The One I’ve Been Waiting For
Guest post by Scan
I’m sure most of us remember the line from Barack Obama’s speech on Super Tuesday: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” Hey, I’ll give him credit. Its a nice, if somewhat recycled, sentiment. And I remember it causing an outbreak of thrills shooting up legs among the boys at MSNBC that night. But lets remember: Obama was the only person running for president in the crowd that night, and he wanted his audience to help get him there. So a more accurate statement would have been: “I am the one you’ve been waiting for.”
Thats how I heard it, anyway, and I couldn’t help but disagree.
This may be hard to believe, but we are just a few days away from the one-year anniversary of the first Democratic debate of this contest. I remember that night well. I was excited about Hillary and Barack’s historic candidacies, but was open to everyone on that stage. Yes, I would have even considered supporting yet another gray-haired white guy if he managed to blow away everyone else that night. But that didn’t happen. In fact, it was the lady who ran away with the show. A more innocent time, wasn’t it?
I don’t need to list every reason why Hillary is the best choice. I and many others have covered these reasons already, and to go over each one would result in a ridiculously long diary. Nor do I need to cover the struggles and major accomplishments that have shaped her life and prepared her for this task. You probably know these things too. The reason why I’m here, and the reason I choose to keep giving a damn about this grueling election, can be condensed into two points.
The first reason is based on an indisputable truth: These changes we all seek can only be attained if the Republican loses in November.
I’ve written before about my belief that Obama won’t be able to beat McCain. Many have talked about the controversies that could very likely torpedo Obama’s chances in a general election. But it turns out that we already have some poll numbers to back that up.
According to electoral-vote.com, if the election were held today between Clinton and McCain or Obama and McCain, this is what we would see:
Clinton 289
McCain 239
Result: President Hillary Clinton
Obama 260
McCain 254
Result: Inconclusive, and rather troubling.
It’s hard to see how a Democrat can win without Florida and/or Michigan. And yet, the Obama campaign has been tempting this fate very strongly with efforts to discount their voices in choosing the nominee. It’s no surprise that McCain is clearly beating Obama in Florida while Hillary is doing just fine. Hillary is fighting to make sure all the votes are counted. Obama is doing the opposite as part of a strategy to win the nomination. This is an opening for McCain that must not be ignored. Ohio, Missouri and even Massachusetts aren’t looking so great for Obama either.
The second reason is the most important. Put simply, she gets it.
Who could forget the ridiculous breaking reports of Hillary getting emotional on the day before the New Hampshire primary? Silly season in full force, no doubt. But while the media focused on her non-existent “tears”, they seemed to gloss over what was actually important about that moment. I was at work when I saw that clip, and I have to confess that sitting there at my desk, in plain view of my coworkers, my eyes watered a bit too. Not because of her emotion, but because of the words that brought forth the emotion:
“I just don’t want to see us fall backwards… I see what’s happening, and we have to reverse it.”
I think this clip is worth seeing again as we approach the crucial Pennsylvania primary. It’s a good reminder of what this is all about.
I don’t need a poll-tested speech written by a professional and delivered with perfect oratorical pitch to know which candidate will end the nightmare of the Bush-Cheney era and bring our country back from the brink. This told me all I needed to know.
She gets it.
So…who have I been waiting eight long years for? I’ll tell you.
A fighter. A survivor. A champion. A winner.
I’ve been waiting for Hillary.
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