The Close

One final day.

John McCain and Barack Obama take the mound for their last pitches to the American people.

"Freedom" from John McCain


"Something" from Barack Obama


In true form Obama continues to hammer down "change," "bringing America together," and "one nation, one people." Obama's ad also features the massive crowd displays that have been such a driving force in promoting his public appeal.

McCain contrasts with Obama in emphasizing his career, experience, and values. Sen. McCain also presents voters with a more specific choice in dealing with the problems our country faces--"don't hope for a stronger America, vote for one."

McCain drives home his role as a politician and presidential candidate while Obama presents himself as a movement. No surprises or strategical changes here.

Watching these final television advertisements it's amazing to see just how far this election has come. Not only do all the pieces come together (McCain's crowd footage was taken during the debut of his running mate, Sarah Palin, when many questioned the presence of cinema cameras a the event) in the final days of the campaign, but the full weight of our country's upcoming decision is beginning to set in.

Should America decide not to elect Obama we will have passed on a promising Democratic leader promising long-overdue change to the way business has been handled in Washington, not to mention the failure of a rare political cult figure to capitalize on the biggest, most expensive marketing campaign and cultural movement in history.

Should America choose not to elect John McCain we will have passed on one of the most potentially-moderate, experienced, distinguished, and honorable Republicans to be presented to voters in the coming decades. No Republican candidate with credentials and merit like McCain seems to be coming down the pipeline anytime soon.

A historic choice and a historic 48 hours await us.

On the Phone, in the Mail

Over the past year I've made my fair share of campaign donations:

$$$ to Hillary Clinton
$$$ to Chris Dodd
$$   to Joe Biden

$$  to John McCain

$    to Mike Huckabee

In addition, I am on the mailing lists for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, and Bill Richardson.

That comes to two points of contact with Republicans and a whole BUNCH for the Democrats.

Despite my numerous donations to Democratic campaigns and the number of Democratic politicians that have my email address in their mailing lists, I've been getting dozens and dozens of letters, surveys, phone calls (on my cell phone too!) from Republicans nationwide asking to "continue my generous support for Republican candidates across the country."

Whether it be a letter "from" President Bush, Mike Huckabee, or the GOP's 'Victory 2008,' the Republican Party seems to treasure my so-called support. On the contrary, I have not received any form of communication from former Democratic presidential candidates, the Democratic Party, or Barack Obama asking for money, etc.

I'm not going to vote for or give money to a Republican just because I receive a mass-email or letter, but I'd suggest the Democrats upon up all channels of communication with potential supporters, if not to help Barack Obama, but to cement unity among their supporters for years to come.

The Final Chapter

Tonight will be the last night of the Hillary Clinton campaign in my eyes. Hillary and Terry McAuliffe may decide to continue her campaign and pressure superdelegates to believe she's the stronger candidate in November vs. McCain with the hope of tipping the scales....(etc)

....but for now Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee for President.

A Boston Globe article published today communicated some of my feelings about the end of the contest for the Democratic nomination — that Clinton is stronger than McCain in the fall, that Obama is losing steam, not gaining it — with a clarity that other MSM articles I have read of late have lacked.

The reason I maintain this blog, however, is to do more than quote other sources and offer merely tidbits of my own thoughts opposite newspaper articles, and I can't help but concede that my attitudes towards tonight's news do not place me squarely under the canopy of the "Clinton-Democrats" or with the "Obama-Democrats." Neither of those titles can encapsulate all of my opinions, but that is far from a bad thing and I feel I am one of millions of Democrats who are conflicted, inspired, cautious, but concerned for the Democratic Party more than anything else.

In short, here's what I'm thinking tonight:

Obama is the first african-American to be the nominee of a major political party in our nation's history and it makes me proud.

Clinton has never been a stronger candidate than she's been over the past two months, but after tonight her motives for remaining in the race are too clear—to pray that superdelegates will decide she's stronger than McCain and begin moving to her side over the summer.

If I were a superdelegate I would look at the polls in battleground states and would support Clinton in an instant. But if I were ACTUALLY a superdelegate I would not dare to back Clinton after tonight's claiming of victory by Obama.

Racism and sexism are both wrong and can't be measured against each other. The two are equally indefensible in all their forms.

At my private high school in Cambridge, MA I heard Hillary Clinton publicly called a "bitch" on numerous occasions and observed Microsoft Paint creations of Hillary Clinton paired with a giant cartoon penis while teachers turned a blind eye. In one class this year I was one of three Hillary Clinton supporters, but the only one who dared to admit it. In that class of eleven students the teacher was a fervent Obama supporter and would argue Obama's strengths in front of the class while dismissing any cases to be made for Hillary Clinton. In one of the most liberal environments in the nation I felt silenced by fellow Democrats.

I will never "withdraw" my support for Hillary Clinton. Over the past six months I have seen a truly inspiring, passionate, authentic, effective, and strong candidate arise out of a Hillary Clinton I had previously written off as entitled and machine-like. I don't think it's wrong or destructive to the Democratic party to consider myself a supporter of Ms. Clinton in the way that I'm still an avid supporter of Joe Biden and Chris Dodd.

White voters in recent primary states voted for Hillary Clinton because they wouldn't vote for a black man. Call it "blue collar" or "working class," but it is what happened. It's an important trend to notice, and I fear Barack Obama will struggle to win the general election versus John McCain this November for this and other reasons, but it is my larger ideological responsibility as a supporter of universal health care, of energy independence, of a more dignified immigration system, of returning diplomacy to foreign affairs, and for (although it will be more difficult than any of us can imagine) to changing the way business is done in Washington, that I am now supporting Barack Obama.

A New Day

It's the popular thing for us Democrats to complain about the delay in selecting a nominee while McCain and the Republicans suit up for the general election. I don't consider myself one of those worriers — and I think most of them are Obama supporters — but I must say that John McCain sure knows how to blow you away when he wants to, and the new splash page for his website is the kind of epic beginning to a long and grueling campaign that every candidate wishes they could claim.

As for the Democrats, if Obama AND Clinton put on their war boots for the general election, then everyone wins.

Two Americas Came Together

IMG_3554.JPG, originally uploaded by vargas2040.

Truly a great man and one of the strongest candidates the Democrats have had in years, John Edwards is out.

One could make the argument Edwards was the only Democrat capable of beating the Republicans (John McCain) in the general election, but one thing I'm certain of is that Edwards' message penetrated deeper into his base of support more than any other candidate. More than Hillary Clinton and more than Barack Obama, once Edwards' message of two Americas and a moral obligation to fight for those without a voice was first broadcast he picked up one of the most tried and true 15% this country has seen in a long time.

Through Iowa, New Hampshire, Michigan, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida that 15% turned out for John Edwards, and they would have voted for him on Super Tuesday around this country.

In one of the most upbeat and passionate withdrawals from a campaign I've seen in a while, Edwards formally ended his quest for the presidency, but in his year on the trail he did bring two Americas together, and that 15% has the potential to continue what Edwards first inspired.

We'll miss you, John.

One Comment

This from a reader on Politico.com reflecting on tonight's Democratic debate in Nevada says it all:

"The big winner was the Democratic Party. Their spirit and vision shine so far above the Republicans."

The Democrats, despite this whole race debate the past few days, are the party with vision: Clinton, Obama, Edwards, heck, even Kucinich and Gravel.

Unlike the Republican candidates, who seem focused on a single issue like illegal immigration or gun rights, each Democrat remaining stands for an America of tremendous change and promise.

Thank God for that.