Hillary has won me over

To be truthful, I haven’t fallen in love this cycle. I can see the strengths and weaknesses of all the candidates.

I have given money to only one candidate so far and that is Joe Biden. I think he ran a race all Biden supporters can be proud of – he was firm, smart, witty and elegant. What I like about Joe is that he is a class act. He would make an extraordinary President.

As his poll numbers continued to be mired in single digits, I was sad, but not surprised when he dropped out.

I thought I would wait and watch. I don’t really have to make up my mind until February 5.

I have been leaning John Edwards for a long time, and I still think he’s a fine, fine man. Our country, and the world, would be in a better place with John Edwards as our leader. Elizabeth Edwards is as close to perfect as I can imagine.

But, I found myself, all through this cycle, watching Hillary Clinton and watching how people react to her. When she is unfairly attacked, I find that something deep inside me almost involuntarily rises to her defense. When she is victorious, as she was last night, I find myself authentically happy – happy both for her and the country that would be lucky to have her as a President.

I am not discounting Barack Obama. I think he’s very inspirational and sends a message that many of us need to hear: hope is on the way. When he first announced, I was excited and literally forced my partner to watch his announcement speech in Springfield. But, face it, we all vote what we believe is in the best interests of our families. I have many criteria for what I look for in a President, and I vote based on many different issues. While I don’t believe Obama is a homophobe at all, I also don’t believe that my family, or families like mine, are anywhere near the top of his priority list. The fact that he hasn’t taken an hour or two to reassure gays and lesbians that he is on their side, after the South Carolina controversy, when we are a sizable voting block in the Democratic party, worries me. I still believe he will make this right, and if he becomes the nominee, I will support him over any Republican. I think he’s a basically good guy and would be an inspirational President.

But it all comes down to this: I want a fighter. I want someone tough and someone who wants to take on the Republicans in the election and explain to the country why our vision is better than theirs. John Kennedy never talked of “unity” while running, he was a no holds barred partisan as was Bobby. I believe Hillary Clinton can help calm and heal this nation AFTER she’s elected. While she’s running, I don’t want her to give an inch to the other side. I want a candidate who can fight them strategically and relentlessly and make the case to the nation why we’re so much better served by the ideals that Democrats espouse.

Two days ago, Hillary choked up while she was talking about how much she loves this country. It was a very human moment. But the media and her opponents twisted it into her “crying” because she was “losing.” They would have never done this to a man. Mitt Romney has cried four or five times so far, including last night when he actually DID lose, and not one media scribe is pounding him.

But something remarkable happened as a result. New Hampshire voters saw through the media scrum and watched this remarkably tenacious and brilliant woman fight incredible odds and overwhelming adversaries and, somehow, continue to march forward, unbowed, confident and with dignity.

Her victory speech last night was gracious and direct, genuine and resolved. She is a determined, forceful soul.

These are exactly the qualities America looks for in a leader. Hillary Clinton is one tough bitch, as my partner likes to call her.

And I am, as of today, officially in her corner.

:thumbsup:

We have several great candidates this year. I'm proud to support the greatest of them, Hillary Clinton.

Is that what we want in our President; someone who cries when things get difficult?

I cry every day about something or other - waaaah!!! Its good for you. Clears the head and senses and you bounce back ready to tackle whatever reality throws at you.

BTW - SHE DIDNT CRY!!!! Didnt you catch the sound bite? Voice choking is not "crying!" Crying is when the tears roll out of the eyes and the involuntary spasms and blubbering like a baby begin. You should try it sometime!

They aren't afraid to cry. Crying is the best stress reliever and stress is the biggest cause of disease/death.

I don't think Hillary was crying. I think she does her crying in private

Pure, unadulterated slime.

You're reflecting poorly on your candidate and pushing more and more people toward his opponents.

Who take voting very seriously, when you say something like that. It's not true just because you want it to be true.

Mitt Romney cried three times...twice in the same speech...so why didn't he win.

I was for Biden and now have no favorite candidate but, perhaps because I am a woman, part of me roots for Hillary.

