And the Winner Is...

After coming up with a matrix of pros and cons in favor and against both Barack and Hillary, I found myself still in a quandary.  I ultimately marked my ballot and turned it in.

I like Hillary.  I admire her strength and resolve, her willingness to show a little vulnerability, and most of her plans.  Though I disagreed with her choice to stay married to a philanderer, I know that marriages are complex and the things that happen on the inside are not easily understood by people on the outside looking in.  I admire greatly Hillary's lifetime of service in pursuit of social justice for those who stand outside the political process.  But, when the rubber hit the road, I chose Obama.

The reason was not so much the desire for change or the resume or experience or lack thereof.  It was not the man, but the movement he inspires.  It was the hopeful "Students for Obama" that I met at the San Mateo Straw Poll.  It was hearing elderly African Americans who have never voted in an election before this one say how excited they were to be voting for someone they believed in.  It was the culmination of Martin Luther King's dream that a child should not be judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character.  It was the tens of thousands who attended rallies for him in the unlikeliest of places.  It was the combined force of imagination and inspiration that led me to mark my ballot in favor of Obama.

As Americans, we have high ideals of what our nation should be.  We put forth the notions of democracy, freedom, and justice for all, but the reality often falls short.  The cynic in me thinks that these ideals go against human nature, and that is why they are so hard to achieve.  The idealist in me says that when we stop striving for these better parts of our nature, we will be lost, as a people and as a species.

I like to think that the President we choose will be the face of what we want to present to the world.  Will it be one of steely resolve and resilience, backed by compassion and a lifetime of uphill battles? If so, we will choose Hillary.  Will it be the face of hope and optimism, of the blending of cultures to create something greater than the parts?  If so, then it is Barack's face I see.  I'd like to think that as a nation, we are all of those things and more.  Choosing the President is only the beginning.  Choosing to live for the causes of freedom, democracy, and social justice are the real challenge.

Whoever wins the nomination, I will support wholeheartedly, without reservation.  Whoever wins the Presidency will be my President, regardless of party or whether or not I agree with every decision he or she makes.   I just hope that person is a Democrat.

Cross-posted at The Silent I .

Comments

[Len Edgerly]

This is one of the best comparisons of Obama and Hillary that I've read. I agree that the movement aspect is the real draw for Obama, because it embodies his message of transformation. I saw it on the faces of the Coloradans I caucused with tonight at a middle school in Denver. Thrilling, really, to see people so full of hope that things can change, and that they can be part of it happening.

I feel the possibility of transformation myself. When things got testy between the Hillary and Obama camps tonight, I found myself reaching out to the other side for the goal of having our precinct accomplish its goal of having a fair, dignified vote. Somewhere in the back of my mind was the image of Obama transforming politics, treating people with respect. If my unspoken question to myself was, "What would Barack do?" the answer was he'd lighten the tension, maybe with some humor, and see how to get the job done together. By the end of the night, I'd made a friend with one of the Hillary leaders, impressed at her clarity and style.

[PunditMom]

This is a great post. Now, I have to decide for next Tuesday.

[KL]

Great Post Glennia and a wonderful follow up comment from Len. If Obama has shown us anything in his campaign, it is that a positive campaign does work. That even when you've got a force of nature, a Billdog, and a tank of an organization coming at you, you can choose not to engage at the same level and still come away with 50+% of the votes. If this in itself can't be considered as having "transformed" politics in America, then I don't belong in this discussion anymore.

So, no, I'm not afraid for Obama. I'm not afraid of what the Republicans are going to throw at him. I don't care that they're going to call him names, and throw sticks at him. Because I believe that Americans are not stupid, and for once, I'm glad we have a candidate who SHOWS us that he believes it too.

[lildb]

Beautiful.

And, yes, absolutely. Our Democratic nominee is going to get my vote. No matter what.

[Amy S.]

Great post. Congrats on your decision. I believe Obama can offer the best of all of the faces that you describe. One of determination and resolve, but mixed with compassion and humanity.

[honglien123]

Great post Glennia, one of the most fair minded that I've come across in the last several weeks. Now whomever the democratic nominee is, hopefully they will be able to repair the rift in the party from all this name calling (ie racist, sexist, drone, etc). As a centrist, I like Hillary's stance and procedural clarity on how she would enact some of her policies more. However, I do like Obama's charisma and rhetoric. It is inspiring. There is as is oft mentioned, an embarassment of riches in the fact that there are two qualified candidates here and either of them nominated or elected would change the world. Obama's nomination and election would show that America isn't just a place where whites reach the highest level. Clinton's nomination and election would show countries where women are treated like dirt that a woman can be the leader of the most powerful country on earth. It's too bad these two fine people both have campaigns and supporters who have been less than diplomatic. Looking forward, I hope that whoever wins will have the wisdom that they need what the other lacks. Obama-Clinton, Clinton-Obama...rolls of the tongue doesn't it?