Yesterday, January 16th, 2008 in the morning when I got up, I did not know Bill Clinton was coming to Napa, California to stump for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. My wife told me about it around 10:40 AM and the meeting was supposed to begin at 2:30 PM.
I put the batteries for the camera and the video camera on the charger, took a shower in no particular hurry and set out to tape what I could.
I had not really admitted it but this old progressive was MAD at Bill and Hill, very, very MAD!
But I came to forgive them. Here is why.
More over the jump...
Being MAD at somebody is only really 'acceptable' in our American society if you have been wronged. And your 'righteous' anger is the hardest to let go of.
And 'righteous' anger is the most cleansing to your soul if you do give it up. I am testifying.
What happened to heal my furious heart? And what made me so MAD at Bill and Hill? Easy... I will get there.
Well, a lot of things, big and small, but I think I softened myself up a bit by enjoying the weather first. It was clear and in the 60s.
The crowd wanting to get in stretched for two city blocks. Google map the 'Napa Valley Opera House' and you will see that it is in the middle of a city block that backs against the Napa River and you can turn the corner at First Street and cross the replacement to the old First Street Bridge. My mom slept under the old bridge in Napa when she arrived homeless during the Great Depression.
The building would only hold about 650 according to the policeman at the barricade in front. I was shooting tape of the crowded sidewalk walking along and noticed a young woman on crutches near the end of the line. I told her to go up to the front of the line and I'd get her in, because I knew I wasn't going to be getting in.
So when I got back to the front door, I asked the folks in line if they would mind letting a woman with crutches go in first. They said no since they couldn't sit in handicapped seating anyway. I called out the police who were guarding the front door, "Help this woman here with crutches to get inside to handicapped seating." They said they were not authorized to do that. I replied, "No AMERICAN needs authorization to do the right thing!"
Then I saw a guy coming out in a fine suit, who looked like a Clinton Security team member and I called out to him same as before. He also said he wasn't authorized. I said the same thing in reply. "No AMERICAN needs authorization to do the right thing!" The young woman was about to give up, but I said she would get in, to please wait a bit longer.
Then, I saw a Clinton volunteer, and I talked to her, she said that the young lady should have known to come earlier. I replied that she still needed to be seated. She said she would ask.
When I turned back to the young lady, she was gone. I said, "Oh, don't tell me she gave up?" The reply was No, someone came out and took her in while my back was turned.
Now I felt really good. Of course, the crowd began to disperse when no more people could get in. However somebody rigged a speaker out to the street so we could hear Bill speak. Unfortunately about 1,000 people had left by then.
OK, why was I MAD at Bill?
Well... Bill Clinton KNEW all those Republicans were out to get him, and he ran circles around them over and over again. But then... he got full of himself and he lost control of his zipper. As a man... I could understand the temptation, but why did he have to lie about it? I did not think it was an impeachable offense, yadda-yadda, defended him on those grounds, but... why did he have to be such a classic Sampson and deliver himself and the nation into the hands of the Philistines for his 'Delilah'. That is what pissed me off so royally. America got visibly stronger economically while Clinton held office, and Bill's zipper problem flushed all that progress right down the drain. Remember Bush promised to restore honor and dignity to the White House? We ALL KNEW what that was code for -- Bill's zipper problem.
So why was I MAD at Hill?
Well, I was MAD at her for not publicly rebuking him and then forgiving him if she still wanted him. I could have understood if she had chewed him out in public and then said "You are a REAL PUTZ, but I still love you and want you to rediscover that you love me too.
Yep, it is kind of irrational, but there it was.
So how did I get past it?
Well, I looked at all the women who were there to listen to Bill talk about what Hillary could do for Americans like us. They'd already forgiven Bill... and they seemed to understand Hill much better than I did.
Thank God, women still take men as pets.
But there was more...
Bill talked about a way out of our Bush-league problems. And I found myself smiling in anticipation. I think things are on the downlow until after the election, but some very smart people are already planning on a rapid recovery from eight long years of playing in the minors.
And finally...
I recalled watching the night Stephen Hawking came to visit the Clinton White House. There haven't been many geniuses to visit the Bush White House that I know of. I mean, why bother? I can't imagine Einstein discussing brush ranching for long, can you?
But now I was smiling, and my heart was lifting up... and... I couldn't sleep until I wrote this down.
I'd been swearing I'd never vote for Hillary, wouldn't lift a finger, etc, but now... I am no longer a committed NOT-Hillary voter, nor will I hold it against her for loving her glossy-coated, whip-smart (hopefully ex-) tomcat of a husband.
I'd been saying I would be happy with a woman president but not Hillary, now I am OK with THIS woman as president. I am also OK with THIS black man as president. I'd be happy with THIS white man as president. We have lived through Bush, no one will do worse than Bush in my lifetime, and ANY of them can do a LOT BETTER!
I am still listening, the California primary is in February. but to ALL of the candidates now.
--Lefty!!!