4 things that won't compel me to vote for obama
John Edwards dropped out of the race last week and I went from being very excited about the presidential race to, well, lost as I go back and forth between Hillary and Barack.
To be clear, however, the following things WILL NOT compel me to vote for Barack Obama:
1) Maria Shriver. "If Barack Obama was a state," said Shriver, "he'd be California." Right. If he was a tree, Maria, what kind of tree would he be?
2) Oprah Winfrey. The most self-righteous woman in the history of the world. Get. Over. Your. Self.
3) People sending me the "Yes We Can" video with the suggestion that it will help me to make up my mind. Fimoculous? It's definitely "We Are the World." Please give me more respect than to think a poorly-made mash up is the thing that will put me over the edge. I may cry while watching Hallmark commercials, but I'm not a total sap.
4) Obama's message of unity. It sounds nice and, yes, we need to get things done and can't expect to just bulldoze our way to the other side. But sometimes the opposition sucks and the middle ground is a water-downed version of what you are trying to get done that doesn't benefit anyone. No, I don't want someone in office -- like George W. -- who thinks he/she can make up the rules. But I do want someone who stands up for what he/she believes and does not compromise those values and I want to hear that message. I assure you, Hillary doesn't win on this note either, but it was one of the reason why Edwards was appealing to me. The past eight years hurt and I don't feel like holding hands and getting along. Unity schmunity.
Update: To be clear, I'm not suggesting that I am NOT voting for Obama. If you want to tell me why I should -- or why I should vote for Hillary -- bring it on.
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12 comments:
Your number four is wrong. He talks about unity, and clearly has Conservative support, but his policies are about as progressive as you get. That's why I like him -- his demeanor gets the opposition to agree with Democratic policy.
As for Hillary, she's about as unelectable as you get while buying into the "if I give in 100% of the time, that's compromise." That attitude gets nothing done -- especially when the Republicans' Clinton-hatred will just make them as strong as they were back in the 90s ...
The MESSAGE doesn't work for me, doesn't appeal to me. Therefore, it is not wrong. Hence, 4 things that won't compel ME to vote for Obama.
Thanks for stopping by.
You have a Mac; do you not? New York Times - 2.4.08
The idea of people voting for a presidential candidate just because Oprah says to annoys the bejeezus out of me.
I'm in the same boat - torn between Obama and Hillary, turned off by the "Oprah stamp of approval," and decidedly not won over by that video...
A nytimes.com user captured my feelings in the site's forums, writing, "There is nothing wrong with a little inspiration from a candidate, but this (superbowl) ad, like his whole campaign, is nothing but faith based inspiration: believe in Obama and you will be saved."
Maybe it's the quasi-religious overtones that turn me off. I think the part of me that is allergic to following the herd is what's reacting more and more strongly against him. But then I think of 4 years with the Clintons and the ugliness they bring out of people and am not sure I can stomach it.
Sigh.
Four substantial reasons you should vote for Obama:
1) He's not purely poll-driven. See, e.g., his politically unpopular battles as an Illinois legislator against the knee-jerk prosecutorial establishment:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303303.html
2) He's an inspiring orator with liberal policies. Imagine him giving a national speech introducing radical new policies to fight global warming. He would get the supermajority of the American people behind him. Read some of his best (some steeped in policy) here:
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/01/in-his-own-word.html
His 2002 speech against the Iraq war is particularly great:
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Barack_Obama's_Iraq_Speech
3) He has more potential when it comes to progressing gay rights:
http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2008/01/obama-is-best-o.html
4) Obama will not be
mired down by eight years of political favors built up while in the White House, and with him, America can finally break free of
presidential dynasticism. Some people say that Clinton's frontrunner status has proven to young children that you can be a woman and attain the highest political office. But I wonder if it also teaches children that your last name has to be Clinton or Bush. If H. Clinton served 2 terms, it would 28 years of the same 2 families, 36 years if you include the VP. If H. Clinton was way better than Obama, we'd have to live with this, but that's not the case.
Another reason to vote for Obama (as mentioned by, of all people, Andrew Sullivan)
If Hillary does indeed start pulling out of Iraq, the old "stabbed in the back" thing will re-emerge. Heard the one about the dirty hippies losing it for us in Vietnam? That myth has paralyzed Democrats ever since. It's going to be tough to get out of the money drain that is Iraq. Nothing unifies the Republicans like a Clinton -- and she's the perfect person to reinvigorate that "the Democrats lost Iraq!!!!!!" thing.
It will seriously crush the Democratic Party for years to come. Who better to get us out of Iraq than a guy with a Muslim name, who -- for some reason -- attracts Republicans? Hillary-hatred will paralyze government more than it already is. A vote for Hillary is merely wishing the old scandal hunting will start back up again.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkansas_Project
I missed a big one.
Reason 4.5 to vote Obama: I prefer his implied leadership style to Clinton's. See, e.g, progressive leader George Lakoff's article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-lakoff/what-counts-as-an-issue_b_84177.html
Marco makes me happy because he offers citations.
Where are the Hillary supporters?
ABF,
THANK YOU for articulating exactly what I've been thinking.
Who is Maria Shriver again? Ah yes, a woman who left a pretty decent job to take a back seat to her husband’s aspiration of enlarging his ego.
And by the way, why do we make such a big deal out of endorsements? Who do these people think they are, believing that their approval of a candidate could influence my ability to judge what I think makes for a good leader?
Great blog
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This is the first time I've responded to someone elses blog. I didn't read your whole post, but I got the impression that your not too impressed by Obama. Nor Clinton either for that matter. I can't give you any reason for voting for either one, and not to make this reply any longer than necessary, I think I can give you a couple of more reasons for not voting for either of them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting the Republicans are any better. They have their falts too, but so far, their not trying to destroy the doctrine that made this country and the life you choose to live possible. It looks so far, the the choice is again going to be between the lesser of two or three or however many there are, evils. Please go read a few of the posts on my blog that express what I've learned and how I feel. It's www.harryrhoades.com. Maybe you can leave a comment there and tell me how you feel about what I wrote.
Harry
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