I Have Made Up My Mind At Last: I Am Voting for Barack Obama

If you have been following my blog posts (which is highly doubtful), this announcement might come as a shock. But it is true. I kept jumping back and forth like one of those "undecideds" I have always made fun of. I love both candidates and my heart would fill with warmth if they ran together... but, ALL things considered, gender and race aside, this is my decision. Let's see if I can hold onto it until tomorrow when I actually vote.

So, you want to know what changed my mind?

Well, first of all I had a debate with my dad yesterday during dinner and I accused him of being biased against Obama. I tried to stand up for Obama but in the end was convinced to vote for Hillary because I didn't really have a solid arguement in support for him. Then I watched Michelle Obama's speech yesterday at UCLA on TV with my family. It was heart-felt and just really real... I never heard her talk before and a lot of the things she said rang very true. This made me soften a bit more towards Obama. I started thinking, "why not shed my cynicism a little? Why not believe that someone can truly change America and make it all-around better without the fakeness?"

I decided that today I would do some serious research and try to figure out which candidate truly fits me. I first went on Drudge Report and saw the news that Hillary had "cried" again in Connecticut. Now the first time this happened in New Hampshire, I was swung back to her because I had great sympathy toward her and was very angry at all of the negative, vicious press directed at her. But this time was a bit much... I understand that the person who presented her cried first and described Hillary in her early days- sure that can make anyone cry. SO I don't want to accuse her of planning this out, but I just think it's a bit odd that again it happened that day before an important election. I mean, couldn't she make sure that she didn't cry? Ugh... I don't know. I tried not to let that affect me too much and went on with my research. I looked up articles endorsing both Hillary and Obama. The New York Times endorsed Hillary and had the standard "more experience, country in dire need of someone who knows what they're doing" argument. Fine.

The I looked up videos on Youtube. I saw the Google interview with Obama, and that was what really swung my opinion. I saw how he really was more real, more inspiring... I just let myself get in the hype, and honestly it was a nice place. The only difference was that I did not let myself degrade Hillary in any way. I still love them both and would have both of them for president in a second. But Obama brought up some great points as well, and his general background made me realize a lot more potential in him. The fact that he lived in another country and has so many global connection in my opinion is very important because I lived in Israel for four years and I know what kind of difference that can make to one's perspective. The fact that he supports negotiating with dictators also appeals to me because that is how I believe (and have enough experience to believe) that you can resolve conflicts. In fact it's the only, very best way to do so. The fact that Hillary opposes this is a bit worrisome, and as Barack said it would suggest that America is too cocky to negotiate. Then there is Barack's deep understanding of how important it is to have good relations with the rest of the world. He understands that the Palestinians don't trust us because they know we don't trust them.

And then the fact that he opposed Iraq from the starts... that was certainly good judgment, and one must remember that that was before the war was unpopular. I remember I opposed the war as well so I can see we have some of the same mindset and I can always trust that.

So, I decided Obama. He'll bring the country together, he'll bring young voters, he'll be a cool president (for once, can you imagine?). And if he doesn't win, that's a-okay because Hillary is awesome as well. But right now, I do want change, I do want a new family at the White House, I do want restored hope in America... and I've decided to let go of my cynicism, just for now, and to lend my support to Obama. Now bring on Super Tuesday!

Obama Won the Debate? That's News To Me...

See, this is what boggles my mind:



Really? Obama won, hand's down, no doubt?

REALLY?

Were these people watching the same debate as me?

Don't get me wrong, I love me some Obama, but the fact is that he crumbles in debates in comparison to Hillary. I mean the constant "uhhh"s breaking into his sentences cut the flow and often ruin what he's trying to say. Hillary barely ever stumbles, which is altogether insane, but I think she definitely showed her power at that debate. So the fact that like, only three out of forty people think Hillary won is insane to me. And ALL the rest for Obama. Not only that, but they raise their hands so proudly and surely.

... It's as if, perhaps, they had their minds set before? Hmm.

I don't understand. This is the type of stuff that confuses the hell out of me. It's like, are they seeing the same thing that I'm seeing? I don't see how Hillary sucked so bad that she would get so little support. I just don't see it. Am I blind? Did I miss some kind of memo?

The whole "trend" thing comes to mind again. Honestly this is only hurting Obama in my eyes. The best way I can describe how it looks to me is like zombies following him with glazed eyes going "O-ba-ma.... O-ba-ma...."

