My Politcal Addiction, Hillary, & The Sexiest Woman In The World
If you think I’m a political junkie now…You should have seen me before. It started rather innocently. The first time I voted for Dukakis as a college student at Evangel College. A school where there were about 8 people who voted for him. Then it was meeting John Kerry back in the 90’s and thinking this guy would make a great president. I also have fond memories of going to see u2 several times on the Achtung baby tour back in 92 and at the end of the show they played David Bowie’s “Heroes.” I remember the feeling that so many of us young people had as we left. Feeling that if we united and voted we could end Bush 41’s foreign policy. The Clinton years were a mixed bag. I loved him-I hated him. Sometimes within the same speech. I remember wanting to vote for Dole ’cause he was a WWII veteran like my dad…But actually Dad and I both went to the polls that day and voted for Bill. By 2000 I had enough of the entire Clinton clan. And then I fell in love with a candidate for the first time. Bill Bradley. Everything about him screamed intelligence, leadership, and above all else…Respect. I read his books and attended meetings. At one rally I met Robert Parrish, KC Jones, and Dr. Cornell West and, as we left, the speakers blared Patti Smith’s “The People Have The Power.” I get chills thinking about it. I campaigned my ass off for him. And we lost. I was so disappointed that we lost to Gore and his gang in NH I vowed that I would not vote for him. I felt that the Democratic party had let me down and had sacrificed having any real beliefs and chosen the establishment. I felt like the Democratic party needed to regroup and redefine itself and that would only happen if they lost and reassembled into a party with dignity and a passion for the real needs of the working class they claimed to represent. I voted for Bush. There I said it. Who could see what was coming.
I tried to give Bush the benefit of the doubt for as long as possible but sooner or later the facts caught up with us all. In 2004 it was a no brainer to me that I would support my Senator John Kerry who to this day I think would be a GREAT president but he certainly was a weak candidate. For the sake of my sanity I had to shut off the news for a few years. Step away from all the bickering and also examine my own ideological problems. I found that my intolerance of the intolerant was killing my soul and I was buying in to the whole red state/blue state myth. I was looking at people through a warped media driven lens of left and right and liberal and conservative and it was not good at all. And as I stepped away I began to see the similarities of both parties and their desire for control and power. I began to see that both sides were distorting each others views and that the far left was being just as petty as the far right. It seemed like it was a game for both sides and that they didn’t realize that these moves on the red and blue checkerboard were affecting real peoples lives. I was officially done…Until I saw Kucinich speak at the LOGO gay voter debate online. I thought to myself this guy has got it all. He believes everything I do and he is the only one who is not ashamed to be called a liberal or to say he is for gay marriage. I personally am not gay but its an issue that I think is important and really one of the premiere civil rights issues of our time. Well, anyway, I realized that Kucinich had no chance and decided to go full force for Obama. I loved his books. I loved his speech in 2004. And I agreed with his vision of America. And then last week Bill Bradley endorsed him. Done Deal!
So this past weekend I watched Hillary reinvent herself and like many last night I questioned the poll results. I am a little angry at the Clinton strategy although apparently all is fair in love and politics. I kind of feel toyed with the way I used to with Bill. He would piss me off and then I’d see him speak at a press conference or yuk it up with Boris Yeltsin and I’d think “Wow…What a guy!” I think most of all I resented Bill and Hillary whining about the media coverage. Whining about Obama’s momentum. I even question the hecklers that went into Hillary rally screaming chauvinist chants. No protests the whole campaign and then suddenly Hillary has to defend herself against male chauvinists chanting “iron my shirt.” It certainly got the attention of all the women in New Hampshire. Paranoid? Maybe. And to top it all off her husband wags that famous finger at the media and basically says leave my wife alone. What a mixed message. If she is such a strong woman why does she need her husband to defend her? I just don’t know if I can handle 4 or god forbid 8 more years of seeing the two of them reclaim their throne. They have undoubtedly done good things for the country I know. But right NOW, in my mind, they have come to embody all that is wrong with a broken political system. If Obama loses this primary I just may do the same thing I did in 2000. Vote for the other team in protest. And sometimes honestly I do not see that much of a difference between Hillary and MCcain or Romney or Huckabee. Sure on policies there are huge differences of pro-life and taxes…Oh and 3 of the 4 believe in evolution…But will there be real substantive change in my life or in our foreign policy if Hillary gets in and Romney doesn’t. Maybe. This may be a bit of an over reaction but I just cringe at seeing more politics as usual. I just want more for my country. And more for the country my daughter will live in when I’m gone someday. But for some reason I feel that it will be different if Obama wins. Utopian? No. Perfect? No. Just a little different. I feel as though a page will be turned and it will be a collective cry for a change. Maybe I’m a little idealistic. So what. I mean I’m writing a blog and thinking that someone might actually care to read this…If thats not pollyanna what is:-)
So I’m back. I’m addicted and I’m in love. Right now the sexiest woman in my world is pictured below. Her name is Maureen Dowd and I have always had a crush on her. Besides being totally hot and well spoken she is whip smart. She writes in the New York Times and she is the smartest “guy” in the room no matter where she goes. Yeah I know she’s like 50…I can’t help it. And she just shot an arrow to my heart with her latest column. Check it out and see ya in South Carolina.
Jack Celli says:
JM,
You and I seem to have paralled the PROCESS of out political lives. Some things I did that you did, yet after the last eight years I feel as though I have and am being betrayed by my government who as I see are in it only for the CORPORATIONS. So I have fallen on board the Ron Paul ship.
Oh what a world…what a world…
Keep The Faith
JC
January 14th, 2008 at 2:16 pm