Why This "Hillary Holdout" Is Backing Barack

On June 7th, my heart was broken. The candidate of my lifetime and my dear friend Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton suspended her historic Presidential campaign.

Over the past two months I have become the poster-child, in the press, for the so-called Hillary holdouts; Hillary Clinton supporters who were angry and frustrated with the way she was treated in the primary and post-primary and weren't ready for unity. I was frustrated at the incredible amount of misogyny in our political process and in our media. And I was embarrassed that my party, and its leadership, never came to her defense when she faced a barrage of attacks based on her gender.

I still bear some wounds, but I've thought long and hard about the issues I support and that I believe in and Hillary has led me to understand that Senator McCain supports little of what I champion.

The turning point for me was the Democratic Convention in Denver this week. I saw how Hillary was treated by the Obama campaign and his supporters and I saw how President Clinton was greeted as a hero in our party and our country.

This was not an easy decision, not because I dislike Senator Obama or think he's not a good public servant, but because I so strongly believed that Hillary was the stronger candidate.

I will never forget about Hillary and will continue to honor and support her -- Hillary's grace and commitment will always guide me and my convictions. Her campaign was a turning point in my life and in my activism. And after working many months on her campaign, there was no doubt in my mind that Hillary would provide the leadership that we needed in these daunting times.

After eighteen months and 18 million voters, she is so much more defined, known and respected by voters across America and opinion leaders of the world. People have seen how brilliant, compassionate and dedicated she is to her country and I think we can all agree that she came into her own during this campaign. But part of losing is looking back and using your mistakes as lessons. We must never allow misogynistic attacks in the media or in our political process ever again. In May of 2008 I co-founded WomenCount (www.womencount.org), a political action committee dedicated at that time to encouraging Hillary to stay in the race and not bow out under pressure. Now we have turned WomenCount into a 527/PAC dedicated to battling the gender bias in our media and political process. I like to think of it as a Moveon.org for Women. And its most important work will serve to protect women like Michelle Obama, Cindy McCain, and Hillary Clinton from misogynistic attacks. I know that Hillary's most important work is yet to come and I know with a President Obama, her dream of Universal Health Care for all Americans will come true. Senator Obama has done the right thing; he has honored her and her policies in the way they deserve to be honored. Do I wish she were at least Vice-President? Absolutely, but that's water under the bridge. We live in dark times and we need the kind of leadership that can take on our problems head-on and I know Senators Obama and Biden will do just that. So I hope everyone will join me and Hillary in saying, NO WAY, NO HOW, NO MCCAIN.

For more Huffington Post coverage of the Democratic National Convention, visit our Politics @ the DNC page, our Democratic Convention Big News Page, and our HuffPost bloggers' Twitter feed, live from Denver.

Comments

[olivia]

There were tears all around last night as the first African-American presidential nominee was chosen.

How can anyone not take joy in that?

The way blacks were treated since this nation was founded is our national shame. How can anyone fail to rejoice in that just because they were hoping to shatter a different glass ceiling?

[strangelet]

Well, I believe it's called "mixed feelings". Many people are able to hold two incompatible emotions in their heads at the same time.

[BarbaraGordon]

I supported Hillary but always said that I would vote for the Democratic nominee, even if he/she was an idiot. It is just impossible to vote for a Repug in this day and age. They are dedicated to turning back the clock on all of our advances and we cannot let that happen. I thought that the Clintons both gave tremendous speeches at the convention and look forward to Obama blowing off the proverbial roof tonight.

I fail to understand how any supporter of Hillary - her issues, her ideals - could vote for McCain. It is impossible.

[ylpatriot]

Here's my problem ... i cannot vote the dem ticket this time !! I dont believe in obama there is something still very scary about this man and what i think he may actually represent ... so its a trade off ......bu NO i wont vote obama ...

To Mrs HRC you were cheated and we all know this to be fact. Lets Face it !!!

End of Story !!!!

[muadibe]

I suspect the only thing you find scary about O is the color of his skin.

There is NOTHING scary about him to any reasonable, unbiased person.
As demonstrated by this article, any true HC supporter COULDN'T possibly vote for Mc who stands for the opposite of HC. There is one word to describe such people: rac1st!

[Jon Raymond - Huffpost Blogger]

It's all too true. Something is rotten in Denmark.

[CrashLandon]

There "something very scary" about...Obama? And you think McCain'and what he may actually represent' is a less scary choice for this country?

Lady, you're the scary one. Who can reason with you?

[olivia]

"very scary" and since you did not state what that is, I think we know what you meant.

[aubrey8]

As a Clinton supporter I think you've been hitting the Limbaugh/Hannity Happy Hour to much.

You use the word "scary"...what's scary to me is the thought of prices going higher for gas, food and everything else than what they are now. My God gas was a 1.25 a gallon during Clinton's last year in office and it's 4.00 bucks now !

What's scary is another Republican president that's in way over his head and would be better suited running a fast food joint than a country.

If Bush hasn't scared you enough about Republicans then nothing ever will.

Give me hope over fear any day, I'll take Obama.

[Eurovision]

I salute you and Hillary Clinton. I know it was a difficult decision. I would have felt similarly had things been reversed. I'm happy we are all marching forward together as Democrats.

[olivia]

McCain wants to attack Iran and bring back the draft. He votes against health care for children and benefits for veterans.

When my favorite candidate dropped out, supporting another Dem was not a difficult decision at all. It was the only moral decision.

[WilliePilgrim]

Thanks for that, Suzie. You've always been forward looking and your take on Hillary and how she was defamed brought some of the disgracefull problems that still exist in our system penetrates through the charade that sadly has become so necessary to play the game and take the field.
While Obama takes the lead role now, there can be no doubt that the power and insight so needed will be available to him in part, at least, as a grace from the Clintons.
In the mean time, I hope to see progressives seek to return the process to a consensus form of governement and move away from the winner take all, unitary executive. Sure it's fine when it's our side, but look at the worst that Bush(s) did and we see precedences in the previous administrations and their desperate attempts to consolidate power to push through ideas that unfortunately are, like so many human creations, liable to be distorted and used against us. Cheers.

[moefrommil]

Ms. Buell, I'm not happy to hear that you've had a change of heart. Thank you! But was Obama or his campaign responsible for the misogyny....NO! For anyone to hold this against him as if he was giving talking points to the media is just looking for an excuse. He followed the rules that they all agreed to and won. Primaries and Caucuses. And it was Hillary who went negative in the primaries. Hey, it worked for her. But you can't have it both ways.
And with all the recent documentation about the leaked memos of her campaign, and the mismanagement of money, that was her down fall. Would she be a stronger candidate for president? Maybe. But based on how he ran his campaign compared to her, he looks like the stronger person. I like Hillary. She is and will continue to be a great champion for the people. And I'll make sure my daughter knows about her historic campaign.
Also, all this talk about misogyny, what about the racism in the contest. Geraldine Ferraro stating that he was only in this position because he was black...or somehow he gets preferential treatment because of the color of his skin. Are you f'in kidding me! I'll remember that the next time I get pulled over. I love being a black man, but I've never got preferential treatment because of it.

But like you stated water under the bridge. Welcome!

[moefrommil]

Correction: Ms. Buell, I'm happy to hear that you've had a change of heart.

[strangelet]

You need to complain for 200 words before saying "water under the bridge"?

[rextrek]

at 47yrs old, I've never been very interested in watching all the hoopla surrounding the Conventions..but THIS YEAR,I've watched MOST of the Dem Convention..and I liked what I've seen/heard...the Clintons,Bo Biden,Kucinich,and many others...I've been Inspired,Teary eyed at Great speeches..and FEEL as though I'm a witness to History! Looking forward to Obama's speech tonite! OBAMA/BIDEN 08!!! ( I will NOT waste my time watching/Listening anything the GOP has to say..that will be time to dig into my dvd collection)
In the words of Kucinich..WAKE UP AMERICA! OBAMA/BIDEN 08

[sydney01]

Thank you so much for your support of Sen. Barack Obama!!!!

