Posted by Damozel | After praising both candidates ---
In this extraordinary election year, Indiana's Democratic voters have been presented with an extraordinary opportunity: Choose for their party's presidential nominee between a gifted senator from Illinois who has enthused millions of new voters and an equally talented senator from New York with years of high-level experience. (Indianapolis Star)
--- The Star endorses Hillary. I appreciate --- and applaud--- the reason given in the editorial: 'Obama offers an attractive vision for the way things could be .... Clinton offers a clear-eyed view of the way things are."(Star) That's right.
Obama...speaks eloquently of hope and change. He connects with voters, many who formerly felt disenfranchised, on a level few political leaders have attained.
Clinton...offers nuanced positions on how to address the war in Iraq, trade with China and economic expansion. Her depth of knowledge is remarkable.
As impressive as Obama appears, he is still in his first term in the U.S. Senate, and only four years ago was serving as an Illinois state senator. His inexperience in high office is a liability.
Clinton, in contrast, is well prepared for the rigors of the White House. She is tough, experienced and realistic about what can and cannot be accomplished on the world stage. (Star; emphasis added)
The article does gently suggest that Hillary 'regrettably' has pandered to voters.' The gas tax is the only instance specified. I disagree with Hillary on the gas tax, so I'm going to let that one go. It also addresses Hillary's role in the --- Jesus, am I tired of this metaphor --- [Bill] Clinton 'machine' as a potential voter turn-off. Yes, I keep hearing about this, though without anyone ever stating what she's meant to have done other than participate in his campaign and serve as First Lady for eight years.
If you ask people who repeat these allegations exactly what facts underlie the whole 'Hillary is ruthless and unscrupulous' meme, they never answer with any specifics. I have come to the conclusion that this is because there are no specifics and that what many of these people really object to is a woman with Hillary's stamina and stomach for a political battle. Women are supposed to 'bow out gracefully' --- a meme that was all over the place a few weeks back --- and let the man win.
Her chief sin, according to some of them, seems to be that she is married and stayed married to Bill. People who can't imagine a marriage in which a wife values her marriage more than her outrage at her husband's propensities find it 'cynical' that she decided to stand by her man after Monica, just as if they believe that she didn't know well before Monica what Bill was like. Some of the same people who claim to believe in marriage and the family have been most vocal against her for this, and --- sadly --- so-called 'progressives' in the party who think Obama is progressive have picked up this idiotic meme or theme.
I digress. Let's get back to the nice endorsement in the Indiana Star, which refers to the 'machine' only briefly and in passing and as an example of something that people might believe about Clinton, whether or not it is true. The article concludes:
[O]ne thing is clear: The next commander in chief will take office at a time of extraordinary risk for this nation, both at home and abroad. The challenges -- including those posed by a sagging economy, rising energy and food costs, the gap in health care, wars in two countries and threats from Iran -- are complex.
On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton is the better choice, based on her experience and grasp of major issues, to confront those challenges. She earns The Star's endorsement in Tuesday's primary.(Star; emphasis added)
Memeorandum discusses the article here. Hillary supporters will want to see Riverdaughter's excellent summary of Barack Obama's Very Bad Week at The Confluence.
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