An End to Our Mourning

"My mother," Dr. Maya Angelou once wrote, "said I must always be intolerant of ignorance."

In America today, that could keep one very busy indeed.

A poll released this afternoon, examining the seemingly ever-shifting loyalties of Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential supporters (of which I have been an enthusiastic one), finds that, while 53% of Clinton's backers are now firmly on-board with Senator Barack Obama's White House bid, there are some who are simply incorrigible... and, increasingly, intolerable to the ears.

While it would be admirable for any voter to decide their campaign allegiance, and their vote, on honest ideological differences with a particular candidate, the resistance among some Clinton supporters to Obama's campaign is rooted, instead, in half-truths, no-truths and flat-out ignorance about who Senator Obama is and what his campaign stands for.

In a country where we have paid a too-heavy price for electing the ideal drinking buddy rather than real, competent leaders, we have now devolved to "name games" in our quest to fill the world's most important job.

Barack Obama "sounds to me like a Middle Eastern type of name and whether or not he's born here in the United States, he doesn't seem like, to me, somebody who is trustworthy," Kristie Hartle told the AP pollsters. "You can't trust anybody these days, so who's to say he's not a terrorist and we just don't realize it yet?"

Apparently, you can't trust somebody with a name like Kristie Hartle to make a rational, informed decision before she goes to the polls, either.

Has Ms. Hartle talked to the soldiers in Iraq? Would they rather continue the quagmire in the desert under a commander named John than come home under one named Barack?

Are Americans really going to be comfortable with an economy running on empty if it's under the direction of a president named McCain?

While they may seem to think so, the truth is that the answer is "no."

"When asked an open-ended question about the first words that come to mind about Obama, some former Clinton supporters used words like Muslim or terrorist," AP reports. And yet, "An analysis of Clinton supporters who are backing McCain shows they are more liberal than the Arizona senator on the issues. The majority favor removing troops from Iraq as soon as possible, a single-payer health care system funded by taxpayers and repeal of Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy."

I'm growing more intolerant, as Maya's mama wisely advised, by the minute.

Certainly, those of us who believed in Senator Clinton's vision and her campaign are entitled to time to grieve. But our grief cannot trump our beliefs and it must not blind us to the very real consequences of a President McCain.

It's time to call an end to our mourning. Senator Clinton's supporters are too smart (today's poll notwithstanding) too passionate, and have come too far to turn our country off-course now.

"We who have stood over so many graves," Alice Walker wrote, "know that no matter what they do, all of us must live... or none."

Now is the time to stop throwing dirt on our own graves. We have better, and more urgent, things to do than be ignorant and intolerable.

Comments

[mrqapla]

Obama is a fraud.

Nader is for real.

[MissT]

"Certainly, those of us who believed in Senator Clinton's vision and her campaign are entitled to time to grieve."

Absolutely. What is not acceptable is the current practice among many of her supporters here, is to demonize Obama, a fellow Democrat, just because he won. The bitterness is inexplicable.

[PumaAnn]

I'd be happy to explain why I will not be voting Democrat this year. However, so far I've not seen much sign that anyone particularly cares or is interested in listening.

So I'll refrain from attempting it.

I would suggest that the decision of many correllates to the poll today Times just released. There are a lot of undecideds and even more considering how many suggest they are leaning to one or another but could change their minds.

So I have more company than I realized.

Sorry to test your patience, but maybe that's not your strong suit?

[arkgrfx61]

If you are so positive of your argument/side, then why can't you explain it?
I think a lot of people would be interested in understanding why you'd rather vote for someone who constantly flip flops and has his nose to Bush's behind than someone with integrity who was against the war from the beginning and apologizes when he's wrong and stands up for what he feels is right.

[truthskr]

Methinks PumaAnn is AnninCA, back for another row. Enjoy losing yet again when Obama wins the GE. And despite all the anger, frustration and spite that you have for the Democratic Party in the wake of Hillary's loss, I'm sure that you'll be first in line, holding out your hand, to reap all of the benefits that a Democratic presidency will bring this country.

[murphysgirl]

I agree with most of the opinions on this post. How can these die-hard Clinton supporters claim they're going to vote for McCain when Clinton and Obama essentially have the same platform on issues?? It seems rather selfish to vote for McCain out of spite, instead of ensuring the country is going in the right direction.

If you browse around at the ABC News blog, those people are vicious!!! They claim Obama stole the primary election, he's a Muslim, he's a misogynist, he played the race card throughout the campaign, etc... I ask these people time and time again to name a McCain policy they support, and no one ever does.

These "ObamaNever," "PUMA," and "NOBAMA" people need take a rest and actually listen to what Obama has to say. Most Democrats have been making progress to unite, I just wish those die-hard suuporters follow Clinton's lead and rally behind Obama!!

[JennyJay]

To be in mourning - - - is to be in a state of implosion. For us (and the country) to go on into the future - - - and thrive, we must move on,and into a state of exploding, expansion and growth.
Time to stop looking down at our loses . . . and start looking up and out into a bright future.

