My Support For Obama Has Changed
I’m sure pretty soon I’ll start writing about something else other than the election. Just this has been consuming my attention. I have been reading, and contributing a little, to comment threads on the New York Time’s political blog, and also I’ve been reading comments others have left on Salon, and on the LA Times, and other places. One thing has really stood out for me:
It’s really bitter out there right now.
And obviously, I haven’t been exactly neutral. It’s led to some self-reflection. About a year ago, actually more than a year now, 2006, is when I began supporting Obama. I liked what he had to say, I think I liked Hillary Clinton ok too, but I just seemed to gravitate toward Obama. I bought an Obama bumper sticker sometime in May of last year. Someone peeled half of it off when I parked on the street. A sign of things to come I suppose. But anyhow, at that time, my support for Obama felt very positive. I saw his candiacy in a very good light. I didn’t feel guilty for saying he inspired me, something if you say now someone or other will mention kool-aid. It’s off limits to say the i word, you don’t want someone to think you’re part of a cult.
So things have changed. I don’t feel positive anymore. I think I’m very disappointed. I think it was silly and naive for me to think that if people would give him a chance they would see what a great president Obama would make. I thought that is what happened in Iowa. But that’s not what happened. Once he became known, everyone didn’t embrace him. About half of us were revolted and clinged to their candidate, which is ok. The meanness isn’t. Maybe, with the way the election went this weekend with all these wins for Obama, things are changing, but I’m not sure. The comments I have read about my candidate, that he’s sleasy and manipulative, that he’s lying, that he’s pulled the race card, that he’s been subversive and underhanded, have left me dumbfounded. I have really tried to step out side of myself and see if I could see those things in Obama too, but I haven’t been able to.
But yet, I don’t feel the same anymore. I don’t think it is Obama’s fault. I don’t want to place blame on anyone else. I’m probably partly responsible, because I have felt so repulsed by Clinton’s campaign.
It just sucks. This thing has turned bitter and ugly and nasty and I’m tired of it.