Like many, I have been duly impressed by the sheer resilience of Hillary Clinton's quest for the presidency. After a shocking defeat in Iowa, and a string of eight straight losses in February, she pressed on, undaunted, in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Using her formidable, oftentimes- flawless political skills, she persevered; racking up impressive victories in key states while keeping her campaign moving forward by the sheer force of her personality. And when, with the passing of the seasons, it became clear that her heart-felt dream would never be realized, she exited the stage with grace, dignity and self-sacrifice befitting her noble cause.
If this brief narrative sounds familiar, it should. It is the stuff of our Great American Western mythology. In many ways, Senator Clinton's campaign- and her gracious exit therefrom- casts her in the role of an iconic Western hero.
Whether it's the classic "Shane", the sad-sweet "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence" or John Ford's iconic Westerns, our Western heroes don't quit. They are driven by greater passions. The nobility of their cause seemingly blinds them to the physical perils of their pursuit. They press on-- in spite of (perhaps because of)-- overwhelming odds. And they endure.
No film better epitomizes this ethic than John Ford's quintessential western, "The Searchers". In this 1956 epic, John Wayne (who else?) plays the role of Ethan Edwards, a stalwart civil war veteran (a Rebel, of course) with a mysterious past who returns to his family homestead in Texas during a Comanche uprising. Pressed into service as a volunteer Texas Ranger, Ethan returns from a patrol to find the homestead raided and burned his brother and his wife killed and his niece Debra--played strikingly by a twelve year old Natalie Wood-- carried off as a captive.
The Rangers give chase, but after a skirmish with the Comanche, the Ranger Captain, played by Ward Bond, decides to call off the search. But as Ethan gravely intones, "...that'll be the day". Joined by a boyish Jeffery Hunter, Ethan leads the duo on a five year quest for the girl ranging from Texas up into the Dakota territories, and beyond, always...always closing in on the Comanche band but never able realize their goal. Through searing deserts and blowing snow they single-mindedly pursue their objective, "...just as sure as the turning of the earth." What begins as heroic self-sacrifice may seem in the end to be a manic obsession. But, like the rugged landscape through which they ride, their quest is irrepressible, resolute, and unyielding.
In the end, as with Hillary Clinton, Ethan obtains a degree of redemption. He rescues little Debbie-- now a teen dressed in Comanche garb-- and resists the 'honor killing' which many viewers expect. (After all, she has "been" with the Comanche).
Because Ethan's quest has helped to keep the Comanche at bay, immigrant farmers are now making their mark on the hard-scrabble Texas landscape. The West is changing. But Uncle Ethan's old ways are outdated, obsolete. It's time for him to move on.
And so it is with Hillary. Her quest may be over (for now); her dreams shattered. But because of her dogged efforts the door has been pried off the hinges for others to come. As the earth- mother Mrs Jorgenson (played to perfection by Olive Carey) opines during the famous porch scene in the Searchers, as she reflects on the promise of the West, "...maybe it needs our bones in the ground before that time will come."
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A (wo)man will search her heart and soul
Go searchin' way out there
Her peace of mind she knows she'll find
But where, O Lord, Lord where?
Ride away, ride away