Swallowing Pride

I watched all two hours of the Democratic YouTube Debates last night and I have to tell you that I was left feeling deeply demoralized. Although we are still months away from the election and months away from the first primary, I don't see how anyone is going to take the nomination away from Hillary Clinton. It seemed to me as if all the other candidates were jockeying for Vice President and/or cabinet posts. I still support Obama, but his inexperience showed as he was clearly not at ease during the debate and lacked the sort of poise that Mrs. Clinton displayed.

I don't like Hillary and I never have. So I'm trying to reconcile within myself whether I can, yet again, swallow my pride and vote for her in November of 2008.

• Biden came across as his amusingly blunt self. I admit that I laughed when he characterized an assault rifle-toting questioner as sick and in need of help. I agree with him and have always felt nervous around anyone who refers to a gun as their "baby". This wasn't just any gun: this wasn't a shotgun or even a handgun. This was a scary looking instrument designed to kill.

• Kucinich lost my vote and my respect when he stated that he believed in reparations for slavery. I strongly disagree with this position for a variety of reasons. For one, how would we pay for them? For another, paying reparations is tantamount to paying ransom and we all know that we value what we work for and earn far more than anything given to us. Lastly, it's in the same vein as this ridiculous white guilt complex that spawns such ill-conceived notions as Anti-Racism/Anti Oppression. I've said it once and I'll say it again. Let it die.

• Gravelle looked like a senile old coot and reminded me of Ross Perot's VP nominee in 1992, Stockdale. He foolishly took on Obama early in the debate and so awkwardly attacked him that Obama was able to brush him off without much effort.
  

• All other candidates failed to make strong impressions on me. Some of the minor candidates made good points but failed to break out of the pack

I will say this, though. I am glad that all 9 potential nominees came out strongly against No Child Left Behind. It's one of the worst pieces of legislation that has ever been passed and I've seen it give my mother fits at her job as a public school administrator.