I started off this campaign season (which seems like years ago) undecided. I remember hoping that Hillary would choose not to seek the presidency because I knew it would get ugly. And more importantly, I knew that I'd be defending her against relentless attacks from a solid block of haters. What I've seen against Hillary is an exercise in weak-sense critical thinking. The premise starts that Hillary is evil, and the haters look for reasons to support that premise. And during the course of the primary, she's been called every name in the book. Bitch, Bush-lite, racist, liar... you name it, it's probably been said.
But I digress. Whether or not any of the attacks are legitimate or fair, Hillary is a particularly divisive person. She brings out the worst in people. So looking towards the general election, and the likelihood that St. McCain will be the GOP nominee, I have serious reservations about her ability to win. And quite frankly, I am sick and tired of debating the virtues of Hillary. So now that I'm solidly in the ABC (Anybody But Clinton) camp, there are two choices left: Edwards or Obama.
I went through a brief period last year in which I flirted with supporting Barack Obama. I liked his positive message, and bought into the idea that he would change things. But my flirtation with Obama subsided as he began to trade barbs with Hillary. I thought about what an Obama candidacy against a Republican would mean, and came to the conclusion that they would eat him for breakfast. I mean, seriously... Hillary has handled Obama with kid gloves compared to what the GOP and right-wing media will do. You gotta remember, most people do not follow politics to the degree we at DKos do. The right-wing noise machine will paint a picture of him as a black Muslim with little experience, and the rubes will buy it hook, line and sinker. And I worry that Obama lacks the wherewithal to respond forcefully, much like John Kerry. I can't handle another four years of Republican rule, so Obama is out.
That leaves John Edwards. At first, I was put off by the "holier-than-thou" attitude espoused by Edwards. He and Hillary both voted to approve the idiotic war in Iraq. Yet somehow, he felt his neo-antiwar position was better than Hillary's because he apologized. But over the past several months, my opinion of John Edwards has improved gradually. He never got particularly nasty with Hillary or Obama, and basically stuck to the issues. I also give him high marks for speaking out against existing system of political money and refusing to take money from K Street. I think he hurt his campaign by taking on the big corporations. But my view is that he stuck to his principles and put his beliefs ahead of his electability. It shows great character. And his performance in last night's debate cemented it for me.
I have decided that I will vote in the Massachusetts Democratic primary, and that my vote will be for John Edwards.