My So-Called-Candidate

Barack Obama is like that high school romance we all remember. He was the hot, mysterious stranger who transferred in junior year, and you wanted to be the one to take him to the prom. He had that brooding charisma, and inspired you with his poetry and dreams of social justice. Then there was the guy who wanted to take you to the prom. He was your brother's friend, and was very nice, and very smart, but wore khakis and a button-down to school everyday. He set up the school recycling program, and arranged to have the aluminum refund money used to pay for the prom.

Being with Beautiful Stranger felt amazing. He was so cool and worldly, and he was a vegetarian. He even had a Save the Whales sticker on his guitar case. He talked about his vision for the future, world peace and freedom, and you saw it too. You imagined yourselves joining the Peace Corp, going vegan, fighting the Man and living happily ever after.

But then the romance wore a bit thin. His idealism started sounding a tad preachy, and he could get snippy when someone challenged him. And the Man was a little less of an enemy when you realized he was subsidizing your student loans for college. By the time you started packing for school, you were over him. Because that is what happens with that kind of crush ... you grow up and move on.

Beautiful words and soulful eyes are great, but they don't actually get anything done. Button-Down may not have been as snazzy, and he didn't write poetry, but he accomplished real things in the real world. When the sheen wore off of the Superhero who talked a big game, Button-Down was still there, doing the little things that actually improved your life; waiting patiently for you to grow out of your So-Called-Crush and recognize the value of genuine experience and commitment.

That is what Hillary brings to the table. She is not as charismatic as Obama. (Her speechwriters have yet to appreciate the importance of vision.) But if you take the time to listen to what she says, there is a real plan for what she wants to do for our country. I believe that Hillary once had the idealism of Obama. But she has been in Washington too long to pretend that sweeping cultural change comes from inside the Beltway. Because, guess what kids ... that is the hard truth of our political system. Washington can only respond to cultural shifts, it can't initiate them.

If inspiring rhetoric could be counted on to map out real change in the way our country is governed, perhaps we would have really gotten the "compassionate conservatism" we were so effectively sold eight years ago. But as the world has learned under the Bush Administration, talk is cheap.

We are wired to be turned on by inspiring words and visionary images. It's why we all swooned over Jordan Catelano, while Brian Krakow got lost in the shadows. We loved Jordan because he was the embodiment of all of our fantasies. And therein lies the problem. It wasn't real. Jordan wasn't actually the embodiment of anything. What we saw, when we looked into his sad, lovely eyes, were our own projected fantasies. And when the realization hit, and the fantasies faded, Brian Krakow was right there, waiting. In his mis-buttoned cardigan, frustrated because he knew that he was better for you than Jordan could ever be. Hurt that you couldn't see how much he cared, and knowing that inevitably the romantic idealism would fade, and it would break your heart. But he would be there to pick up the pieces, soothe your pain and help you find your way into your so-called adulthood.

Because that is what we are now ... adults (so-called, or otherwise). And as scary as that may sound, the scarier reality is that the responsibility for choosing who will lead this country out of the quagmire lies squarely on our shoulders. This is too important a moment to allow ourselves to be blinded by our romance with Barack Obama. Hillary may be inwardly seething with frustration, knowing that she is better for us than Obama could ever be; hurt that we can't see how much she cares, and knowing that inevitably the romance will fade, and it will break our hearts. But she is still there, waiting, willing to pick up the pieces of our broken society, and to do the quiet, painstaking work of putting it back together.

After eight years of leadership "from the gut", it is time to make a choice with our brains. We cannot afford to choose a leader just because he makes us feel good. Because one way or another, that feeling will fade. And it will be more than our hearts that will get broken. Idealism is a valuable tool on the campaign trail, but it takes cold, hard, pragmatism to make the government actually work for the people. Hillary may not be the ideal candidate, but she is the ideal leader for our country in these complicated, frightening times. She's not new, or terribly exciting, but she is real and she is ready. We may not swoon over her, but when we think about it, we know ... she is the one for us.

