Elephant In Exile

I've been in DC for more that 14 years. I've seen hack politicians come and go. Like most of us on both sides of the aisle, I've been crushed and saddened about the divisiveness President Bush and Karl Rove have brought to our country. That's why I'm finding it a bit breath taking to watch Senator Hillary Clinton pretty much emulate the political tactics and strategies perfected by the Bush-Rove cadre. And it's funny to see all the liberal blogs I love so much, be a bit coy in addressing the issues of race baiting, voter suppression, push polling and just plain outright lying that the Clintons have been engaging in during their so-far ham-handed campaign. 

What's even more stunning, is when I reach a speech like this. It gives me chills. At 16 I sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and listened to a recording of Martin Luther King Jr.'s, "I have a Dream" speech. It was that moment I knew I wanted to make my way back to this great city someday and work to make my country a better place.  I had that feeling again today, when I read Mr. Obama's speech. 

This man, regardless of his experience, has a message and a vision. One that gets even my cynical heart beating a little faster. Oh, I have nothing in common with him on the policy side of the equation, but I think he is by far, the type of leader we will need going into the troubled years ahead. He's your Ronald Reagan, a man that can make the left a relevant player in American politics and change the 'center' like Reagan did so many years ago. How great would it be to have a fall campaign with Senator Obama and Senator McCain debating beyond the orthodox, focus grouped sound bites of their lesser competitors?

After eight years of criminal mismanagement, I am so looking forward to voting against the Republicans. To tear down the party that I've hitched my wagon to in order to rebuild it as a party of limited government, social libertarianism and fiscal conservatism. 

There is only one thing that can have me cast my vote for any of those candidates however and that's Senator Clinton. If you haven't noticed, she's George Bush in drag...same divisiveness, same 'you're either with me or against me' attitude, and the same appeal to fear.  And if you haven't noticed, she's thrown the democratic African American community under the bus, just as her husband did to the gay community they courted so heavily back in 1992. They're opportunists and after four years of Bush-Cheney the voting public's BS detection skills are too sharp to be fooled by the liberal version of the Bush Dynasty. 

I'd vote for Obama. In fact, I've sent money to him. I'm hoping that I have the choice in November of Obama against McCain, that would be one of the toughest votes to face. 

For years my Democrat friends have been telling me that they can do better than the last eight years. It's time to step up and show me and my fellow elephants in exile that the left is in fact able to break this partisan war and to nominate someone who can change the game rather than extend it for four more years.