A Hero
Where have all the good men gone, and where are all the gods? Where’s the street-wise Hercules to fight the rising odds? Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed? Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need. I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero ’till the end of the night. He’s gotta be strong and he’s gotta be fast and he’s gotta be fresh from the fight. I need a hero. I’m holding out for a hero ’till the morning light. He’s gotta be sure, and it’s gotta be soon, and he’s gotta be larger than life. Somewhere after midnight, in my wildest fantasy, somewhere just beyond my reach, there’s someone reaching back for me. Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat. It’s gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet. . . I’m holding out for a hero ’till the end of the night ~ Jim Steinman and Dean Pitcford ~Finally there is hope. Senator Obama thinks that he can casually throw away eighteen million votes, in favor of nine thousand and still win an election – he can not!
I have watched in horror and disbelief as Senator Hillary Clinton has been treated as if she were less than human, as opposed to an accomplished, educated, experienced leader who earned eighteen million votes in the primary, despite being stabbed in the back and publicly humiliated by people like Bill Richardson and Ted Kennedy who were supposed to have been her friends.
I could not believe, as I watched the roll call, at the Democratic National Convention, that states like Arkansas which owe so much to President and Senator Clinton, did not even cast a single vote for Senator Clinton. But the moment which brought me to tears, was watching Senator Clinton approach the New York delegation, and being forced, once again to subjugate herself, as she called for the roll call to be stopped, and Obama to be given the nomination in acclamation. When have we asked a losing male candidate to do such a thing?
But the sun does rise. I went to bed last night, thoroughly exhausted. It had been a day of bad news. Kate’s cousin, Raymee, had unexpectedly passed away, I learned my Uncle David had had a stroke and was hospitalized, we were dealing with violence in our neighborhood, and the last thing I had watched was Senator Obama’s speech – a speech in which he did not explain how he could so callously have ignored Senator Clinton’s accomplishments, in the primary, and all of her voters.
I am and always will be a Republican; but I have always voted for the candidate, not the party. The first vote I cast was for the reelection of Governor Jerry Brown, in California.
For me, this has been an election season with little flavor. My candidate of choice, Mayor Giuliani exited the race almost before entering the contest, and I was left struggling with whom I would support. Senator McCain was a man of honor, whom I always believed qualified for the presidency, but he was not my passionate choice.
Kate, however, was passionate about Senator Clinton. From the start of this campaign, Kate assured me, that unlike in past elections, where she had at times crossed over to vote for a Republican this time it was going to be a Democrat, and she expected my support.
Normally, one of the things which I most enjoy about the political seasons are the great discussions and yes, arguments which ensue in our home. But this year, the debates have been far and few between. This election was personal for Kate, and she will hate me for saying it, but Hillary’s defeat brought Kate to tears – a woman who simply does not cry. What were we going to fight about? Was I really going to disagree that Senator Clinton was being asked to capitulate even before the primaries were finished? Or disagree that the media favored golden boy Obama and was obsessed with how Hillary looked as opposed to what she had to say or what she stood for? How could I argue with any of these blatant facts?
Kate is a Roosevelt Democrat. Her grandmother, Tessie, made Kate into a Democrat with stories of how President F. D. Roosevelt saved America. Kate is a strong pro-choice supporter and favors gay marriage, while being an adamant supporter of Israel and our military. As frustrated as she has been with her party, over the years, an experience shared by Republicans, as well, it is only now that I have heard her say that the betrayal is too deep.
Not long ago, we visited the Clinton Presidential Library, in Little Rock Arkansas. I must say, that as we approached the library, Kate commented how excited she was to finally be going to visit a Democratic Library – I was quick to point out that our list of Presidential Libraries, a hobby of sorts, included F. D. Roosevelt, Jimmy Carter, John Kennedy, Harry S. Truman, and L. B. Johnson – oh yes, but they did not quite count like the Clintons.
