“If you hear the dogs, keep going. If you see the torches in the woods, keep going. If there's shouting after you, keep going. Don't ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going.” --Hillary Clinton on Harriet Tubman
Life moves forward, whether we're ready or not. Time passes, seasons change, the world just keeps going. But – after last night – one thing is abundantly, unquestionably clear: Hillary Clinton is ready to move forward. She has moved forward. She knows we must move forward. She knows we can't afford four more years of the last eight years. Her speech last night was nothing short of masterful. But then I never doubted it, or her, in the first place. I was part of her sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits. I watched her the entire primary process. I voted for her with uninhibited pride. I felt my heart break a little with her loss. But, that's life. You win, you lose – either way you have to keep going.
I wasn't in this campaign just for Hillary. I was in this campaign for a better America. I believed she could deliver that better America. But I believe that Barack Obama can, too. In fact, I know he can. He must. The disappointment may still be real, but the realities are impossible to ignore. Two wars. A deepening recession. A staggering chasm between the rich and poor. A dangerously warming planet. Continually eroding civil liberties. Families losing their homes. Children without health care. This is why I was in this campaign. I was in this campaign because I wanted all of that to change. I wanted finally to feel like our country was on the right track again. I wanted again to show the greatness that can exist within the hearts of everyday citizens. History is made not just by the winners, but all those who worked tirelessly along the way to pave the road. So, now, we keep fighting. Keep believing. Keep going. This is the story of America, and it's a great one.
18 comments:
There are no words to express the profoudness of my admiration for Hillary. She's beyond exmplary. I admire and respect in ways that are inexplicable.
I admit I had been nervous about this speech, especially with the hype surrounding the potential defection of Clinton backers.
Instead, I was so proud of her. To say she knocked it out of the park is an understatement, and in 40 minutes she showed us what might have been.
(Not meaning to be picky, but for those who don't know - you might want to explain that quote is from Harriet Tubman).
Hillary was masterful and mesmerizing last night. My heart is still breaking she won't be President this January, but I am hopeful for the future. 18 million cracks and counting!
Thank you for a great post.
Yes....it is a great story. No matter how frustrating it may feel at times to be an American...this is truly an amazing and wonderful country.
I'm writing Hillary's name in. The fact is, the media has wrangled this election and the Democratic party has gone along with it because Obama is the chosen one, along with some help from the Republicans who hate Hillary and anything Clinton. This election wreaks of Karl Rove, et al. The republicans wanted nothing to do with Hillary, and their wish has come true. I won't have anyone tell me who to vote for.
I admit, I've been an Obama fan from the start.
But she really impressed me last night. The whole presentation, from the video to her speech, was awe-inspiring.
I really don't understand people who say they'd rather vote for McCain or not vote at all than vote for Obama. I just really don't get it. If someone (maybe Sam?) could explain that to me, I'd appreciate it.
Lovely post, Snarks.
Why I can't vote for Obama,
In no particular order:
His pastor who he listened to by choice for over 20 years
Marriage: One Man One Woman
His inexperience
His claim that he is bipartisan but no record of actually acting on that while in Congress
I could say his arrogance, but one has to be somewhat arrogant to even run for president
I feel very sad saying this, but I think I will abstain on the President this year
That speech last night just made me pine for the way things might have been...
I'll vote for Obama, but I won't be happy about it. PA is too close a call between Obama and McNasty for me to throw my vote away. Who knew I'd look back wistfully to when I threw my vote away on Ross Perot (twice).
I wanted to second what anonymous said above at 11.35am.
I live here in the US, but I'm here on a student visa, so I can't vote.
But if I could, I probably would screw up and swallow my bile and vote for Obama, though I'm leaning third-party, such as the Greens (like McKinney!).
I was never really in love with Clinton, but good grief did I really REALLY like her. Obama has a country-mile to go on environmental policy, health-care policy, LGBT-rights, and, particularly, women's rights (all for a start) for me to even remotely like him.
Not to mention, his expansion of faith-based programs scares the pants(uit) off me *shudder*
Good grief but that speech was incredible, and she was SO presidential up there. She was a President on that stage in a way I have very rarely ever seen. She impressed me throughout the campaign, but that speech ... wow.
So yeah, as I said, if I could vote, I probably would go for Obama, but really my heart wouldn't remotely be in it. I so could understand why someone would go third-party or simply not turn up.
And don't get me started on the Democratic party, gah.
I appreciate your answers. I was afraid this would turn ugly by my voicing a simple lack of understanding. so thanks for showing civility.
I guess the way I see it, a vote for McCain, or no vote at all terrifies me. Especially from people who agree with Clinton's platform.
I looked at McCain's site last night. He states rather clearly that he wants to overturn Roe V. Wade. And while neither Clinton, nor Obama are willing to support full marriage rights, McCain's claims to defend marriage irk me.
Basically I'm afraid of what might come about if McCain wins the election.
I was talking to a friend last night. He is a Hilary supporter. He likes Obama, but he and I see what is currently going on, and we recall the Kerry/Bush election. Maybe we didn't love Kerry. Maybe we felt that he was unremarkable in a number of ways. But when it came down to it, we voted for the party. Maybe not the person, but the party that more closely resembled our beliefs.
I guess I can only hope others will understand that argument.
