Irvine, thank you for your thoughtful response. I admit when I wrote my original response, I had to bite my tongue--several times. But I figured underneath our visceral responses, we both genuinely look for dialogue.
We have a local talk radio station here--three local hosts coincidentally embracing three different candidates. When I talked about thinskinned, I was also talking about the Obama supporters who would call almost en masse everytime a criticism was levelled, saying this host was supposed to be "fair and balanced". I don't recall too many Hillary supporters calling into the Obama host complaining. The Hillary host has actively invited Obama supporters to the show and called the larger Obama campaign offices and had John Kerry on, economists who support Obama, etc. Despite being hard on Obama, he has given the Obama supporters every opportunity to make their case--unlike the Obama host.
We've had Obama supporters tearing Hillary signs from her supporters during her rallies (and to be fair, they got a little payback at Obama's rally which I thought was equally tacky)
One gets a sense that no criticism levelled at Obama is reasonable, which frankly scares me a little bit. With the Hillary Bosnia sniper thing, we thought, yeah, she lied and she deserves the heat.
I've heard Clinton and Republican supporters call for apologies from Obama regarding Wright, etc. I never called for an apology. I never thought one was required or even particularly desireable.
I had a Hillary pin I gave away. But haven't gotten a Hillary sign. If I did, I would think it was funny.
It's hard for me to identify nationwide with a Vote for Hillary because Obama Can't Win, because as I've noted, a lot of people here were pro-Hillary even when everybody else was in the race.
So believe it or not, we do believe we are voting FOR someone.
I will admit for me it's partly a woman who shares a lot of my ideology thing. It's a lot of this always second thing. It's not like we've had an overabundance of women candidates. I've never really had an opportunity to vote for somebody who was, you know, like me. She's strong, capable, intelligent and like you said several times, you would vote for her if she were the nominee. Would you still?
Obama didn't wow me. I wasn't wowed by his speeches, although I often thought they were strong and eloquent. I don't have much real information on him. I like Hillary, warts and all, and after watching her closely for 16 years, I think the good outweighs the bad. I've vetted her. I haven't vetted Obama.
For me to vote for Obama would only be a vote against McCain.
I haven't been convinced he is a step away and a step above. I know that's what his image is. I don't necessarily trust image. I'm not a person of faith, except in my own instincts. (Not to say I'm not wrong --or right--often enough, but I'd rather bet on my instincts than against them.) So in the primaries, I'll vote for whom I prefer, then make my peace in November.
You know a couple of years ago, you castigated me some for my opinion (still held) that not voting is a political statement itself. I believe you said something along the lines that it was a moral imperative (or civil duty or something) to vote. Be careful what you wish for.