Last night, Senator Clinton spoke to me. She said she had been fighting for me, and wanted to continue to represent me. She asked me to let her know where to go from here. Allow me to do so...
I am a Hillary Clinton voter.
Some background first. I take politics and my politicial choices seriously. Over the better part of a year I considered the full range of Democratic candidates, both in terms of their qualities in office and their abilities to actually secure the nomination and win the election. I travelled to the corn fields of Iowa and the snowdrifts of New Hampshire to hear them speak and evaluate their campaign efforts. I had a chance to question several of them personally. And eventually, I decided on two. I felt that either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton were strong enough campaigners to win the election, but that, between the two, while Senator Obama would likely do a good job as President, Senator Clinton would probably be better at governing, given her longer experience in both policy matters and Washington politics.
I voted for her in the New York State primary. I worked on her campaign in the Nevada Caucus. I contributed the maximum amount to her primary campaign fund (note to the campaign staff; before you file your expense accounts and close up shop, you still owe me my candidate photo). And I waited for the Democratic Party to wrap up its primary campaign and move on to fight Senator McCain.
In the month following Super Tuesday, I came to the conclusion that I had made a mistake. The Clinton campaign's strategic errors, campaign gaffes and poor fiscal planning led to the conclusion that Senator Clinton was not prepared for the Fall election; that the apparent presumption of inevitability that plagued her staff's planning for the Primary season would likely carry over to the General. And that, by comparison, Senator Obama's campaign, which I had found intiguing but "thin" on details(his early speeches came across as hopeful and uplifting, but appeared to have limited clarity as to what the future would bring) showed that it could and would learn from mistakes, adapt to new circumstances, and respond to attacks on both policy and character. Two months ago, I switched my support to the Obama campaign.
Last night, I watched the speeches of both candidates. Senator Obama's was both inspitational and substantive, and made it clear that he won't be a pushover for underhanded Republican campaign tactics. And Senator Clinton?
Senator Clinton, as I said before, said she was talking to me, one of the "18,000,000" who voted for her (peruliar that last week it was "17,000,000") But what she talked about was her: her campaign, her issues, her future. No dropping out or suspending her campaign, no ackowledgement that Senator Obama would be the nominee, no call for her supporters to rally around the party no matter what happens in the future.
A good candidate knows how win well, and how to lose well. A good candidate knows that, while behind the scenes negotiations may be rough-and-tumble, the public message must be positive, magnanimous, and in support of the winning candidate. Last night, Senator Clinton was not a "good candidate".
Today, I recieved an email from Senator Clinton, restating many of the themes from last night's speech. It included a reuqest to share my thoughts with her. And, it include a large, red button marked "Contribute". To the Obama campaign? to the Democratic Party? No, to her. If she has finished her Presidential run, she doesn't need my money (assuming I could give her more), and if she proposes to continue on, she doesn't deserve it.
So, to Senator Clinton, my thoughts. You tried to run for President and I supported you. You failed to win (as most candidates do). You have so far failed to support the candidate that did. That candidate is now my candidate. I am placing my faith and my support with him. I ask you, as a fellow Democrat, to gracefully step aside.
I am leaving my office now, and am going uptown to meet my candidate for President. And looking forward to the future.
UPDATE-Just left an Obama reception -his first event since the Clinton withdrawl story ran. Will post video when I get home.
UPDATE 2-Here's the video of Senator Obama from tonight: