My family, like many families, has split along generational lines during this primary season. My brother and I support Obama. Mom and Dad are in Hillary’s camp. However, to be fair, Mom is staying neutral by saying that she likes both candidates. My brother has the luxury of living in California, and, therefore, has not taken part in our “heated” kitchen table debate.
I should point out that before Super Tuesday I was completely rational. I countered the ’empty suit’ comments with policy discussion. I answered the ‘Your guy has a glass jaw’ jab by explaining that Obama was about a different type of politics, and I delighted in pointing out, to my parents, how they had weaned me on JFK, MLK, and RFK. I was a regular chip off the old block!
So when did I lose it? Was it when Hillary endorsed McCain? Oh yeah, that was a biggie. But I’ve realized it wasn’t one thing that made me lose my mind. It was cumulative. Let’s review…
First, as an Obama supporter, I was called delusional and naive. Okay, no big deal, since, hey, I like Kool-aid! Next came the ‘words are cheap’ comment, followed by the ‘experience’ mantra, which – according to Hillary – only she and John McCain possess. My blood pressure started rising at this point, along with my personal negatives in regards to Hillary. Toss in Florida and Michigan and the claim that Obama was disenfranchising the voters of these states and I saw red. My vision kept blurring when HRC supporters dismissed every primary, caucus, red state, blue state, small state that Obama won along with his delegate lead. Suddenly a delegate race became about the popular vote, or the electoral college map, or if only Dems picked their nominee like republicans…
But the killer for me was when Hillary supporters saw no problem in swift boating one of their own, i.e. The Kitchen Sink Strategy. Rev. Wright, flag pins, Ayers, bitter-gate, etc. All tactics I was prepared for the Republicans to launch, but I never dreamed a Democrat would sink so low. Hillary supporters will claim they are doing Obama a favor by vetting him. Actually what they’ve done is give credence to mud slinging. They’ve also given Republicans cover by legitimizing the politics of personal destruction. Come this fall things are going to get ugly, and Dems won’t be able to complain because we’ve lowered the bar.
So, am I irrational when it comes to Hillary Clinton. Yes, but for rational reasons.