The thinking women are back. It took a presidential primary to get us polish the leather and saddle up, but here we are, ready to provide guidance as the Democratic field narrows down to two: Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
While we’d happily vote for whichever candidate gets the nomination, we are facing a Super Tuesday with an unprecedented opportunity – a chance to vote for a female or African-American nominee. As our hero Jon Stewart pointed out, 100 years ago in this country, neither one would have been able to run – or vote!
So how to decide? Here are two excellent arguments by intelligent, informed supporters of each candidate. We hope that reading them will help you decide. Let the debate begin.
THE ARGUMENT FOR HILLARY
I am a big supporter of Hillary Clinton. I think that the biggest argument against her seems to be that she is married to Bill Clinton, and that she has been around in politics longer than Obama. My problem with Obama is that he hasn't done much politically. I don't doubt that he is more than capable intellectually for the job, so I feel that the country will be in better hands with either Democrat, since it appears to be a two-way race.
But I like so many things about Hillary Clinton. I think she's extremely smart, she is from a working class family, and has been living the American
Dream. She is a woman who has been a successful working mother, and has made the extremely difficult choice of remaining in a marriage with someone whose behavior has been scrutinized and criticized, and her choices criticized.
She successfully won re-election to the Senate, and understands politics.
In addition, she is well respected, and personally known, internationally. I think that the president's primary job is going to be restoring friendships internationally. Hillary already knows a percentage of the politicians, and in most countries, a woman in a position of leadership is less controversial than here. The only place it will be a problem will be in the Middle Eastern countries. But if she restores the support of the majority of the world, that will be less of an issue.
THE ARGUMENT FOR BARACK
You now have to decide whom, between the two remaining contenders for the Democratic nomination in August, you want to support. For me the decision is a simple one. It is simple because among the two remaining contenders one is a Corporate Democrat while the other is simply a Democrat.
Hillary Clinton is a corporate attorney. She sat on the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart while that company was paying subsistence wages, creating miserable working conditions and firing workers who tried to organize into trade unions in order to better their lot. She is the politician who has received more money from the pharmaceutical industry than any other. Her only child learned well from her mom -- she's now a hedge-fund manager.
Barak Obama is a much better choice to lead us into the future. He has often spoken critically of corporate greed and comes from humble beginnings making him much more likely to mistrust, monitor, and restrain the moneyed power elite for the welfare of ordinary Americans. Mr. Obama's policies on universal single-payer health insurance, ending our involvement in the war in Iraq, care for returning Iraq war veterans -- nay, all veterans, the environment, education, etc. are very similar to John Edwards' policies. We can proudly stand behind Barak Obama.
