Adios!First, a disclaimer: I am a life-long Republican. And while I do not consider myself a right wing nut case, I am fairly conservative. Second, I've never been a fan the Clinton's for reasons brilliantly outlined in this Wall Street Journal opinion piece, but best summed up in this quote from David Geffen, "everybody in politics lies," but the Clintons "do it with such ease, it's troubling."
Yesterday, I posted the YouTube audio clip of an interview Hillary gave to USA Today in which she made her now much discussed point about 'hardworking white Americans'. Specifically, she sited an AP article which "found how Sen. Obama's support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again, and how whites in both states who had not completed college were supporting me."
It's all about the adjectives. She's being deliberate in making her point....working, hard-working, hard-working white...does she mean to suggest that the hard working Americans that are not white are not hard-working? Or that hard-working Americans who are not white are not worth representing?
Was this just another example of Clintonian-fact twisting to suit their reality? Or perhaps most telling, is her political/demographic map out of date?
Was this just another example of Clintonian-fact twisting to suit their reality? Or perhaps most telling, is her political/demographic map out of date?
When I heard her words I realised I'd just had enough, this was the straw that broke this camel's back. Up until now, I've avoided lengthy discussions of politics, and limited myself to posting snarky YouTube videos whenever I felt a political eruption brewing. Which is what I did yesterday....still, I felt it wasn't enough. I was truly disgusted with this new turn in the politics of 'do anything to win'.
Then, this morning I read Peggy Noonan's piece in the WSJ: "Damsel of Distress". There are a couple quotes I'd like to share because Ms. Noonan is one hundred times more eloquent than I am, yet truly captures the queasy feeling I am experiencing at present:
White Americans? Hard-working white Americans? "Even Richard Nixon didn't say white," an Obama supporter said, "even with the Southern strategy."
Then, this morning I read Peggy Noonan's piece in the WSJ: "Damsel of Distress". There are a couple quotes I'd like to share because Ms. Noonan is one hundred times more eloquent than I am, yet truly captures the queasy feeling I am experiencing at present:
White Americans? Hard-working white Americans? "Even Richard Nixon didn't say white," an Obama supporter said, "even with the Southern strategy."
If John McCain said, "I got the white vote, baby!" his candidacy would be over. And rising in highest indignation against him would be the old Democratic Party.
To play the race card as Mrs. Clinton has, to highlight and encourage a sense that we are crudely divided as a nation, to make your argument a brute and cynical "the black guy can't win but the white girl can" is -- well, so vulgar, so cynical, so cold, that once again a Clinton is making us turn off the television in case the children walk by.
"She has unleashed the gates of hell," a longtime party leader told me. "She's saying, 'He's not one of us.'"
She is trying to take Obama down in a new way, but also within a new context. In the past he was just the competitor. She could say, "All's fair." But now he's the competitor who is going to be the nominee of his party. And she is still trying to do him in. And the party is watching.
It's not math anymore, it's psychodrama. If she can't have it, no one can have it. If she has to tear the party apart, she will.
As I said at the beginning of this post, I am a Republican. I'm also a woman. I would love to see a woman as President of the United States... just not this woman. She does not represent me, or the integrity I believe we should restore to this office. I am, actually, intrigued by Obama, because he is a new voice in politics, a fresh perspective. What he lacks in experience might be made up for in judgement and a strong VP. After all, what did a governor from Arkansas actually know about global political matters before he took office?
Ironically, I believe a Democrat in the White House would be good for the Republican party, which has grown flabby and full of itself after too many years in office and has lost its philosophical center, it's raison d'etre.
It would be refreshing if we could get the race for the general election underway and have the time for a thoughtful evaluation of McCain versus Obama.
My fear, is that the Clintons...Hillary, in particular...won't let us have that chance, will in fact carry on to the convention in Denver and create a scene so divisive and insulting that many voters will stay home and this country will be left with more of the same for another four years.
I believe we deserve better than that.
Ironically, I believe a Democrat in the White House would be good for the Republican party, which has grown flabby and full of itself after too many years in office and has lost its philosophical center, it's raison d'etre.
It would be refreshing if we could get the race for the general election underway and have the time for a thoughtful evaluation of McCain versus Obama.
My fear, is that the Clintons...Hillary, in particular...won't let us have that chance, will in fact carry on to the convention in Denver and create a scene so divisive and insulting that many voters will stay home and this country will be left with more of the same for another four years.
I believe we deserve better than that.
EveryWomansVoice.com
4 comments:
Thanks for sharing. Always nice to know where everybody stands. As you know, I'm Canadian, so I can have an opinion but unfortunlately not a vote. I'd like to see Obama take the Presidency because he's a bright, optimistic voice and I believe in his integrity. There needs to be a new and hopeful face (and party) in the Oval Office. I think it would healthy for everybody, not just Americans...
Carolyn, I wrote this post in part because of an earlier comment of yours...so thank you for asking and for responding. It's very valuable for us to get an international perspective and one from our closest neighbors.
Suzanne,
I second your opinion of the Clintons....I suspect MANY do. Hilary and the Democratic Party in general has Never understood that ALL women do not vote based on the gender of the candidate. If we truly believe that women should be afforded the right to vote in this country then we have to treat each woman as a responsible, thoughtful INDIVIDUAL!
That said, I could never personally vote for Obama. I can not conscionably vote for a man who is THE MOST pro-abortion candidate running. I understand your thoughts about a Democratic President being good for the Republican Party, but I feel that the chance of a President Obama getting the chance to appoint one or more Supreme Court Justices outweighs the good that could come of the "wake-up call".
I found you via Motherscribe today.
I'd like to add you to my "blog-roll" if that is Okay with you.
I will look into your literery recommendations. I love Peggy Noonan's writing too!
Stop by "my place" if you like.
Pax Christi, EJT
I may be the lone voice of support here for Hillary Clinton (though, yesterday, JCK acknowledged her own vote for her in the primaries). Before I go on, I just want to say that I respect all opinions, and like to hear how others believe.
I don't think there's a candidate out there who hasn't said something he/she might come to regret. (I hear media personalities all the time citing trends in support among either white or black voters, blue color and white color workers, Southerners and Midwesterners. I understand why someone would hear that clip and interpret it a certain way, but I would like to hear the whole interview for some context. Then, make my decision about the wrongness of the comment.)
But I do support her and am disappointed that it appears she won't have the chance this time around to become our president.
Still love me? :-)
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