay man living in Los Angeles, California, who voted for her to be Senator when I lived in New York and I will not vote for her. I won't vote for her in the primary-- and I won't vote for her in the general election. I do not trust her, I believe her pragmatism is cynical and divisive and her vision of this country seems more to do with her legacy than it does with helping out you or I. Now, if
I feel this way, what do you think the average middle-of-the-road electorate thinks of her?
The Democrats face a simple and clear choice: vote for the candidate that makes you feel good about yourself or vote for the candidate who will win.
Meanwhile, John Kerry has
asked Obama supporters to help combat the "swiftboating" he sees going on in the campaign. Sadly, he's not talking about the Republicans.
Labels: politics
