Decide What's Really Important. Now.
Yesterday Bill Clinton lambasted the press and many in the Democratic party because of their attempted early burial of Hillary's chances for the nomination at the convention. His argument ran something like: while Obama has won a majority of the delegates, Hillary has won the "popular vote" in the course of the primaries, particularly in the states where, come November, the Demos stand to win the electoral delegates. Nominating Obama, Bill's argument goes, will give up the election to [shudder] McCain because Obama can't win in those states. I'm inclined to agree with him. Hillary represents the candidate with the most experience, the most coherent plans for AFTER the election, and the broadest appeal to the electorate, Democratic AND Republican.
I have said before that I thought McCain was really beatable, no matter who the candidate. And nothing would make me happier than the election of Obama, Hillary, or any Democrat, thereby putting a stake in the heart of the policies of The Selected President, which his bitch, John McCain, keeps saying were so wonderfully successful. That ignores, however, an unspoken, tragic flaw in America. Though we talk the talk of equal opportunity and do our best to gloss over our history, we remain in this early decade of the 21st century a profoundly racist AND sexist country. Some of the Democratic party is trying their best to ignore that awful fact. Racism is not something that a few generations can erase. It has terrible staying power and we ignore it at our peril. Sexism is so rooted in our culture, our DNA, worldwide, that only positive force of will can begin to heal it. Our nation is reeling under the weight of the colossal moral and financial burden of this illegal war, greed on a grand scale among multinational corporations, and a corrupt, arrogant government on the take from every fat cat imaginable, and the people be damned. We need to make absolutely sure that our candidate, this time, is electable. We need to put aside our native "isms" and get down to work. We need to stop fighting and start campaigning, and make McCain OWN President Weenie's legacy.
CNN has become a constant annoyance lately, in that they clearly prefer to be seen as sexist rather than racist. Hillary's slightest misstep or misspeak is hammered away for hours by pundit after pundit. Obama gets a more or less free ride and oodles of gushing coverage, doing the same vague speechifying offering only slogans instead of positions and plans.
A legend passed away over the weekend: Utah Phillips. Who? I heard you say. Well, I can't expect that many knew who he was, but he was a man of iron integrity who wrote and performed folk songs all over the country for much of his 73 years. Utah was a labor organizer and spent a large part of his long life working for worker and human rights. He founded the Peace and Justice Center and a shelter for the homeless. Amy Goodman of "Democracy Now" interviewed him in January 2004 and what he had to say about the Democratic presidential race that was just starting then is absolutely on target four and a half years later:
"...You know, it’s like buying a seat on the Titanic, the Democratic Party, but they’re the only force, organized force, that has the ability to [get the fascists out of power]. So it’s imperative that the entire progressive movement come together, like they did in the Great Depression at the time of the CIO... ...for right now, all the difference has got to be pushed aside. I am absolutely appalled at these Democratic candidates hammering on each other, you know, not recognizing the direness of our situation.
It is long since, since those people should have sat down in a room together and decided which one could be elected and put everything they had into that person."
Hillary is the one. Let's join forces, Obamaites and Hillaryistas and WIN.
Mamie on 05.27.08 @ 06:42 PM PST [link]