My cynicism is showing
Amy (our esteemed fellow blogger and also VITAL’s managing editor) asked Ted and I to blog yesterday about our thoughts on Tuesday’s primary. I didn’t want to. So I didn’t (those of you who know me are amazed at this small act of defiance!).Now another day later, and I have some things to say. Amazing again, isn’t it?
Yesterday, I read Ted’s (my fellow political blogger) thoughts on the subject. I don’t have his patience, I think, because, to be honest, I’m pretty pissed that this primary race is going to drag out. I hate the thought of it being decided at the convention. I want to know NOW. And also, I have serious concerns about the party in-fighting, about all the negative attack ads going on so long that McCain won’t have to do anything but sit back and watch them destroy each other. He has the advantage now of being the nominee and getting to attack them both OR attack one specifically (Obama) and letting the double attack completely weaken the candidate. I mean, Hillary’s doing a great job of this- in a recent speech she actually said that she and McCain were the candidates of experience, the candidates who could handle a crisis; Obama’s track record, she said, just relies on one speech back in 2002.
And here’s the other thing that I’m not thrilled with: the media reports of Hillary’s huge win. Was it really a huge win? Has anyone looked at the delegate gains for each of the states she “won”? To me, it feels like a hollow victory much like those of Michigan and Florida- it’s a state to call a victory but it did nothing for her bottom line. And speaking of bottom line, the delegate math now looks iffy. For Hillary, it’s almost impossible for her to win; for Obama, he could still come up short. This is frustrating to me. Unlike Ted, I don’t like the idea of super delegates deciding anything. Some of these supers are barely old enough to vote; they’re not all party big wigs who actually care about politics and the responsibility. I want MY vote to matter, not some unknown entity’s. But, then, I’m selfish.
So, I think what I’m saying, and the reason I didn’t want to blog yesterday, is that I’m actually sick of this whole mess. The excitement is going out of the primary season for me. I’m losing interest fast in stalking CNN and having the up to the minute delegate count. And for someone like me, that’s a sad state to be in. I don’t want politics as usual. I don’t want attack ads and nasty sound bites and baseless accusations. I want change. I want things to be different. I want someone better than Bush to take office and give our country hope again. And yeah, I want Obama to win, but more than that I want the Democratic Party to pull itself out of the whole its dug in the last several years and be something we can be proud to be apart of. And right now...well, it feels like we’re just digging the hole some more.
Posted by mtucker on 03/06 at 09:35 AM
But remember that the Iowa caucus was held barely two months ago. Political junkies like us have been paying attention for much longer, of course, but lots of voters are just beginning to pay attention.
And what about the voters in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Mississippi, Oregon, Kentucky etc. who have yet to hold their primaries. Shouldn't they be heard from?
So, as I often tell my teenage daughter, patience can be tough but it sometimes pays big dividends. Let's hope these two impressive candidates don't take their eyes off the prize and run strong, positive campaigns. After all, either Obama or Clinton would be head and shoulders better than McCain. That should be the overriding message of both.
Hey, you know how sometimes towards the end of a great suspense novel or movie you feel so exhausted by the drama that you want it to end? But when it's over you wish you were still in the middle enjoying the ride? This book has another chapter or two or five to go. Enjoy!