The Dust Is Settling
After 16 months of balls-out campaigning, the race for the Democratic Party nominee for president has come to a close, and it appears that Barack Obama has emerged, bloodied, but victorious.
Before I go on, let me say that I honor Hillary Clinton, and congratulate her for running a hard-hitting (sometimes too hard) campaign, and for being gutsy, and dogged in her pursuit of the nomination. She's a helluva person -- not just a helluva woman -- and she deserves props for keeping her promise to her supporters. She's incredibly bright, with some great ideas and she's not done in politics -- presidential or otherwise -- by any measure. It just wasn't to be for her. This year.
As to the presumptive nominee, damn he did it!!
For a moment, let's reflect on the accomplishment that we celebrate this day after the last primaries. It was 389 years ago when the first Africans set foot in Virginia colony, dragged to the New World in shackles and chains, at then end of their own tearful journey. In between then and now, there was brutal slavery, lynching, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, segregation, and 'soft racism,' among other slights. But now, today, we have what appears to be the first non-white, the first African-American presidential candidate. Progress, for sure. Tremendous progress for sure. But there is so much more that we can do. Like electing Obama for a start.
What I'm proudest about right now, is that the Obama campaign has been classy and gracious in dealing with the competition in the Clinton camp. He's shown her and her campaign a great deal of deference, not just in the interest of party unity, but out of simple respect. That's what we need to end this part of the process and more importantly, such...presidential...behavior is what we need from the next president.
But before we get to that part, it's time for the wind-down.
Hillary's campaign is going into suspended-mode. She is bringing things to a close, but to do so, it's akin to stopping a speeding train: it takes time and distance, and to their credit, the Obama camp is keeping its distance to let Clinton decelerate gracefully. Congressional Dems, in their zeal to move forward, have been placing phone calls all day, demanding a quick close -- because they want to pivot and tee off on John McCain.
To those that stood with Senator Clinton, to those that feel a sense of hurt at the defeat of their candidate, your pain is understood. There are lots of hurt feelings to go around, with many real and imagined slights inflicted on both candidates. But now, it's time to come together as a party, as 37 million (or more) people, to do away with the 8-year stain that's been Republican domination of the American political landscape. And in the sober light of the day after, you can see what Obama supporters see: that Senator Obama needs you. America needs you.
So now, let's complete this historic moment by moving forward together to ensure in January, 2009, a new day dawns that we can be proud of. A day that sees a Democrat in the White House.
Before I go on, let me say that I honor Hillary Clinton, and congratulate her for running a hard-hitting (sometimes too hard) campaign, and for being gutsy, and dogged in her pursuit of the nomination. She's a helluva person -- not just a helluva woman -- and she deserves props for keeping her promise to her supporters. She's incredibly bright, with some great ideas and she's not done in politics -- presidential or otherwise -- by any measure. It just wasn't to be for her. This year.
As to the presumptive nominee, damn he did it!!
For a moment, let's reflect on the accomplishment that we celebrate this day after the last primaries. It was 389 years ago when the first Africans set foot in Virginia colony, dragged to the New World in shackles and chains, at then end of their own tearful journey. In between then and now, there was brutal slavery, lynching, the Civil War, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, segregation, and 'soft racism,' among other slights. But now, today, we have what appears to be the first non-white, the first African-American presidential candidate. Progress, for sure. Tremendous progress for sure. But there is so much more that we can do. Like electing Obama for a start.
What I'm proudest about right now, is that the Obama campaign has been classy and gracious in dealing with the competition in the Clinton camp. He's shown her and her campaign a great deal of deference, not just in the interest of party unity, but out of simple respect. That's what we need to end this part of the process and more importantly, such...presidential...behavior is what we need from the next president.
But before we get to that part, it's time for the wind-down.
Hillary's campaign is going into suspended-mode. She is bringing things to a close, but to do so, it's akin to stopping a speeding train: it takes time and distance, and to their credit, the Obama camp is keeping its distance to let Clinton decelerate gracefully. Congressional Dems, in their zeal to move forward, have been placing phone calls all day, demanding a quick close -- because they want to pivot and tee off on John McCain.
To those that stood with Senator Clinton, to those that feel a sense of hurt at the defeat of their candidate, your pain is understood. There are lots of hurt feelings to go around, with many real and imagined slights inflicted on both candidates. But now, it's time to come together as a party, as 37 million (or more) people, to do away with the 8-year stain that's been Republican domination of the American political landscape. And in the sober light of the day after, you can see what Obama supporters see: that Senator Obama needs you. America needs you.
So now, let's complete this historic moment by moving forward together to ensure in January, 2009, a new day dawns that we can be proud of. A day that sees a Democrat in the White House.
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I thought there would be a collective gloating of this victory. It was hard fought and a difficult win. But instead of gloating (thankfully) there is more of a knowing smile floating around. Victory and milestone acknowledged, but still a hell of a lot of work to go. Republicans will call out the tornadoes and kick up all of the debris they can on the campaign trail.
But for now, I am content to smile to myself and anyone else who I make eye contact with, knowing that what was once historically always held as an impossibility is suddenly possible. Very possible.
But we still have much work to do. So roll up the sleeves, volunteer time and come up off some cash. Hug a HRC supporter. Lets do this thing...
@ "Lets do this thing..."
Right On!