I'm not there yet. I have nothing against Hillary and agree she is the target of irrational hate. I agree she will be able to stand up to the inevitable smear campaign and knows the nuts and bolts tactics needed to win (which is often the very things some on the purist progressive side criuticize her for most vehemently - as if it's better to be a losing idealist than a winning pragmatist). I just like Edwards' economic policies (the real ones - not the applause lines about big bad evil companies)a bit better.

Frankly I'm just fine with any of the three even vaguely viable options. Hillary vacillates between 2nd and 3rd on my list of those three opretty much daily - and Edwards' lead is not huge over either of the other two. This is a good thing!

I am so happy for all of us today. I am a Clinton supporter, but also feel we are all best served by more debate. I want every Democrat on the stage and on the stump. Many more issues need to be thoroughly explored. we don't need anyone's coronation right now.

is very moving and made a point that I had been nudging around in my head for days. I, too, felt a rise to defend her when everyone was pounding on her. I, too, felt some kind of uplift when she overcame the smears and won in NH. I think that it has something to do with what all she has been through and how well she has handled it - going all the way back to the early '90s through all of the Hillary bashing that the media and the pundits engaged in for more than a decade. I can't bring myself to support her for political reasons, but I do admire her as a human being and as a woman who not only carries her own weight, but carries the weight of many other as well, and does so easily and with grace. I congratulate Senator Clinton. Thanks for your earnest post.

:hi:

Still sending my $ to Edwards, but I'm more amenable to Sen. Clinton than I had been.

It's nice to feel good about DU again. I just hope most of the hateful posters leave or learn a good lesson. Lots of posters here commented on how they weren't originally Hillary supporters, but felt compelled to defend her from all the awful attacks (myself included) which soon lead to emotional attachment and full support. I think there were a lot more people here who didn't dare openly support her for fear of being burned to a crisp in the flames that would follow. The haters here and in the media seemed to have gotten Hillary lots of extra votes. Thanks!

very well said.

for very thoughtful comments. My first choice was Senator Biden also ... however, my second choice has always been Senator Clinton.

Please.

i loved this: remarkably tenacious and brilliant woman fight incredible odds and overwhelming adversaries and, somehow, continue to march forward, unbowed, confident and with dignity.

Good post to explain your choice. nevertheless, I disagree.

Whether one likes or dislikes Hillary personally is beside the point, IMO.

She is embedded in the systemic corruption and elitism that has been destroying this country for the last 35 years. She represents the capitulation of the Democratic Party under the DLC/Centrists to the interests of Corporate America (actually Big Global Capital) at the expense of the Majority, while assisting in the process of pushing the perceived political spectrum way too far to the right on the issues of Wealth and Power.

No matter how much she "cares" she is not going to break that stranglehold, not does she want to. She may have liberal instincts on some issues, but she far too locked into the corrupt status quo to even realize her own complicity in it.

I can't let empathy for her as a person distort the fact that she is NOT some poor underdog, or some woman who is being picked on. There is also a bit of a contradiction in your characterization of her as a fighter, and the sympathy she elicits in you. She can't simultaneously be a picked-on victim and "one tough bitch."

I started supporting her for similar reasons, but everything always comes back to getting things done. Inspiration is great, but I want someone who's tenacious enough to actually get things passed through congress. I also don't believe that we can shrug off what was fought in the 60's and 70's, those battles haven't been won yet, and no amount of conciliatory rhetoric can change that fact.

I'm so happy that you've decided to support her.

:)

What a discussion of substance that would be!

:woohoo:
:applause:
:woohoo:
:applause:

Your posts always seem to be insightful.

When I decided to support her last fall I posted that I felt it was my duty (as a second waver) to do what I could to get her back.

I felt that if Hillary had the personal resources to attempt what I knew was going to be massive character and sexist assassination of her, I had to find the ability to stand with her. I had to be prepared for the painful emotional roller coaster I knew I was about to get on as all of the disappointments of my 20s, 30s and 40s came roaring back into full focus. My hope was that a national conversation would begin again and it would shine a bright light on the sexist structure that is still so firmly in place.