Ack. I don't understand people sometimes. That should have been a 50/50 vote. Any extreme shift from that sort of vote brings suspicions of deep biases in my mind.

And then the comments on the Huffington Post, I mean GODDAMN... they just had a very nice, cordial debate. At the end the possibility of a "dream ticket" of Obama and Hillary was brought up and my heart soared. It was a really nice moment. That would be ideal, to me at least. And apparently to the audience as well as they wouldn't stop clapping.

But then some Obama fans on HuffPo start saying "Hillary never stops lying, Hillary will bring the demise of America, blah blah blah..."

CAN YOU JUST SHUT UP ALREADY????

Thank you. And good night.

The Obama Backlash

I think I feel it coming... can you feel it in the air? Everyone is slobbering at his feet too much, it's going too smoothly. I read a comment on Wonkette about how people need to check the site out to see when the backlash starts, and suddenly a light bulb turned on in my head. Of course, how did I not see this coming... I've personally witnessed many backlashes by now, I mean Stereogum has one like every week.

Can it even happen? Or is he really a messiah and no one can resist his beauty?

I think, as long as Obama isn't a "sure thing" shoe-in for the nomination, he won't have a back lash. And as long as people keep hating Hillary so much, he is probably safe. Only if all these anti-Clinton crazies miraculously stop calling her a devil and they realize that they've been fawning over Obama for no solid reason... only then they might come to realize how ridiculous they act sometimes.

We had a mock election at my school on Monday, and at first I had a really hard time deciding. I felt pressure to vote for Obama because my closer friends would probably make fun of me for voting for Hillary. I decided to vote for him just to see how I feel after and then base my real vote (six days!) partly on that...

So my "feeling?" Basically i felt half like a lame trend follower, and half like I was betraying my gender. Ignoring the second part, really what is all this "Obamamania" but one big fat trend? That's all it is. It's so empty. he keeps saying "I will be the one to unite us, I am not typical Washington" but where is the proof? To put this in the cheesiest way possible, he surely can talk the talk but can he walk the walk? That's the question.

I've had a passionate hatred of trends for years now. I think it may have officially started with uggs. they are so UGLY, and yet everyone wore them (and still do!). Now obviously it's unfair to compare Obama with that because he seems like an awesome guy and he truly is inspirational. But I think underneath it all there is a common thread. Something about... just doing something without even thinking, you know? Like, why did all those people buy uggs when they are obviously the ugliest shoes in the history of shoes? Because they're warm, okay... but there's more to it, because uggs have been around forever and they could have bought them then if they needed their footsies to be warm that bad.

I'm going off on a tangent but the point is... I don't know what the deal with Obama is, whether he truly is the next Kennedy and this amazing, oh-my-fucking-god person to save the whole universe in one day.... or if he's just an empty promise, a whole lot of talk without substance. I mean, do people see him in debates? He crumbles under Hillary. he has nice jokes and he does seem real, but UGH I just need something more solid, something to really make me trust him and know that he can push this country back on track... He has great oratory skills but I don't see that fiery passion that I see in Clinton. he always looks like he already has this thing in the bag. And I can't help but question his motives... he doesn't appear to be desperate to change the ways of Washington- he says it a lot but I don't SEE it- and yet he's running so early on, without much experience. I just honestly want to know "why?" I need to know it. Does he believe he can single-handedly save America? I'm not being snarky, I really want to know. Did someone push him to run two years ago because they saw his potential- his youth, his eloquence- or was this really a gut feeling of "damnit this country needs a change and I'm the one to do it?"

All I'm saying is that I've been repelled by trends for a long time now. Everyone jumps on the bandwagon and I immediately get suspicious if something smells fishy. And that's what is happening with Obama right now. I get repelled when everyone else fawns over him, they say "hope" and I say "how?" I just need substance and so far he hasn't given it to me. I don't know, I'm going crazy trying to decide...

But if I base my choice on how I felt after voting, I have to say I would go for Hillary. I would feel like I am actually thinking for myself instead of blindly going after this "hope" talk, you know...

It's like do I vote for what my brain says (and vote for Hillary) or vote for America and let it have the chill president it so desperately wants and vote for Obama? Take a chance. Even though it might amount to a whole bunch of nothing? I just want him to throw me a bone- say something about how he will change things, What exactly he will do and how. I want him to prove to me that he truly knows how to deal with the deep shit the US is in right now. If he can do that, hallelujah. If not... I guess Hillary has got my vote?