Update: All the posters seem to indicate that "no one" has called Hillary supporters racists. I guess I miss read alot of the responses to my diaries. But let me site one instance within the last two days. MSNBC, Dan Abrams show, young black woman Obama supporter pundit to Abrams in refering to Hillary being on Ticket..."I am not saying that all of Hillary supporters are bigots...". Both Tucker Carlson and Abrams said "gee thanks" almost in unison. She then realized what she said. That is my point.
In an exit opinion poll discussed on Countdown: 62% of people will not vote for a woman while only 53% said they would not vote for African American in states where Obama won, no one said that Obama supporters were sexists. Which they are not. But it is to prove the difference between the labeling of the supporters that I speak of it.
A diarist asks what Hillary supporters want. His or her request to hear from Hillary supporters seems to be sincere even if the responses so far to his or her question are coming from Obama supporters for the most part. But I am willing to accept the request for information is sincere and here is my answer. I speak only for myself. This is my opinion. I humbly and respectfully request not to be blasted by Obama supporters who want to argue with my views. I am not posting this diary to change anyone's mind, I am not trying to put down Obama and I don't want McCain to win in November. I just want to attemt to answer the diarist question honestly and sincerely. And my response was too long to be a response to the original diary so that is why I am doing one of my own.I will explain what I want and will list them numberically in no special order.
- I would like to have the Obama supporters stop calling the Hillary supporters racists. I chose my candidate based on experience, knowledge and capabilities. I felt then and I still feel that Obama, though an intellegent, educated, articulate and capable man is too young and inexperienced at this time in his life to be president of the United States. I would say so if he were white, pink or blue or even female. With a couple of turns in a state legislature and only 2 years as a senator I don't see the knowledge and experience I want for my president. That doesn't mean he won't be a good one. But I looked at both candidates and made my choice. That does not make me a racist. And I resent being called that because I did what I was told to do by my liberal upbringing and my liberal conscience--chose on qualifications not race.
- I would like the Obama supporters to make up their minds and decide if I, as a over 50 white woman, am relevant to this election or not and then stick to that decision. I have had the most extraordinary posts to my diaries. In one sentence the poster screams that I am irrelevant and should go back to the dark ages and yet in the very next sentence, when I say I will not vote in the general election, it will be my fault if Obama loses (God forbide!) and I am personally responsible for back alley abortions coming back. Which is it? I can't be irrelevant and should just sit down and shut up and then also be responsible if your candidate loses. So just make up your mind, do you want me in or not and then act accordingly. You can't have it both ways.
- I would like for the Obama supporters to stop taking everything Hillary says as an attack on Obama and use it out of context. For example, Hillary stated that Bobby Kennedy was still running for President when he was assassinated in June 1968. This was taken by the Obama supporters as involking a wish to have Obama assassinated or trying to link herself with Bobby. It is far more simplistic. Women of my age and older (Hillary falls in that category) use fixed points in history as references. Bobby Kennedy is not a "historical figure" that we read about. In fact, I was working for his campaign at the time I was in Junior High School and can still to this very moment remember watching the primary returns from my bedroom on a small black and white T.V. when the shooting occured. So when someone asks me when the CA primary was held in the past I would have to say "Well Bobby was shot in the first week of June and it was the night of the Primary so the CA primary is the first week in June". By the way I have a framed picture of Bobby on my office wall if that gives you any indication of my memories of the man.
- I would like to see a woman in the VP slot and here's why. I am 55 years old when Obama takes office. He will have 8 years and then his VP will run and have 8 years. (I am always the optimist!). By the math I will be around 72 years old when a women, if not in the VP slot mentioned, will be able to run again for president. I would like to be able to vote for a woman before I shuffle off this mortal coil. Pure and simple. I would prefer it to be Hillary. I think she has alot to bring to the ticket. But I would like to see any other qualified woman in the slot.
And finally...
- I would like the Obama supporters, especially the pundits on MSNBC, to treat Hillary and her bid for the nomination like all others that have come before...no better and no worse... and stop expecting her to behave differently than other presidential hopefuls because she is Hillary and you don't like her. To explain this point let me make cite two historical facts.
In 1980 Ted Kennedy ran an insurgent bid for the presidency against the incumbant candidate Jimmy Carter. That is rare. And although well behind in the delegate count even after winning the last primaries Kennedy refused to bow out of the race and took it to the convention floor. Hillary isn't hundered and hundreds of delgates behind. Remember Obama got the to the magic number at approximately the same time as Hillary was winning her primary races. Yet she is expected to withdraw from the race on the same day, hour and minute she is winning the last primary. Ted didn't drop out that quickly why does Hillary have to? Bill Bradley dropped out of the presidential race in March of 2000. Again running against a sitting VP? Talk about party unity blower. And then Bradley didn't endorse Al Gore until four months later. But Hillary is expected to endorse Barak Obama on the same night she wins the last primary. And is villified for waiting one or two days from her last primary win. Is this a different standard? I would say so. And it shouldn't be. Bradley and Kennedy are now elder statesmen within the party but Hillary is expected to slink away and never be heard from again for her unacceptable behavior. Again, a double standard that is unacceptable.
You asked what I wanted and this is my answer. Plain and honest as requested.