Reverends in the closet
If you didn’t know, I support Hillary Clinton for president. Yet, in the final stretch, I am truly in the “anyone but McCain” camp and would easily switch to Obama if he were the Democratic nominee. During this campaign, as with most presidential campaigns in my lifetime, the top candidates all disappoint me at some level. I have always hated McCain’s hawk-like approach to international relations and disagreed with his position on a woman’s right to choose, but I used to think he had integrity at least—until he changed his position on waterboarding and began trolling far right for votes. Clinton has also let me down at times; most recently, her plan to take a holiday from the 18-cent federal tax on gas, as if that solved the unholy government-oil industry partnership that enables companies to gorge on gluttonous profits at the expense of people and the environment. For his part, Obama has had moments where he has been a refreshing, candid voice on the campaign trail, but he too has slipped into the same-old mold of attack, counter attack, and rhetorical pandering. It seems they will all do whatever it takes to get elected. Perhaps it’s not possible to hold high standards, be true to your convictions, and get yourself elected president of the United States. Even when you’re trying to do the right thing, maybe especially so, it’s not easy to be popular and raise big bucks. That said, I was pleased to read in yesterday’s Globe that recent polls suggest many Americans don’t hold Obama at fault for the words of his former minister. When the hate-filled sermons first filled the airwaves and Obama stood by Reverend Wright, he was showing loyalty to a man and a relationship that spanned decades. (I’m ok with loyalty.) Later, when the reverend went public to reiterate his hateful views more clearly (with friends like this who needs enemies), Obama denounced him, and I’m okay with that too. At the end of the day, we vote for who we believe will fight for our values, lead our country with wisdom, and collaborate to get the job done—because in a democracy, leadership is very much a collaborative effort. And as far as I can remember, our choice for president has always been limited to a few, less-than-great candidates. But maybe that’s more an indictment of the process than the candidates themselves…