I’m not sorry that it was difficult for me to choose who to vote for in the primary. Both Clinton and Sanders had strong positives and some negatives. I don’t agree with anyone 100% of the time (except myself), but I agree with both of them on most things. What a wonderful “problem” to have.
I’m not sorry I voted for Sanders. I thought about it a lot, and eventually decided that, although I was skeptical of his ability to deliver on his policies, I liked what he was saying. I thought (and still think) he would make a good president.
I’m not sorry about how the primary played out. Yes, there were some irregularities, but in the end I don’t believe that the primary was rigged or stolen. The plain fact is that more people voted for Clinton than for Sanders, and the lack of objectivity on the part of certain members of the DNC didn’t translate into any action.
I’m not sorry that Sanders stayed in the race as long as he did. He challenged the status quo, and that’s a good thing. Yes, he could have dropped out as soon as it was clear to all but the most irrational of his supporters that he was not going to win, but I don’t see any lasting harm to his waiting.
I’m not sorry that the enthusiasm of Sanders’ supporters made it difficult for them to accept that he didn’t win. It’s been great to see so many people engaged in the process. It seems like most of his supporters are going to follow his lead and support Clinton, and I hope they will also remain engaged in state and local races.
I’m not sorry that Clinton won the nomination. She ran a good campaign and will be a strong candidate in the general election. I know people have said that Sanders was a stronger candidate because he polled better than Clinton against Trump, but I have no expectation that those numbers would have held up in the general election. Sanders got zero attention from the right, and that would have changed pretty quickly if it looked like he was going to win the nomination.
I’m not sorry that as I move into the 35th year since I first registered to vote, I will have the chance to vote for a woman for president. I’m a little sorry that it took this long.
So no, I’m not sorry, or disappointed, or disgusted, or any of the other terms I’ve heard thrown around lately, about planning to vote for Clinton in November. I am sorry that so many people feel that they have to apologize for planning to vote for her. I don’t see her as a fatally flawed candidate that I have to vote for because the only person worse than her is Trump. I will happily go to the polls and mark my ballot for her. I believe that she will be a good president and has shown herself to be smart and committed. I believe that she will surround herself with competent people who know how the government works and who care about making it work well. That’s what I want in a president.
And while I’m at it, I will be voting for another woman, Deborah Ross, in the hopes of putting Democrats back in control of the Senate. To me, that’s just as important as who is president.
