A Dark Day

I think that for most Americans, today is a regular day like the one that preceded it and the one that will follow it. But for me it is a dark day, for today is the day I realize the truth that Al Gore will not be the next President of the United States.

I had wanted Al as POTUS since Bill Clinton looked me in the eye, waved his finger at me, and said "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky". Well, to be accurate, I fully believed him that day. It was only on later days that I knew he looked me in the eye, and lied to me. That lie cost my support to all Clintons forever. The lie was so unnecessary. He could have been a man about it. He could have told the truth but he sacrificed it in the name of political expediency. You have to wonder if it was sacrified for his political future, or for hers.

All along I wanted Gore of course, and as the candidates faltered and dropped out it seemed we were left with just "the new guy that some whites would never support", and "the manipulative shrew who would step over the bodies of her family in her thirst to be president". I couldn't believe that once again we were left with inferior choices.

Two things happened though. Obama grew as a candidate, while "Billary" did their damnedest to destroy him. While Obama's narrative as a serene visionary became cemented in our consciousness, the Wright elitist vapid lightweight counter grew as we worried not about two wars, a recession, the price of gas, of foods and the loss of value in our homes...but about lapel pins and imaginary 3 am phone calls.

The give and take and the media's obsession with personality led us to the impression that Hillary could not "close the deal" and that Obama also couldn't close the deal. To a Gore fan there was hope that she was too polarizing to win, he was now too damaged. Well, if Clinton had won Indiana strongly (instead of 51-49%) and Obama had narrowly won North Carolina, (instead of 14%) then I'd say Gore still had a shot.

But, it didn't happen. Obama won the most delegates yesterday, and the race is now winding down. Obama has withstood the test, and has prevailed. Today and during the next two weeks the superdelegates will stream to his side. Hillary will run out of money and the race will be over.

I am truly sad. The country deserves a good President like the one I think Gore could be, but for now I am going to get behind Obama. I am going to take my advice, the advice I would give Clinton supporters now: look at the numbers of delegates, and tell how Obama won't get 2,025 ...and won't get our nomination now. Unless Obama has a major meltdown right now, the race is over and Hillary should get out.