Super-Duper Tuesday

For the first time in my voting life, the dawn of an Election Day arrives and I am not yet sure for whom I will cast my ballot.

After 9/11, when Hilary Clinton cast her vote for the Iraq War, and later, when she backed an amendment that would restrict free speech (the whole burning-the-flag- thing), and when she began talking through her mouth from both sides, I told myself, sadly, I cannot vote for her if she runs. I will not vote for her if she runs.

I am not so sure now. She is smart, she is tough. As a policy wonk – she knows the big picture and the details. The economy may very well be better in her hands than anyone else’s. Despite her pandering, she won’t betray women on our right to choose. Social issues may not advance a great deal while she is in office, but they won’t slip any further either. And she is one tough cookie – though I believe she will use diplomacy (and she’s got one hell of an ambassador in her corner who is still much-beloved by the rest of the world, not to mention a sharp political operative and excellent advisor), I’d hate to get into a dog fight ... er ... cat fight with this broad.

And she is a woman. And how proud I would be to see a woman hold the highest office in the land. We could do far worse than Clinton, and perhaps not much better. And though I would not always agree with her policies or approaches, I would not be ashamed or embarrassed to call her President. I would, indeed, be proud. And what a message her ascendancy to the highest office in the land would send young women. I can hear the wonder and pride already in my daughter’s voice, see her tears Election Night in November. I can almost taste my own.

But before Obama announced his candidacy, I, like many others, had sent him an email: Run, Obama, run. I see in Obama a man of integrity and vision. A man capable of healing a divided country and bringing us together for a far more nobler purpose than shopping to shore up our economy. While Hilary Clinton will fight for me, Obama will too – but he will also ask me to fight as well. He will ask me to step up. I agree with his philosophy, his rhetoric. He will listen to those who say no to power, not ignore advice from all corners, before rendering his decisions.

And he is a black man. We could do far worse than Obama, and perhaps not much better. How proud I would be to see a black man hold the highest office in the land.. And though I would not always agree with his policies or approaches, I would not be ashamed or embarrassed to call him President. I would, indeed, be proud. And what a message his ascendancy to the highest office in our land would send to our country, to our youth, to African-Americans who thought they would never, ever, see such a day. I can hear the wonder and pride already, see the tears of joy. I can almost taste my own.

I would be content; I would be proud if either of these candidates made it to the White House.

So for whom do I vote?

The pragmatist in me drives me to strategy. Which one, Obama or Clinton, has the best chance to beat the Republicans? Does it really come down to this then – who is more electable?