Shut Up the Shutting Up

Today Senator Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign for president and announced her support for Senator Obama.  Many of us -- Clinton or Obama supporters -- have been concerned for some time about the obvious to anyone-who-has-a-brain need to change so much about political culture in this country.  This is especially true given the NeoCon veil of secrecy, downright illegality actions (oh yes its a BIG plural) of the George W. Bush era, and the mighty powerful need to focus on the concerns of the many and not the wealthy few.

But now, the pundits who think they know better than the rest of us (let alone the candidates themselves or those who study politics), will tell us all the mistakes and embarrassments that Hillary Clinton made in her effort to receive the Democratic party nomination to become president.  There will be much criticism from folks who have never been personally involved in grass roots politics.  Oh yes, some of these people have ADVISED their fave candidates and party bosses (to whom so many of them do not even begin to hide their allegiances, do the Republican commentators even try to hide those connections anymore?).

While I have strongly criticized the Clinton campaign, I believe that the record of Hillary Clinton speaks for itself in her support of numerous causes and efforts to improve this country.  Yup, I believe that is what she has always wanted to do.  And While I have criticized the campaign from time to time, I have great respect for the person and her ideals.  While she may have been a bit too centrist for me, I never once questioned her sincere ideas about using government to better the lives of average Americans.

All too often since the Reagan realignment of politics (sigh, when was that pendulum supposed to swing to the center, let alone toward progressive politics?), it has become acceptable to criticize the person instead of considering the aspects, implication issues, and long-term consequences of the ideas and policies that they espouse.  It is far easier to attack a bad idea for a photo op then to attack their complicated health care proposal.  And I noticed that happened waaaay too often with Senator Clinton.

So, although her campaign was not successful, I do not want to hear attacks on her, her family, her husband, her looks, her few embarrassments (100 years McCain?  Really?) and more.  She ran a tough campaign and now it is time for unity, collegiality, and a focus on the national election.

Besides, I LOOOOOOVVVE! the idea of Hillary Clinton as a supreme court justice.  Oh yeah, can't you just imagine the wackidoodles of the Right-Wing freaking out.  And imagine someone with her concerns on the supreme court for the next 30 years.  Oh yes it could and should happen!  The Democrats retake the White House and get big majorities in both houses of Congress.  If Senator Obama truly has courage, that would be fair compensation for Senator Clinton's  monumental effort.  And it would be a nice improving action for the country too.