I know, it’s rather informal, but I wanted to write you something rather informal because we’ve had a long history, whether you are aware or not.
I campaigned for your husband in 1992 when he ran for President in the primaries. I was 21 and it was my first big Presidential campaign. I was one of two volunteers when he came to speak in Irvine, Ca, the middle of Orange County and a very red county. I was asked if I wanted to meet Governor Clinton so he could thank us for coming out to volunteer, and of course we both agreed. I am still friends with Rachel, the other volunteer who was there. Politics makes amazing lifelong friends.
I remember that year I put a Clinton/Gore sticker on my little on Honda CRX, my first car! My car was vandalized because of it, which was quite horrifying to me because well, it was my first car and secondly, I couldn’t imagine that someone would be so callous to do harm to someone else’s property because of a BUMPER STICKER. Bill Clinton hadn’t even become President and the hate had already begun.
I remember the 90’s fondly, it was a good time for me as I worked my through Jr. College and transferred to Smith College. I know you’re familiar with Smith College. Wellesley, your Alma Matter, is our rival school. Yep, Women’s college rivals. It was all the talk when Chelsea came to visit Smith, I was there when she came to visit. OH, she had some white wine at dinner? BUT, HOW COULD SHE?
Alas, Chelsea did not decide to go to Smith, much to many Smithies disappointment. I remember how we talked about how funny that would be for you since you were a Wellesley woman! But we were still honored she considered our school. I am and will always be proud of the fact that I put myself through college and managed to graduate. My degree from Smith is one of my greatest accomplishments.
After I graduated I moved back to California and it wasn’t very long until I married. My ex-husband was smart, tall and handsome. Nothing like President Bill Clinton, but a little similar in some ways, he came from a very small town, he worked hard and had gone damn far. He was raised by his Great Grandmother, a very ornery Southern woman and had had a lot of tragedy in his early life (AND, he went on to run for State wide office and then local office. He is currently on our local school board. That was my doing, I asked him to run, which is a very long story).
Things got a bit rocky at the end of President Clinton’s second term. I will admit, I was angry and disappointed as many were. I always respected your choices and never blamed you. I’ve spent a lot of time defending you in the last year for choosing to stay with your husband to Republicans because I find quite ironic that those who so espouse the sanctity of marriage have so viciously attacked you for doing everything you could to save yours. Regardless of why you chose to stay in your marriage, I don’t care, that is not my business, it’s not anyone’s business actually!
My disappointment and sadness came from where our politics had gone. That things that were happening in the private lives our elected officials were fair game. It wasn’t whether something illicit had transpired but that the questions were even asked. I was furious that politics were turning so damn personal (and yes, I know many will argue that they always had been, to which I respond, I don’t care, I was responding to what was happening then).
I admit that I left the Democratic party for a few years because I was so disillusioned and angry. I became indifferent and I was so consistently offended by what President George W. Bush was doing to our Country, that I found that my anger was with everyone. We had failed in so many ways that it had to come to this, to having this man in the White House as one of the most horrifying terrorist attacks on our Country occurred. That this buffoon, a man that just seemed so ill equipped was at the helm of the most powerful Country in the world at our darkest hour.
I remember that morning, as I sat and watched the city I was born in falling to pieces. Sure, I hadn’t lived in New York for many years, but it was the place where my Grandparents had immigrated to from Italy, it was where they had raised their four children, and it was where I remember Indian summers and running through street fountains and eating the most amazing pizza. I cried as the smoke rose and the news reported what was unfolding before. I remember my fear of going to work near our own airport here in Orange County. I WAS SCARED and I was heart broken for the city I loved so.
But then I also remember you were steely and prepared. Your response was such a contrast to our sitting President. You didn’t waver, you were there for the people of New York and you fought hard for them, you were emphatic and you showed that you cared. Just months prior people were cynical about your motives, of course, Clinton derangement syndrome was alive and well. Many thought you weren’t sincere in your reasons for wanting to represent the State of New York. Sure, just buy a house and voila, you’re a Senator. BUT, you proved them wrong. I remember that.
And then. Then there was Barack Obama.
I supported him in the primaries. I am sorry. I got so much guff for that. I was betraying my sex. I was just wrong. You know the drill. It happened in the primaries when I supported Senator Bernie Sanders. IN fact, you must be thinking, why in the hell do I care what this person has to say, did she ever support me?
Not enough.
In the last couple of months, just as so many others have noted, you have wowed me. You have done what so many others could not, you have beaten The Donald.
You showed what a fool he is, you got under his skin. You were able to show just how unfit he is and just what a dangerous man he is. But at the same time, you ran a campaign filled with hope, with positivity and with the promise of great thing to come. You have not had to promise making America great, but making the opportunities of American’s greatness available to more people. Your message has been of more love, less hate, of inclusiveness and not exclusivity, of empowerment and not of oppression.
AND despite everything that seems to be working against you, you have kept it positive. Despite what seems to be rigged against YOU, you haven’t been pointing fingers and blaming.
Hillary, you have proven that despite all the years of negativity and hate that you can go high, when they go low. This is what has inspired and absolutely floored me.
I find it hard to even put it into words.
But I know that I find myself being very protective of you now, when people attack, as if it’s personal, because it is. I have journeyed with you for so long and I have seen you go through so much. It saddens me that so many have chosen to believe the lies, the bullshit really, rather than embrace the possibility that maybe, just maybe, someone actually wants to make things better for them.
This Smithie, single Mother, chronically ill, buried in health care bills, cusses like a sailor, hopeful yet scared woman, is proud to say that not only will she vote for you tomorrow, this atheist, will be praying like hell that you WIN.
We just can’t afford not to have you win and I am so very sorry that I have not fought harder for you. That I have believed things that I shouldn’t have and that at times, I gave up on you and your husband.
I hope that I can tell you personally, how inspired I have been and how grateful I am for you and for what you have done and how much I look forward to you being our President (And warn you that I will be bugging you about certain issues that I find important).
