It was a long time coming - eight and a half years - but finally Hillary Clinton will be our candidate for the President of the United States!
And now, at a little after 7:00 PM, PDT, I am watching my candidate take the stage in front of an ecstatic crowd in Brooklyn, NY as she acknowledges her victory in the Democratic primary campaign. This is the first time in our nation's history that a woman will be a major candidate for President.
It's about time!
Some folks are saying it is no longer an important issue that we have our first woman candidate. Well, they are wrong. They didn't ask me.
I have never been an outspoken feminist. As an elementary school teacher, I worked in a world of women. Sure, many of the Principals were men, and some were paternalistic, but it never occurred to me to ask these men for permission for anything. I began teaching in 1966, and soon led the way in wearing pantsuits! Wow. Big deal. Apparently some teachers in other buildings had to be granted permission in order to wear pants to work in their classrooms. I didn't ask. It never occurred to me. I just wore them, and then so did other women.
That seems like a small issue, and it is, but it is an example of how long it has taken for women to be able to take charge of their lives and make their own decisions.
But Hillary Clinton is more than just the first woman candidate. She is the most highly qualified candidate. Now I know that some of you out there don't like her. I find it strange that so many women say that, as if they actually knew her. You most likely don't really know her at all. And if you choose to believe all of the propaganda that has been published to smear her over the last 25 years, then it is no wonder you "don't like her".
People who fear her power and her skill and her knowledge claim that she is a liar, a crook, even a murderer! I have done quite a bit of fact checking over the years, and there is very little truth to these claims.
I have been a watcher of Hillary for a long time. I have seen her fight and learn and grow and evolve, always working for the betterment of women and children around the world.
So with Hillary tonight I am celebrating!
Yes, I understand the idealism of the Bernie Sanders supporters, idealism that they hoped would be the answer to their disillusionment. Lots of folks are having a hard time. Barack Obama has worked hard to solve many of our economic and international issues, always fighting against the tide of Republicans determined to see him fail at our expense. Hillary Clinton has the same goals as President Obama and Bernie Sanders.
No, I don't understand Republicans. And I don't understand the people who vote against their own self interests. We need to elect a Democrat Congress so we can get some things fixed.
And if you are wavering against voting for Hillary Clinton, remember she is now the only one standing between us and our having to play Hail to the Chief for Donald Trump.
I absolutely loved Hillary's foreign policy speech from last week and that Trump fired back with the equivalent of calling her a poopyhead confirmed every point she made. While my political views are far more liberal than either of the Clintons, I do believe that she is the one who can bridge the divide brought about by a racist and obstructionist Congress -- provided the electorate wakes up and elects reasonable people across the board.
ReplyDeleteWe will be in serious trouble if Trump is elected, in my opinion. I marvel at those who say the like him because he speaks his mind. The fact that he has the emotional mind of a four year old doesn't enter into consideration??
I supported Bernie for a long time but switched to Hillary when I realized that she is the stronger candidate. I'm a little disappointed in Bernie's unwillingness to jcome together with the Hillary supporters. I hope that will change in the future. And Hillary's speech last night was brilliant. :-)
ReplyDeleteWow! Well said, Linda. You're right: propaganda against Hillary, most of it unfounded. With Trump, though, we know it's FACT because we see all his blunders with our own eyes. And about the pantsuits: I started teaching in 1968, and I still remember the discussion around the lunch table as we female teachers discussed whether we would all dare wear pantsuits to school the next day. We did, and we never looked back. Strength in numbers
ReplyDeleteWe need to give Bernie time to land the plane. He flew a little too high. Then I think we'll see him begin to move in a more positive direction. From what I've read Hillary's speech was wonderful. No doubt she's the more capable candidate. She certainly worked hard and earned last evening's celebration. I remain Clinton fatigued and disappointed with the Democratic Party. Nevertheless I will be there front and center voting for Hillary.
ReplyDeleteI love your "land the plane, flew a little too high" comment! I may borrow it.
DeleteI am mad that the Democratic party allowed us only one candidate and did not make this a race of various good warriors. She is not my first choice, but is fully qualified and a much better leader than she is a politician. I have read where someone won't vote for her because she stood by her husband when he cheated on her...this is probably someone from the Christian far right(?) Anyway, the alternative is worse than cutting off ones nose...it is selling away the hard won heritage of our grandchildren.
ReplyDeleteI am concerned too that we don't seem to have younger, fresher Dems waiting in the wings. Maybe we will now that Hillary is getting her turn.