His campaign really has been trying to embrace her supporters. I know because many groups of volunteers wrote handwritten postcards to Hillary supporters as a olive branch style jesture. His website encouraged us to write letters to Hillary herself.

A McCain Presidency would VETO all of the causes Hillary holds dear. He considers funding for childhood health care "pork", he considers funding for green energy and jobs "pork", he considers funding for GI benefits "pork". Our country can not afford to fall into a deeper state of disrepair, and that is certain to occur if McCain is elected.

[FairisFair]

Mr. Raymond I am sorry but get over it. The strongest candidate was Biden period the primary, but he did not have the money to complete. Barack won because he understood that every state counted, not just the Big states. Unfortunately Hillary not the media or her opponent lost the nomination. With that said, this will be the first time in my lifetime that Bush or Clinton is not on the ticket, that is CHANGE.

As for Biden, he was the best choice by far. Biden will be the reason for the success on Obama presidency. It was not Kennedy but LBJ that was able to finally pass the social reforms in the 1960's and that is because he had clout and pull in the senate and congress. Obama will need someone with that clout and respect to get his agenda passed.

[11907281]

Come on, try reaching out instead of slamming down.

[newunderground]

Welcome to the fold, and Thank-you!!!

[merhoba]

As a life-long independent and a woman, I welcome you to the Obama Nation. I have supported Barack Obama from the beginning, but all my female friends were Hillary supporters. I took a lot of grief from them until Barack won the nomination. That very day, they all came to hug me and scream YES WE CAN!!! So I welcome you and say YES WE CAN!!!

[going2ireland]

I wonder who Hillary Christian will be voting for? Remember her? Think hard - it will come to you.

[11907281]

Harriet, not Hillary ... and we know it won't be the "inadequate black man" ... so I guess McKinney cause she was all about women and not about race.

[AliHajiSheik]

I welcome any vote for Obama and I'm glad you're on board.

[HRG]

Thank you for your thoughtful post and, more importantly, for your support of Barack. As a member of Women for Obama, I welcome you and commend you for understanding, as Hillary does, that there is too much at stake in this election to have anyone other than Barack Obama in the White House.

[amazingdays]

Dear Ms. Buell, I want to thank you with all my heart for your very admirable article. You are truly a leader (and a Democratic leader, that's even better! :) ). Not all women took your journey through this campaign, as I'm sure you know. I am a white, middle-aged woman who has volunteered energetically for Barack since before our primary in Virginia in February. However, I believe that with her run, Hillary Clinton has made the path to the White House wide open for women. When I compare the reaction to John Kennedy's election as a Catholic (huge deal), and the fact that Joe Biden happens to be Catholic (a demographic plus, but hardly barrier-breaking), that's what I hope to see happen in the future with gender and with race as well. I was uplifted and thrilled by Hillary Clinton's speech at this convention and her superb handling of the roll call issue. I am so glad you have decided to take this stand and I am proud to be a fellow Democrat with you in this party.

[RepugsOut08]

Thank you for recognizing that the things Hillary has worked and fought for all her life are the actual things we're all fighting for this November.
I support Obama. Passionately, but I would not have hessitated backing Hillary had she won the nomination, because it's their goals that matter. Goals they both share, and that the Republicans want to destroy.
If General Patton had been replaced, I doubt his soldiers would have joined the Germans. No, they would have gotten behing their new general and fought harder for Patton's sake and the sake of the nation.
Hillary will be there to urge us all forward to win the battle against unjust wars and greed, and to take us to victory in womens rights and health care. You haven't lost her or Bill. They just have another roll to play. Maybe one even more rewarding than being president.