HILLARY CLINTON DOES
“THE RIGHT THING”
4
June 2008, by Pirate Joe
It was getting a little edgy... I (and millions of
others) kept wondering... I knew it was not an easy decision. (It’s not
easy to give up (or postpone) a dream) She should have done it last
night, (the final primaries of 2008) I suppose. All the cameras, live
coverage, coast-to-coast, etc, would have provided the perfect platform
for a party-unifying concession speech. Yet she just couldn’t. You know
something? I understand.
I, for one, am not so close-minded that I cannot
admit a certain admiration for someone even if I differ with them
philosophically and politically. With that in mind, even though I’m an
Obama supporter, I believe we should stand back for a moment, and
consider the accomplishments of this extraordinary woman who has gone,
(to paraphrase): “where no woman has ever gone before”. Hillary
Clinton, as most folks who seek political office, has a complex
personality. Determination, pride, hubris and even ruthlessness all
play a part in the makeup of anyone who has the drive to pursue a
political career. Throw in the chance to make a big splash in the
history books, (which, as we know, keep going long after we aren’t) and
perhaps you can see why this was such an overwhelmingly difficult and
bitter pill for her to swallow. Yet today, she sallied forth and did
it. She gave up for 2008, and perhaps forever, the chance to be the
first female president of the United States. Before you criticise her
too harshly for being late, ask yourself how well you would have borne
up under similar circumstances.
As the numbers kept going against her, it seemed
that she was increasingly out of touch with reality as she kept
pressing on, despite the huge threat to party unity (and her own image)
that such a course involved. Was she was ready to “burn the village”?
Or was she simply drifting off into her own imaginary reality in a
desperate attempt to avoid confronting the facts? Although I did
not support her candidacy, watching her seem to lose it was not at all
appealing. This remarkable, capable and intelligent woman did not
deserve to be walking the sidewalks muttering “I coulda been a contenda”. Plus,
if you want the VP slot, pissing off Barack Obama is probably not the best way to go about it.
Should she be offered the VP slot? Je ne sais pas.... It’s Barack
Obama’s decision, and he should be afforded the same lack of pressure
about his choice that John McCain is getting about his.
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