Hillary Clinton spoke to her loyal supporters yesterday at the DNC as she urged them to vote for Barack Obama. It was a passionate dynamic speech, it played to her strengths, it showed her as a candidate for the future. It reminded me of why I wanted her to win in the first place.
She knows that we’re out here. A group of angry people, mostly women, who still feel the sting of her defeat. We still believe she was the better candidate, we don’t care for Barack Obama. If he loses, they’ll blame us, like they blamed the folks who voted for Nader in 2000.
Hillary asked if we were in this campaign just for her?
No Hillary I wasn’t in this campaign just for you. I was in it for me. I was in it for all of the women who walk that impossible line trying to be strong, but feminine, tough, but likable, loud, but not shrill, the virgin but the whore, the whore but the vigin. I was in it because I saw someone attempting something so big… something I’d stopped believing could happen. And it didn’t happen. But it was so close.
And I watched misogyny rear its ugly head and roar. It wasn’t just men, it was women too. Women! How does society fill us with such self loathing? How many times have a heard women say they don’t like working for a female boss? Or other women? Or that they only have male friends? That women can’t be trusted or are catty?
I voted for Nader in 2000…. Don’t tell me I lost Gore the election, a) I’m in MA and he got all of our electoral votes, b) the election was stolen, the votes were not even recounted in Florida! And c) Gore could have had my vote if he had earned it.
And that’s the crux of it. Omaba can have all of our votes if he earns them.
Hey, Kool Thing, come here, sit down beside me
there's something I gotta ask you.
I just wanna know, what are you gonna do for me?
I mean, are you gonna liberate us girls
from male white corporate oppression?
So sweetie, you want Hillary to make amends and sweep her supporters over to you… because we are bitter and hurt by the way the election turned out… so we, like her are supposed to concede to you and just give you our votes and what… be happy about it? Because we lost we don’t a voice? No, I don’t think so. The party has always trusted that women would just get in line and do what’s right. Always vote for the lesser of two evils. Where does that leave us? Where is our voice in that?
How about instead, you reach out to us and earn our votes. Instead of being insulted that we preferred a different candidate, show us why we should want to vote for you. I promise to keep an open mind about you… what are you going to promise me?
Maybe its a mans world, but we live here too, we out number you and you’re going to have to recognize us if you want to earn our votes. Okay sweetie?
Good luck.
And Hillary, you make me proud.
2 comments:
What do you think of Palin for McCain's VP nomination? She ruffles me the wrong way and she also feels like a slap in the face.
I just really do not care who is president at this point as long as their plan is not this:
http://www.johnmccain.com/Informing/Issues/da151a1c-733a-4dc1-9cd3-f9ca5caba1de.htm
I have always liked Obama. Honestly, Hillary has been rubbing me the wrong way for the greater part of her campaign. What I feel needs to happen to sort out the mess Bush has made of this country... she just wasn't planning. But then, I lack the feminist view of things you do. Not sure why since I think our overall views and values are pretty similar at the core.
On a side note, today Arwyn's preschool teacher came to visit and asked Arwyn if she had any aunts and she told her she had Auntie Lizzie, Auntie Cake, Aunties Zoe, and Auntie Tania in that order. She completely left out Ry's sister Sandy... clearly we see what the ladder of love is. :)
McCain did pick her in great part because she is a woman and I'm sure he wan't to pick up the disenfranchised Hillary voters. I would hope that wouldn't work because she is very right wing.
I was expecting him to pick a woman, I didn't expect her. She is very out of synch with my political ideas. But beyond her political views, at this point I don't know enough about her to say if she rubs me the wrong way. McCain certainly does.
You know me, I'm a way lefty feminist. It was how I was raised. It's a huge part of who I am.
I don't think we are so different in our views though. I'm pretty confident that you don't want to be treated like a second class citizen ;)
Speaking of overall values being the same... Hillary and Barack had very similar views on most things. It's the execution that I think would be different.
As much as Hillary being female inspired me, and my stirs the feminist in me. I actually did believe her to be the best candidate.
I thought she would have a better chance of manipulating Washington for the good of the people. She has a pretty good record as a senator. The people of New York have been pleased with her. She's no Barbara Boxer, but there isn't anyone in the arena as fantastic as Barbara Boxer.
I always thought Barack Obama came off as a bit hollow. I didn't believe in him. Somehow it was different not believing that Hillary would produce as much as she promised. She didn't promise the moon.
And once he got the nomination he turned into the regular old slimy politician that I thought was. He was suddenly pro gun and pro school vouchers. He wasn't the liberal left that they talked him up to be.
I really feel he never reached out to the Hillary folks and offered us anything on the feminist front. Like most men, and who am I kidding, most people I really believe he thinks the fight is over. That the few feminists still out there are just making a fuss.
Maybe I'm in the wrong here. Maybe this is all women will get. Maybe the social dynamic will never balance. Maybe the fight is over. Maybe this is all women want. Maybe 77 cents to the dollar sounds good to everyone. It's better than 5o cents right? Maybe men are from mars and women are from venus, end of story (even though we all have live on earth). Maybe I should want to be a man. But I can't quite bring myself to believe all of that.
Right... I say Barack Obama has two months to debate, to challenge, and change my mind about him. I hope he does. I hope the who Democratic Party makes me change my mind about them.
I would never vote for McCain, rest assured.
Oh Arwyn is too cute! I just love her to pieces!
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