Sunday, May 11, 2008

Obama-mary-mamma

The popular view is that Illinois Senator Barack Obama will be the Democratic Nominee for President of the US.

Current Delegate Count:
  • Barack Obama: 1,587 Delegates, 275 Super-Delegates
  • Hillary Clinton: 1.424 Delegates, 271 Super-Delegates
Source: AP via BBC, May 11 2008


According to almost everyone, Obama's lead is insurmountable, and Clinton's chances are as slim as mine are of winning the lottery. And Obama supporters couldn't be happier.

More after the break..

A lot of gay people I know are passionately for Obama. It's oft cited by gay Obama supporters that he is more willing to discuss how the LGBT community deserves with the general populace, as opposed to Hillary Clinton who allegedly only says so when talking to the LGBT community. But hasn't Hillary actually done more for the LGBT than Obama has? Sure, he's said the right, vague things to appease the community, have wee seen anything more than that? Despite her faults, despite Bill Clinton's signing in of DADT and DOMA (which were the best we could get at the time), she has consistently marched alongside at Pride events, and has supported the community for longer than Barack has even been in political office. I'd like to remind all of Hillary's detractors relating to DADT and DOMA that she wasn't the President, her husband was. And she can't be held responsible for everything her husband did. Obviously.

Barack has managed to talk a fair game, but say so little. Asking an Obama supporter why they support him, I usually get an answer like "he represents change / a new paradigm," but on further inquiry, can't really say much else. It isn't concrete. It's almost hypnotic.

I do believe that Hillary is a better option for our country, and our community. If she doesn't get the nomination, I will support her as a write-in candidate. People are so hard on a woman who has her faults but has done so much for our community, yet are overly forgiving of a man who hasn't proved himself yet. I do worry, though, that this Obama-mania won't list through the general election, then McCain will get the nomination, and we'll have another 8 years of the same.

Here's hoping I'm wrong about that.

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