Potomac pity party
The title of my last post says it all today: Maybe things DON’T happen for a reason.
I’m currently throwing stuff at the TV over the Virginia and D.C. election results. The Maryland polls close in 20 minutes, and I’m going to keep aerodynamic objects handy for what seems to be the inevitable.
I’ve felt this pressure to defend my voting for Hillary. I could give a hoot — it didn’t change my vote. But it seems like there was some sort of stigma associated with voting for the woman candidate. Like, I always made sure to say I was voting for her based on both her record and her potential.
But yeah, I think it’s time for a woman to be the leader of the free world. We all tell our daughters and nieces and younger women in our lives that they can grow up to be anything they want — they can be president. All right, then. Let’s SHOW THEM that they can!
If she were a lesser politician, I’d be the first to say no, vote for the other guy. But in a world where women still earn less money, where they are treated as second-class citizens (and their fathers and brothers and husbands think it’s OK to de-humanize them based on culture or just plain stupidity), and where our voices may be as loud as our male counterparts but yet they’re heard less, I truly feel it’s time to show the boys that it’s time to stop being the strong woman behind the man.
I just feel like the coverage was not balanced well. Articles surfaced in the last week with tones like, “If Obama wins, what will it mean for Clinton?” and not the reverse. Everyone is asking stupid questions about whether Bill can keep it in his pants if they get to move back into the White House.
So she’s not a media darling. Jesus Christ, so what? Like in every other realm of a female’s life, the woman deserves all the credit in the world for overcoming the obstacles that ANY candidate would endure, PLUS the extra heaping doses of scrutiny and criticism that don’t have thing one to do with the race, IMHO.
If Hillary weren’t running, I’d back Barack Obama. Really. And if he ends up with the Democratic nomination, I retract my statement that I’ll vote for Jon McCain. But knowing that McCain is likely to get the Republican nomination, I am not overly sure that Obama could win over him. But I think Hillary would be a more-formidable opponent in the general election.
I’m not certain why I’m taking this election so personally. I’m not a sore loser — God, I’ve lost more battles in my life than I can count. I’m sitting here with my heart in a thousand pieces, trying to figure out where to start re-assembling the jigsaw puzzle or whether to just keep carrying around this jumbled bag of glass because I no sooner start to heal than fall apart again.
I guess I’m sick of picking wrong, if that’s in fact what I do. Because I’m no dummy — I do nothing in vain. And maybe if my candidate wins or my choice works out, I’ll get my faith back in everything else.
I’m certain that even if Hills doesn’t win — and I really hope she DOES get every last delegate on her side — she will still go on to greater things. And, by proxy, so will I. But like these presidential hopefuls, do you keep the faith in your dream or do you find others to take their place? And how do you move on when all you’ve ever wanted slips through your hands like sand through a sieve?
February 13th, 2008 at 11:02 PM
[…] Potomac pity party. Caterwauling writes: I’ve felt this pressure to defend my voting for Hillary. I could give a hoot — it didn’t change my vote. But it seems like there was some sort of stigma associated with voting for the woman candidate. […]
February 14th, 2008 at 11:22 AM
See, I take no pity on you because you seem to be basing your choice on gender. It’s a woman’s turn? Why? Shouldn’t it go to the best qualified regardless of gender, race, etc? Nobody gets a turn. You either are the best fit for the job or you aren’t.
And yes, you try to say she’s a good politician, but what does that even mean? Does she do solid work for her constituents? Or is she just good at chin-wagging and palm-pressing? Who knows. What I do know is that she doesn’t get my vote because, to me, she lacks that certain something it will take to be a leader.
And for the record, I’m a woman.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Hold up…
So we are going to chastise Le Goddess because she didn’t state her case regarding her desire to see Clinton in office enough to satisfy you?
Your reason for not voting for her isn’t enough to satisfy me. Care to qualify that, or just bump your gums and snark that she doesn’t have “that certain something” for you?
February 14th, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Here’s one big problem I have with Hillary – watch her speeches. She seems distant and disinterested and inspires me in no way whatsoever. I watched speech after speech and it’s always the same. To take a note from an amazing standup philosopher – If you’re inspired by her, you were probably inspired by your high school principle. And sorry, to be president, you have to inspire and motivate or you’ll suck. So i guess my point is that I don’t believe she’ll be a good leader.
If you don’t like that reasoning, just go ahead and assume that I’m just bumping my gums.
February 15th, 2008 at 3:21 PM
Odd, I am inspired by her, but not so much my high school principal. I can’t even remember his name, he was that uninspiring.
At any rate, your reasoning doesn’t have much to do with policy making, but it is your reasoning, run with it. And, perhaps, before pointing fingers at others and chastising them for not spelling out their reasons clearly enough for your liking, you should really go back and read your own words.
kthxbai!
February 17th, 2008 at 8:37 AM
I would have no problem with a women pres… however I would have a huge problem with Clinton. We need to get away from the Clinton/Bush era, we need to NOT have an impeached pres in the white house in any form, we need someone who is respectable and honest and holds a modicum of integrity, none of which is Billery.
Women for pres, good idea, Clinton for pres, bad one. let’s get someone with less baggage and a little more self respect and not quite as much criminal history.
February 17th, 2008 at 2:29 PM
What makes you imply that the pushback was because you voted for a candidate who is a woman? (It’s implied in your entry by this statement: “But it seems like there was some sort of stigma associated with voting for the woman candidate.”)
Moreover, what’s wrong with some spirited conversation between friends about their politics? It’s called civic engagement. Reading it as persecution and pressure is a strange stretch.