The last time I touched the topic of the Democratic candidate, I expressed my preference for many of Ms. Clinton's policies over Obama's.
However, I have since become an Obama supporter. Not because I think any less of Clinton. No, it is because I have come to realize several hard realities.
One of those realities is that the conservative interests have spent the last 16 years fomenting active dislike (at best!) of Clinton. If Clinton were to become the Democratic candidate, I fear that many of the disenchanted, exhausted voters who might otherwise stay away from the polls will be revitalized, unified in their dislike for Hillary, and show up merely to vote against her. In listening to various radio programs and in polling my own extended conservative family and conservative friends, I am finding this more and more to be true.
Another reality, more positive, is that Obama seems to possesses an attraction to many people who have traditionally voted Republican. It could be they haven't had 16 years of negative media saddling their perceptions, and that their unconscious hope to see real change can find a home in a vote for Obama. I've heard Republicans say that they'd vote for Obama over anyone currently vying for the Republican nomination, but if it were Clinton, they'd go with any one of the Republicans (superstition-ridden McCain, or even crazy Huckabee!).
Hillary is a fight the right has been preparing for over the last two decades. Let's not give them that battlefront.
4 comments:
I came here looking for 4th Edition nuggets, but I have to agree with you on your political observation. Although I would be happy with either milestone (first female President or first African American President), I also believe that Republicans are masters of using fear, hate, and intolerance in their "get out the vote" efforts, and Hillary inspires all three in them. If she gets the nomination, I'm afraid that would be like yelling "Fire!" in a crowded theatre. That said, of all the Republican candidates, I think McCain is not reprehensible, has integrity, and his heart is in the right place. If the Democratic nominee lost to McCain, it would be disappointing. If Hillary lost to Romney, it would be tragic. IMHO, YMMV.
(BTW, I emailed enworld about your 4e blog update but they didn't post it. The bums.)
John,
Sorry no 4E stuff recently. I'll probably post another report of my next Monday night game come next week though! This week I'm writing an outline for a large 4E book while simultaneously writing another one; sadly, neither are in the catalog yet so mum's the word. I must also finish an article for DDi tonight that deals with creatures that originated and still live on the Shadowfell.
Politics: Yep :-).
Yeah, man, I hear you on this. Sad as I am as a woman not to be able to throw my support behind the first truly viable female candidate, Clinton starts the race with a gun loaded with some truly irrational hate pointed right at her head. They're just salivating for the chance to open fire.
Nicole,
Yeah. All Clinton's advantages are seen as negatives by those trained to hate her. She's a 'straight shooter' and tells people her plans--which seem too liberal to conservative thinkers. Obama usually talks in generalities, which is what I hated about him, but I've come to realize is probably his strategy for courting the right.
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