Until now I haven't been too public about my strong support for Obama. I think this is because I have had a lot of feminist guilt surrounding my decision.
But here's why Obama is my guy:
Yes, their policy positions are similar. But Hillary's "experience" will make her more effective at Governing right? Wrong. I don't believe Hillary's “experience” is going to translate into better policy. Honestly, I have a hard time believing either one of them will get anything done at least during their first term. Obama because he's too green, and Hillary because she will be looking to the next election, playing it safe, continuing to listen to her pollsters and consultants who tell her she must be tough and unwavering to compensate for being a woman (think cluster bomb and Iranian Gevolutionary Guard votes).
Obama, on the other hand, may take a little while to get up to speed on how to govern effectively, but he will still represent a fundamental change in leadership for this country. Him even just sitting in the oval office will do so much to heal the domestic and international wounds of the last eight years. Also, the fact that Obama has come this far and has built the team he has (including campaign and endorsements), means that he does have an uncanny ability to bring in talent, make good decisions, and execute.
Obama will be stronger against McCain. Hillary is too polarizing to entice independents (and even some Democrats). McCain also will turn out independents and some Democrats who don't like Hillary. We will be forced to bank on him not being able to turn out his base (low voter turnout) to win. But don't forget that as much as the conservative base hates McCain now, they hate Hillary worse. Meanwhile, no one vehemently hates Obama. Obama will mobilize the Democratic base, independents, and a whole new generation of first time voters. McCain vs. Obama will be an exciting race about old vs. new instead of status quo vs. status quo.
I just talked with someone who hasn't voted Democrat in 16 years and he voted for Obama. But, if Hillary gets the nomination, he will vote for McCain in the General. I think there are a lot of others out there like this guy and not too many out there who voted for Hillary that wouldn't support Obama in the general.
Authenticity matters to voters. Hillary, when she's authentic (like she was at the Jan. 31 debate), is amazing. But she's chosen again and again to play it safe and listen to her pollsters (again, I feel the need to bring up her annoying votes and inability to admit she made a mistake with her vote to authorize the war in Iraq). Also, this is not totally related to authenticity, but I felt her decision to trot out Bill after South Carolina (who shot his mouth off) made us all remember what it was that we didn't like about the Clinton administration. I just don't want another 8 years of that kind of divisive, highly calculating, Clintonista governing.
It does seem time for a new generation of leaders to step up, and Obama exemplifies the best of what we've got in the pipeline.
2 comments:
The way I see it, there are four ways to make a decision about a candidate as it relates to one of that candidate's demographic characteristics:
1) one can vote against the candidate because of that characteristic;
2) one can support the candidate because of that characteristic;
3) one can vote against the candidate despite that characteristic;
4) one can support the candidate despite that characteristic.
I'm glad to hear that someone I really respect is making the right decision here--not just because I'm a huge Obama supporter, but because Angie's making this decision independent of her support for feminism.
A bunch of women I know are feeling feminist guilt about supporting Obama in this election, without giving themselves credit for taking the higher road of weighing the candidate outside of her gender.
Proceeding according to options (3) or (4) above are, I think, the more progressive paths to take.
It represents a high level of progress in the civil rights movement at large when progressives aren't countering sexism, racism, etc., with stalwart support for the candidate embodying their cause, but are rather making the decision based on other, more relevant factors.
Hope you're well Angie.
Spencer (the intern).
While I don't think one should vote for Obama solely because he is (part) African American or Clinton solely because she is a woman, I disagree that routes 3 and 4 are more progressive. If we indeed lived in a society where race and gender actually didn't matter and the playing field were truly level, then this analysis might hold, but given the fact that institutional sexism and racism are alive and well in America, taking a color-blind/gender-blind approach to our decisions about whom to vote for suggests that we have progressed beyond these inequalities in our society. We have not. My guess is that the women you have spoken to recognize this, hence their unease. As a woman of color, I find (without essentializing race or gender) that race and gender are still quite relevant factors in questions of public policy and public institutions.
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