I wrote her a note back then and told her that her candidacy was a "win win" no matter what. I wrote her that even if she doesn't win the election she will spark a dialog (and perhaps a movement) that desperately needs a 21st century airing.

they have been indeed trying their best to assassinate her character.

When I talk to various Republican acquaintances, they all say that the vitriol is transferred over from Bill. There is a certain element of the rightwing population that has always loathed Bill Clinton and always will.

:hi:

appreciated.

http://www.storyofstuff.com/

More of the same...


Same old corporate capitalist shit, different container...


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On Edit: this sort of post sounds more like someone who feels sorry for a poor widdle puppy 'cause all those nasty people are saying nasty things about it... They've got you folks fooled -- you're so concerned with the horse race bullshit you don't realize that all of the corporate candidates will SCREW YOU IF ELECTED!!!

it's refreshing to see someone who can support a candidate with conviction and without the need to tear apart the competition. I'd be proud to supprt ANY ONE of the Democratic candidates, they ALL are a fine lot. Conversely, the Republican group make me laugh when I'm not wretching.

You say that you want a fighter, somebody who wants to explain why our vision is better.

I do not doubt that Hillary is a fighter, but what does she fight for? What vision has she advanced during this primary except her own experience and inevitable nomination? Her website's main output is "Another bigshot endorses Hillary".

She's going to explain why our vision is better? Since when? She does her best to make sure that "our" vision is the same as their vision. What is her vision? Fiscal responsibility, just like Nixon's. Middle class tax cuts, just like Reagan's. Remember too, that she defines "middle class" as an individual, not a family, but an individual who makes $110,000 a year. She sure was prepared to fight to keep that poor middle classer from facing a tax increase. So prepared that she lied about the size of the tax increase. It became a trillion dollar tax increase on the middle class. That's the same kind of dishonest argument I would expect from the Bush administration or a rightwing pundit to oppose tax increases.

She choked up the other day, thinking of how horrible it would be for this country if Obama or Edwards or Biden or Dodd became President. "I just don't wanna see us go backwards," she said. Neither do I, and that's why I am firm in my resolve to oppose a Hillary nomination because I think it will be a disaster for our party and our country.

Honestly, rugg, you are such a reasonable person that I would have thought twice about a candidate if you recommended him or her. I am already a big Hillary supporter but I would have considered someone else if you thought they were decent.

And I believe in my heart and soul that Hillary is going to protect us gays.

Cheers.

The idea that Hillary could "heal a divided nation" is a little too pie in the sky for me. She's literally one of the most divisive figures in recent American history, with her husband and the Chimp being the other two.

She may very well win, but if anyone thinks the last 12 years of the Clinton/Bush empire have been ugly when it comes to divisiveness then just stick around.

pay at least a kind of lip service to unity/healing, especially when they are first in office. She certainly will give it more of a shot than Bush has. And I suspect, oddly enough, that she would not inspire the kind of rabid hatred, once in office, that her husband did. She is not quite as much of a "co-optor" kind of politician as he is.

Glad to have you with us. :)

i don't understand why you guys make some big announcement over something thats been totally obvious....

The OP has long been one of her most vocal proponents on this board.

Fer fuck's sake, we're not blind....

I have seen more women rally around her in the last few weeks due to the sexist and vicious attacks that she has received from almost everybody in the media. I mentioned yesterday that 2 Republican women at work had told me that they hoped Hillary won the NH primary because they were sickened by the way that she was being treated by the media. These same women were the first to congratulate me yesterday morning. They may not vote for her in the GE (I'm still working on them), but they were happy that she was able to triumph and beat all the polls and pundits. Last night I had a meeting with my volunteer group and the first thing that my very Republican female boss said to me this morning was to ask me how had the meeting gone. I'm working on her too, maybe by Nov. I'll have her on our side. LOL!!!

My point is that whether some women like Hillary or not, we are women first and foremost. When we see that a fellow woman who is the first of her gender to get this far ahead in a presidential race is unfairly attacked we close ranks.

Whether she wins or not the nomination or the general election, Hillary's candidacy has created great opportunities for all women who may want to run for president in the future. I'm old enough to know that 20 years ago this would have been an impossibility. Thank you Hillary!!!