DeleteI cannot in good conscience vote for Hilly. If she had kicked Billy to the curb way back during the Monica episode she would have won my vote...but she lost it then. Even if I thought hard and long after all her doings with Wall Street...I cannot bring myself to cast my vote her way. I also wanted a woman candidate...just not the wrong one, and I think she is. :(
ReplyDeleteI'm also a Bernie supporter. My vote was almost compromised here due to a false ballot to vote by mail, from Bill Clinton. (these were going round). I was suspect so filled it in with Bernie, then went to the caucus. My ballot was not there. Two ballots in my caucus were for Hillary though.
DeleteThe system has been compromised in many ways and I have read the reports lately published concerning the server.
It appears to me that Hillarys server has been a can of worms the FBI opened.
Plus the voting in California in particular. Then there's the media and Hillary deciding she'd won, Wasserman herself said earlier today that Hillary was not the candidate and that it wouldn't be determined until today after all states had a chance to vote. Of course she should have said that before today.
Many counties in CA have now flipped to Bernie. There are way over a million votes still to count.
But Bernie will win CA.
Super delegates are also flipping.
They don't vote though until the convention.
So I'm with you and not giving up.
I also feel Clintons showed no respect for our home the Whitehouse and Hillary made her choice not to leave Bill. But they're not welcome back in my Whitehouse.
I'm 100% for Bernie.
I do enjoy your blog Linda and that you discuss political
Matters though. Thanks for the soapbox
Sherry
Oh, I could not agree more Linda! It scares me to think of a Trump presidency. It appears that all of his shenanigans were not a stunt to get votes, it actually reflects who he is!!! Quite scary to me.
ReplyDeleteIt truly is an historic day for women. And hopefully she will win the election in November.
I wore my first pants suit to work in 1969, our company took two years to stop trying to send women home to change their clothes. Mandatory high heels went next. I hope Bernie gets around to supporting Hillary and doesn't cause supporters to not vote thereby promoting Trump by default. She is competent and will make a good leader. I like Elizabeth Warren as well but I think she is very powerful where she is.
ReplyDeleteI saw the same issues you did as a young teacher. In my opinion we have a long way to go yet. Since I was a teacher,I got to work with women and have always remembered that it was rewarding.
ReplyDeleteAnd I led the way in our school to wear sneaker type walking shoes (instead of heels or other uncomfortable shoes. There were raised eyebrows, but no one said I couldn't. Eventually other teachers followed suit. Come one... I was on my feet all day walking around the classroom helping children. Don't expect me to do it in uncomfortable shoes.
ReplyDeleteOops! I forgot to add that everyone needs to unite to stop Trump. Just imagine what a laughing stock our country would be if he got elected president with his finger on the nuclear button.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this. I'm a Bernie supporter (still!) and I fully support his right to campaign until the nomination. I'm not a fan of either the superdelegates system or the media calling the presumptive "nominee". I believe it's important to have more than one candidate in a party. Unlike most of the media portrayal of Bernie supporters, I am not a millennial, far from it as I turned 53 this year. I like very much what he's had to say and I feel it's been a long time coming, especially certain social programs for those of us who struggle mightily day to day to exist (I'm talking food stamps and free clinics and I've worked hard my entire life).
ReplyDeleteThat said, I have no issues with Hillary and I too have done my research. The ridiculous charges against her are just that, and a little impartial research proves this. Is she perfect? Nope. No one is. But, she will be a very good leader of this country, especially if she learns from the "fire" we Bernie supporters are pushing. Honestly, I believe Bernie will work with her on this and that will give us a stronger presidency.
Women have worked hard to get this far and we have more work ahead of us. We need to pull together to get a better congress elected, not just women but all minorities.
I think throwing away a vote we've worked so hard for is petty and very possibly disastrous for our country. Hillary will have my vote and gladly, if that's the way it ends up.
There's no way I would vote for Trump. No way. And, for what it's worth...I would one thousand times vote for a woman who worked through her personal issues in her marriage than throw a single vote to a man who has so little value for women that he flaunts it proudly.
I so agree with you. I remember when my bank wouldn't let me get a credit card of my own. I've been a quietly active feminist ever since.
ReplyDeleteDavid and I will probably vote for Hillary Clinton. We think she is amazing.
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ReplyDeleteHad too my typos before so removed it.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Clinton is a great choice at this time but her road will be very tough with the way the media now plays on everyone's minds.
We live in a global setting now. We share on the space station and we need to share and care on the ground rather than destroy this planet.
Her road will be a tough one.