My diary will probably go unnoticed in the storm of diaries, but I just wanted to key on a point that I heard some people make last night during the convention.
There were several mentions of how Hillary was not trusted and that this was her biggest issue, and it is. People wondered how she could reach out to people who don’t trust her this week during the convention. People who saw her switch her stances on major issues when the wind changed directions are very skeptical of her, as they should be. I sure am.
Trust is easy to lose and hard to earn. There is really only one way to do it: transparency, sincerity, and time. We are running out of time, so transparency and sincerity will have to do. And what that means is exposing yourself and being vulnerable. People recognize sincerity when they see it.
If Hillary has truly changed her stance, she needs to say so. She needs to come out and clearly state:
“Look, I know that some of you feel uncertain of the conviction with which I hold my stated policy views. The fact is, I used to see many issues differently than I do now. I didn’t pivot, I learned, and I grew. I heard what Bernie had to say, I heard what many Americans had to say, and I was swayed by their views. You have convinced me. Plain and simple. Bernie and I, and our campaigns, have spent the last several weeks looking into these issues in detail, and I have simply concluded that on a number of these issues, he was simply right. So I have changed my mind. It’s not easy to admit that some of my previously strongly held positions were wrong, but there it is. I get it now, and I’m ready to work with all of you, and with Bernie, to make this happen. This historically progressive platform is a platform which was built by engaging in the hard work of consensus building and persuasion. Our Democracy works when we are willing to talk to each other and most importantly, listen to each other. I heard you loud and clear, and I will be your champion.”
Some people will hear this through a filter of cynicism and doubt. But if she would just let her guard down for a moment, I know that I, for one, would greatly appreciate it and it would go a long way.
People on the Bernie side just want a bit of validation. They don’t want to be pandered to. They are activists and they want to have an impact. No one is expecting things to happen by magic. But we want our politicians to answer to the people. Show us that what a substantial swath of your electorate has to say can actually have an impact. That it can actually bring you around to a different point of view. Not just a new policy stance. A different point of view.
Update: Seems I didn’t do a good job of communicating my intention when I wrote this. To be perfectly clear, I am voting for Hillary in November. I supported Bernie all the way through, and was vehemently opposed to Hillary during the primaries. But I am not an idiot. As an American Muslim, I feel all too keenly the potentially catastrophic impact of a Trump presidency. The fear of such a reality is something that occupies my thoughts almost constantly. I have children, Muslim American children, whose lives could be severely impacted by a Trump victory. So make no mistake, I want Hillary to not only beat Trump. I want her to crush him. I want the vision of America that our glorious First Lady and so many other speakers last night eloquently expressed to be resoundingly affirmed in November.
It is for this reason that I am trying my best to brainstorm with all of you about how to address the biggest liability in Clinton’s campaign, and that is her perception by a significant portion of the electorate (so significant that it bleeds over quite a lot into the Democratic base as well) that she is a “say anything” candidate. I beseech you to set the rancor aside for just a moment and contribute if you can.