Enthusiastically Gargling the Kool-Aid (or, Why Hillary Clinton Shouldn’t Be President)
Last evening I had the opportunity to watch the 20th Democratic primary debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. I don’t watch these sort of things often - the last time I saw one in this election cycle, there were more people at podiums than on a basketball court, which means the weak hadn’t been culled from the herd yet. Now it’s a horse race, except one horse is starting to look remarkably better than the other at this point - and for a lot of reasons.
I joke around that my position on Obama is “drinking the Kool-Aid”, a reference to Jim Jones’ suicide cult, as if I were gleefully following a dangerous man and didn’t know any better. I feel like, in this age of zero critical thinking, people like Obama because he’s the most likable candidate. He is indeed the most likable candidate. That is no reason to vote for him, of course. Why not write in George Clooney on the ballot? I enjoyed Ocean’s Eleven. Maybe I’ll like four years of Obama making widely televised speeches, too. Heck, we all would. Ultimately, though, it comes down to two things, both apparent in last night’s repetitive (in respect to prior occasions) debate.
First, as Obama said about himself, he believes that he is not just qualified for the job (I think so), but that he has unique qualities that will enable him to facilitate interest, change, and progress. Of course, that’s what he SAYS. Do any of us believe it? **gargle**
Second, if you’re a Hillary supporter, you have to admit that her demeanor and her elocutionary skills have been strained in the past couple of weeks. Obama is not having this problem. It’s probably because Hillary is working too hard and not getting enough sleep. She’s being tested. And this is what we’re getting - a harried middle-aged person who is snippy and bitchy and defensive about any criticisms. It’s not a female thing at all, but regardless of the root causes, this is what we’re going to get with her in the Oval Office. It’s a little disconcerting. And despite whatever policy positions or leadership experience you’re seeking out, you have to admit that Obama has been running the same race and has remained a cool character throughout. Hell, even McCain is looking more serene than Hillary at this point - this is the same guy who was a POW for five years in Southeast Asia while Hillary was kickin’ back at Wellesley! Yikes! Which one do you think can handle pressure better at this point?
Quick note - In a conversation this morning, I mistook Tim Russert for Chris Matthews, and for such Medevedev-whatev level ignorance I apologize; this happened probably because I think both of them are assholes.