Thursday, May 01, 2008

Not in a Million Years

So, if Barak Obama fails to get the Democratic nomination, I will then reluctantly support Hillary Clinton........ Are you kidding? Not in a million years I won't. Don't even ask. There are so very few things in politics that I am sure of -- but this is one of them -- no Clinton, no Bush, and no Kennedy will ever get my vote -- I am so firmly opposed to family dynasties.

In the case of the Clintons -- they are trying to sneak around the 22nd Amendment which limits the President to two terms. The 22nd Amendment was passed by a Republican-controlled Congress in 1951 in revenge against the four-terms of Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The two-term custom was established by our first President, George Washington. FDR broke that custom in 1940 when he ran for a 3rd term. It was a radical move, but with World War II on the horizon, I would have supported his decision, and I would have supported his 4th term as well.

But Hillary and Bill Clinton are not extraordinary people -- I'm quite sure of that. They are just trying to sneak back into the White House, and to make an end run around the 22nd Amendment.

The Clintons are driven to obsession by a need to get back to the White House -- they have established no other home. Politics is their joint addiction, otherwise they can't stand each other. This is a very unhealthy couple. I couldn't vote for them -- I say this calmly.

I have worked so hard on maintaining a detached equanimity with regard to politics. I pride myself on my ability to listen to anybody -- even Rush Limbaugh -- without an increase in blood pressure. Although for Rush, I have to limit my exposure to no more than ten minutes.

I have travelled the country and mixed with people from all parts of the political spectrum -- and I'm always calm.

However, I must admit that I succumbed to a flash of anti-Clinton hostility these past few weeks. It was Hillary calling Barak Obama an elitist that got me into a total meltdown. I just about busted a gut. I swear I have not been so mad at a politician since Lyndon Johnson cancelled the War on Poverty because he wanted to bomb Hanoi.

I was furious to the point of physical illness. I was so mad at Hillary that I was going global and starting to get mad at all the people who supported her, including various friends and relatives whom I stopped speaking to. What a talent that woman has!

This fury lasted for ten days, but yesterday morning, I woke up after the sweetest dream -- a dream that had nothing to do with politics, but it was a romp on the beach with my California Sweetheart from 1970. It was nice of her to come back to visit me in the dreamscape -- You're not welcome to know the rest of the dream because there's a limit....... but I woke up with a smile, and I realized I was no longer mad at Hillary. In fact I was feeling a bit warm-hearted and magnanimous, and I wanted to forgive her and just let it go.

And the reason that I began to have such generous feelings toward Hillary? Because I know, from some profound depth in my heart, that SHE'S GOING TO LOSE and that the Obamas, Barak and Michelle, will prevail and go on to take the nomination and then take the fight to John McCain.

I offer no evidence for this conviction. I can marshal no facts in support of an argument, but I know that Hillary will lose. I know that this very week, in Indiana and North Carolina, she is peaking and reaching the high point of her political life -- but then it's all over.

Hillary, I understand how badly you wanted to be President, but it's not your time. There were so many good candidates this year -- especially Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Bill Richardson, and John Edwards -- all hugely inspired toward public service -- I can only say I am grateful to you and to them for what you have done.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

fantastic!