Primary Politics=Presidential Politics

I just received an email from Michelle Obama, one that many probably received on the Clinton attacks on her husband. I would quote from it, but it is political rhetoric like everything being said in the run-up to South Carolina and Super Tuesday primaries.

It does lead me to finally come out and state for the record that the Clintons should not be president again. It was 8 years of bluster, infighting, scandal and divisiveness (I can remember it another way too but the climate that Clinton has created recently in the primary is so negative it highlights my concerns about a Hillary presidency). We have had another 8 years of this with Bush II, I am sick of it.

Remember in the run-up to the SC primary in 2000? Well it was crazy negative like now, McCain lost, and Bush won by campaigning negatively and using dirty tricks. My theory is if you will do anything to win SC, including destroy your own political party and your future political allies, then you are going to use the same slash and burn mentality in the White House. This mentality didnt serve us with Clinton I or Bush II, and I dont want to test it out in Clinton II.

Experience in Washington to me is code for knowing how to play the very cynical game of cat and mouse, that is not useful at this point in our country's history. Clinton I was more of a neophyte than Obama is now (at least Obama has some foreign policy experience). Change is needed, change in attitude, change in the way business is done, a way that will be inclusive while representing compromise and straightforwardness in policy-making. I know people say I am naive, but I am a believer that many people in this country want our leaders to get it together and stop pandering to the extreme elements of our party or those who would be swayed by negative politicking.

To that end, I have donated $25 to Obama's campaign (first time I have ever contributed to a presidential campaign). I finally did it on the day my friend said to me "now black parents are not lying to their children when they say you can be anything you want to be, now we achieve anything" She had such hope, there is so much power in hope that is not just rhetorical, it can mean historic transition to a more peaceful nation (among other things), Clinton II is just more of the same. Vote Obama on February 12 in Virginia and in your state's primary.