Edging toward Obama
Kathy Heicher
Posted: 05.12.2008 / 10:38 PM EDT
When the Eagle County Democratic political caucuses convened in February, the Hillary Clinton supporters consisted almost entirely of women my age. We Baby Boomer liberals shared a common philosophy: It was time for a woman president.
One woman, a mile-mannered career pre-school teacher, shed her normally quiet demeanor to deliver a couple of impassioned caucus speeches in support of Hillary Clinton. By far the majority of the precinct caucus attendees, most of them young, first-timers, were spirited Obama supporters. We appreciated their enthusiasm; but argued that Clinton had earned the position.
Ten weeks later, opinions are changing. As the Democratic race draws on, and Hillary’s numbers tumble, her support from this peer group is eroding. Many former Clinton supporters are put-off by the political aggressiveness of the Clintons. The race has become nasty; to the point that it could be hurting whichever Democrat makes it to the general election. We’re growing weary of the political games and shrill rhetoric. The Clintons are starting to sound like the political “establishment” that we distrusted when we were in our 20s.
There’s concern that political strategizing and manipulating of the super delegate votes could give Clinton the margin she needs for a victory — which would then disenfranchise all of those young Obama voters. Nobody wants to squash that young enthusiasm.
When we were first old enough to vote, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, the political issues were big. We campaigned against the Vietnam war, and for women’s rights. We politicked for the environment and against racial prejudice. Most of us have never missed an opportunity to vote in a presidential election.
Many of us carried that political activism throughout our lives. We chose to lie in a small town, and we’re paying our dues. We’ve taken turns serving on Town Boards, School Board, and Library District Boards.. We helped organize the grassroots citizen group that spent 30 years successfully fighting a proposed ski resort development in a beautiful valley south of town. (That valley is now a state park.) Five years ago, it was the Baby Boomer moms who organized the “Eagle Valley Citizens for Peace,” and staged an anti-war rally in downtown Eagle. We had experience at that sort of thing. We understand the political system.
So, if it’s not going to be Hillary, we’re okay with Obama. We can adapt. It’s time for a younger generation to catch the political spirit, and take up the fight.
May 13th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
“We appreciated their enthusiasm; but argued that Clinton had earned the position.”
EARNED the position?
EARNED IT?
(((EARNED IT?????????????????)))
I’m a 51 year old while college-graduated CEO and this is EXACTLY THE KIND OF **** I associate with Hillary Clinton.
Let me give you a reality check:
Hillary Clinton has successfully substituted Marriage for Experience.
She apparently managed to con you, Madame; SHE NEVER ONCE CONNED ME.
This woman is a disgrace to my sex, but virtue of her pathetic lack of self-confidence.
THE FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT needs to be someone who, in unambiguously-BIOGRAPHICAL terms, GOT THERE ON HER OWN.
Got that?
Christine Gregoire is a great example, but there are hundreds — thousands — of other women, any one of whom GOT THERE ON THEIR OWN.
Before you race to put a BRITTLE HARRIDAN like Mrs. Clinton in office, consider that this history-making occasion will go into the history books that will be read by every little girl from that year in history . . . FORWARD.
The message should not be “Just marry well, and you can advance your career.”
No Madame.
The message should be this:
You, young lady, can be anything in this God’s Greatest nation we are blessed to live in, based upon NOTHING but your own initiative, ambition, skill, wit, and intelligence.
You need not ever stoop to rely on what amounts to a Pity Vote from the citizens of New York State, who elected the humiliated spouse of an impeached president in some bizarre excercise in revenge, to advance your career.
THINK, Ladies.
USE YOUR BRAIN!
We can do much, MUCH better than this.
Be patient.
It is coming Ladies.
It IS coming.
BUT IT MUST BE THE RIGHT ONE, or we consign our very potential to the ashheap of DESPERATION.
Signed,
A white, 51-year old woman (widowed)
Registered Democrat
CEO and College Graduate
PROUDLY voted for Senator Obama in the California Super Tuesday Primary
PROUDLY donated the maximum allowable to Senator Obama’s Campaign (knowing what he was up against with the Clinton Machine in California)
May 14th, 2008 at 7:34 am
Okay, um, Miss Chievous–Hillary Clinton is the brittle harridan?
Folks, this is what the politics of envy looks like up close and personal. I’ve seen shrieking emails before, but this one takes the cake. In fact, it’s so extreme that I think it’s a hoax. Hope so.
I don’t think you got the point of the blog: the blogger has gone over to the Obama side. There is little chance that Hillary will be the candidate, for the simple reason that she is no longer this month’s blonde amongst the Hollywood set.
Take some kind of chill pill and start trying to figure out how the “company” of which you are “CEO” is going to survive an Obama presidency with its promise of onerous new taxe$$$.