Hillary rises to the occasion

Saturday June 7, was a big day at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. At the center of the great hall Hillary officially endorsed Obama and suspended her campaign.

The whole event started almost 1 hour late in true Clinton fashion. I was at home and was able to watch the whole thing from my comfy couch. As she got into the middle of the speech, I was just struck by the raw emotion moving just underneath the surface. It seemed like a very very difficult speech to give. But it was the best speech that Hillary has given throughout the campaign. I honestly believe that had she found her voice, this voice, showed her nurturing side and exposed her relentless spirit at the beginning of the campaign, she may have ended up giving a very different speech.


But Hillary reminded her supporters of the futility of the "What-ifs":"When you hear people saying or think to yourself, "If only, or, "What if," I say, please, don't go there. Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward."


She rose to the occasion and 'stepped up' to put the party first. Her most heartfelt urging to her supporters: "The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States." That was probably one of the toughest lines to deliver.
Later on she went on to say, "And that's exactly what we're going to do, by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009", was a direct and unequivocal statement of support.

This one speech had all the elements of greatness. It was inspiring in the midst of utter loss. It was hopeful in that democratic ideals and causes still live on. And it brought the first step of closure on a historic journey to advance the causes of race and gender in America.

Although one speech, however moving, will not heal the wounds repeatedly cut open again and again these past many months it is a start in the process of mourning, realization and hopefully reconciliation for the party. It is a daunting task no doubt. But if Democrats want to see progress in bringing the troops home earlier, progress in universal health care and a dramatic shift from the 8 years of the Bush mess, they have no choice but to make nice and make up. Otherwise......

Time to make nice

A Big step for Barack.. A Bigger step for all people of color

My mom told me story this week about what happened at school. A little black kid came running up to her all excited. He told her, "My daddy said that I can be president when I grow up" and walked away all smiling.

This was a big week. Barack Obama made history by becoming the first 'person of color', non-white, minority, mixed race, multi-racial etc...etc..presidential candidate of a major party. On many levels, he has already won. He has taken all of us a step higher in the human evolutionary process by getting us all closer to a post-racial America. Now the big question is: are we there yet? The answer is NO. America is not yet at a post racial state. Many folks out there will still not vote for a 'person of color' for just that reason. But the statement this week gives a great indicator to all the world that we are moving in the right direction.

Whether Obama or McCain wins in November is anyone's guess. But what happened this week will reverberate for years, decades to come. Obama has broken through the white line of power that for 232 years ruled this country. I, myself, a minority, Asian really reflected on this change. I somehow felt more 'comfortable' to be in America. Not, just comfortable I would say, but more of a sense that I belong here, that I can more help affect this country even though I am not white.

The single most compelling achievement that Obama has helped deliver to all of Americans, immigrants etc... this week is the realistic message, that anyone, even from a poor, broken, mixed race background can rise to the highest levels and have an impact on the whole rest of us. It is a message that despite how the deck is stacked against us in the beginning, America can give each of us a chance to re-invent and re-make ourselves and be somebody.

Hell hath no fury......

No one is angrier than a woman who has been rejected in love.

Many people attribute this saying to William Shakespeare. However, this proverb is adapted from a line in the play The Mourning Bride, by William Congreve, an English author of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. The complete quotes is, "Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned/ Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned." And this, in a nutshell, for the Democratic party is one big problem.

Allow me do some more psycho-analysis:

And such the 'love' that Hillary has so desperately sought from the Democratic party goes unrequited.

Wikipedia describes Unrequited love as love that is not reciprocated, even though reciprocation is usually deeply desired. The beloved may not even be aware of this person's deep feelings for them. This can lead to feelings such as depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and rapid mood swings between depression and euphoria.

Need more be said?