2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumI Love You, Hillary Clinton
I have nothing bad to say about any of the other Democratic candidates, declared or undeclared. But after observing Hillary Clinton for almost half my life, as First Lady, then Senator, then Secretary of State, I have to say....
I still love you, Hillary Clinton.
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)But I strongly want him to be the president of the US.
Even more than that, however, I want the Democratic Party to remember what it is supposed to be.
RiverLover
(7,830 posts)+ a million!!!
Can't adequately express how much I agree.
kath
(10,565 posts)Stand up for the poor and working people again!
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)The more political I became, the less new there was for me to love about her, but the first family always seems great to me. I even recall thinking the spectacle that Bush's family made at times only served to have Bush humanized ever so slightly to me. . . but the Democratic families always seem the most interesting and loved to me.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)eridani
(51,907 posts)I sure don't love turning Libya into a chaotic shithole either.
freshwest
(53,661 posts)EOM.
passiveporcupine
(8,175 posts)just sayin
peacebird
(14,195 posts)MissDeeds
(7,499 posts)She doesn't speak to me or for me. Bernie does.
Divernan
(15,480 posts)AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)nt
calimary
(81,608 posts)Last edited Thu Jul 2, 2015, 04:09 AM - Edit history (3)
I remember when she was First Lady-Elect. I had this jaw-dropping moment of realization that - for the first time in my life there was actually going to be a First Lady to whom I could personally relate! They were all my mom's age and older, up til then. It is jolting as all-get-out when you suddenly realize that people your age are running for President. That really is a personal earth-shaker, lemme tellya! There's NOTHING that says "you're not a kid anymore" like that does!
It really rocked my world. Here was a President's wife with whom I actually had quite a bit in common. For the first time ever. I was more impressed, and emotionally gripped, by that even than I was by her husband. I found myself bristling against the wrong-winger attacks on her - almost as though they were also attacking ME!
What they were finding fault with and bitching about all the time was ME! They didn't approve of her speaking her mind? Well I spoke my mind a lot and I know my inlaws had to get used to that and my parents never completely understood me either. The term "career gal" was still kind of derogatory - as though, if you had more to say for yourself (and WANTED to say for yourself) than exclusively the wife/mother role, you were kind of an oddity, or scoffed at. NOT putting down the traditional wife/mother role, mind you. I've since done that, too. But when I was coming out of college that was pretty much still where a girl's journey led. Women, on average, did not have as many choices, and many more avenues were closed to them than is true now. But back then, the prevailing conventions were that the wife/mother role was still the be-all and end-all for women. Women went to college mainly to get their "MRS degree". Well, I wanted to express myself in other ways. Being a wife and/or mother was just one of many important and challenging and life-defining and soul-feeding goals available to me.
Heck, at one point, I was pretty well resolved that I did not want children. My career was tremendously satisfying to me at that time in my life, and my husband was thrilled for me and tremendously supportive. Besides, he too had a thriving career doing something he just loved, so he was right there with me philosophically. And I suspect he, too, wanted to pursue his own dreams for awhile before coming back down to earth and really settling down with the whole kids-and-family thing. I had other things I wanted to do, and felt I might be capable of doing. I had other contributions I wanted to make. I was in a position back in the 70s, just out of college, wherein I was doing my own VERY minor version of what Hillary was doing, and had been doing. Working professionally while also a mom, making headway in a male-dominated arena. Sometimes earning bigger paychecks than her husband, even being the main or sole breadwinner in the family. Yep, me too! Hillary was a few years older than me, but I still felt mighty close to her in age and relative experience, as well. Really amazing time. Things were changing, BIGTIME. The women's movement was in full flower by the time I got there and began to enjoy some of the benefits that women Hillary's age and older had fought so hard to win.
I identified like mad! Intimately so. I didn't appreciate it when people took umbrage because she said she wasn't just sitting at home making cookies and "standin' by mah man like Tammy Wynette." Well, I didn't EITHER! When her critics found fault with her all the time and didn't like that she kept her own name as a professional (I'd done that, too), and it wasn't what most women in the workforce did back then so it wasn't as easily accepted, I couldn't help but take it personally. It was hard NOT to take it personally. I'd been there myself. Indeed - when we tried to rent our first apartment after we got married, the rental office didn't want to rent to us because we had different last names and we couldn't convince them we were married. Even showed our wedding rings and that wasn't enough! They thought we were "living in sin" for fuck's sake.
I identified strongly with Hillary Clinton then, and I still do now. She's not perfect but I still think she's pretty damn terrific. And I think she'd make a great President. Certainly a great First Woman President. Unlike what the other side "offers," Hillary's no lightweight. Nor is she a flake. Or a bimbo. She's got every bit as much gravitas as any man - WAY MORE than anybody else on the other side has. She had me at 1992.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)billhicks76
(5,082 posts)Good luck with that.
Response to billhicks76 (Reply #7)
Post removed
Response to McCamy Taylor (Original post)
m-lekktor This message was self-deleted by its author.
Spitfire of ATJ
(32,723 posts)rpannier
(24,350 posts)It's nice that you put up a positive post
It's unfortunate that there are some here who have decided to take the low road
I have nothing against Hillary and wish her well
I am still supporting Bernie, but no hate from me
I do hope/wish more Sanders supporters show up to stand in support of other Democratic candidates, even if they are not their first choice in the primary
BlueMTexpat
(15,374 posts)And I say this as a staunch Hillary supporter. But we have at least three great candidates so far - ALL of whom make me very proud to be Dem - ALL the way!
I almost pity the GOPers ... but not much! What total embarrassments!
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)I feel sorry for Republicans. How on earth does anyone decide to pick between the jokers they have offered the nation?
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)she had to deal with her husbands failings without falling apart. Then how she had to deal with her first campaign primary, she was the first to be pummeled constantly by RW attack campaigns.
Her ability to not burn bridges in the D party & continue to stand with Obama. I think Obama saw the same drive & ambition in her- he had. They both dreamed & wanted to be president someday, their entire lives.
Her work with the O admin, her time as SOS. I don't know how she had the stamina to put up with those work hours! On top of everything a woman who had to meet with Global Leaders, many who didn't even have woman at all in their leadership governments.
The D-party is fortunate to have so many good presidential contenders. I'd vote for Mrs. Clinton if she wins the primary, or Sanders or even the others they're good for Americans too.
But if Sanders wins primary or any of the others win primary, they will need Mrs. Clinton to stand by their side during the election.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)That is what it means to be a Democrat.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)Respect? Okay. Support? Great. Share a political philosophy with? Completely understandable.
But love someone I have no personal interactions with? That's weird to me. I guess I'll never be a loyal fanboy.
McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)If you start with that premise, then everything eventually falls into place.
99Forever
(14,524 posts)It dilutes the meaning of the word love to the point of being meaningless to me. But to each their own.
LordGlenconner
(1,348 posts)99Forever
(14,524 posts)Isn't that special?
Bless your heart.
LordGlenconner
(1,348 posts)ismnotwasm
(42,027 posts)For such a lovely post. Goodness.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)hifiguy
(33,688 posts)a butcher like Henry Kissnger and call him a "defender of human rights" is beyond the pale of decency.
mcar
(42,474 posts)Lovely post. Ignore the naysayers.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)They can easily beat. Go, Hillary.