What will you do?
For all the Clinton supporters out there--what say you when she concedes?
First, let me assure you I am coming from the right place. My sole interest is in a Democrat sitting in the White House next January. If Hillary Clinton is on the ballot the first Tuesday in November, I'll vote for her. If instead it's Barack Obama, I'll vote for him. That seems simple enough, and it's been my position from day one of this campaign.
When Senator Clinton conceeds this race--say, June 5th--and urges each of her supporters to rally behind the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, Barack Obama--
--WHAT WILL YOU DO?
The Gauntlet is at your feet. You can seize it, harnessing all the enthusiasm and energy you've used so persuasively and effectively for Hillary Clinton, redirected towards an eventual Barack Obama presidency.
You can walk away from it, deciding instead not to vote, so fresh and raw are the wounds of this campaign.
Or you can pick it up and throw it back at her, instead insisting the woman has driven you to such lengths on her behalf MUST have lost her mind and no amount of cajoling on her part could convince you to accept her defeat as she has, to throw your support to the nominee as she has, to dedicate yourself fully and completely to the defeat of John McCain as she has.
Is this how you will choose to honor your candidate? By ignoring her final campaign wish?
I know the vast majority of her supporters will do the right thing and support Barack Obama. Maybe you hold your nose when you vote for him--we've all had those candidates--and maybe you don't even actively campaign for him, but you certainly wouldn't undermine him and lead us directly to a John McCain-Bush III Presidency, right?
Both sides are full of impassioned people. Charges of racism and sexism abound--and we know that, in the media at least, both have manifested themselves many times. We can neither deny nor change any of that. This was going to be a watershed campaign, a moment where we (perhaps) found out whether it would be harder for a Woman or a Black Man to win the Presidency. Bill Clinton himself said he wanted to vote for one or the other for President one day--and lamented that God should force such a decision upon him in the same year!
So, it's all done. This isn't a Unity diary, not exactly. This isn't a Denial diary, either. This is a challenge:
What will you do when forced to face the reality of hearing your candidate withdraw from the race for the nomination and urge you, in the strongest possible language, to support the other candidate? Will you honor and respect their wishes? As you have followed, and called, and donated, and canvassed, will you now LISTEN and do as she asks?
I don't want to pressure you too much--there's still plenty of time--but the stakes couldn't possibly be higher. Choice, Iraq, the Economy, and Health Care all hang in the balance.
Please listen, not to me, not to any blogger, not to any talking head. I'm asking you--BEGGING YOU--to listen to your candidate. There's wisdom in that.
A little practicality, as well.
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