Electoral Stream of Consciousness

I couldn't wait to vote for Bill Clinton.  It was the first time I voted in a presidential election, and I thought he was going to change the world--truly I did.  He was so inspiring, so charismatic, so smart.

He did some amazing things while he was in office: establishing FMLA (which, though wholly inadequate, was a good start), nominating Ruth Bader Ginsburg to the Supreme Court, getting control over the federal deficit.  He also did some less than amazing things: the embarrassing compromise of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the directive authorizing extraordinary rendition, and, of course, that little problem with the intern.

Going into this primary, I had assumed I would vote for another Clinton:  she's less charismatic than Bill, but she's smart, and she's the senator from my state, which makes her more likely to represent (or at least be aware of) the issues that concern me.

But the Obama juggernaut is hard to ignore.  When I hear him speak, I feel the same way I felt about Bill Clinton back in the day.   It makes me believe that change is possible, that we can recover from the legacy of the Bush presidency.   I worry that his optimism is the result of naivete and inexperience--and that worry alone makes me reconsider Hillary Clinton.

She gets a bad rap.  There are people who hate her--hate her--for  reasons I just don't understand.  My mother is one of these.  The hatred is irrational and immutable; it makes me want to vote for Clinton just as a kick in the teeth to the haters (sorry mom).

But it is the hatred that, I think, makes Obama the stronger candidate in the general election. 

I would like to take my daughter into the voting booth so that, with one pull of the lever, she can see a whole new world open to her, but I don't think I'll know who has the best chance of  doing that until I draw the curtain.

Comments

[midlife mommy]

Ouch! That kick hurt. Can you ask your mom if she could share some of that ice she's using? (Really, just kidding here, but only about the ice.)

I had a hard time deciding as well. This has been a weird election season, no?

[elana]

this is exactly how i've been thinking for weeks. i love them both, in different ways, you know? and i honestly didn't know who i was going to vote for until i walked into the booth this morning (i'm also in nyc).

[Carla Hinkle]

I agree. I never thought I'd see the day when I had the opportunity to vote for a woman for a presidential nominee and didn't. But in the end, the chance (*chance*) for hope and change and optimism won out for me.

I'm in California ...

[Suz]

You've captured some of my ambivalence about Clinton perfectly.

[Lynnette]

Yes, that was my train of thought, exactly. I even entertained the idea of voting for Romney or Huchabee, just to add a touch of Survivor-esque strategy to my vote. In the end, I touched the screen, in full view of the my twin daughters in their stroller and who knows who else, and voted for Hil. Bill got to me back in the summer of '92, too, and I'm hoping there's a little left in both of them to keep fighting the good fight.

[Monica]

I could have written these exact words. When I walked into the booth this morning wearing my baby girl, I felt so happy that the candidates available are truly historic, but I looked down at her and just knew who I wanted...for her, for me, for the country.

[Amanda]

Last night I was up until the wee hours of the morning flipping back and forth between the two web sites. Looking for that one clue that would make me say, "AHA! I have to vote for you." or "AHA! I can not vote for you."

On paper they are the same candidate. So in the end it came down to gut. I had a feeling with Bill Clinton when I proudly voted for him. I guess you could say I have the audacity to Hope again...

[Mindy]

I held my nose today, gagged, and voted for Hillary, because she has more xperience. She's the lesser of two evils. I'm a real republican, registered as a Democrat, because I'd like to be able to vote in NY...

[millie]

I felt exactly the same way. I was really torn today and changed my mind a dozen times.

[Jenn]

This independent voted for Obama, for much of the same reasons you did. Amazing how the election takes on new meaning as a parent....

[Diana]

Yes, but the drama of pulling the lever in the presence of my daughter lost a little of its regal aspect when I was reduced to coloring in squares with a magic marker that smelled like licorice...our County Clerk is not so much in the pocket of Diebold, but is throwing the business to Scented Markers, Inc.

It was a tough choice, but I opted for kicking in the teeth of the haters myself.

[Nicole]

I'm a Canadian, living in Canada (and I'm a politics geek - MA in Political Science, check). I quite enjoy watching the US elections. I lean to the the Democratic side. I wrote a long post about this last night (in the depths of a nyquil stupor). My feelings are pretty much the same as yours; I dream of voting for a woman for head office - yet someone like Obama is very compelling.

[Amy]

I've never understood the wingnuts hatred of the Clintons. Although I yearn for a woman President, I can't stop the goosebumps that Obama gives me. Indiana primaries aren't until May, so it's usually long since decided by the time it gets here.

I can't wait to see how this plays out!

[Sassy]

I'm in Australia and I must say that Hillary isn't exactly being embraced by the media over here. Every shot you see of her seems to be about her crying about something while Obama is shown to be this massive strong black man. It's truly very weird.

Whoever wins I just hope and pray the world never has to suffer another George Bush (or John Howard for that matter).

[Rebeccah]

I was a huge Hillary fan years ago, but she's worn out her welcome with me. I was thinking about Edwards for awhile, but when I went to hear Obama in person, the man sent shivers down my spine -- as you say, it was just like Bill back in the day -- and I was a goner.

P.S. Tag, you're it! (see my blog for the rules of the game...)