Sunday, June 15, 2008

Hillary Supporter: Obama Stirred Racism

Note to all visitors (Democrats, Republicans, and Independents): Please go now to the above web site -- http://clintons4mccain.com -- and join as a member. The group's goal? "We will vote for Sen. John McCain not out of anger, not out of spite, but because he is an honorable American who may not speak the most eloquent words, or give the greatest speeches, but when he does speak we can believe him. "


On my national blog(s) today, I have a piece about the shafting of Hillary Clinton by a group of Pennsylvania "Superdelegates." The column below is reprinted from one of the best-blogs-you've-never-heard-of, Jean Avery's http://moms4mccain.blogspot.com. It provides an in-depth view of why one former Hillary Supporter is now backing John McCain. Thanks Jean! (Also working with Jean and me is Beverly Perlson, the heroic founder of an important web site called: http://thebandofmothers.com, an organization for moms of American servicemen and servicewomen. If you're a Hillary Supporter who now supports John McCain, you should join: http://clintons4mccain.com.)

Q&A with a former Hillary Supporter: Why She's Voting McCain


My [Jean Avery's] CafeMom boards are full of Hillary supporters who are now supporting McCain for President. Randa, a mother of 5 from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, took a few minutes to share her perspective. To all other Hillary supporters who have been made unwelcome by their party and their nominee, I invite you to check out Citizens for McCain and McCainNOW .

Jean: Tell us about yourself.

Randa: I'm a SAHM [Stay-at-Home-Mom] with 5 kids. 29, 21, 18, and 9 yr old twins. (insert applause for Randa here!)

Jean: What is your involvement in politics? Has it changed this election compared to past years?

Randa: "I've been a Democrat for my entire adult life. I've always been an active supporter of the party.Last year, I felt the party was sitting pretty. I thought that it was great that we would have two strong candidates to choose from. While I have always admired Hillary Clinton and looked forward to the day that she would run for the presidency, I kept an open mind about Obama and at that time felt that I would be able to support him as the party's candidate should it come to that. So I guess to answer your question, while it started out to be the same as years past, it has certainly morphed into something that is not typical for me."


Jean: "Why did you support Hillary (did you support Bill)?

Randa: "My main issues for supporting Hillary are healthcare, the economy and our standing in the world community. While healthcare and the economy are not something that are a main concern to my husband and I, we do have children that it will directly affect in the near future. We are concerned about the livelihood and well-being of the younger generation.I feel that Hillary would be seen in the global community as a strong level-headed leader. She has shown that she is not an emotional thinker, rather she depends on logic when making decisions. I would feel safe under a Hillary Clinton administration.I did support Bill Clinton. I still do. "


Jean: Why do you now support McCain? What about him and his policies appealed to you (besides NOT being Obama?)

Randa: "While McCain's stance on the war is quite different than Clinton's, he has shown that he will make decisions based on logic. When he says we may be in Iraq for 100 yrs, I don't think he means that we will be at war with Iraq for 100 yrs. While Obama may bring the troops home from Iraq, I fear that his administration will only lead to more war in the long run. He will be seen as a weak leader on the global front. My big reasons for supporting McCain and not Obama are experience and moral character."

Jean: Are there any specific issues you’d like to comment on?

Randa: "I'd love to have a candidate that is strong on foreign policy and the economy. It seems to me that this time around, we have a candidate (McCain) that is strong on foreign policy, but weak on domestic issues. I respect the fact that McCain has admitted that economic issues are not his strong point and that if elected, he would surround himself with those who are strong in economics. I don't see Obama as having any strengths in either area. "

Jean: What do you think of media coverage of each of the 3 candidates?

Randa: "McCain: mostly they point to his age as a negative. Clinton: she's been treated with a greater lack of respect than I ever thought possible. She could do nothing right as far as the media was concerned. She never stood a chance. Obama: the media in general has seemed as if they have had a school girl crush on Obama. He could do no wrong and if he did, it was somehow Clinton's fault. Only now that he has secured the nomination have there been some negative reports.

Jean: What do you have to say to former Hillary loyalists who are now pro-Obama?

Randa: " I would remind them that nothing has changed about Obama. He is still inexperienced. He is still a senator with a less than effective record. His candidacy has been one of half truths. Statements such as 'I was against the war and Clinton voted for it.' He fails to mention that no one asked for his opinion at the time. Hind sight is always 20/20.I would remind them that Obama has embraced sexism in his campaign. Obama has stirred the pot of racism at every corner. I would remind him that Obama is the exemplification of dirty politics. He has so often made the comment " that's not the______ I knew!) you may insert any of Obama's racist / criminal friends in the blank. He is either a liar or the worst judge of character in the world!I would hope that all Clinton supporters remember that in supporting Obama, they are supporting a party that has ignored the will of the voters and failed to protect the rights of Florida and Michigan Democrats. They will be supporting a party that has had a predetermined candidate for a long time. By voting for Obama it sends a clear message that democracy is no more, and we're okay with that. A vote for Obama says that women are to be held to a different standard than men and we're okay with that."

Jean: Anything else you’d like to share?

Randa: "As a mother of 3 young ladies, I feel that as their mother, I must take a stand. I see every insult hurled at Senator Clinton as an insult to my girls. I've raised my girls to believe that with hard work and determination, they can accomplish anything. I will not support a party that tells them otherwise through its actions."

Thank you to Randa for sharing her candid feedback. America deserves courageous, proven leadership and our answer is John McCain.

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