I'm sick and tired of hearing that Hillary Clinton is unlikable.
I get it. She's made mistakes. But this "unlikable" narrative is off the charts. It's perpetuated by the media who want so badly to make this election a horse race, to lure in viewers and raise ratings with scandal and intrigue. I get it; TV packs more punch with drama and character arcs, sensationalism and sound bites.
I also get that when polls are taken and the question arises about her "likability" that the answer becomes an echo chamber. Perhaps it's not only because she's made missteps being a public figure for most of our lives. Maybe the mere power of suggestion reinforces this notion.
From her early days as a Wellesley valedictorian to her days in Arkansas and as America's first lady, the spin has cast her as out of line and unlikable. From her first presidential run to now, many have peddled the very same idea. But let's be clear; it's not just because of her actions and affiliations. It's because she has dared to buck the patriarchy. Seriously, look it up.
So stop it already! Many of us like her.
Over 15 million of us liked her in the primaries. Enough to earn her millions more votes than either Sanders or Trump.
In fact, I really like Hillary. Here's why:
She totally kept her cool in the first debate with Trump, who interrupted like a sniffling, petulant 70-year-old child.
She did a little wiggle dance when directly insulted by the thin-skinned bully about her temperament.
She answers the same sexist questions with unbelievable poise and patience.
She has made it her life's work to advocate for women and families.
She shows courage not cowardice in the face of ridiculous scorn. Again and again and again.
She is fiercely intelligent and not afraid to show it.
She's a role model for her daughter and her granddaughter and my daughters and all daughters who aspire to big things.
She stayed in the public arena even after weathering unbelievable humiliation in her marriage.
She pokes fun at herself on shows like "SNL" and "Between Two Ferns."
She listens well and values relationships, with friends that date back to her childhood.
She apologizes for bad choices and missteps. Like an adult human should.
She offers details about her vision for the country. Because that's what we deserve--not just platitudes, slogans, and tweets.
She attracts smart, reasonable followers who can critique her, while not turning into fact-allergic zealots.
Her campaign staffers are good-hearted, whip-smart, and hard-working. As are the dozens of volunteers I've met.
Her foundation has helped the underserved around the world while earning accolades from philanthropy experts.
She has evolved on some issues such as marriage equality, just as our country has.
She loves elephants, as I do, and has advocated for wildlife protection.
She wrote the book "It Takes a Village." Because it does. (And congrats on that Grammy Award!)
She always wants to do better, to make more progress, to help others.
She talks about partnering with communities and promises bi-partisan compromise. Because action is better than egos.
She has an amazing work ethic and often cites "hard work" as one of her value systems.
She went to work for her former opponent Barack Obama in a show of grace and patriotism.
She is still standing after all the mean-spirited reductions that would cause many of us to recoil in disgust.
Best of all, I like that she is still running hard, and not taking one vote for granted.
And I really, really like the clear choice she is giving us this election.
The thing is, I'm not alone. Her supporters might not be the loudest voices online, but we are paying attention and we care deeply about this election. We are far more passionate than the media would have you believe. We want this qualified woman to win and to win HUGE.
And you better believe we likers will be voting in droves very soon.
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