I don't like Hillary Clinton's public persona. I freely confess. And I get it, I would love to see a woman as President, just not this one. Bring back Barbara Jordan and I would do anything legal and ethical to help her get elected.
But Hillary Clinton grates on me. During the debate in South Carolina when she looked over at Obama and said "... you never take responsibility for any of your votes." I knew that I could not reconcile to supporting someone who would say something like that face to face, particularly when, as a statement of fact, it is manifestly inaccurate.
And here is the latest from CNN. Granted, I did not watch her speech. But a candidate with the team she has around her, and I'll resist some snarky comment about the obvious internal issues in her staff right now, has speech writers with boiler plate that includes congratulating your opponent. But no....
EL PASO, Texas (CNN) – For the second election night in a row, Hillary Clinton failed to acknowledge or congratulate Barack Obama after he won the day in dominating fashion.
The courtesy of conceding a primary or caucus loss — and then congratulating your opponent — is by no means required. But it has become standard practice during campaign season.
Clinton congratulated Obama and John Edwards after their first and second place finishes in the Iowa caucuses. Obama returned the favor in New Hampshire, saying Clinton "did an outstanding job." That courtesy continued through the early states.
Flame me, hide my comments, call me a sexist, dividing the party, whatever, I'm tired of the back and forth on HRC and BHO, but this is my 2 cents. And it's certainly not intended as a "hit diary." I'm not arrogant enough to think my two cents in an online post is worth the paper it's written on. But Hillary Clinton's public persona is not one I want on my TV for the next 4 or 8 years.
I just think, at core, there something wrong with her personality. Not the crying in New Hampshire, hell, as tired as those candidates are I'm amazed they don't break down daily. What I think is wrong with Hillary Clinton is not easily defined or articulated. But just take a look at her face when Obama was speaking in the SC debate and she was listening. I think that was the real Hillary Clinton, and the failure to congratulate Mr. Obama is a symptom of that undefined sense that I have about her personality.
I know there is a whole generation of women who were raised in the era of Betty Friedan and the Feminine Mystique who see Ms. Clinton as the realization of a dream and understand that she may be the last viable female candidate for a long time. I get that. My mother would be one of them if she were still here. But another female candidate will rise up, and sooner than most people think.
Ms. Clinton is qualified, shares my positions on most policy issues, and would probably do a creditable job as President.
But stuff like this keeps happening, and it's a pattern in my opinion. Civil behavior is not too much to ask.
On Tuesday in El Paso, hours after Virginia had been called for Obama, she stuck to her "Texas campaign kickoff" message and did not stray from an energetic, Lone Star-themed stump speech. She did mention Obama by name, only to chide his health care plan.
On Saturday night in Richmond, Virginia, Clinton spoke to a crowd of thousands at the state’s annual Jefferson-Jackson dinner, but she ignored Obama’s quartet of blowout primary and caucus wins that day as well (Obama also won the Maine caucuses the next day).
But as the race has shifted to a delegate chase with dozens of states in play around the country, the notion of congratulating one’s opponent seems, for Clinton, to have fallen by the wayside.
Barack. Inexperienced. Young. Potentially a risk. But I'll admit what a lot of voters probably won't admit. At this level, in this case, between these two candidates, I'm going with my instinct.
Obama has the potential to change the country for the better. No naivete. The excitement of the campaign won't last for a full term There is a difference between campaigning and governing. The soaring rhetoric could go down in the mire of Washington politics. But I know who I want sitting in the White House and it's Mr. Obama. I trust him. I know I might have to eat my words in a year or 3, but that's it for me at this point.
When he speaks I feel like so many must feel. I trust his intent. I'm in awe of his sense of the issues, not in the sense of the line items in his policy white papers, but in his sense of what the nation needs to become a nation again. The fact that Republicans are tempted to bolt party and vote for him is telling to me. The fact that independent voters prefer him speaks volumes to me.
I know a poll between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain right now means little for November. But the fact that he has a head to head edge vs. McCain while Ms. Clinton losses the same matchup confirms my instinct.
And the fact that college kids line up to work for him. What can I say about the first candidate since McGovern that has moved so many people under 30?
yes we can.