I endorse Hilary Clinton

Politics is a large percentage of what Wendy and I ruminate on these days. We’ve signed up for the Democrats Abroad global primary so we can vote and have our voice be heard on February fifth. Yes, we actually get delegates. We watched the January 21st debate the other day. We’re still looking for a place to watch the latest debate. Like many dems, we started out uninterested in who won the nomination, knowing that we’ll support whoever gets it.

In the past few weeks, we’ve both come to support Clinton. (Me a little more so than Wendy, who still might be swayed to Obama’s side.) She looked good in the debate while Obama didn’t seem to have the fabled charisma that I had heard so much about. I thought Edwards did great as well. A vast improvement over his performance of 2004.

My arguments for Hilary are many.

Unity - Unlike Obama, she’s made no mention of unity. No mention of how important it is to move forward and beyond these last 7 years of America being run rough shod over by the current administration. This is one of Obama’s main selling points.

I hate that.

I’m not interested in burying the past 7 years and pretending they didn’t happen. I’m not interested in covering up the past for the sake of moving on. I’m not interested in letting Bush and his conies get away with a false war based on cooked intelligence. I want to know why this administration lost 400+ days of emails leading up to the Iraq war. I want to know who was responsible for the outing of a CIA agent. I want to know a lot of things about the last 7 years that Congress seems unwilling to investigate.

I’m not interested in Bush continuing to ignore consequences for his actions, like he’s been able to do all his life.

Health Care – I think it is vital that America get national health care. My friend Doug just found out he has Lymphoma (Cancer of the lymph nodes.) He was out of work with no health insurance for 5 months. Had it hit a few months ago, his life would be ruined. Obama’s plan has holes in it. Hilary has learned from the past and her plan is not only excellent but with her past experience to guide her, can avoid the pitfalls that tripped her up last time.

Likeability – A lot of people think that the Republicans will hate Hilary and do anything they can to obstruct her progress once she gets in office. A nice wake up call by a columnist at the NYTimes pointed out it doesn’t matter which dem gets into the White House. The Republicans will hate them and do anything they can to obstruct any progress and bad mouth the President at every opportunity. Bill Clinton ran on a platform of bipartisanship, invited Republicans to dinner and meetings and got kicked in the face for his trouble.

What? You think Rush Limbaugh and Hannity are going to treat Obama fairly if he gets the nomination? You think they will treat him with any more respect than they do anyone? Don’t kid yourself.

Getting things accomplished – This country needs a lot of repairs. Flowery speech isn’t going to get it done. Reaching across the aisle and getting your hand slapped away isn’t going to do it either. Hilary’s been there. She knows what to expect and has already seen the Republican playbook and learned from it. She has international recognition and knows many of the leaders of other countries personally.

Like Obama, I want change.

I just don’t think Obama can deliver it and I think Hilary can.

And, I don’t want change at the expense of ignoring the last 7 years.

Comments

  1. While I often agree with much you've written, this one I can't go with. Even if I trusted Hilary Clinton - which I don't - I think you're missing a big point on what you refer to as the 'likeability' front.

    While you're right that Hilary won't get many (if any) Republican votes, the key is that Obama is likely to get some. perhaps many, depending on who their candidate is. Obama's appeal is much broader than Clinton's. She appeals to the core Democrats, Obama appeals to more Republican voters as well as independents.

    As I said before, I simply don't trust Hilary. I can't vote for Hilary. I won't vote for Hilary. But as a mddle of the road Independent, I could, and probably would, vote for Obama over the Reoublican candidate.

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  2. I'd vote for a chimp over the republican candidate.

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  3. From the Outpost

    "I was hovering on the fence because I didn't think Obama would make enough RWNS /meltdown.

    But seeing that he causes both fred and ET to assplode gave me the confidence to support him. "

    LoL
    I am torn
    Clinton is a name I equate with a lot of prosperity.
    But
    Obama represents youth and vigor.
    I think I would go with Obama.
    I don't care about vengence.
    I need someone fixing things because my kids are in danger of growing up in another depression.

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  4. I think whoever wins it's a win for all of us. I haven't been this hopeful about a batch of candidates ever, I think.

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  5. Hillary voted for the Iraq war.

    That was all it took for me to vote for Obama.

    -JoeG

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  6. A better explanation than my curt answer: http://lessig.org/blog/2008/02/20_minutes_or_so_on_why_i_am_4.html

    -JoeG

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  7. I'm not a citizen of the US, but i see a lot of sense in what you have said. Experience is very important in getting things done in politics, and I agree that America desperately needs a health care system that gives all its citizens peace of mind.

    More widely i hope that whoever gets the Democrat nomination wins.
    The US and the world needs a change from the failed politics of the Republicans.

    Dan

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  8. Hey Jamie,

    You're gonna feint when you hear this from my lips, but I don't think right now that I'm for Clinton. Yup - your 'radical feminist 'lesbian' ex girlfriend' says she'll probably vote Obama. Why? I don't trust her. She's got something up her sleeve most of the time, and if I voted her in it would be just BECAUSE she's a woman. We saw how that worked with Thatcher in England... But I am considering your comments. They are valid. Still, I think Obama can handle himself. I am sure he knows he won't be able to simply reach out a hand in friendship. Still... I'm on the fence.

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  9. OH yeah, I'm on the fence because no matter what, I think we need to vote for a Democratic candidate that can win over the Republicans. I'm an independent, but I've seen the Republican party become more and more rabidly nuts!

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