Okay, so the McCain camp keeps saying they got the Hillary voters. Sorry, but I just don't believe it.
Let us first examine the demographic of the Die-hards: Hillary supporters are mainly middle-aged women who came of age during the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70's and are VERY committed to the idea that Hillary is a woman and was to be the first female president. They enjoy spirited debates about women's rights and how the media unfairly characterized Hillary througout the primary season.
Now, let us examine a prominent plank in the Republican party: They are Pro-Life and do not believe a woman has the right to an abortion, except for in the case of the health of the mother (and some don't even like THAT qualifier). Their main goal is to do all they can to strike down Roe v. Wade or make it next to impossible for a woman to obtain a safe abortion in this country. Basically, reverting back to 1972 when maternal mortality rates were at an all-time high. Why, you ask? Oh yeah, because women were dying from back alley, unsafe abortions, that's why!
Yeah, I could totally see where the Hillary Die-hards and the Republican party find common ground.
Note to the other side: If you really want to do ANYTHING to lower abortions rates, making them unavailable has been proven to make it worse, not better. How about providing adequate, COMPREHENSIVE sex education and easy access to family planning methods (and by "methods" I don't mean strict confession and a prayer that it didn't "take")? Allowing Big Pharm to make Viagra available at the drop of a hat, but making a woman shell out $130 for birth control seems a little like a mixed message to me. Don't you think? Isn't that your argument about abstinence only education?
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13 hours ago
8 comments:
I don't follow politics like many of you, but I think it is safe to say that it must be more than middle-aged women supporting Hillary Clinton. Middle-aged women alone cannot account for winning 48% of pledged delegates. I, for one, am disappointed with Obama for not choosing Hillary. I see how Biden balances well with Obama, but an Obama/Clinton ticket seemed like a sure win.
~Jen
Jen, you are completely right. Middle-aged women do not make up all of Hillary's supporters, or all of her die-hards. What I was getting at is that MOST of who supported Hillary would not just flop to McCain because they don't like Obama, especially with the view of women and reproductive health the Republican party has. But all that aside, how is life? We missed you in TnT!
Oh, now I see your point. Then you are right, too. As much as I am annoyed with Obama, I am not annoyed enough to vote for McCain. I don't know where you get the time to stay on top of these things!
Everything is fine here, other than school starting up again for both the girls and me... ugh. How are things in Queens? When is the next get-together? I wish we could have made it to TnT. It is painful to look at the pictures and know what we missed!
Biden was the choice to appeal t those in the middle of the political spectrum. Obama already had the vast majority of Clinton's voters so why spen resources on those who are already committed? N'est-ce pas?
Although I felt Hillary would make a great VP, I felt that she would make a terrible VP....for Barack Obama. Obama mentioned that his VP would have to be his #1 advisor. The person he felt he could trust the most to give him blunt advice yet 100% support. I felt if he had picked Hillary, in the end his candidacy and whole presidency would be undermined right from the beginning.
1) Imagine the commercials the RNC must've had lined up ready to go if he picked her. The dirt they would be ready to dish. Heck, he didn't pick her and their already re-running damaging quotes she made during the primary.
2) There would be a lack of trust and comfort there based on all the questioning she did of his ability to lead for the better part of half a year. Could he trust her advice? Could he trust her to let him govern with his own ideas without undermining his positions through surrogates?
3) Bill Clinton is STILL bitter. I can't help but feel that that underlying bitterness would run rampant and put a dark cloud over every decision Barack made..."Would Hillary make the same decision? Would Bill as President make the same decision?" God forbid if he made any mistake, the question would be asked if Hillary should have been the President. The question may still yet be asked.
4) He would be under a gigantic microscope by the media looking for any signs of disharmony between him and Hillary. As it is right now, the media is looking for any and all kinds of drama between him and her and their supporters. It'd be an endless free-for-all between Barack, her and Bill.
I just think to cut ties and go with someone like Biden makes his ability to govern if he wins that much easier to do...on a personal level for him and on a political level to get his policies enacted without second-guessing from your #1 advisor.
I have to say, after thinking about it in the months since the end of the primary season, I didn't think Hill would have been all that bad as VP (It may have gotten Obama some of her voters, though some wouldn't vote for him still), BUT I think it would have been bad for Obama to have to deal with an always second-guessing ex president in the VP husband role: Bill Clinton. I still don't like the fact that Hillary still refers to Obama as "my opponent" in many off-chances. Hmm. What does that say?
Also, the big elephant possibly in the room: Hillary asked not to be vetted for the position. Why? After thirsting sooo very long for the top spot? Information about Bill's business dealings and donors to his presidential library would have become public knowledge, possibly further damaging her credentials and revealing some not so nice things about where the Clintons get their money. VF had a great article about Bill's money deals a few months back, which I highly recommend (I am a fan of the mag in general). It was not at all just a cursory glance at their finances either.
It is quite possible, that in the end, the only undoing of Hillary's inevitability cloak (HP reference:P) was Bill, his shady money dealings, and his inability to stay on message during the primaries. Once again, Hill must cede the spotlight to a man who she has always supported in his ambitions, but seems to always sabotage hers. So very sad.
Oh and Jay, Biden was the choice to get those hard-working white Americans Hill was all about. No more french! No comprendemos!
Ce drame américain d'élection est fascinant ! !
"Canada: America's Hat."
'Nuff said.
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