Comments

[yareallygotmegoin]

Also , there is the net worth issue. The last I read, Obama's was not even a million dollars. The clinton's gotta be worth what at least 50 million? So, there's a realness to Obama, to the average working stiff thats just not there with Billary. I think its probably about a 49million dollar difference.

[allentown]

Like the Clinton campaign itself, this blogger just assumes that Clinton is the accomplished candidate that is good on the issues. Would that this were actually true. If you push aside the inflated references to the ceremonial speeches she made as First Lady, her Senate accomplishments are meagre. Then her 35 years of experience jump way back to a single year of nonprofit employment boosting childrens' issues. Yes she did continue to help pro bono in subsequently years, but she basically was a big law firm attorney and WalMart board member. Putting all this aside, on the hard issues of this campaign, the thinking voter can well conclude that she does not measure up:
-- she voted to authorize the Iraq invasion and followed that up by supporting Bush on the resolution to declare part of the Iranian army as terrorists -- while knowing full well that Bush claimed the right to unilaterally attack any designated terrorist organization whereever and whenever he chose

-- she continues to claim that her 'mandate' insures universal coverage, while also claiming this mandate won't force people to buy insurance they can't afford. Either her mandate will indeed force 15 million Americans to buy insurance they don't want to buy or don't think they can afford, or her claim that Obama leaves out 15 million is bogus. Further, she is pushing the same bright line, my way or the highway, enforced by the big hammer of government approach that (along with her excessive penchant for secrecy) doomed her prior effort to implement universal health care

-- she won't release her tax returns.

-- she hasn't supported Dems trying to strip telecom immunity -- the only way to pierce the Bush veil of secrecy on illegal wiretapping

-- she maintains the Bush approach that she won't meet with our enemies. Even Nixon went to China without preconditions. Even Reagan met with the Russian leaders. The isolation of Cuba and Iran has worked so well for us.

-- she insists on her right to breech the party rules she agreed on in order to gain tactical advantage by seating the Michigan and Florida delegations. Cheating pure and simple.

[Anderkoo]

Um, how is this on-the-ground coverage of the election? I thought this was "Off the Bus."

[sistermoon]

As an Obama supporter, I'm getting really tired of being told by Clinton campaign staff and various pundits that I:
- don't know the facts
- don't understand the issues
- am part of some mysterious "cult"
- am blindly infatuated

I am an intelligent, thoughtful adult who gathers and considers all information before casting an informed vote. After gathering information (not to mention living in NY for the past 8 years), I have made the informed choice not to support Sen. Clinton. Please stop insulting my intelligence.

[Selam]

“I believe that Hillary once had the idealism of Obama.” That was the problem with Hillary – she changes with the wind. For her politics is a game, she is good at it, and the people are sick of it.
“…that is what happens with that kind of crush ... you grow up and move on.” That is true, the people are moved on from Clintons.
Idealism matters, it helps you to plan. “Beautiful words and soulful eyes are great, but they don't actually get anything” not with Obama – look at how he is running his campaign. Briana, you sound, you spent too long in Washington or you seem to embrace the value of Washington, consider visiting Vermont, under the moon light, to refresh your memory how wonderful life would have been if you kept that high school romance.

[Fairfloss]

I like your "writing," it truly held my attention so much more than many others who post on this blog. But, I think this country will follow the mysterious stranger, the Pied Piper, who knows, maybe he'll be good for the Country and maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.
I hope you continue to write.

[Countess]

Hillary Clinton is not only not as charismatic as Obama she is not as intelligent and this campaign has proved that. Those who support Hillary Clinton appear incapable of providing intelligent and positive reasons why she is the best candidate. Unfortunately her appeal as a candidate is as limited as her supporters capacity to defend her intelligently.

[Pdubya]

then there was the nerd that didn't pay attention to high school politics; studied, went to a fine college, got an advanced degree, put tried and true principles into practice, and made great accomplishments happen.

it ain't hillary either.