In the meantime, discussion is all I could hope for. So again, thanks for keeping this civil.
Asher -
The thing you'll have to realise is just NEVER to tell someone that has decided to vote third-party or simply not vote, that they are somehow supporting McCain.
Their vote is their vote. Period.
Voting your principles is just as viable a voting decision as strategic voting. Personally I would vote strategically, for all that I don't like Obama. But I certainly would understand why someone would vote third party or not vote, because their principles wouldn't let them ... because honestly, I'm not that far from such. But I would still respect such even if this weren't the case.
Now an outright vote for McCain is different, and about as putrid an act as you can get in politics.
But nonetheless, not voting for either Obama or McCain is a perfectly reasonable position to take, and one needs to respect that someone might have very viable reasons for doing so.
She was pretty amazing. I got to catch only the last part of her speech but was really awed by it. And i'm not even american.
Believe me, I've gone back and for on the "to vote or not to vote" for Obama.
Here are a few brief insights on why I will write-in Hillary's name:
I'm one of those voters who will forever be scarred by the 2000presidential election. What the DNC has done during this primary season wreaks of dirty tactics, especially in MI and FL. Let's not even get started on counting caucus votes instead of both caucus and primary votes. Why this changes every 4 years is beyond me.
I've attempted to do some homework on what Obama stands for, but still come up empty. What I did find, though, were some interesting archived articles from TIME (Obama's Red State Appeal) and Politico (GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable) magazines about how, back in 2007, Republicans feared another Clinton presidency, and threw their support (and money) into the Obama campaign.
Also, the media hasn't done enough digging on Obama. Take for instance the Excelon incident in Obama's home state of Illinois. The nuclear plant hid the fact they were leaking radioactive materials. While Obama said he took action, introducing a bill to require nuclear plants to notify the public of such leaks, the acutal bill turned into a watered down verson, not requiring notifying the public, but instead suggested "guidelines" for regulators to follow. Why the sudden change? $$$$$ from Excelon execs. You can read the full story yourself in the NYT, February 3, 2008, Nuclear Leaks and Response Tested Obama in Senate.
Clinton's fundraising efforts were far more put under the microscope than Obama's. Heck, everything Clinton did was put under the microscope. Obama was teated with kid-gloves (remember the SNL skits)?
Can anyone really remember a primary season when the "super delegates" were pressed on who they would support, and so soon into the primary? Why was she "forced" to conceed? I'm dating myself here, but in 1980, I don't remember anyone telling Ted Kennedy to step down in his race against Jimmy Carter.
Everything Clinton put forth was attacked, scrutinized in a mysoginistic way (a woman scorned, pant-suit politics), and patronized. She never backed-down until she was "forced" to. I will forever admire her strength.
As an independent, I am really struggling as to what to do come November.
Since I turned 18 and could vote for the first time, I have never not voted. So that is out.
But the appeal to come together for the sake of the party doesn't do for me. lol
I actually see similiarities between McCain and Obama...letting their faith define who they think can get married...changing their opinions on off-shore drilling based on reactionary polls...wagging their fingers at lobbyists and special interest groups for being in the wrong (but of course, they mean someone else's special interest group and lobbyist pals, not their own).
And I don't want to vote based on fear...that was the tone of the last election and I don't want to react to the fear that possibly during the next 4 years there will be a change in the Supreme Court.
My concern regarding Hillary was that...like Al Gore...after she would be out of contention for president then all of the US would get to see Hillary at her best...the real Hillary that we here in New York know exists. And that is exactly what we saw last night. I have read on different boards people now saying they would have crossed party lines to vote for Hillary if she was the democratic nominee.
*sigh*
And also during this presidential election coverage, I have experienced a profound disappointment in the so-called news media. They didn't even try to hide the fact that they worked so hard to actually create the news this time around.
It used to be just the political parties I had a problem with...the new media topped them this past year.
I was a Hillary delegate from my precinct all the way through to the Colorado State Democratic Convention and I got to watch her speech on the BIG screen at the HRC Rock to Win concert in Denver last night: http://theweyrd1.blogspot.com/2008/08/wednesdays-whine-whewim-tired.html
It was all so awesome and emotional too!
A vote for McCain or not voting is your choice but just expect to have more of the same that Bush has given us. I live in AZ and if McCain is so great then why is AZ always at or near the bottom of all states as far as money spent on education and any services for its citizens. McCain voted against making MLK, Jr. Day a National Holiday. He voted against benefits for returning veterans. He voted against the bill that Biden helped change into law: The Bill that made violence against women a crime. He is against gay marriage and even civil unions. He has vowed to overthrow Roe v. Wade. He doesn't believe that a woman should have the right to choose. He is a Neanderthal as far as his social philosophies. As Joe Biden said,"He (McCain) may be a good soldier but we now need a wise leader."
A Democrat in AZ
"A vote for McCain or not voting is your choice but just expect to have more of the same that Bush has given us. "
That pretty well sums up the fear I have of people choosing to not vote or vote for a 3rd party/write in candidate. I'm all about people voting for who they believe in. I really am.
I would just argue that in all reality the next President of the US will either be Barack Obama or John McCain.
I know who I'd rather have in office.
I guess I'm just a realist, not an idealist.
I love your review of Hillary. I was ready to follow her all the way to the White House, but what is your take on Sarah Palin?
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