I have spent a fair amount of time lately trying to understand why I, and so many other women (and men for that matter), have such a negative reaction to Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate. Am I not a feminist who encourages and supports and works for progressive, well-qualified, hard-working women to run for office and get elected? So why can't I get behind Hillary? (I need to preface the remainder of my remarks with the caveat that I've not read the tome that is her autobiography yet.)
At first my distaste for Hillary was because she so readily forgave her husband for his personal transgressions against her and their marriage vows. Then I had to re-examine that position. How can I judge Hillary for forgiving Bill for what most woman--including me--would have said "I'm outta here bubba"? Doesn't that show her strength of character to face adversity and attempt to overcome it? At first I assumed that she forgave him for only political reasons. But then I had to ask myself, "Maybe she's just a better Christian than you are?" (And I will add that maybe doesn't care about having any love in her personal life because it is clear that Bill doesn't care about her on an emotional level when ever you seem them in public together. So it would be a very painful campaign season watching that charade.)
So now, for me, it just comes down to the fact that Hillary Clinton is becoming too conservative. I don't want to support her for president because she's moving to the center of the political spectrum. That is not what is needed now. We need someone who is ready to show a start political contrast to the Republican Party. Don't move to the center because that is where all the other potential republican candidates are headed. Go left! Make the clear choice!
Hillary's a brilliant woman and political strategist. So it makes me sad to see this happen to her. What it says to me is that as a political insider you must make serious compromises to your personal political beliefs to accomplish policy goals within our current polarized political system. It is a very sad reality to face for this Don Quixote Democrat.
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I have spent a fair amount of time lately trying to understand why I, and so many other women (and men for that matter), have such a negative reaction to Hillary Clinton as a presidential candidate. Am I not a feminist who encourages and supports and works for progressive, well-qualified, hard-working women to run for office and get elected? So why can't I get behind Hillary? (I need to preface the remainder of my remarks with the caveat that I've not read the tome that is her autobiography yet.)
At first my distaste for Hillary was because she so readily forgave her husband for his personal transgressions against her and their marriage vows. Then I had to re-examine that position. How can I judge Hillary for forgiving Bill for what most woman--including me--would have said "I'm outta here bubba"? Doesn't that show her strength of character to face adversity and attempt to overcome it? At first I assumed that she forgave him for only political reasons. But then I had to ask myself, "Maybe she's just a better Christian than you are?" (And I will add that maybe doesn't care about having any love in her personal life because it is clear that Bill doesn't care about her on an emotional level when ever you seem them in public together. So it would be a very painful campaign season watching that charade.)
So now, for me, it just comes down to the fact that Hillary Clinton is becoming too conservative. I don't want to support her for president because she's moving to the center of the political spectrum. That is not what is needed now. We need someone who is ready to show a start political contrast to the Republican Party. Don't move to the center because that is where all the other potential republican candidates are headed. Go left! Make the clear choice!
Hillary's a brilliant woman and political strategist. So it makes me sad to see this happen to her. What it says to me is that as a political insider you must make serious compromises to your personal political beliefs to accomplish policy goals within our current polarized political system. It is a very sad reality to face for this Don Quixote Democrat.
More on Al Gore later....
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