I was a little weepy this morning. No, I haven't dipped back in to the land of the miserable...these were tears of excitement, happiness and relief. I was weepy because I was watching Barack Obama's speech after surpassing the number of pledged delegates needed to clinch the nomination.
I started out supporting Ralph Nader, convinced that none of the mainstream parties would represent my views in politics. How could they? I'm so left I'm almost off the political map (my anarchist friends are convinced I am an anarchist in denial). At first I was taken with the idea of a woman as president, but realised quickly that I was unwilling to elect a woman at any cost - Hillary just didn't convince me that she wouldn't continue to make such disastrous decisions as suppressing trade union activity for Wal-Mart employees or getting into bed with corporations. Obama was appealing, but I was skeptical. I was wary of letting my emotions get the better of me and voting for a man I frankly was developing a bit of a crush on, instead of making my decision based on the facts. Yes, Nader was for me. Good old liberal, anti-capitalist Nader.
The the Race Speech happened.
I was blown away by Obama's frankness, his willingness to talk about things that politicians tend to dance around at all costs. Never had I seen a politician stand up and say what I was thinking without wondering if they were just feeding me a bunch of lines. He took my breath away. I resisted for a bit longer, but it was futile. Like so many others I let myself get carried away with the emotion of having someone use words like "hope" so willingly and unashamedly. I watched him during the debates, watched him speak with passion and humility. It's true, he doesn't always give direct solutions - that scared me at first. But by God, he is asking the questions! He is saying what needs to change, and it is all the same things that have left me ashamed and afraid for my country over the last several years. When he told the Tennessee GOP "lay my wife" I wanted to kiss him.
I know there is every chance that Obama's speeches are simply laced with rhetoric, that it is all a persona or that he is just a charismatic speaker with empty answers to the world's problems. But I believe him. I really believe him. Maybe it is just because I want to, because I need to feel proud of where I come from (or at least not have to defend myself to everyone who wants to pick a fight with me over American foreign policy). Whatever the case, I was giddy all day at the thought of hearing speeches like this for the next four (eight?) years.
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3 comments:
I must say I haven't been following the nomination process closely enough to say who has the best policies. But it'll be very interesting to see how Obama makes out against McCain. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating - never mind all the fine rhetoric, let's see what he actually does if he gets into power.
I will support Obama because I am a democrat and because I cannot bear to support McCain.
I do think he is intelligent and will work hard to resolve the problems of this country.
I was a Clinton supporter until Obama took the delegates needed. I liked her health care policies much better and thought that they were much more evolved then Obama's.
And frankly, I think Hilary should have given the "lay off my husband" speech too as she had to take hit after hit after hit about her spouse.
Nick,
You're right, policy is the most important thing - as is voting record. Like most candidates there are things I am not totally on side with in Obama's policies, but he was definitely the best option for me.
Maria,
I agree, Hillary's health care plan was more comprehensive. I have always admired her willingness to push for universal healthcare even when it was an extremely unpopular idea. I hope she remains heavily involved in the process.
I also think you're right about the rough ride she had. In spite of not supporting her, I was not blind to the blatent sexism that surrounded attacks on her campaign. I have always been disgusted by the willingness of people to label her based on grotesque perceptions of gender roles and to judge her about issues that would have never arisen had she been a male.
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