Kate loves Hillary Clinton, and likes Bill. Our visit to their library was insightful, and I must add that their bookstore was the most egalitarian of any that I have seen – including offerings of the Kennedy’s, which as I commented to the stores manager, I would have pulled from the shelves.
We in fact had a lovely visit in Little Rock, including meeting various people who all commented: You know Bill, right? Oh you would love him! People who voted for him and worked for him and people who told us they had never cast a single vote his way, but still admired him and all that he was still doing for Arkansas.
(Also, we ate the best ribs I have ever had – I have to recommend Whole Hog Café, at 5107 Warden Road, North Little Rock, AR 72116 501-753-9227. The ribs were hand rubbed and smoked to perfection, the sweet tea delicious, with unlimited refills, and ample lemon wedges and fresh mint, and was recommended, by the man who took my order, the best potato salad I have ever had – and I am not a huge fan of potato salad. If you are passing through, you must stop.)
But the highlight of the visit, to the Clinton Library, was watching Kate. These were her people, her President and her next President, even though by then we knew that Hillary would not be at the top of the ticket, though there was still hope for the Vice Presidency and perhaps a revolution during the Roll Call.
The Democratic Parties rules and regulations, including the Super Delegates which gave Senator Obama this primary, trying to settle a score against the Clintons, have foolishly underestimated the millions of women and men who worked for, financially supported, and voted for Senator Clinton. These are not silly little women who can be told what to do, and will follow orders without questioning the motives or intentions of those dictating what they should do. I know, because I live with one of those women – one who is now voting, and after today’s announcement, joyfully voting for Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin.
I finally feel like we have something to celebrate. God really has answered our prayers. I woke up this morning to hope. John McCain has nominated a woman for the vice-presidency, of the United States – he heard us, and will not let the 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling go unnoticed!
I have to say I was thinking of Carly Fiorina, who has been brilliant this election cycle, as she addressed economic issues for Senator McCain. She never once faltered, answering every question asked, providing substantive and clear responses. I shall look forward to her serving the next President and the United States in an appropriate post. I also thought that Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, whom I can not imagine anyone taking issue with, would have been a good choice; but McCain has instead chosen Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin.
Senator McCain has not turned his back on the majority of our population nor on the bedrock of America. I needed this nomination. I needed Senator McCain to be a bigger man than Senator Barrack Obama. I needed Senator McCain to prove why he is a fearless hero, a man who is not afraid to share the stage or to share power with a woman. I needed him to not be intimidated or threatened by a powerful woman, but instead to embrace her. I needed Senator McCain to acknowledge that women have played and continue to play a vital role in America and American politics. I needed this white, older, military man to say yes – America is ready to see women in power and that the Republican Party, the party which championed the end of slavery and the vote for black men, thought that all women deserved to be heard.
I love, support, and believe in people and organizations which I disagree with – I have lived with Kate for 22 years! There are things in my party which have deeply troubled me – I for one hate the notion of a religious agenda high jacking a national political party – I really do believe in separation of church and state. But today, I can proudly say that I am a Republican! I am a member of the party which nominated a woman to break through the glass ceiling that Geraldine Ferraro and MS. Hillary Clinton cracked!
My first order of business, today, was to make another donation to Senator McCain’s campaign. I urge each of you to do the same, and I ask that you do it today! Let the good Senator know that you support his choice to offer women an equal voice in the political field. Let him know that you do not approve of the way the Democratic Party has treated Senator Hillary Clinton. Let him know that you do believe in progress and that you too have seen hope!
The clock is ticking. Let us make our voices heard! Here is to the American woman – and all of those men who love women – be it there mothers or wives or daughters. This one really is for all of us girls – that is all for now.
[…] August 2008, I touched upon our visit to the President Clinton Library, in Little Rock, Arkansas: http://thatisallfornow.com/?p=4712#.ViASPb2E5Bh At the time, Kate was still a […]