WC: Maybe I Could Vote for Clinton?

I still have a lot of problems with Hillary Clinton, but for the first time I'm thinking that maybe I could vote for her. Maybe.

It was that "tearing up" episode that changed my mind. I don't care that she got tears in her eyes. I think the media's attention to it has been ridiculous, just as I think the media's attention to the Iowa caucuses is ridiculous (come on, folks, there are more people in the U.S. who believe that the government is sending death rays through their fillings than vote in the Iowa caucuses). But, unfortunately, the media to a large extent shapes the debate, and so the tears in Hillary's eyes are/were an issue.

And what does Edwards say in response to TearGate? "I think what we need in a commander-in-chief is strength and resolve." Boy, did he go down in my estimation.

A while ago, the marvelous Nation columnist Katha Pollitt wrote, "If people keep making sexist attacks against Hillary Clinton, I may just have to vote for her."

I don't actually think all of the attacks have been sexist. However, it has been shown all over the blogosphere that getting tears in one's eyes is seen as a sign of sensitivity in men (although actual crying or wiping away the tears is seen as wussy). And the focus on her clothing, her wrinkles, and her laugh certainly ring the sexist bell.

As of this writing, it seems like Edwards is out of the running, and he lost my vote anyway with that dumb anti-tears comment. (I think the equation of no-tears with strength has been the root of an incredible amount of domestic abuse in this world as repressed men have to do something with their emotions.)

So it's Obama or Clinton. Both would be a nice step forward for this country. I could get behind a Clinton/Obama ticket, though an Obama/Clinton ticket feels wrong (he'd be smarter to get a good ole white boy Southerner for his VP).

At least it's an interesting race, and at least they all want more health care and less war.

A young friend of mine, who will be voting for the first time, complained that all our options stink. I laughed and told her how lucky she was to think that this year's crop looks so bad. Based on the realities of the past decades in the U.S., I think we're doing pretty well.