To: The New York Times Editor
A Plea to our Electorate: Seize Today
I am a Hillary Clinton supporter largely for the reasons expressed in The NY Times editorial. Barack Obama is a fine candidate, just not as ready. If the Republicans nominate John McCain, although it will at least restore some of my lost faith in a country that elected our current President, his time has passed. The race is clearly a case of yesterday, today and tomorrow. Before I explain, let’s review some of the bidding.
We as a nation need to be realistic and accept full responsibility for our choices. Politicians give the electorate what they want, not something conjured up by special interests, Washington insiders or ideologues. Admittedly, we too often have been enablers of these various constituents, ceding our accountability to them. But it’s not some external force responsible for our nation’s political polarization; we are the culprits. The newest avatar of this tendency to blame others is the notion of a messianic leader who will propel us into a new political paradigm. Invoking the legacy of JFK without a complete appreciation for the turbulent 60’s and 70’s that followed the ephemeral Camelot period is plainly naïve and misguided.
On the Democratic side, the media has failed miserably in any public- service vetting of the candidates. More interested in entertainment, they have created a hero/villain story line where experience and political savvy assume a dark art tone. Moreover, apparently in an effort to side step any racist overtones, they are more than willingly frolicking in the fields of misogyny. In that context, a known quantity is an important quality, particularly given the complicated world in which we live. In other words, nuts and bolts competence stemming from valuable experience should trump any overly idealistic expectation of change.
Our image of leadership is tarnished. It’s also stuck on a cult of personality. Hopefully, we’ve learned our downward- spiraling lesson of electing an individual who pledged allegiance to a narrow-minded ideology and appealed to some ordinary- citizen, frontier craving. Let’s please not measure the candidates on a personality scale this time—they’re all likeable enough. Ideas and substance should matter more. We need leaders who are extraordinary individuals, able to tackle a challenging economy as well as adversaries abroad. That means a talented person who has a deep and abiding political commitment, such as health care and the welfare of our nation’s children, and the strength of character to prevail in both the legislative and diplomatic arenas.
Hillary Clinton is the only candidate for today’s world. John McCain is yesterday’s politician and Barack Obama is tomorrow’s guy. Proven ability and competence to navigate the political process in the crucible of public attention is what we need. With her experience in the 60’s and 70’s of building coalitions, we should trust her with the state of our current economy, have confidence in her ability to harvest results from disparate interests. On the foreign policy front, she will strike the perfect balance in dealing with both America’s allies and adversaries in a strong and reasonable fashion. I trust her the most to sit across the table from Putin, for example, and serve best America’s overall interests. On the other hand, John McCain appears trapped in many of the failed policies of the past. And Barack Obama appears to be a capable leader without deep political experience.
For all of us, the choice should be clear. I would urge all Americans, and particularly Democrats, to support today’s leading candidate—Hillary Clinton.
R. Lee Pell
New York, New York
January 31, 2008
Discuss
Sharon Danley on February 3, 2008, 1:08 PM
Right on. As a Canadian I can’t vote, but we will certainly experience the fallout or improvement of the US citizens’ choice for president. I/we wait and hope for responsible leadership.
Omar Sapayeen on February 5, 2008, 1:47 PM
I can’t vote for Hilary.
When Bush first started thumping the drums for war, Hilary was in a position to speak up against it. Instead she chose to demonstrate she’s capable of being a neocon, and supported it. She claims she mistook Bush’s intentions, but this is a lie. She went on supporting this war until the polls turned against it. Up through that, she was on board with Bush.
I cannot support someone so lacking in a sense of responsibility and morality that she’d sell lives and destroy nations if it would promote her political ambitions.
If Hilary wins the primaries, Democrat though I am, I will campaign for McCain. That man may be a Republican, but at least he has a soul.
Nick S on February 11, 2008, 3:02 PM
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but hillary, nor Obama will be elected. We can only hope that John Mccain will be a smarted president than the last. A shoe box full of crayons would have been a better choice then the current prez.
Hillary and Obama both have a very hard hill to climb. they live in a Country that “claims” to be open minded, progressive and forward thinking, but go out to the country, talk to the half wits that make up the mojority of this country, Sure in the big city Hillary and Obama are doing great, but out in the netherlands, They are not going to vote a woman or a black man to office. I lived in Charlotte NC for 15 years. Dems always won charlotte, raleigh, and other big cities, But Hard core Reps always won the backwoods, and face it, there are more people up in them there hollers, then there are in the metros.
Jen Something on February 14, 2008, 7:26 PM
This voter fraud is a mockery of America.www.blackboxvoting.org then, the fraudulent conveyance by the corporate owned media ignoring people STILL RUNNING like Ron.
Hillary and Monsanto Obama and the CFR these are nothing but faces on the same coin. McCain is no better, another war guy.
imo
What have we discovered? It is not only a joke but an actionable deception and fraudulent conveyance by the mainstream media. It may even be a RICO crime.
There are investigations.
So GFY mainstream
Vera Sileikis on February 16, 2008, 2:23 PM
I am Canadian and I want Hillary Clinton to be the next president of our neighbors to the south because being female, she is infinitely more capable than any of her opponents in many respects. It is just that simple. Men, look at what your wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt or any female you know can accomplish peacefully and the answer is clear.
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