In case you haven't heard, I've been changing my mind quite a few times over the last year in deciding who's my #1 pick for President in 2008. And apprently, I'm not the only one who's changed minds recently. I know there's plenty of talk about our prerogative to change our minds, but if you don't mind I'd like to tell you my own story of how it had been so hard for me to stick with one candidate... Until I found "The One" I knew I could trust to put an end to the Bush-Cheney era and start putting people first again.
Please feel free to follow me after the flip for more...
So what happened? Why had I been switching? First off, I think this is a testament to all the terrific Democrats running for President (as well as all the terrific Democrats I wanted to run as well!). John Edwards, Barack Obama, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, even Mike Gravel (when he acts rationally)... They're ALL so awesome, and any one of them would make a good President! I guess that can explain why I initially had such a hard time deciding which one to support.
Oh yes, and I was also hoping early on that Al Gore would run and win the office that he should have been inaugurated into eight years prior. Al Gore is such a visionary, as he's been right early on Iraq, the climate crisis, the assault on the Constitution, and so much more. I was ready to jump on board as soon as Al announced...
But he didn't, and I was starting to get impatient. So in the mean time, I noticed that John Edwards did decide to run again. He had announced his candidacy in New Orleans, and it seemed like he was addressing the concerns that were on the top of my mind. He was once again talking about our duty end poverty not just around the world, but here in America as well. But unlike his first run in 2004, he was talking about ending the Iraq Occupation and making universal health care happen. Edawrds was really intriguing me, and he made me want to see more of what he was about...
Until Barack Obama announced and literally stole my heart away. He has the charisma and charm of someone who's obviously bound for destiny, and he has the amazing ability of making me tremble and quiver when I'm there to listen to him speak. When Obama announced, I thought I'd just objectively cover the event... I ended up being one of the founding members of our local Obama organization. I marched in the local Fourth of July parade with my fellow Obama people, and I even traveled to Las Vegas last September to devote an entire weekend to helping Obama in the Nevada Caucus. I really thought that Obama would be "The One" to unite America on a progressive vision for the future...
Then came Donnie McClurkin. Now yes, I know that Obama doesn't share the same views on LGBT Americans that McClurkin has. However, I was still hurt when I saw that Obama's campaign would give their stage to a homophobic bigot who calls people like me "immoral sinners" who deserve to rot in Hell. Since I myself was raised in a Christian fundamentalist household, and as I myself was forced into "de-gay-ification counseling" when I hinted to my mom that I might not be on the "straight and narrow", I took this personally. When I asked the campaign what they intended to do to right this wrong, all I got were silly talking points. Disappointed, discouraged, and completely heart-broken, I left.
But even since I left, I still wanted to be inspired again by Obama. But again, I become disappointed when I see the campaign attack good progressives like Paul Krugman as they refrain from standing up for our side when we need help. Now don't get me wrong, I still like Obama. I still believe he has great potential to move our nation in a new direction, and I'll wholeheartedly support him again if he's our nominee.
But still, I felt a need to move on. I briefly moved back to wanting to draft Al Gore to run, but I only encountered more disappointment and sorrow when it was announced that he wouldn't run next year. However this time, my disappointment was short-lived. You see, I had a chance to rediscover someone that I really didn't know...
And I came to realize that Hillary Clinton is just the progressive Democrat I was looking for all along! I came to understand that Hillary isn't afraid of fighting for us lil' guys and gals...
As I told you on Monday, Hillary has not just the potential to be a great progressive leader, but the strength, the courage, and the experience to stand up and actually be that leader. As others talk about change, Hillary is proving to us now that she is the agent of change who will make universal health care a reality, solve the climate crisis and make our nation energy independent, and end Bush's failed Iraq Occupation as she restores a foreign policy based on cooperation instead of confrontation. Hillary has proven to us that she's on our side, and I know we can expect great things once she becomes our next President.
So you want to know why I've changed, and why I will be joining courageous labor leader Dolores Huerta and my local State Assembly Member Jose Solorio in calling for Hillary this Sunday? Hillary has won my full confidence, and she is showing me that she knows how to turn the page on these tragic eight years and restore our hope for this nation. Oh yes, and she has me so excited this Holiday Season about all the great presents we can expect from her once she makes it to the White House! ;-)