[sherbug]

The excuses like Kristie gave is just another way of saying he's a black man and I don't trust anybody black. I believe that is the bottom line here. Those Clinton supporters who will not support Obama under any circumstances and who would go so far as to vote for McCain are voting based on race. They would prefer to elect a white man who did not share their values than elect a black man who does. Case in point is Harriet Christian and those who have formed the P.U.M.A.

[Sundialsvc4]

HuffPost's Pick

The trouble here, Steve, is that "you are being manipulated."

That's what I said, sir, and that's what I meant. You're being handed a faux choice of three hand-picked so-called-candidates, who are being voted-up and voted-down to the tune of (and by...) billions of dollars that are emphatically-not coming from public sources.

More than anything, and everything, else, you are being shown a "reality" that is both "beyond your control" and "the only version of reality that there could possibly be."

Tear off your "blinkers" and stomp them on the floor. There ARE more-than-two candidates on the ballot for every office. Especially in the Internet age, candidacy for the highest officeS ... that would be plural ... in this land are not "a thing to be bought-and-sold," and the people of the land are not sheep to be herded unless they choose to be.

The message being screamed, also as "a foregone conclusion," is that "they did choose ... you can't change anything ... this is your fate."

It's time to scrap-up the courage and determination that an Allied general once said when he sent back to the German commander one word: "NUTS." (And then proceeded to win the battle.)

[Liberoservative]

Thanks Mr.Ralls
You present a lot of good points... but, I am wondering if these holdout Hillary supporters were Democrats to begin with... Psychologically, they see the only road to a bright future is with a woman president.. and that is their basis of voting. They don't acknowledge that Obama and Clinton have basically the same platform...
To turn against your core beliefs as a Democrat and throw your vote to McCain't is hard to explain in my mind.....

[standard]

"[T]he resistance among some Clinton supporters to Obama's campaign is rooted . . . in half-truths, no-truths and flat-out ignorance about who Senator Obama is . . . "

If, throughout the primaries and caucuses, Sen. Clinton had presented her own credentials without exaggeration or embellishment and refrained from mischaracterizing Sen. Obama's policies and experience, that process would have ended about 20 states sooner, most likely with a Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton ticket, a solvent Clinton campaign organization, and a unified party. Now, however, no such ticket is possible, the Clintons are heavily in debt, and half truths, lies and ignorance abound, even within the Party, as you note.

Thank you for noticing that and for favoring unity now. Please consider, however, the direct role the tone and substance of Clinton campaign played in creating today's situation. This situation did not arise spontaneously in a vacuum, harms the Party, and has not enhanced Sen. Clinton's own long-term prospects one whit.

[redstatebluedude]

"the resistance among some Clinton supporters to Obama's campaign is rooted . . . in half-truths, no-truths and flat-out ignorance about who Senator Obama is . . . "

NO. It's rooted in being called a racist for questioning some of his assertions and worrying about his ability to win in the fall.

[Danigirl65]

I've heard this comment about being labeled a racist if you won't vote for Obama. I don't know where this strange accusation arose from.

As an Obama supporter, the only people I consider being racist are the ones who have specifically told me they won't vote for Obama because he is a black man - and they are not generally kind enough to refer to him as a black man.

Put yourself in my shoes, I'm a 42 year old professional woman who was asked what was wrong with me because I wasn't a Hillary supporter yet I never heard any accusations of gender discrimination.

I also question the "worrying about his ability to win in the fall." He beat the Clinton machine; if he can't beat John McCain, this country is in a worse state than I already knew it was.

[Fabienne]

The Obama campaign NEVER called Clinton supporters racists and you are entitled to believe he can't win in the fall despite the polls, but some of us who opposed Senator Clinton don't really want someone to win who voted for the largest foreign policy mistake in many years and who says she would be willing to obliterate an entire country. Her election in terms of foreign policy would align the Democratic Party firmly with the Republicans in pre-emptive use of force and the espousal of violence to settle world conflicts.

[Bronxcutie]

The term "racist" came up during Pennsylvania when some people ADMITTED that race was a factor in their vote. Sen. Obama has not called anyone racist. Those Obama and Clinton voters that vote based on race are ALL RACISTS.

[truthskr]

With regards to the racism assertion, the plain facts are that there ARE former Clinton supporters who are on-the-record racists, just like the woman quoted in this post. There were many others in the Appalacian chain who, when interviewed, clearly stated that racism and the fear of otherness motivated their vote for Hillary (against Obama).

Of course we all realize that the majority of Hillary supporters are not racists, but I think that there aren't too many people who would claim that there were near as many Obama supporters who, in exit polling interviews, said they voted for Obama due to sexism because they just didn't think a woman could handle the position, as there were ignorant voters who voted for Hillary unfortunately in part due to racism. I don't remember them getting a single Obama supporter on record stating that their support was due to sexist bias.

Was the media sexist? Sure, to an extent. But the media and Obama voters are two separate groups, who are being castigated together as sexists by some of Hillary's more reticent supporters. Look at all of Hillary's big donors putting all sorts of stipulations and conditions on any financial support they extend Obama.