She came. She saw. She didn't disappoint.
But as wonderful and stirring as Hillary Clinton's speech was Tuesday night there was another image not wonderful and not stirring that was going on in the background.
If you watched the speech on CNN, after Clinton left the stage with a resounding call for her supporters to vote for Barack Obama, a reporter amongst the delegates stopped one quavery voiced black woman and asked her opinion on Clinton's speech.
What followed was a surreal scene of a weepy, recalcitrant delegate who said she felt no connection to Obama. Who said she felt that in watching Hillary she saw a president on the stage. Who said she was going to cast her vote for Hillary as a delegate and was not sure what she would do in the coming months. She swore that she would never vote for John McCain, but Obama had "two months" to bring her around.
This woman's statements were amazing in the since that they were amazingly dumb. I am empathetic with people who loved Clinton and were upset when she lost. I am patient and understanding as I know many black people would be just as upset if this were the other way around. But this was childish and disgusting. This was like a spoiled child refusing to go to bed, insisting on being given ice cream or to have another story read or to watch television.
Clinton, in her speech, asked a very pointed question of her supporters: Was this race about her or about the issues she represented?
It was consistently remarked in the press and by party members that the platforms Obama and Clinton were running on were near identical. They agreed on virtually ever policy decision. They voted the same on any number of issues.
To this weepy-eyed woman I ask: If your house is on fire do you care whether it is the county or the city fire department who comes to put it out?
Far too often voters get caught up in a cult of personality and lose their logic. I've seen it happen with both Obama and Clinton supporters. To see people go so blind for a candidate that they could not be reasoned with, that you could not appeal to their logic for they were lost in the jabs and spats of the race. Everything was personal because there was no policy to debate. All Obama and Clinton had to fight over was tone and personality, the mythical "experience" versus "judgment" debates that were largely meaningless. In the Democratic Primary you voted on who you liked, loved, admired or identified with because there was no meat to quarter.
Healthcare, housing, education, civil rights, the economy, the war, judges, justice, environment, women's rights, gay rights, worker's rights, unionization, international diplomacy, abortion rights, poverty and racism. If these were your concerns and you liked them handled with a populist and/or Liberal slant you only have one place to go and that's the Democratic Party. For better or for worse. It's like having a bad meal at Applebee's and going on to forsake all food. That one meal did you wrong, therefore all meals were wrong. You'd chose death over a slider from White Castle.
We aren't electing Gods. We're electing men and women. Hillary isn't a golden calf in a pantsuit. But if you, my weepy friend, for some sick reason, see Sen. Clinton as the sun and sky and worship her brilliance, if you find her to be mother, daughter and the holy spirit, aren't you committing a sin against Goddess Hillary if Goddess Hillary tells you to get over it and vote for the guy with the "D" after his name? Aren't you defying her will if you continue to be indolent to Goddess Hillary's desires to see Barack Obama as president of the United States?
Did you really ever follow her at all? Because she's going on to Obama's side and you, weepy delegate, you aren't following. You're acting like a child.
This should be about the issues, not pouting or personalities. A voter should never let their heart get in the way of the right mind.
Don't let the house burn down to spite the fireman.
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