because really what I do is regurgitate what other people have said

[hermionesviolin]

When I saw YahooNews last night, part of me was relieved that we're that much closer to the end of the process.  But Clinton hasn't officially conceded yet (I'm actually fine with giving her a few days before she does so), and then there'll be the VP hunt... and really I would like to be able to just discuss the differences on substantive issues between the people who'll actually be on the ballot in November.

***

Yesterday, MaryAlice said, "I just don't understand why anyone would want four more years of what we've had."  I miss being That Girl who would have a good answer for that.  And really, I should use some of my free time this summer to get back into keeping myself informed on this shit.  (I've been generally failing at being productive on all fronts.)

She said Obama's actually less liberal than Clinton on some things -- like Clinton's health care program would mandate that everyone get coverage.  That level of intrusion into how people run their lives (mandating) makes me uncomfortable.

***

Yesterday, via InstaPundit I read Victor David Hanson, who advises: "Rule One for Obama's campaign: Don't let Obama rush to the defense of any dubious character in his past, since he inevitably will have to disown him sooner or later. The impression that Obama inevitably changes his storyline (while a Wright or Pfleger remains absolutely predictable and consistent) is beginning to tire the American people."

I do agree that Obama's "I can no more disown Pastor Wright than I can disown my white grandmother -- actually, no, totally disowning him now," is troublesome.

Oh, and fwiw, I think most people's opposition to Obama is because of his perceived inexperience and/or the fact that he is perceived as being so far Left [edit: and/or the perception that he has no/few policy/ideas of substance], not his race.

***

Today, Ann Althouse said:

I went to bed last night thinking there's no way Barack Obama should pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate.

But I woke up this morning, turned on the TV news to see a rerun of her speech from last night and thought: He must pick her!

I've seen other people on LJ suggest that he should pick a woman for VP though not necessarily Clinton.  (fwiw, I basically agree with all the rational arguments for why an Obama/Clinton ticket would be a bad idea.)

Somewhat relatedly, ann1962 commented, "I get the feeling that asking a woman to just fade into the draperies quietly is something men have been asking women to do for too many years to count. Going out quietly, patting her on the head for her accomplishments, good little girl, so the men can get on with their game, is not something she should be expected to do. We wanted change I thought."

***

On a flocked post recently I read the following exchange:

Commenter:

so many Clinton supporters have been downright nasty to Obama and his supporters that it has made me very angry at her and wary of some of her supporters who just lash out at Obama supporters with words that make it clear that they do not respect us.

Commenter #2:

I could say nearly the exact same thing: so many Obama supporters have been downright nasty to Clinton and her supporters that it has made me ... wary of some of his supporters who just lash out at Clinton supporters with words that make it clear that they do not respect us.

Somehow, seeing it like that, your words and mine back to back, the same feelings even, it makes the awfulness of this election season so far really sink in, doesn't i? Shouldn't one of us be feeling good? But we aren't, and we're both giving the same reasons for not, so maybe the problem in the party right now isn't Obama supporters or Clinton supporters, it's something else.

Food for thought? I don't know. I'm smarting over being insulted for months and you seem to be to. I'd like it if we could all not feel that way but with other people out there spewing vitriol as representatives of a group it's really hard.

I think that really sums up how sad this is: "Shouldn't one of us be feeling good?"  And if only more people took this to heart: "But we aren't, and we're both giving the same reasons for not, so maybe the problem in the party right now isn't Obama supporters or Clinton supporters, it's something else."

Comments

[thelastgoodname.livejournal.com]

That level of intrusion into how people run their lives (mandating) makes me uncomfortable.

There are already a lot of areas where people are required to do things in the public interest. Two prominent ones are car insurance -- which is non-controversial (and you can't opt out, although people do) -- and immunization -- which is controversial (but you can opt out). Which is not to say that mandating things is always a good idea, but it's interesting to me from a policy standpoint which of the stuff that is required is controversial and which is not.

[kurukami.livejournal.com]

I have a number of reasons why I'm not supporting Clinton, either (previously) for President or currently for VP.

Foremost among them is that I really don't want to see the American chiefdom turn into some ridiculous dynastic thing. Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton... oy. It's beyond that, though -- the fact is that many conservatives are so dead-set against her (and Bill) that I feel combating that would take huge amounts of energy from any of her administration's time in office.

Secondly, I feel that both she, her campaign, and their supporters and followers have been far ruder, disrespectful, and downright manipulative/insulting than Obama's campaign has been. (I make no such claims about Obama's supporters; there are asshats in every part of the political spectrum.) Between the playing up of racially charged issues by Bill Clinton to Hillary seeming to believe that she was "entitled" to the Presidency -- meh. Then there's the "oh, those states don't REALLY matter" shtick. And the "oh, caucuses don't REALLY matter" hoohah. And the attempt to claim a lead in the popular vote through mathematics so convoluted that rhythmic gymnasts couldn't match the contortions the numbers were put to. That, plus the rules-bending and open lying and limited truthfulness that her campaign embraced as they tried desperately to look like they still had a chance... ugh. That level of reality-denial is something I look forward to seeing the last of once Bush is tossed out of office.

Her speech last night was just the twentieth nail in the coffin lid of her lack of appeal. Refusing to back down even though (after the long campaign) Obama had finally won the nomination -- and he was quite gracious in victory. Talking as though she was going to demand the VP slot as payment for her 18 million voters, or something similar. *shakes head* Honestly, after all the dirty tricks and half-truths and race-baiting she's pulled, I wish she and Bill would just fade away somewhere and never bother the political arenas again.

This is not, by any means, to say that I don't support the idea of a woman holding the highest office in the land -- because I do. I just don't like HER. At this point, I think Kathleen Sebelius (governor of Kansas) or Bill Richardson (governor of New Mexico) would both make fantastic VPs.

[ann1962]

I think the whole dynamic of the process this go round is so interesting. Obama did well in the caucuses I read somewhere because often times, those become shouting matches and the men can prevail, louder voices and so many times lead, take over conversation. Whereas Clinton did better when it was just a regular vote. I find that fascinating. I don't know if that held up over the whole 18 months, but as of my reading it, it had. And given it has be 18 really long months, I don't get the rush. Since I am Canadian, and the process there takes just like 6 weeks or something close to that, the time span to me is bogglesome.

"But we aren't, and we're both giving the same reasons for not, so maybe the problem in the party right now isn't Obama supporters or Clinton supporters, it's something else."

I think part of it is a real fear of four more years. I just wish they wouldn't turn on each other, the big picture has to be kept in mind. That should be the focus.